How to counteract high sodium??

witcherkar
witcherkar Posts: 138 Member
edited December 1 in Health and Weight Loss
I know I will be going over my sodium for today. Should I just drink extra water to counteract that or what? I am on spironolactone, which is a diruretic. I wasn't told I should eat more sodium or anything being on it. If I should drink more water, how much more?? I don't want to gain just because my food choices for one day is higher than recommended...please help! Thanks!

Replies

  • gohawks1988
    gohawks1988 Posts: 23 Member
    Potassium usually counteracts sodium. If you weigh yourself tomorrow after having a lot of sodium, it's possible you could see a gain. I ate a lot of sodium once and gained three pounds in a day--but it all fell back off within a few days. You should be ok :)
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    Yes. Drink much more than 8 cups of water. Your body takes it in, takes in enough water to hold the sodium, then starts deciding how much of the sodium to release. It will take about a week or 8 days for your body to release the excess of sodium and it's companion water. It happens. I have to cook my own food to keep my sodium low.
  • RosieRose7673
    RosieRose7673 Posts: 438 Member
    8 days? Wow that's a lot of time to bloat from one high sodium day! I can bloat up a pound or two but I'm back down to normal within 1-2 days.

    Just drink lots of water and ignore the extra lb or two on the scale! No biggie!
  • Cmgred
    Cmgred Posts: 3 Member
    Do you have issues with sodium? I do, but going over one day didn't kill me. I must have taken too much potassium, that felt like it was going to kill me(RHR of 119).Maybe do nothing unless you need to go to the ER.
  • Squatch3099
    Squatch3099 Posts: 87 Member
    I've been taking a potassium supplement with a big glass of water right after breakfast. I take it after because the stuff is kind of hard on my stomach. Ive noticed a real difference in the swelling in my ankles which used to happen if I went over 1,000 mg of sodium a day. It really does help.
  • LosingItForGood13
    LosingItForGood13 Posts: 182 Member
    Try couple tbsp every other day of Apple cider vinegar that helps my daily sodium is at under 1200
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    You really shouldn't take potassium supplements to counter act sodium intake. Overloading your body with potassium can actually have fatal consequences.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    You really shouldn't take potassium supplements to counter act sodium intake. Overloading your body with potassium can actually have fatal consequences.

    Yup. Plus, unless you specifically need to watch sodium (e.g. if you have salt-sensitive hypertension) there's really no harm to being over on sodium. You'll naturally be thirstier, so drink according to what your thirst tells you that you need, and you'll pee out the excess in a day or two.

    Sure, the scale may go up, but you know it's just water weight, and it's just temporary, so I wouldn't stress over it.
  • witcherkar
    witcherkar Posts: 138 Member
    I actually am not allowed to take potassium supplements. I am supposed to stay away from high potassium foods as well like bananas and broccli. The spirnolactone, is a potassium sparing diruretic. Release water and sodium but keeps in potassium. Anything else to help??
  • SarahPeters3
    SarahPeters3 Posts: 100 Member
    Eat less sodium after today if you don't want to keep retaining water.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    High sodium or potassium days every once in a while probably won't hurt anything. . . . However, spironolactone/aldactone is a potassium sparing drug. Do not take potassium supplements, and check with your doctor regarding limiting high potassium foods like potatoes, avocados, bananas, some greens, etc. (looks like you mentioned this in a later post). The doctor should be monitoring your potassium regularly, especially if you're on the drug long term or in high doses to treat something like PCOS symptoms or alopecia instead of congestive heart failure/blood pressure.

    Drink adequate amounts ('adequate' isn't super helpful, I know, but avoid dehydration) of water and check with your doctor or pharmacist for a specific sodium guideline since this drug is a diuretic. It may very well be different than the daily average that MFP is giving you. This is definitely a time to check in with a health professional who knows your medical history!
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