[size=16pt]Just got back on the boards here. Went to the V.A. last Friday to get cortisone shots in my feet. The joints are separating in my feet due to the autoimmune disease attacking the cartilage there....???? another gift of SS they say?
Go only one shot in one foot. Was suppose to go pick up a wheelchair at prosthetics and then to x-ray for well,,,more x-rays.
Sitting in the waiting room after the shot...I felt a rush and thought it was a reaction to the meds and didn't worry. Then my chest felt like someone was chrushing my heat? Then my jaw started hurting and that side of my neck became very tight. I tried to wait it out just wanting it to go away...it didn't/ I told the desk and the podiatrist...a very kind and good doctor came out and took a look at me and grabbed the wheelchair (hospitals) and started running from the 5th floor to the ER. Then it was very television...nurses doctors machines and needles....about 20 min later they gave me nitro and whoosh the pain let up just like that...
They admitted e although I wasn't to go home...4 days of test...I have Hypokalemia...low potassium...No permanent damage to my hear YEA!!!!...angina. So more pills to take. 'if' there was a blockage or a plaque that broke lose it is gone now another YEA!!!! I am very tired, but really O.K. If anyone here has had low potassium pleas post I am trying to learn about it as it seems to be there every time I go to get test and they told me it could have caused the cardiac infarction (HEART FART LOL)
Huggles dear friends....[/size]
JT, I'm so glad you're here to tell the tale, as they say.
You're cardiac episode must have been very frightening, what a blessing that you were actually in a hospital, and got such quick treatment.
Hypokalemia can be a very serious problem. There's a narrow balance of normal for potassium ( 3.5-5.0 meq/L or 3.5-5.0 mmol/L) and the muscles, especially the heart muscle, rely on it for function. Mine has dropped a couple of times, and my doctor was all over it, treating with supplements and diet, and checking weekly until it was normal again. It's now checked every 6 weeks.
Wow, that's scary - thank goodness you were already in the hospital and they took fast action to get you treated. What a weekend - that's an understatement. Glad to hear everything is okay now.
Skylar
Boy, talk about being in the right place at the right time! :o So glad everything worked out well for you. :)
Take care,
Pooh
Well you dont do things by halves do you........
Hugz to you and keep us updated of whats going on
Luv ya
Mim
Wow, I am so glad you are still here with us and the world. You certainly were in the right place at the right time.
I had my potassium drop once and was treated with supplemental potassium until it returned to normal, like Linda, I have labs very 3 months to keep a watch on it and all the other fun stuff they check us for.
Take care and ((((HUGS)))),
Sue
I'm so glad to hear that you got through that episode unscathed. It could have been a very unhappy ending. It is amazing that you put up with the pain because, obviously, the podiatrist thought you looked very ill. Good thing he was an action man and got you to the right place at the right time. Just take it easy and get to the doc if you have any problems. Irish ;D
Aw Jangy, I'm sorry that it happened to you, but I'm glad that it did occur in the hospital. Wow, just wow - whew girl, I honestly don't know how you and hubby keep rolling. Dang.
I'm glad to see that you're doing better and I'll keep you and the hubby in my thoughts and prayers.
( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( LOTS OF GENTLE H U G S! ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
Hey, by the way, how are the renovations coming along?
Please take care, okay?
Patze
Wow Jangy - I'm glad it happened were you were. Horrible thing to happen but you couldn't have been in a better place!
Take care - Scottie :)
Hi Jangy,
I have had a problem with low potassium for several years. I take a script supplement every day and have to get it checked regularly. Even with the supplement it still drops below the low end of normal (3.5) on occasion, without the supplement it is dangerously low. I was afraid to take the supplements at first because twenty six years ago my mom died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of sixty. Her potassium level was way too high. She was taking supplements because she was on Lasix, a diuretic. Obviously her levels weren't checked as they should have been. Needless to say, I understand the dangers involving potassium, both too much and too little. It's a little known danger so most people are unaware of it. My docs have no idea why my levels run so low. They just know they have to watch them. Obviously nobody should ever take any kind of potassium supplement without a doctor's order.
I'm sorry you went through such an awful ordeal but I am glad your situation turned out as well as it did. Now the docs will monitor you closely. I hope you are taking care of yourself. Good luck and please keep us posted.
quiger
Hi so glad you chose the best location for a heart attack. I had low potassium some years ago due to taking diuretics and ended up with gout. No one mentioned anything about heart, very typical. The diuretics were for high blood pressure which strangely went away on stopping the drugs and touch wood hasn't returned. I am sure you will be well looked after so good luck kelsey
Wow Jangy!
So glad you were at the right place when all of this started going on...but sorry that you had to go through it all! I'm also glad that you are doing better now and are being monitored well to avoid this from happening again!
I guess I wasn't aware of the importance of potassium and how dangerous it can be when your levels are out of whack...thanks for bringing this subject to light so people are aware!
Take good care of yourself and keep us posted on how you are doing!
Hi Jangy
I remember soon after i was diagnosed with sjogrens i had an episode of feeling like my heart was doing something couldn't control, felt really strange and phoned the gp who told me to go to A and E after a ECG and blood test i was reasurred that nothing was wrong except i had low potassiumand my blood pressure was also low and told to eat more banana's, i still remember thinking i was possibly on the verge of heart probs.
They didn't seem concerned about potassium levels though.
something to keep an eye on though.
Take care
loulou
My potassium came back slightly low on one of the routine blood tests for the rheumy about 3 years ago. She was all over it, called me and told me to contact my PCP right away because it was low (3.3). Said it was probably because of the diuretic I was on for blood pressure and my PCP put me on a supplement right away. I asked a couple years ago if I could stop taking it, but he told me:
"Well let's see, if you potassium gets low, your heart muscle won't contract and then you will die, so NO, you can't go off of it!"
I was rather offended by how he said that and am no longer going to him, but thinking back, he probably didn't want me trying to stop the potassium on my own. He could have just said that to me though, no reason to be sarcastic!
Nancy