Elevated Potassium..............

Went to my VA doctor for a check up. It had been 18 months since my last one. Couldn't get in to do my blood work before appt, so I had to do it afterwards. The nurse called today and said my Potassium was elevated and that the doc was gonna have me temporarily discontinue my blood pressure med which I have been on for 25 yrs. For a long time, I have been on 5 mg of Lisinipril and it does a good job keeping me close to 120/80. I went and bought a device to take with me in the truck to check my blood pressure. I notified my company and the doc is supposed to fax them the directives he is placing me under. Apparantly, Lisinipril in a small % of patients, does/can cause elevated potassium. But it never has in the past. Supposed to do blood work again in 25 days when I return from my next tour out. My normal pain med that I take in the morning and at bedtime for chronic spinal discomfort is Walmart 's generic Naproxen Sodium which I have been taking probably 5 yrs. Well after a little research Naproxen and Ibuprofen are both known to also occasionally elevate potassium. Again had never been an issue in the past. With the double whammy of both the Lisinipril and the Naproxen being each the possible cause of the elevated potassium this may take a little while to figure out if either or both take much time to leave my system. Obviously, I will have my blood pressure meds with me in the event that my blood pressure elevates, cause I must be DOT compliant to operate the truck.

 

Negative. Pecans which help me go regularly are probably the only thing with much potassium.

 

Got another voice mail from the nurse and now they're going to mail out a different blood pressure med But I head back out in the morning. And they still want me to discontinue the Lisinipril. I have enough Lisinipril for this trip out and I'm not going to delay earning my income waiting on meds coming thru the mail.