potassium 5.8, how serious?

[sullidog]

My monthlys came back. Surprisingly, my k was 5.8 but I think I know what did it, you know holiday cookouts. I don't seem to be having any symptems, and right now my doctors not concerned. They are going to do a redrawl next week. He said 5.8 is a bit hi, but it's not in danger yet. What is considered a danger catagory?

[Stoday]

What is considered a danger catagory?

6.5 and over.

5.0 to 6.0 is a bit high, but will be reduced after dialysis. You don't want to be as high as 6.5 even before dialysis.

[MooseMom]

I got a phone call from my neph's nurse when my labs came back showing K of 6.0.  My neph treated me with sodium bicarb tablets, and that brought my K down, although even now, it does creep above 5.4 occasionally.

(My transplant center decreed that I had to have my gallbladder removed before they'd list me.  I went to the hospital for the pre-admission hoo-ha, and my K was 5.5.  I was told by the anesthesiologist that was going to be assigned to me wouldn't put me to sleep with a K that high because the drugs they use tend to raise K levels, so for kidney patients, there is a bigger risk.  I had to be retested the next day, so in the interim, I ate practically nothing and took an extra sodium bicarb tablet.  Got my K down and my gallbladder out.  Not too relevant in your case, but I thought it was interesting; I didn't know this little factoid about anesthetics.)

[sullidog]

Thanks mm, that is interesting to know, although that's why probably they refused to do my fistula surgery when my k was 2.0 a couple years ago.

[MooseMom]

Thanks mm, that is interesting to know, although that's why probably they refused to do my fistula surgery when my k was 2.0 a couple years ago.

Oh my...that is low!  Yeah, you're probably right.

[jbeany]

9.2 is fatal - I know that from texasstyle's husband's recent near-death experience.