Electrolyte Imbalance Puns

I've done keto on and off for like 5 years and I see a ton of people on here talk about how you need electrolyte replacement drinks and stuff for this diet. Why? I've never had any symptoms that would make me think I have a problem with it and any time I've gotten a blood panel my levels are normal even after being on the diet fo an extended period of time

The first time, I didn’t drink enough water w the pedialyte. The second time, I drank double the water and still went in and out mentally, had arrhythmic palpitations, muscle aches and joint pains, and felt like I was dying.

Anyone else ever experienced this? What has worked for you when dealing with this?

I get such painful muscle cramps or spasms along my rib cage, on a regular basis. I wonder if spironolactone use (I’ve been taking it for years) can cause an electrolyte imbalance or something and thus cause these cramps.

Oddly, I find that the home-remedy of pickle juice usually does the trick. Any thoughts on what can cause painful muscle cramps along the rib cage? Thanks

On day 3 (will hit day 4 by 2pm today) of a 5 day fast. Last night I noticed my heartrate felt high so I checked it multiple times (like 10+) and it was super irregular. Going from 61 to 70 to 64 to 73 to 64 to even 89 at one point. I drank a good amount of bouillon broth with some reduced sodium himalyan salt (half sodium, half potassium per serving, added about 2-3 servings), added a bit of iodized salt to it (the zero sodium bouillon pack i use is 5cal and only has about 200mg of potassium, so I also added a bit of iodized salt to equalize the potassium/sodium), them took am extra mag pill and decided to do zome slow breathing for a bit and go to bed. Woke up this morning and it does feel better, not as strong and scary, but I still feel light in my chest and it is slightly irregular with the heartrate, staying on the high end.

I will be bringing some bone broth & a couple boiled eggs to work in case I come back and check this post and it says to break it or I start feeling fuzzy or worse.

What I will be doing different today is alongside my bouillon broth I will be doing pinches of my half salt/half potassium and adding a small amount to my water, and taking 4 mag pills instead of 3 (120mg per pill).

Thoughts? My main thought is that I just haven't been getting enough electrolytes, mainly potassium due to low potassium being a cause for arrhythmia, so i am really going to up my electrolyte intake today.

Another thought is that Tuesday-Wed i got a LOT of water, about 12 cups, but then I thought I was getting too much and flushing out sodium, so yesterday I only got 8 despite being thirsty. Regretting that now, will be drinking a lot more today.

I only just now made the connection, but I've been feeling more and more unable to stay hydrated for months now. I'm at a point I drink 6-8 Gatorades a day, and if I stop I just feel deathly ill. Right now my head hurts so bad.

I'm on 25 mg of Spiro twice a day and I noticed something about salt on the label today and wondered if it could be the cause. I've been scheduled to see an endocrinologist since I started transitioning 1.5 to 2 years ago, but they have rescheduled every time (I started at the beginning of pandemic). Thought I finally had my appointment last week but then they called to say they don't accept my insurance.

Please help me if you have any insight, I'm so miserable and barely able to function. You are my only hope!

Any ideas how to make sure to get it right?

I take magnesium malate, but I took magnesium before and it never did that, so probably it’s not causing it:

I also started olive leaf extract and allicin and something of this improves my histamine symptoms a lot , but I don’t if something of it has something to do with my limbs issue.

Could it be diuretic and cause this? Does it affect blood pressure and cause this ?

Every once in a while I will get severely dry eyes, urinate a lot from drinking way too much water and not enough salts feel really dehydrated is this normal with POTS or is it possibly sjogren syndrome or to do with electrolytes or lack of salt?

I've been getting routine bloodwork every six months and today's test show that my Anion Gap has reduced to the lowest it's every been at 1 and my Chloride is over 109. Both are beyond their markers. Everything else was normal. They didn't check Bicarbonate so I suspect that is high. I wonder if electrolyte imbalances can cause these PVCs because reading says you can have heart rhythm problems with electrolyte imbalance. Anyone else ever get bloodwork to find their electrolyte panel is off?

So I've been suffering from some freak acute symptoms for years, and doctors are non the wiser. problem is that it crosses disciplines, and for some reason they can't work together. Neurologist is now fairly certain that I experience rare episodes of IIH, but how it's brought on is uncertain.

It usually starts with lactic acidosis from something that is just too intense at that moment. Nobody knows yet why that happens, but serum lactate remains elevated for days. This totally messes with my electrolytes of course. Potassium might be problematic or not, but magnesium is the one that is always totally low, causing all sorts of problems. Supplementation helps temporarily, but levels don't seem to get up for weeks. A few days after the initial event the enormous pressure in the head and shortness of breath starts though. Found some connection between IIH and calcium channels, but I'm not sure if either low Mg, or supplementing Mg is sufficient to mess with that. Any pointers?

Today I've been feeling foggy, and it's sunny and hot outside. I'm sitting in the path of a fan, and trying to drink water while making sure that I don't drink too much and mess up my electrolyte balance. I realized that I've had other days in the past two months where I've had brain fog, and part of the problem is that it's hard to think of how to take care of it when you are in one. I'm currently at home with my family, but in August I'll head back to college. I don't know how I'll deal with it there and then. How can I deal with it here? I take salt tablets, but I know that you release salt and water when you sweat, and that lack of salt and excess of heat can cause headaches and brain fogs. How do I go about on a day when I am having a brain fog, because it's hard to notice what I am doing and to think if I am in a brain fog.

Make sure you check with your doctors! Calcium to little or to much can mess with you electrolytes which can cause muscle twitching.

33F 120 5ft 4in, magnesium chloride 300 mg 3x a day, potassium chloride 20meq 2x a day, Saltstick 1-2 times a day.

5 years ago my arms and legs started tingling. Felt like they were going to sleep but shaking and moving wasn't working. I went to the E.R once it spread to my torso. By the time I got there the tingling had moved to numbness. My hands completely cramped up into fist and I had to be wheeled back. It continually spread until I was paralyzed. Test came back that my electrolytes had tanked and I was severely dehydrated. After many bags of fluids and IV's of potassium and magnesium I was able to move again. It was shrugged off as a result of a mild viral infection I had prior. Awesome! Husband is military so we move. A month later a new E.R., same problem. Heatstroke. A move from Alaska to Spain can be quite the shock. Then again 3 weeks later. Still heatstroke. Then 2 weeks. Food poisoning? Eventually I'm in the E.R. every week. With severe heart palpitations, nausea, shaking, tingling and numbness. I'm given valium, fluids and magnesium. Follow up with primary care is a nightmare. They are convinced its anxiety. I ask for a new one. They agree with former PCM that it is clearly anxiety. This goes on through 5 PCM's. I'm eventually given a cardiology referral. He says woman approaching 30 usually get this (anxiety) but he put in for an ultrasound and wearing a monitor for 2 weeks. My heart looks fine and while my heart rate was high it wasn't doing anything else. I get my first aura migraine. That gets me a cat scan. Nothing sticks out. Still in the E.R. every week. I've lost 50 pounds. I wake up shaking and I don't sleep long or deep. I'm nauseous often and when I'm not my body no longer tells me its hungry. I don't crave things and I very rarely get hunger pains. I have to start setting an alarm every two hours to force myself to eat small meals. I now have extreme dizziness. Sometimes its a boat sometimes its spins. I see an e.n.t who looks at my throat and ears and says I look fine. I'm continually pushed to take anxiety medication and now antidepressants because I now tear up asking for help. I'm told to seek therapy because even if I don't think I have anxiety it could be invisible. PCM says they will no longer help since I'm not listening to what their saying. I agree to therapy if it means they will keep treating me. Therapist is first person in nearly 2 years to not think I'm hysterical even though I'm bawling in their office. Giv

We have a quiz Monday and an exam next Monday on fluid and electrolyte imbalances. I AM STRUGGLING SO DAMN HARD getting this information into my brain. Please help. I have read the chapters. Did a suggested walk through. Watched a couple of videos (simple nursing and registerednurseRN)

And honestly. It’s just adding to the confusion. It is SO MUCH information and I cannot make the connections in my brain. I am on the border of a C. I need to do well on this quiz/exam.

Any advice would be greatly greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,This is a bit of an update from my last post and I just wanted to get some perspective on managing my expectations.

Long story short, I had an electrolyte balance bad enough that it raised my HR and caused heart racing issues while sitting down. (I'd shoot up to 159 sitting on the couch and it would drop) So after the advice on here I decided to go on a one week diet break and then after raised my net carbs to 40. This now has me feeling really good and I'm getting enough potassium, sodium and magnesium.

I noticed at 40 through keto strips (I dont have a blood meter) that I'm now back in ketosis and dumping keytones in the large bracket (80-160mg/dl) so I'm pretty sure I'm probably there but not necessarily fat adapted again. After 2 weeks of being in this state though, I'm noticing that my weight refuses to budge and though I know this isn't really a stall unless it's been past 6-7 weeks I would like to ask for advice on what I can do to ensure I continue to lose weight. Because I felt so ill and got an electrolyte balance at 20 net, I'm afraid to drop down too far but I've been considering dropping to 30 net. Should I wait longer and see what results come out? When should I begin to worry? All suggestions and advice welcome :) Thanks in advance, some info below

I'm 32/F/5'5 | CW155 | GW140

My macros are around 1100-1200 cal | 60-80 fat (flucutates on the day) |40Net carbs

Ever since i added a fe pounds of water weight a few weeks i’ve been having issues with muscle cramps. And by cramps i mean that they contract involuntary when i suddenly use them, like when i get up from a chair i get some mild muscle contractions on my quads, same thing with biceps and chest.

Taurine didn’t see to help and my electrolytes on my diet are all good, no deficiencies there.

Anyone with this issue or with a solution? It’s not painful, just annoying.

Thanks.

Have insane cravings plagued you and you found the cure through more salt, vitamin b supplements or something else like this? If so I want to hear it to try it. I've managed to avoid cheating except going about 100 calories over, but still staying under 20net carbs but my willpower is waning. I'm not hungry, I just want ALL THE SNACKS. Please help.

Is it possible to avoid an electrolyte imbalance while purging everyday? I have some light salt after every b/p session so 400-1200mg of potassium per purge, I just really try to avoid the IV ugh.

Symptoms of low/high Na,K,Mg are pretty similar.

How do you interpret your own symptoms to know if you're High Na Low K, Low Na, Low K, Low Na High K, High NA High K ? Is there any other pretty specific symptoms you associate with a deficiency or an excess?

OMG, I WISH I had seen this series prior to starting clinical rotation. Dietitians in Nutrition Support made this helpful video about electrolyte imbalance and what usually happens for correcting it.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4Q15OsBNWb9kA-bWYJo9t2ywUD6Goxhf

I've been suffering from anxiety since march 16 and a week after that date I noticed I've been feeling dizzy. It gets worse when I move my limbs, at night, and especially when I go to shower it feels like I'm going to faint/fall/d**. When I lie down it feels like I'm on a boat. When I move my head it feels wierd/dizzy IDK how to explain it. My panic attacks do not include the fast heart rate that most attacks have just anxiousness and restlessness. Since march 16 I've gone to the ER three time and my doctor twice. With all those times they said all my bloodwork/tests were fine (head ct scan, body scan for organs in abdomen, chest scan, and urine tests). The only thing that my doctor pointed out were low b1, b6, b12, iron and vitamin D deficiency (11). I know I've been having extreme thirst/dry mouth and I drank a lot of water yesterday (about 8-9 water bottles with another gallon of water to add to that). I'm scared this feeling I have is an electrolyte imbalance and I might pass away from it.

Has anyone tried an Electrolyte Solution (e.g. ORS, etc.)?

I have noticed this strange phenomenon, where shortly after any kind of ejaculation, my head starts to feel as if it is drying out and losing some liquid, as if it is being flushed out of my brain. Also, my eyes start to feel dull, as if they get sucked deeper into my skull. Strange, I know, but that's just the best way I can put it.

I've tried an ORS Electrolyte Powder solution a day after Ejaculation, 2 - 3 times over 24 hours. Generally my body starts to feel more stable, and slowly I feel my eyes regaining their moisture again. Again, all this sounds like some built-up pseudoscience shit, but I can't ignore the effects of a simple powder drink like that.

I'm in Germany and attached is the product that I used. I don't think these are any different in other countries though.

Let me know if you have had any similar experience.

https://preview.redd.it/z9sp2u017xh61.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1eb9fa48522b65fb4f086cb99fecee954444613b

Hi. Does anyone here have an elextrolyte imbalance they have successfully fixed ? Electrolyte packets seem to make it worse :/ Specifically my potassium sodium levels are off balance :/

Thank you in advance 🙏💜

Hey there - new to Keto, been on it 12 days now. Been having ketoade every day by using 1/4 tsp lite salt and 1/4 tsp regular salt, up until 3 days ago where I changed it to 1/2 tsp lite and 1/4 regular because I don't think I was getting enough potassium & sodium. I am also supplementing with 250mg of magnesium citrate every night. I haven't experienced keto flu symptoms except a headache the first couple days and have generally felt great except for some sleep struggles.

And then last night happened. We had steak and I made keto cake for my husband's birthday, stuck to under 20 net carbs (woo!). At 11pm I woke up, shaking, elevated heart rate, and vomited. Felt better immediately afterwards and went back to sleep. Today, right before lunch, I vomited again. Was feeling a little shaky beforehand and felt much better afterwards. I am hitting the 1000mg potassium most days (and sometimes hit 1500mg-ish) but I am short on the sodium, by 1-2000mg. Do you think the vomiting is from lack of sodium? Not pregnant, absolutely certain on that. I think I did drink the ketoade a little fast but did not chug it by any means - drank it over 3 hours yesterday afternoon and drank half of it today before throwing up at 12:30pm today.

Thank you :)

My cohort and I are really struggling with this unit lol

Hey all. I have read the FAQs. I am working on my electrolyte imbalance. I am good on supplements for sodium and magnesium. My question is exactly how much potassium do I need? The faqs say 1000mg. But the daily rec amount not on keto is over 4000mg. So if 1000mg the minimum amount, and should I see what works for me between 1000mg-4000mg? I know everyone is different, but I just don't want to start aiming for 2-4grams and that's insanely too much for keto.

Thanks all

Edited original question, because no one is really answering. I know why the things are happening, my question is about numbers as I'm fixing it.

I have been using this quite heavily for close to two months now and I have progressively stepped up my dose. I estimate my NoSalt intake has been in the range of 1.8g - 2.5g a day. I will put it in my intra workout gatorade and also in my post workout gatorade. Sugar free gatorade.

Around three weeks ago I started to get these stomach pains which went away and then my stomach has been feeling like there is an issue. I will get this burning sensation in the upper right of my gut area. I spoke with someone who said that taking in many grams of potassium is fine from food sources but potassium chloride (the ingredient in NoSalt) can harm the kidneys and harm the gut especially if the dose is quite high at once.

Anyone else experience this issue with NoSalt?

Hey everyone. I was just diagnosed with BFS and my doctor told me I had an electrolyte imbalance.

For about a month now before my diagnoses Ive been taking a 3:1 Calcium and Magnesium supplement and my symptoms have definitely lessened. Calcium and Magnesium are two electrolytes, along with sodium, potassium and some others.

My symptoms are still there but not as bad as it was before. And I get a lot less of the painful muscle cramping.

I just thought i would share because I think everyone needs to try this supplement! It would he awesome if it worked for everyone!

I was suffering some really strong vibrations, twitches and pain, and my face would be the worst spot for me. Now its basically gone in my face, and my legs and arms are nowhere near as bad as they were i.e I can actually ignore them!

Yoga has helped alot too, there's an amazing yoga app called Down Dog I've been using everyday. You get 2 weeks free and if you email then saying your broke, they'll give you a free 6 month subscription! I do at least 1 hour of Restorative Yoga (sitting on the mat) everyday and this app is sooo easy to follow and relaxing. One of my goals since I realozed I might have BFS a month ago is to reduce my stress because my symptoms get worse when I'm stressed, and yoga has helped immensely.

If anyone else has tried the CalMag supplement or yoga and it has helped, I'd love to hear! I hope these can help someone else as much as it helped me. I had BFS for two years thinking it was something much worse. I finally have the worry lifted and feel like myself again. Hope this can help some others dealing with BFS!

I’m new to this sub. Let me say that what I’ve read here the last few days has been so helpful just to hear others stories. My daughter just turned 13 and a few days ago had her second seizure in 11 months. I wasn’t there but her mom said after a long day at the beach my daughter was focal/kind of distant in the beginning but ended up foaming, turning green, for around seven minutes, needed rescue breathing. I was with her for the first one which lasted around 2 minutes but the focal onset was around 15 minutes. That day we spent a lot of time hiking in Colorado. We’re from Louisiana so the altitude kicked all our butts. So in both cases we believe a common factor was dehydration and over exertion. I appreciate any thoughts you might have. More in comments

Hello friends! Day 38 here!! And this past week I have been feeling AWFUL after 430 pm. At first I thought maybe I was pregnant but I’m not and then I went straight to covid 🤪 but I haven’t been around ppl. So doing some digging and thinking maybe electrolyte imbalance ?? I have a headache and then feel nauseous and overall sluggish in the evenings. What do y’all use to combat this. I drank a few sips of a Gatorade yesterday because we had it and I thought I was going to puke! Sooo sweet! 🤢 but I was desperate for the headache to go away! Thanks!!

I'm 180kg male 24 yrs old. I took magnesium + b6 for a while and then just magnesium as supplements. The reason was anxiety and claimed health benefits. I started to develop confusion, poor memory, inattentiveness and like weird sense of reality. Recently started eating salted food and banana for potassium and its like I got a bit of mental clarity and my body moves easily. My question is how can I restore proper electrolyte balance? Because i already feel slightly better, the colorsare brighter too.

Two years ago I suffered from an extreme electrolyte imbalance that resulted in dehydration. It got to the point where I could no longer cry because didn’t have enough fluids in my body and I was mostly bedridden. I would pass out frequently and throw up most of the food I would eat, and because of that I started eating very little. I lost a lot of weight during that time. I’ve since recovered but ever since then, around the same time in winter, my symptoms show up again. It’s not as bad as the first time, however I always worry it will happen again.

This time I’ve started feeling the same symptoms. I’m constantly fatigued and exhausted, I feel thirsty no matter how much water I drink, and recently my chest had been hurting extremely bad. The last part has me confused because I’ve never experienced this before with my symptoms but I don’t know if it’s normal or something different I should worry about. My symptoms have always been manageable since then but of course, since it’s my heart this time, I feel like it might be something different. I guess what I’m asking is, does this typically happen to people who suffer from an imbalance like this?