fusebox's picture
fusebox
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So I have low sodium? Wtf

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So my docs office calls me today after blood work came back and my sodium was low. They want me to add salt to my diet. And restrict water intake. Wtf. Any suggestions. Not really what I was expecting from that call.

My BP meds have finally been dialed in and now they want to change them again. I'm trying to explain that I have been restricting salt intake because of my BP. I don't use iodized salt. I only use sea salt if something calls for salt. Not sure where to go from here.

IrishJerk's picture

Yeah I eat 4000 to 6000 mg of salt a day and mine is low too. I blame it on the diuretic that I am prescribed before I started taking it I was still low but in the normal range. I do live in a somewhat tropical area that helps my body purge the salt also. When my salt consumption is too high my BP gets close to the 140/90 range so i will cut it back for a couple of days and get back into the normal range. It is usually In the 120/70 range on gear and off it is around 110/60. For me my BP gets out of wack when my visceral fat gets up not necessarily body weight it is a fine balance to maintain I do recommend checking your BP every day it helps me maintain my electrolytes more consistently between lab work.

giardap's picture

I find electrolytes to be the most frustrating thing to dial in, when they go nutty. The one thing I learned recently is that they have co-dependant relationships with other elec's (for example, potassium in, sodium out), their carrier (water) and that simply adding what you are deficient in, is not necessarily addressing the root cause, but rather a palliative approach. Not to mention disease.

So, if the BP meds are anything like potassium in how the affect sodium, they could be flushing it. Any water retention can do the same.

Gotta look right across the spectrum and think beyond the ranges... top end potassium could be a culprit, for example, but not showing as a red flag. Elevated estro is another.

press1's picture

One of the funniest things I did a few months ago was increase my salt intake after watching one of Stan Efferdings nutritional videos about how it increases your lifts - and it works very well. Think its because it makes the muscle hold more water volume for a stronger contraction etc.

johnmarshall12's picture

Eat Costco Roasted Chickens. They are loaded with sodium. Salt injected! No joke.

Carlos Danger's picture

I’m on a very low calorie keto diet and supplement my salt using boullioun. It has around 980mg per cube. One of the side effects of the diet and water intake volume is I flush out my sodium like crazy.

fusebox's picture

Love that idea. If I need to I will go this route. Or chicken broth. Love that stuff.

GrowMore's picture

I run Bulk powders electrolytes when it’s super hot and I’m sweating like a Samiam in front of a bakery.

It contains Sodium, Potassium, Calcium & Magnesium

Sam I Am's picture

Sounds delicious. I think I'm prone to be like that fat kid in The Bad News Bears movie.

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333's picture

They are good though bro no pickle no onion

Sam I Am's picture

I wish that would happen to me Id eat a bag of Cheetos...I never consume morr than 1500 mgs a day.

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vhman's picture

Just eat more fast food and that will swing the dial in the other direction quickly.

daksmack's picture

Well that sucks! It’s like they want your BP in check then they call and say we need you to take more salt, which could in turn mess with your BP. I drink these packets in my water by “Sqwincher,” and they have sodium in them. Zero sugar. They also have popsicles with sodium that our good, but they have some sugar in them. You could always add a little bit of pickle juice. Btw do you work in the heat? This is the time of year just about everyone’s sodium drops as the heat takes it from us. Keep us posted on what you do.

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JARHEAD2's picture

Love me some squencher’s!!!

daksmack's picture

Oh yea. Lemon lime all day

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fusebox's picture

Yeah I work in the construction trade so heat comes with it. But I've been on vacation all week and haven't really followed a schedule at all. I just do what I do. Drink and eat whatever.

heavymetalmonsterD's picture

I do the same kind of work and it's been high 90s here all week bro.. I'm like a225 lb sprinkler system... I've been hitting up the power aid and Gatorade all week to try and keep some salt in me... they make salt tabs that might help.. the army used to give then to us all the time in the desert.. try those.. good luck brother

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daksmack's picture

Roger that. Could be a negative test because of the timing. I drop sodium really fast. When did you take the test?

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fusebox's picture

The draw was at 4 pm but I slept in really late after a 4th of July bonfire I was at.

daksmack's picture

10 4. Hope you get it dialed in, may me time to throw a cheeseburger in your routine. Hell maybe even some onion rings and ketchup!

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fusebox's picture

Not sure. Eating a greasy frozen pizza tonight. Maybe two.

stairmaster's picture

Do u use any BP med with a diuretic effect like Amiloride or HCT?

fusebox's picture

Yeah losartan hct.

333's picture

Also if your taking a diuretic and running arimidex or nolva and staying on the dryer side then you probably are sweating and pissing out all your salt

heavymetalmonsterD's picture

Agreed bro

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stairmaster's picture

That could be the reason bro!

333's picture

I take losartan potassium it's not a diuretic maybe talk to your doctor about that option and you get crazy dreams I look forward to sleep the dreams are so vivid and lucid

fusebox's picture

Not sure exactly which one I'm taking. There are a shit ton of different varieties. I just know it's hct. I'm hoping to not change my meds. As I've been 130/70 for over a year now. And after being as high as 170/100 while on meds sucks.

333's picture

Those are good numbers I wouldn't switch it at all then I was on one called metropolol tartrate that had me in the 200s over 110 I switch that crap so fast. If you are staying in the 130s over 70 i wouldn't take more sodium in keep doing what your doing maybe try taking in more sodium and if it goes up then cut back again

fusebox's picture

Yeah I take metroprolol and losartan potassium.

Side note. Before the blood draw the doc tells me I look great and the numbers look good. Keep doing whatever you're doing. Wtf

stairmaster's picture

losartan not but HCT

JARHEAD2's picture

Hey brother what is you water intake right now & do you drink Gatorade or sports drinks? It’s is usually caused by too much water or sports drinks.
Here’s a quick link that might explain better than me.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyponatremia

fusebox's picture

I usually shoot for a gallon + a day. I've been on vacation all week so I'm guessing my extra partying and relaxing in the sun hasn't treated me so well. I'm not changing anything up med wise just yet. I think if I get back to my routine after this Vaca I'll be good. But you know how docs can be.