I am in the hospital due to my own stupidity.

[Michael Murphy]

Today I find my self in the hospital due to a banana and chocolate binge.  On vacation I pushed my potassium above 7 and caused my ICD to mis read my heart rate and go off 3 times. Imagine a very large fellow jumping up and down on your chest.  Probably the most terrorized I have ever been.  Hammers home hoe important proper diet is.  Will be here several days till my potassium is down where it belongs.

[iolaire]

Wishing you a safe recovery. Is there a treatment or are you under observation only?

[cassandra]

Get better soon Michael Murphy,


      


Love, luck and strength, Cas

[Michael Murphy]

Bunch of potassium binders, glucose and insulin and a long Dialysys session today and tomorrow.  Worst thing is it’s my fault.  Strange thing is I feel great.  I think that from now on when I see hi potassium food I will feel that damned ICD.

[Mr Ken]

Recover well.

Yes that potassium could creep up. binders binders binders..... Potassium of 7 is very serious....... When inmates get lethal execution it is a high dose of potassium and other drugs that does em in.

 

[kristina]

Hello Michael,
I send you my get-well-soon-wishes for a quick recovery from Kristina.

[kickingandscreaming]

Speedy recovery, Michael.  I was recently in tne hospital for atrial flutter and it turns out my potassium was at 7.7!!  I could have died.  But it wasn't from eating, it was from taking prednisone for a presumed asthma attack.  The pred. spiked my potassium (I'm diabetic) and the blood sugar spiked causing my potassium to rise.

[KatieV]

I did that once - with a really good banana cake made by my SIL for my birthday.  Still tease her that she tried to kill me!  (Okay, it was my fault... I had cake on my birthday and then several days after ate it for breakfast!)

[SooMK]

Get well soon Michael! At least you lived to tell the tale.

[Charlie B53]

Daughter makes THE Best Banana Bread.  I'm smart enough NOT to eat it.

Wife was in the hospital again for a couple of weeks.  There is a Fudge Factory not to far and right on my way.  I've made the mistake of stopping, threee times.  One time I only bought a pound of their chocolate covered malted balss.  Y'up, ate them all.

Other two times I bought 6 blocks of fudge.  That first box I snacked just a little and took it into the Nurses and Techs at my Clinic.  They Loved it.

That second box is still in my kitchen.  Half gone.

I will make it last a while even though it is soo tempting to pig on.

[Rerun]

Binders, Binders, Binders are for Phosphorous!  Potassium is regulated by diet and dialysis and in an emergency Kxolate (which is horrible stuff) 

Get well.   

[GA_DAWG]

While you need to remember the episode, Michael, do not beat yourself up too badly. It is a hard thing to maintain a renal diet and occassional lapses are going to happen. Sorry yours was quite so severe.

[Simon Dog]

Binders, Binders, Binders are for Phosphorous!  Potassium is regulated by diet and dialysis and in an emergency Kxolate (which is horrible stuff) 

Get well.

Potassium is also regulated by the choice of bicarb bath used in dialysis (generally 2K or 3K, but 1K or 0K can be used to reduce high potassium).

I had one D treatment with no fluid removal after transplant to lower a high potassium.   Probably better than Kayexelate.

[Michael Murphy]

There is a binder for potassium kaexalate( have no idea how to spell){Kayexalate according to google.  It’s perscribed for hypekalcima or too much potassium.  First time I got a powder that was mixed in water this time it was a liquid that was absolutely vile.  The binders were aided by a shot of glucose and a shot of insulin to help bind the potassium.  This was not a minor problem for me it was creating malformed t waves that thr defibulator I have in my chest mistakenly counted the T waves as beats so it doubled the heart beat count so a heart rate of 90 looked like 180 which is the trigger point for my defibulator after the potassium binders my potassium dropped to 4.5 and my T waves returned to normal.  Now I find being taken to the emergency room for banana ingestion hilarious I also think the info is important for other patients with ICD’S (Internal Cardiac Defibulator).

[pinkyD]

Don't fret, you aren't the only one who's made that mistake. I was frustrated with my constant high phos levels, so decided all of a sudden to try to go vegetarian. Brilliant! One day I felt so bad I thought I was having a heart attack and checked myself into the ER. Turns out I had brought my phos down, but my potassium jumped. Not too too high, only in the 6's, but I felt so awful. The Dr ordered lots of kayexalate that day and I was discharged as soon as the potassium looked to be decreasing.

Take care, hope you recover quickly!

[Riki]

Kayexulate is the most vile, disgusting concoction, but it does work well as a potassium binder.  As a kid on dialysis, it was something regularly given.  We had ensure or boost with it mixed in, something we called "formula" and I absolutely hated it.  I was lucky enough that I only had to have it when I was in hospital, because my appetite at home was much better.

I did have a blunder like yours a few years ago.  I had a craving for pink lemonade, and drank several litres of it.  Besides the problems that the fluid could cause, I never thought that lemons are a citrus fruit and are chock full of potassium.  I won a cup of Kayexualte for that mistake too.

[Michael Murphy]

Actually the final punishment for my sins occurred when I was released, I told everyone I needed to be released by noon.  I was afraid of the coming snowstorm.  At 2:30 when I was released the snow was so bad my wife was afraid to drive the 30 miles to come and get me.  No problem I’ll call a taxi.  The roads were so bad no taxi, so I asked for a taxi to the train station it never showed up, that turned out to be a good thing the train line was closed due to someone trying to beat a train at a crossing, they lost.  So I spent the night in the hospital lobby at least I got a comfortable chair.

[PrimeTimer]

Leave it to a Liberal to overindulge in things he shouldn't..... Geez, Michael, hope you are feeling better. You can always convert and become a conservative Republican if you want. You'll have to learn to skip the banana and chocolate tho. 

[Michael Murphy]

I would require a complete removal of my brain to become a conservative,  I face my mistakes and own them, Conservatives do things like try to pass legislation that raises the insurance premiums for those over 55 five times and end preexisting coverage.  Then instead of owning it denied they tried.   Intellectual honesty the mark of a liberal.  Funny thing is I never felt bad just the feeling my chest exploded 3 times.

[PrimeTimer]

Glad you are okay now, Michael. Complaining about Republicans is a sure sign that you are feeling better.

Take care and have a Happy Thanksgiving. Just please stay away from the bananas and chocolate. Go crazy on food that isn't so lethal.

[Michael Murphy]

Just had dinner and as I sat down right in front of me was a bunch of perfect bananas.  I felt like holding a cross up to protect me.  But then I remembered the shock and they did not look so good.

[Mr Ken]

Just had dinner and as I sat down right in front of me was a bunch of perfect bananas.  I felt like holding a cross up to protect me.  But then I remembered the shock and they did not look so good.

  Yep Peanuts, bananas, potatoes, chocolate - these will do you in every time if not eaten in light moderation.......
Only dream of the food groups for now. 
 

[GA_DAWG]

Now there are two basic food groups. Those you can have is one and the other is those that taste good.

[Riki]

I love that my potassium level is normal.  If I had to give up potatoes, I'd starve. *LOL*

I find it easy, as most of what we're not supposed to eat, I don't like anyway.  The renal diet is confusing, and it's different for everybody.  I'm lucky that I can have some of the more high potassium foods, most can't.  Some need a high protein diet, some need a low protein diet.  Some have low phosphorus and need to take nasty tasting supplements (I did as a teenager), and some need to live on binders.  Then, if you need to tack on the diabetic diet as well.. it's all quite confusing at times.  All I can say is, good luck.

[Michael Murphy]

When in the hospital what gets confusing is being on a renal and cardiac diet.  No white bread on cardiac, no dark breads on renal.  No fat cardiac, high protein renal.  Only iceberg lettuce cardiac, the lists are endless. What I comes down to for me is bananas bad.