My doctor warned me to watch my potassium level when I first got my prescription, which I assumed meant I should start getting more of it.  So I started adding bananas and spinich to my diet, however I'm hearing that the exact opposite is true, and I need to try to keep those levels lower, as I'm likely to retain more potassium than usual while on Spiro.  Aside from cutting those foods from my diet, is there anything I can do to keep those levels safely low?  I have a blood draw in a few weeks and I'd rather not have to bring my dosage down(it's already low enough that nothing seems to be happening).

Yeah definitely stay away from foods that are high in potassium. Spiro is 'potassium-sparing', meaning it will spare it from leaving the body (though I'm sure it does, just to a lesser degree). High levels of potassium can cause muscle problems (all muscles, including in the heart). So too much potassium is potentially life-threatening. You should also drink plenty of water and take in a bit more sodium. As a diuretic, it will make you lose both a lot quicker. I think if you just watch what you eat, and check labels of things for potassium content, you'll likely be fine. I've heard orange juice is rather high in potassium but I still drink it (8 oz or less per day). Mine has 13% of the daily recommendation, so I go by that as an indicator of what's potassium-rich and try to steer away from anything that's 10% or higher. Really, if you just cut out the stuff like bananas and spinach right away, you should do fine on your blood-test.

I drink lots & lots of skim milk & very little water. Any problems with that & spiro???

Quote from: FrancisAnn on November 27, 2013, 06:49:20 PM
I drink lots & lots of skim milk & very little water. Any problems with that & spiro???

Well, I think skim milk is about 8% of the daily recommended potassium intake. But that's whatever the serving size is (probably 8 oz). That means if you have 12 8 oz. glasses per day, you're getting the recommended. Or 6 16 oz. glasses. However, that's recommended when not on Spiro. So with Spiro you probably would want quite a bit less than that. Also avoid low-sodium milk. You should probably try drinking more water anyway though, it's healthier whether you're on Spiro or not.

Thanks, I will cut back on milk some.

I carry a 32oz thermos with me, and usually drain it of water at least twice a day.  So I should be good on the hydration front.  I just need to cut those foods out of my diet and get some cardio into my daily routine.  It's been impossible while working at Walmart, since a week there makes my feet feel like hamburger, far too painful to add a workout on top of that mess.  But this is my final week there and I can get back into a desk job, yay!  I've missed my Zombies, Run! workout =P

I'm pretty sure that Spiro (AA) is the only hormone supplement that effects potassium absorption.  Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any studies by how much you should drop daily potassium intake. But working in a laboratory I would loosly suggest 40%-55% DV for two weeks and then get your blood tested to determine if those levels are safe. This will also be effected by the amount of Spiro you take. And remember to drink plenty of water 

edit: no dosages

Spiro acts as a potassium sparing diuretic which means it causes you to wee more but it can lead to raised potassium levels, it's AA effect is just a happy coincidence
I certainly would not go out and start taking potassium supplements (in fact that is strongly advised what NOT to do) but with a normal diet you shouldn't have any problems. We have blood tests for this exact reason, if you have elevated levels your doctor will find out and treat things accordingly.

As always, follow your doctors' orders.

But yes, maybe go back to the pre-potassium loading diet (Unless you really love spinach and bananas)

Your doctor should be screening your potassium a month or so after you start a diuretic like Spiro.  Since I have done probably 4 different diuretics to keep my BP under control (which is what Spiro was developed for), my Dr. always checks my electrolytes about a month after I change meds to keep track of my potassium. 

Additionally, if you are curious, or you don't get to see your Doctor very often, you can monitor your electrolytes yourself (I didn't know this until recently). 

You can order your own blood testing to check your potassium on-line using either of these two websites.

http://www.healthtestingcenters.com/metabolic-panel.aspx

http://requestatest.com/comprehensive-metabolic-panel-testing

The tests run $30 to $40 will only give you your numbers and tell you if you are in normal range or not.  They are obviously not meant to replace a Doctor's care, but they can give you a heads up if something is wrong.  Electrolytes are not something you want to mess around with.