MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

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  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 5,938
    edited March 2012

    Has anyone ever had to take a prescription potassium? OMG the pills are huge.  Just what I need another pill that will make me nauseated.  I guess this is one way to stay skinny.

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012

    Sherryc,  Do you normally take magnesium?  I have read that many people told they are deficient in potassium are really deficient in magnesium (because it is needed for the body to be able to use the potassium which you get in your diet.)   Allow me to steer you toward doing your own reading about that, and maybe talk it over with your doc.  If you are deficient in magnesium, you can take all the potassium supplements in the world and not be able to utilize very much of it. 

    Also, the normal blood test checking magnesium checks serum magnesium (in the blood) and I have heard that it represents only about 5% of the body's total magnesium.  The rest is found at the celular level, so the blood test may indicate that levels are o.k., but actually mask a deficiency.

    Please be careful in using this Sherry.  Are you taking this because of your heart?  Make sure to get monitored CLOSELY.  Potassium is one supplement I do not mess with.  Supposedly the average diet does contain enough for people, if their magnesium is adequate.

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  • reesie
    reesie Member Posts: 2,078
    edited March 2012

    Sherry, I had to take it for a while last year. Read the pharmacy info on the brand you have. I was able to dissolve mine in liquid to take it (not only are they big their texture makes them stick). Some of them are dissolvable and some are not.

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  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 8,543
    edited March 2012

    Sherry - My mom had to take prescription potassium.  Are you taking it because your levels are low and the PS wants it up before surgery?  If so, that has happened to me and my doctor told me to drink Gatorade.  It is good for replenishing electrolytes and is a real good source of potassium.  I know you have to like it first - I do drink a lot of it in the summer when I am playing golf or doing a lot of work outside.

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  • lisamarie68
    lisamarie68 Member Posts: 1,235
    edited March 2012

    Good Morning Ladies , and thanks for being in my pocket as well ... it must be dark and muffled in there for sure ..lol made me smile ..Sorry I wasnt on here yesterday . My day was very busy being day off .. laundromat and looked at an apt and  then of course my appt with the PS .. He was very nice and caring and he even gave me a Hug . anyway my BS said that I would have my BMX and Recon all same day and the PS says that the risk of infection is higher and sometimes there isnt enough skin .. so I was a bit upset .. as I am small and cup size is about a Neg A lol .. really an A .. so he said he will take me to a full B , but I will be getting TE's .. he also informed me I look strong and physically fit and he see's me healing quickly . He was delighted that I was 10 days not smoking but he encourages me to get off the patch as well , UGH ! he said he would like me to be a full 3 weeks Nicotine free at time  in of surgery ... he explained the exchange from  the TE like a flat tire ,, he said in and out same day surgery and back to work in 2 days .. so I guess I will spend most of my summer getting TE's filled ... I dont lnow how to feel . Also then his assistant whom sets up surgery informed  he only takes Medicare and no tother  ins .. I have a medicaid that is through a cancer program . I got it for 1 year .. so now what .. anyway she informed me he likes wine and brownies ... maybe it's all gonna be okay ... I am a bit worried .. 

    I Hope everyone is feeling okay .. the weather here  has been chhilly as well and I cannot wait to garden myself ... 

    Today is m y appt with BS at 12:30p , I have to leave work to go .. sorrry u have to be in pocket 2 days in a row, but so glad I have u there .. I restocked the Cheetos so u can munch away ...

    Hugs and Love Lisa  

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  • lisamarie68
    lisamarie68 Member Posts: 1,235
    edited March 2012

    Sherry , the man i care for had to take potassium because he was put on lasix ... for edema ... i do know the pill is huge and can be placed in hot water to dissolve , then its like sand .. the man i take care of has a g tube feeds through his stomach , anyway the darn potassium clogged it up really good and we had to get it replaced ... but as far as anything else i dint know .... good luck , i am right here with u it seems ... hugs xoxoxo

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  • barsco1963
    barsco1963 Member Posts: 2,119
    edited March 2012

    lisamarie - glad that you are still "smoke free". Hang in there, it does get easier. Good luck today - keep the cheetos coming!!

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  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 8,543
    edited March 2012

    Lisamarie - Will be in you pocket today.  The timing is good - 12:30 appt - lunch - Cheetos.  Who could ask for better?  Hope the party doesn't get out of control.  LOL

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2012

    Sherry, I was in the ICU once for bleeding out after surgery (thyroid) and they gave me a small dixie cup (the tiny, pill sized one) of liquid potassium to drink as mine had bottomed out with the bleed. They said it tasted awful and other nurses came in to watch me drink it. Doi. One swallow and it was gone! That was for a HUGE bleed-out that put me in the ICU. How bad can your level be that you have to take pills on a regular basis?

    There MUST be an easier way to build up your potassium!! (Which IS connected to heart function {muscle that it is!} so is very important!!)

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  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 5,938
    edited March 2012

    Thanks Eli, Reesie, Jo , Lisamarie and Barbe for all the comments.  I am not sure what my level is the nurse said it was low but made it sound like it was not real low.  Dr. wants me to take it starting now up until surgery.  I am sure they will check it again and decide if I need to stay on it longer.  I did some research last night and one of the articles I read said the fluconozole which is an anti fungal can cause your potassium to lower.  Well I am not on fluconozole but I am on lamisil which is an anti fungal that I need to take for three months, so I bet that is the cause.  I checked my mid feb bloodwork and my potassium was fine then but I had just started the laminsil.  I did read the instructions and it did say that you can dissolve it in water and drink it but I was afraid it would taste nasty so I just took it with a huge swig of water and it went down OK then drank a 1/2 glass of milk to try to not get nauseated.  Did that again this morning and so far I am OK.  Maybe the milk is the trick. I also love all the foods that are high in potassium and eat them regularly but I will eat more bananas between now and surgery.  Barbe I did read that having low potassium can create problems with your liver, kidneys and heart so defiantly something to not ignore, but I am hope it is just the medication that is causing it but if it is I may need to stay on this for the duration of the medication.  Eli that is interesting about magnesium.  I do not take any but I do have some at home.

     Lisamarie congrats on still being smoke free.  I have never smoked so cannot image how difficult it is to quick but I do not lot's of people who have struggled with quiting.  It is a challenge.

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  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 5,938
    edited March 2012

    Just got news on my sick pool days.  When I went to work here three years ago I decided to participate in the sick pool.  So glad I did, I can only request time once every 12 months.  So far I have been able to keep up with every thing with my sick and vacation times.  Anyway I requested 45 days which I thought would get me through everything this year because I will still be accruing sick and vacation time along the way.  Anyway they decided to give me an additional 5 days.  So now I have 400 hours that I can use.  What a relief to not worry about that. 

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  • heartnsoul76
    heartnsoul76 Member Posts: 1,648
    edited March 2012

    Oh, no, Sherry! I had to take those absolutely humongous potassium pills when I had chemo. She had me take it at the exact same time I took a diuretic, which of course makes you pee. She was adamant about that. I had to really psych myself out to get those babies down, I'm terrible with pills!!

    Elimar - thanks for the link to the Fatty Liver & Tamoxifen thread! So much stuff I didn't know. So far, my liver panels have been okay, but now I'm not so sure after reading some of those posts. The thought of Tamoxifen causing liver problems scares me more than the SEs of Arimidex. I think I'm going to get my PCP to keep an extra eye on my liver. With my MO, everything is okay until it's not. There's no in between - you either have it or you don't. Well, I like to track something and if it's getting worse I want to nip it in the bud!

    Where was that beautiful picture taken - the one you have at the top? 

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2012

    Sherry and heart, if you can dissolve the pill, you should be okay breaking it in half and swallowing it that way. Also, I'd check to see if it has the same efficacy swallowed hole as it would if you disolve it. Maybe they made it that big so you WOULDN'T swallow it!!

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2012

    Looks like Central Park in the top pic. Is it?

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012

    re:  With my MO, everything is okay until it's not.   heartnsoul,  Yeah, mine too.  Ugh!

    barbe:   Ding, ding, ding!  You are correct.  A pretty Spring view of Central Park with the Plaza hotel in the background (but I bet it is April in the picture.)   This thread does not follow the prognostications ofany groundhogs...spring is coming early HERE!

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  • madpeacock
    madpeacock Member Posts: 369
    edited March 2012

    Eli: Looks like that here in GA, so spring it is!!

    My MIL (who lives with us and I organize her meds) takes potassium and I have to split them. They are definitely a big honkin' pill! She has CHF and is on lasix among many others. Always a challenge. She is 86 and there are definitely good days and not so good...

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  • Valjean
    Valjean Member Posts: 1,898
    edited March 2012

    Stopping by to say Hello after my short sabbatical, though I don't know if the away time did me any good or not....

    I do know that I have missed everyone. And, I want to send my warmest "Hello" to everyone that joined this wonderful group of caring ladies while I was off for a while.

    Hope everyone is doing well.

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012
    Hi, Val!  Don't worry, you didn't miss anything.  We talked about you a little, that's all.  Innocent
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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited March 2012

    Oh come on----you aren't gonna tell her what I said are you?

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012
    So Eph, we haven't heard that much from you lately.  Have you been passing all your exams?  It won't be long before it's time to celebrate your 3 year cancerversary.  So hope you are feeling fit.
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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited March 2012

    Dealing with a diabetic diagnosis now.  I'm doing OK but if it's not one thing it's another!  Yes, cancerversary rapidly approaching "****DANGER*****DANGER****Will Robinson" I think I might take the day off & sleep! 

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012

    What level of control will you need for the diabetes?  Insulin, pills, or just diet changes?  I will have to do healthier virtual baking for you now.

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited March 2012

    pills & diet for now.  Pills have helped considerably in just 1 month, but I've been really working on my diet too-I was bummed on Tues because even tho I've been watching intake & walking even more, I gained a pound.  The doc wasn't concerned; he was really pleased with the blood sugar #s & he said that was the better indicator right now especially with Femara in the mix (my body is probably really going nuts trying to save fat now for it's estrogen supply!)

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited March 2012
    One pound?  Maybe calf muscles from the extra walking.  Laughing
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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited March 2012

    That's almost word for word what DD said! yes, 1 pound--bummed me out & pissed me off!

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited March 2012
    Eph3- when I first started going to curves I gained about 4 pounds. I said WTH to the woman who ran the place and she told me it was because I was turning fat into muscle and muscle weighs more. You will start to lose soon. You are just getting stronger first. Just wait until you get that Barbie body. That will piss him off and I hCoolope you flaunt it.
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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited March 2012

    Dianarose-thanks for the encouragement but ain't no way this chickie will ever have a Barbie body!  I've NEVER had a Barbie body!  I do believe that it must be muscle poundage though!!!

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  • Valjean
    Valjean Member Posts: 1,898
    edited March 2012

    Loving the banter!!! I knew my ears were burning while I was gone & it wasn't just from the loud yelling from the Grandchildren close to me!!

    Got up to the north country the first of the month. (Marquette, MI in the upper peninsula) Very strange... hardly any ice on the Great Lakes & that does not bode well for water evaperation. We got around 2 + feet of snow Fri-Sat - felt snowed in. Had plans to go shopping one day but stayed in & watched the sky open up & dump that beautiful white stuff. Got halfway home & there was/is nothing on the ground.

    Oops! Just realized I was talking "weather".  Embarassed

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  • lisamarie68
    lisamarie68 Member Posts: 1,235
    edited March 2012

    Hello ladies ... Luv Central Park :) .. well now I am just sitting here waiting for the call on my surgery day and I am feeling Crazy like waiting for test reults ... Jeeze .. plus the fact that the PS office does not accept the insurance I have and just feeling defeated .. Still not smoking 14 days today I do believe .. I tried the other day without a patch but by 1:30 am I was going crazy had to apply a patch... as u know I was told I will get TE's ... so I dont know how I am feeling as my summer will be blah ... just looked at an apartment that has a private beach .. praying I can get it as that is where I find  serenity ... wishing you all well thoughts today ..and thanks for being with me for my appts ... Love your pocket parties :)

    Hugs and Love  

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited March 2012

    Oooh, good luck on your beach apartment!!!! Let us know! When do you find out?

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