I Am Going To Ask
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (78761)
United States
May 16, 2019 5:42pm CST
I am, of course, on a salt restriction due to high blood pressure as I have mentioned several times here. I am also on blood pressure medication. Metoprolol Tartrate to be exact.
I travel a LOT on business and it is damn hard to regulate my salt intake no matter what I eat on the road.
But I have heard that potassium helps to flush salt out.
So I am going to ask my cardiologist when I see him next week for my next appointment whether it would be a good idea to start taking a potassium supplement.
Not sure what he will say, but I am curious what anyone else's thoughts may be on this.
Hopefully my blood pressure will be fine when I go in. But the last appointment he was not happy with my numbers and warned he might have to increase my medication.
13 people like this
13 responses
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
16 May 19
Tony takes Metoprolol for his heart rate.
Unless you take a water pill the doctor will probably say no. The reason is that to much potassium is bad for the heart.
I understand how hard it is, I do because I am on low salt, low fat and no sugar request from my doctor, no I suck at taking care of me, but if I want to live I have to try.
How about this, look up what places are available to you on each traveling destination, then search out their menu`s to find what is low on salt, Domino`s and Hardee`s are out of the question
What I do is to ask for no salt fries and drop the cheese, those two are loaded with salt.
Yes it sucks.
1 person likes this
@porwest (78761)
• United States
25 May 19
The problem is I have done that, that is check for places with lower salt foods. What I have found is that they simply do not exist. In most cases even a salad has as much sodium in it as a greasy hamburger. I mean, if all you ate was a bowl of lettuce you might be okay. But that's just not anything to eat where I come from. That being said, I was traveling on business for three days and went on a trip for three, so that was six days of eating out and I had an appointment with my cardiologist on Wednesday and my blood pressure was fine. So maybe monitoring it really well when I am at home helps? Not sure, but was sure I'd have gone in there after six days of salt and get scolded.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
26 May 19
@porwest I am having problems with high blood sugar, no matter what I eat it sky rockets, My doctor says nothing because he knows the stress I am under at the moment.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
8 Jul 19
they've really never mentioned that to me.although with my work and hot flashes i sweat so much i think most of the salt leaves that way.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (34369)
•
21 May 19
I take blood pressure meds. Bananas are a great alternative to supplements.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
16 May 19
It's better to get Potassium from K rich foods to help lower blood pressure. Potassium supplements are used more for Potassium deficiency rather to counteract sodium in order lower blood pressure. There's also the danger of contraindication if you are already taking meds to lower blood pressure.. If that deducement were true then people would just be popping sodium tablets whenever pressure rises due to salt and would no longer be asked to eat a K rich diet which is not the case.
The best thing is still to ask your cardiologist but you asked for thoughts, I hope your condition normalizes soon
@Marilynda1225 (79731)
• United States
23 May 19
I have high BP and my medication has a water pill included in it. It's hard when you travel to keep track of the salt intake and the only advice I can give is to eat the closest to healthy foods as possible and avoid fast food.
@whiteream (8567)
• United States
17 May 19
The only reason I know this is because at one time I was very low in potassium and when I went to the doctor, that is when I found out. Good luck.
@nela13 (55698)
• Portugal
16 May 19
I heard the same about the potassium but you are right in speaking with your cardiologist first.
@LindaOHio (156157)
• United States
16 May 19
My husband is on Metoprolol and takes potassium because he has a deficiency. I don't know about potassium flushing out the salt.
