One more question

[Sof]

Today at the hospital I was told that the only thing that worried the doc was that my heart rate was very fast (I'm only 25). The first time I had a supposed panic attack, I wasn't diagnosed with panic attacks I was actually admitted because my heart rate was very fast and my potassium was very low. I ended up being hooked up to a holter monitor for 2 days in the hospital and I was fed potassium through an IV for 2 days as well. They woke me up every two hours the first night and day to monitor my blood sugar, then every four hours, they performed all types of tests, but they found nothing, which I was happy about at the time, but I guess I don't understand, they must have seen something wrong for me to have been admitted for almost 3 days and for me to lose potassium, and I'm scared they never found out what, or is that normal procedure?

[lauren6]

Hi Sof, I don't know how it works where you are but here we can fill out a form in the hospital and get a copy of our hospital chart. Not saying you need all that but what you might want is the name of the doctor who treated you or to ask your personal physician to clarify this whole thing for you. If he was not the one who treated you, either one of you can obtain the records and see what happened. You may want to know WHY your potassium was low, can this occur again and what you can do to prevent it. It may just be a matter of changing your diet, eating more foods with potassium or maybe there is an underlying reason and this you should know.

There was not necessarily anything wrong with you...they saw low potassium and to be on the safe side, gave you the monitor and upped your potassium. If after 2 days, they found nothing, I wouldn't be too concerned but to clear your head of anxiety, I would ask my doctor. I am wondering why you were at the hospital today.

[countrygirl]

Low potassium can cause all sorts of heart irregularities that are nothing to do with the condition of your heart but just a direct effect of lack of potassium and as soon as you increase the potassium then the heart returns to normal.
I have large filters on my kidneys which is harmless but it means I lose potasisum and protein and blood all the time in tiny amounts ( great if I have to have dip stick urine test!) so my potassium is at lower end of normal unless I eat potassium rich food daily like potatoes and bananas. - fruit and veggies.
The hospital would have tested your for the conditions that can cause low potasiium but if you are eating a bad junk food diet typical of the young! then it could just be side effect of your bad diet.
Your fast heartbeat can also just be sheer anxiety - if any Dr comes anywhere near me my heartrate goes to 120-130 bpm and won't go down until I am out of a medical setting which is really embarrasing.