Tyler has tested high in Potassium a couple of times this week, so the doctors want us to carefully monitor (and attempt to lower) his potassium intake. The normal range is 3.7 to 5.5. Potassium is one of the electrolytes that is important for heart and nervous system health. A potassium level greater than 7.0 can cause cardiac arrest, so it is a very serious thing that Tyler had a 5.5 in his test on Thursday.
A high potassium level can indicate impaired kidney or adrenal function. To avoid any such complications, we are cutting Tyler's intake of milk, beef, pork, beans, bananas, and anything else with high potassium.
As for his other test results, they looked great.
WBC: 4.03 (normal 4.3-10.0)
HCT: 30 (normal 38-50)
PLT: 91 (normal 150-400)
ANC: 2.22 (normal 1.8-7.0)
We'll keep you updated on changes to the potassium situation. For now, we just have an extra blood test on Friday, followed by the first of 4 lumbar punctures Tyler will need to get over the next two months.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Day 37 - Only Monkeys Eat Bananas
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hey Mandy and Tyler, congratulations on your success in recent weeks, its been a long time coming. I read this post and thought it was time I said hello. My father-in-law is on a kidney diet and my MIL often soaks thinly sliced potatoes to rid them of their potassium- a good little tip for a low potassium diet. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteAnna