Sensory overload linked to hypokalemia in certain cases

[Mary]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18174562

http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Hypokalemic_sensory_overstimulation:

The sensory overstimulation is triggered by large carbohydrate meals, sodium chloride intake, and the period following exercise,[1] the same factors known to trigger hypokalemic periodic paralysis.[4] People with hypokalemic sensory overstimulation also have a reduced effectiveness of the local anesthetic lidocaine.

 

[RWP (Rest without Peace)]

@Mary

No surprise here! Other patients have mentioned it, as you know, especially when doing methylation treatment. Both of us have had trouble with this in the past. My wife, PWR (Peace without Rest), had critical low potassium during her diabetic ketoacidosis onset that stubbornly refused to improve. Even the drug potassium they gave failed to work. When I snuck in the potassium gluconate from the health food store and gave it to her, it "miraculously" improved. Hmmm.

RWP

 

[Mary]

Hi @RWP (Rest without Peace) - I'd never heard of low potassium being linked to sensory overload before. I know hypokalemia is extremely common when starting methylation, and I know that it (hypokalemia) can cause fatigue, muscle spasms, twitches, and cardiac symptoms, but this is the first time I've read about it being connected to sensory overload. Maybe I just missed this when others mentioned it.

Interesting about your wife - that would have been scary! I wonder why the potassium gluconate helped when the potassium the doctors used didn't … I wonder what form they were using or maybe they didn't give her enough? It's great you were there to help her!

 

[RWP (Rest without Peace)]

@Mary

Yes, I wasn't aware of the connection either. Though it does make sense since the brain is so potassium dependent.

Yes, her glucose was 658! The drug, KDur (sp?), probably wasn't as bioavailable. It also caused (as I remember) significant digestive irritation. Well, it just proves that "we all need each other" medically from all the various disciplines!

Thanks,

RWP

 

[Mary]

@RWP (Rest without Peace) - was her high glucose related to low potassium somehow?

 

[RWP (Rest without Peace)]

Yes, classic presentation of DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis), though as I said, her potassium was on the verge of being near fatal (2.5C).

Also, she took KDur years later for awhile, and it was OK with side effects, though I'm not sure how much it helped her potassium levels after all then either. Both of us tend to be low, except that hers has always been lower. It's OK now, though.

RWP

 

[wastwater]

I always have erratic potassium levels and maybe incorrectly wondered if it had something to do with voltage gated potassium channel antibodies

 

[Mary]

I always have erratic potassium levels and maybe incorrectly wondered if it had something to do with voltage gated potassium channel antibodies

Obviously I don't know the cause of your erratic potassium levels, but you might take a look at this thread.