Irony
Or would this be “potassiumy”?
So once upon a time, my doctor had my potassium checked, found it low, and prescribed 20 mg a day. I was shocked to find that potassium was the most expensive of my now four prescriptions. Fancy drug that takes massive R&D to develop? No big deal! A basic chemical found in things like food, fertilizer and soil? $$$
A wee bit less upon a time, I “felt funny” while my doctor was on vacation. Ended up with an appointment with a rather odd nurse practitioner, whose name I immediately forgot, whom I nicknamed Ms. Dietandexercise, She had the benefit of being thorough, so from her I got the best checkup I have had since my “annual” physical 2 years and 5 months ago.
She decided I was taking too much hydrochlorothiazide, so cut it in half, which the doctor hasn’t changed. She also had me cut the potassium in half, and had me get tested again to be sure of that. The vampires in the lab hate seeing me for a potassium blood test. Usually they can’t get blood from my arm and have to use the back of my hand instead, using a butterfly needle. Trouble is, that is a smaller needle, damaging the large potassium molecules and resulting in a bogus result.
So that went for a while, and eventually I ran out and needed to get a new prescription. Trouble is, my BP had not only been fine, but super low, after a long stretch without the potassium. Which he had tested again and found to be “low normal.” Other trouble is that I tend to put diapers, baby food, rent, etc. before my prescriptions, especially if I question their necessity. This past week I actually had a hundred buck “to spare” to get three of my prescriptions plus Sadie’s vitamins filled.
Unfortunately, that was within two days of my checkup, so my BP was “high.” The very lowest reading while I was there was 130/90. The highest was 148/98. A previous doctor I had would consider that reasonably controlled, versus the 180 to 220-something over 120 to 140-something it can shoot up to if left to its own devices. They consider that alarming, especially after it was so low last time.
Inexplicably, the doctor ordered me to go up on one of the dosages.
Your patient says “I didn’t take two of these for several days just before this appointment, since I ran out and didn’t have the money until two days ago” as a heads up on why the reading would be high. In fact, considering, it’s pretty amazingly good. So you say “take more”? Versus the dosage that has kept things in great shape for more than a year? Okay then.
Anyway, there was some confusion over the potassium. Ms. Dietandexercise had dropped it to 10 mg. The new prescription was 20 mg, but the receptionist said that was because it didn’t come any smaller. Did he mean 20 or 10?
He wasn’t sure. I filled the prescription and took two days of full 20 mg doses, then asked for clarification. This got me another blood test for potassium. Hey, why don’t we just make a standing appointment to get blood drawn every 2 - 3 months! The insurance even covers that. I’d get a call Thursday.
Deb called me a while ago to let me know they left a message that my potassium is perfectly fine and not to take any at all. Doh!
How ironic. I put it off and put it off and finally, just before my appointment, spent $40-odd on potassium they considered it imperative for me to consume. Now I am not supposed to take it! I might as well have skipped buying it, confessed to not taking it, gotten tested, and then found out it was okay. Or not, if the 40 mg in the two days prior to the appointment skewed the test…
Eat more bananas. Five a week pretty much covers my potassium requirement, or so I’m told.
Posted by CGHill on 05/13 at 05:00 PM
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