They found something growing in the lungs
- Thread starter HABS93
- Start date
It's possible the blood test may not give accurate results. I think that was true in my case. For some years (I can't remember how long, much of my life with this illness is a blur!), I would get episodes of bad fatigue, lethargy, hard to describe, but it was different than PEM, it wasn't in response to exertion or anything that I could figure out. So l lived with. It usually lasted a couple of days, and then would get back to "normal" ME/CFS misery. When I started taking folate in 2010, it gave me an immediate boost in energy, followed a day or 2 later by severe fatigue - the same fatigue that had been hitting me before. It was low potassium, a form of refeeding syndrome which occurred as a result of taking the folate. My cells started dividing more rapidly and doing what they were supposed to do, which required more potassium, which induced a potassium deficiency. Thanks to Freddd's posts, I knew it was very likely my potassium would tank after starting the folate. What I didn't know was that it was the same awful symptom I'd been experiencing for quite awhile. On blood work, however, my potassium was always in the normal range. So I started taking potassium in 2010, titrated up to about 1000 mg. a day and have taken it ever since (in divided doses), and I no longer get that awful unexplained fatigue. I still get PEM of course though. 
So I just wanted you to be aware that your potassium might be low, even if your blood work is fine. I just don't know. It might be fine, but I think it's certainly worth investigating given your symptoms, and the fact that prednisone can cause you to excrete potassium.
The reason I suggested low-sodium V8 is that it is higher in potassium than regular V8, so it might be more effective if you do have low potassium. In any event, it's a safe easy way to see if this might be part of your problem. But again, I would try 3 or 4 glasses - I think that would be enough to get results, if low potassium is part of the problem.
Good luck @HABS93! I hope you get some answers and relief soon, and I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!
So I just wanted you to be aware that your potassium might be low, even if your blood work is fine. I just don't know. It might be fine, but I think it's certainly worth investigating given your symptoms, and the fact that prednisone can cause you to excrete potassium.
The reason I suggested low-sodium V8 is that it is higher in potassium than regular V8, so it might be more effective if you do have low potassium. In any event, it's a safe easy way to see if this might be part of your problem. But again, I would try 3 or 4 glasses - I think that would be enough to get results, if low potassium is part of the problem.
Good luck @HABS93! I hope you get some answers and relief soon, and I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving!
@HABS93 , @Mary
I whip up an early AM cocktail of cinnamon, ginger, about 600-800 mgs of potassium gluconate powder, a tiny amount of salt, a small amount of table sugar, and about 4-5 dps of stevia.
The small 1/4 teaspoon of sugar is included because an astute and thoughtful poster here, who I hope will forgive me for being unable to recall her name today, said that in studies done on helping undernourished children in Africa, they found that the sugar not only made the electrolyte drink more palatable, but it actually helped with the absorption of the electrolyte mixture.
It seems to get the day off to the best start available at that moment. Not always great, but I think always better than without it.
I whip up an early AM cocktail of cinnamon, ginger, about 600-800 mgs of potassium gluconate powder, a tiny amount of salt, a small amount of table sugar, and about 4-5 dps of stevia.
The small 1/4 teaspoon of sugar is included because an astute and thoughtful poster here, who I hope will forgive me for being unable to recall her name today, said that in studies done on helping undernourished children in Africa, they found that the sugar not only made the electrolyte drink more palatable, but it actually helped with the absorption of the electrolyte mixture.
It seems to get the day off to the best start available at that moment. Not always great, but I think always better than without it.
@HABS93 , @Mary
Because I'm a little foggy today, I forgot to mention in the above post that it was Mary who alerted me, as she has you, HABS, to the possibility that adding or increasing potassium could have beneficial effects, which indeed, it has. Not the Miracle Cure that we're all praying for, but measurable improvement on my better days, and still helpful on the not great ones.
She also advised me to start low and go slow, which I do with absolutely everything anyway, but it was a good reminder, because sometimes I could get carried away with something that seemed to have helped so many others, and I might start less low and go less slow. Sometimes that works out, sometimes it really bites me on the @ss.
Tho not in the past few years, when caution has been learned the way I seem to have to learn everything: Hard Way Road, watch out for curves.
Because I'm a little foggy today, I forgot to mention in the above post that it was Mary who alerted me, as she has you, HABS, to the possibility that adding or increasing potassium could have beneficial effects, which indeed, it has. Not the Miracle Cure that we're all praying for, but measurable improvement on my better days, and still helpful on the not great ones.
She also advised me to start low and go slow, which I do with absolutely everything anyway, but it was a good reminder, because sometimes I could get carried away with something that seemed to have helped so many others, and I might start less low and go less slow. Sometimes that works out, sometimes it really bites me on the @ss.
Tho not in the past few years, when caution has been learned the way I seem to have to learn everything: Hard Way Road, watch out for curves.
All the electrolytes - sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium.. - are tightly regulated by homostasis. Therefore before they go abnormal low and potentially create life-threatening situations, they are replenished from other tissues. Causing deficiency there, but still not showing up in serum-levels. For this reason some functional medicine practitioneers use rather optimal serum levels, instead of 'normal'. For example:
Sodium: 142-145 mmol/l optimal, versus 136-145 mmol/l normal range
Calcium: close to 2.4 vs. 2.2-2.55
Magnesium: >0,86 vs. 0.66-1.07
Potassium: 4-5 vs. 3.5-5.1
If I remember one of Fredd's posts, symptoms of potassium deficiency can develop with as high as 4.3 mmol/l in some individuals.
If you choose the supplemental route, always start low dose and increase gradually. Monitor symptoms and lab-testing to find optimal dose. But with potassium especially important, use bulk-powders only (like potassium citrate, bicarbonate, chloride..) always well mixed in a glass of water.
As tablet or capsules potassium is limited to 99mg per piece by the FDA (which usually isn't enough to raise levels), any higher dose prescription SR potassium could be dangerous, because in concentrated form it could damage the stomach wall. All adverse effects found in the literature was with high-dose prescription potassium tablets only.
Sodium: 142-145 mmol/l optimal, versus 136-145 mmol/l normal range
Calcium: close to 2.4 vs. 2.2-2.55
Magnesium: >0,86 vs. 0.66-1.07
Potassium: 4-5 vs. 3.5-5.1
If I remember one of Fredd's posts, symptoms of potassium deficiency can develop with as high as 4.3 mmol/l in some individuals.
If you choose the supplemental route, always start low dose and increase gradually. Monitor symptoms and lab-testing to find optimal dose. But with potassium especially important, use bulk-powders only (like potassium citrate, bicarbonate, chloride..) always well mixed in a glass of water.
As tablet or capsules potassium is limited to 99mg per piece by the FDA (which usually isn't enough to raise levels), any higher dose prescription SR potassium could be dangerous, because in concentrated form it could damage the stomach wall. All adverse effects found in the literature was with high-dose prescription potassium tablets only.
I've been taking potassium gluconate 99 mg. tablets for 9 years with no adverse effects. I generally take 2 or 3 with each meal, and oftentimes I take it in the middle of the night too. I very frequently used to get muscle cramps or spasms in my calves or feet especially middle of the night before I added in the potassium. I've wondered if the "growing pains" children experience (my kids did!) were actually symptoms of low potassium! Muscle spasms and cramping in the legs --
The RDA for potassium is 4700 mg., which is the minimum, so what I'm taking is 25% of the RDA.
The RDA for potassium is 4700 mg., which is the minimum, so what I'm taking is 25% of the RDA.
The V8 Juice seems to help Abit. I even didn't have that bad of a reaction to the edibles I took last night. Still can't sleep more then 6 hours because of the prednisone but the heart just has its racing heart which is most likely caused by the out if breath from the disease / medication. Although I thought of a question I should of asked earlier.
Does anyone know anything about what these chemicals are ? And ways to reduce them.
Does anyone know anything about what these chemicals are ? And ways to reduce them.
Attachments
@HABS93 , @Mary
I second Mary here. I've been taking potassium gluconate for almost a year now with zero bad side effects. The gluconate form is by far the gentlest, and has the added benefit of being particularly gentle on your liver, which the other forms generally aren't, as well as your stomach lining and intestines.
I use the bulk powder form, partly because in the long run it's cheaper, and also because I can titrate each dose to my immediate perceived needs.
I second Mary here. I've been taking potassium gluconate for almost a year now with zero bad side effects. The gluconate form is by far the gentlest, and has the added benefit of being particularly gentle on your liver, which the other forms generally aren't, as well as your stomach lining and intestines.
I use the bulk powder form, partly because in the long run it's cheaper, and also because I can titrate each dose to my immediate perceived needs.
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Selfhacked.com sieves through the literature of all bloodmarker, so you find many good references there. Though do read the references themself for the important points made to verify yourself:
https://selfhacked.com/blog/supplements-lifestyle-factors-influence-tnf-interleukin-6-il-6/
https://selfhacked.com/blog/interleukin-6/
https://selfhacked.com/blog/interferon-gamma-how-to-increase-decrease-high-low-levels/
https://selfhacked.com/blog/supplements-lifestyle-factors-influence-tnf-interleukin-6-il-6/
https://selfhacked.com/blog/interleukin-6/
https://selfhacked.com/blog/interferon-gamma-how-to-increase-decrease-high-low-levels/
@HABS93 - I'm really glad to hear this! I would definitely keep it up. I don't know how much V8 you've been drinking but you might try increasing it a little to see if it helps even more.
Sorry but I don't know anything about the inflammatory chemicals referenced in your attachment. You might try doing a separate thread just for that - someone may be able to help there -
Sorry but I don't know anything about the inflammatory chemicals referenced in your attachment. You might try doing a separate thread just for that - someone may be able to help there -
I think I will stick to eating bananas for potassium. At least then I am not buying more supplements. I threw out a big box of really old supplements. But for a while I used orange juice, salt and a pinch of potassium powder thinking it would help my POTS. But it didn't ...sigh...the old cheap electrolye recipe. If your kidneys are not able to retain fluid, why bother? Oh how grouchy I am! Actually, I prefer the V-8 juice. Yummy, I can drink alot of V8 juice very happily.
About the orexin thing - I think that is why it is good to eat carbs before trying to sleep. Sometimes I have oatmeal and blueberries as a bedtime snack.
@Marylib
Justifiably. This is a weasely, frustrating, miserable little limpet-mine of a disease, and finding anything that reduces the baffling range of symptomatologies is hard fought and hard won. Hang in there. V-8 should be perfect !!!
Justifiably. This is a weasely, frustrating, miserable little limpet-mine of a disease, and finding anything that reduces the baffling range of symptomatologies is hard fought and hard won. Hang in there. V-8 should be perfect
!!!