LymeNet Flash: LLMD CALLED AND SAID TAKE SALT????

This is topic LLMD CALLED AND SAID TAKE SALT???? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/1/36886

Posted by ICEiam (Member # 7519) on :

My daughter's LLMD called tonight and told her to take 1 tsp of salt a day.........she freaked out and said I CAN NOT take that much salt I will get sick!!!!

My question is...........isn't there some type of tablet she can take instead of a whole tsp of salt???

I need some help here ANYONE???? Well, not just anyone, someone preferably that knows what they are talking about.

Thank you in Advance,

HUGS, ICEY

Posted by lymster (Member # 5964) on :

Sorry if I haven't follow your post, but why did your daughter's LLMD advise salt?
What this in regard of some symtoms-s- she is just having recently? or what is the story?

Lots of hugs,
Lymster

Posted by tickedntx (Member # 5660) on :

The problem with salt tablets, as I understand it, is that they also contain potassium. I think there are cardiac implications with too much potassium.

There is a protocol floating around out there which uses high doses of Vit. C and Salt. I think the salt helps to create an environment that is unfavorable to Bb.

Don't use table salt, though. Use Sea Salt. I was advised to use "Redmond Real Salt Gourmet All Natural Sea Salt".

I've had the same bag for two years, though, so obviously I haven't been using it. Hmmm....

Did he say how to take it? Drink it in water? Or ??

Posted by SunRa (Member # 3559) on :

Does your daughter have low blood pressure? "neurally mediated hypotension"? low sodium? difficulty retaining fluids?

Those are some reasons I can think of why adding more salt could be helpful.

I lose fluids very easily so I tend to get dehydrated at times and my sodium levels often drop too low. ... so my dr told me to blend a little fruit juice, sea salt, and water together. The body needs a balance of water, sugar and salt (electrolytes)...same reason why they recommend drinks like Gatorade to athletes. the sea salt helps me retain fluids and keep my mineral levels stable.

But use sea salt, not table salt. I use the same brand ticked mentioned.

And the extra minerals from sea salt can also help stabalize the blood pressure. So if shes having dizzy spells or other symptoms from low blood pressure, salt could possibly help those symptoms.

sorry I dont know much about the salt tablets. I dont know how old your daughter is, but I can tolerate a tsp without a problem as long as its mixed with some juice. Ask if you can divide the dose up throughout the day.

Posted by beach4so (Member # 3832) on :

Iceiam,

tickedntx is correct Sea Salt is the best, that is what our LLMD told us to use, but he didn't tell us 1 tsp, just told us to use it instead of regular salt.

Also too much potassium can stop your heart, (we had that problem with my dad), but not enough potassium can cause cramps in your muscles, (mostly leg cramps).

Hope this helps,
Starr

[This message has been edited by beach4so (edited 17 August 2005).]

Posted by ICEiam (Member # 7519) on :

GRRRRR, I wish that young lady would let me talk to that doctor when he calls!!! She is 24 with severe brain fog, and she is always VERY vague when she tells me what he has said.

She has been having very bad headaches for quite sometime, horrible leg pain, can't keep anything down so she vomits lots and she has been having hallucinations lately too.

She has Babs, bart, Erich, and Lyme of course and maybe one more which I can't remember right now. Maybe is it

RMSF......when he gives me directions I always ask why, how and then ask why again so I have it straight.

He told her to drop her Plaquenil down to half of what she was taking and to drop her Diamox down to half also.

We are adding Bicillin IM 2X's a week. Yippee I get to play nurse again. OUCH!!

Thank you all for your input, if this helps any please let me know.

HUGS,
ICEY

Posted by mountainmoma (Member # 6503) on :

I just put the salt, about 1/4 tsp at a time, on a spoon, have a glass of water ready, put it in my mouth and wash it down. Sea salt.

This came up while I was at a conference last month (a nutty thing to do, I know!) Anyway, I was dizzy, felt like a was gonna pass out. The conference was miles and miles from anywhere..... It worked. I kept the salt up while there and try to remember while at home now. It helped with other things while there too. I was less spacy, brain foggy....

I do have lowish blood pressure and wonder if I have nuerally mediated hyp...... ( I also cannot handle whirly rides at the boardwalk with my little one anymore)

Posted by cigi (Member # 6600) on :

I was hospitalized twice this year with hyponutremia - a condition that now I have to wear a medic alert bracelet and can't drink more than a liter a day of any fluid. It started while on rocephin and I was taking ssri's (anti-depressants). Now I had to switch to a tricyclic, which can still cause the condition, but fluid restriction should keep it down. Didn't realize the psychiatric symptoms that were so exaggerated during this time. Sodium range is 135-145 mine was 114 in January (hospitalized) and 119 in June when I was hospitalized again with low salt. Confusion like never experienced before, every symptom was multiplied by a million. I had rocephin for 6 mos and had my gall bladder taken out in June. Everyone including myself forgot to tell the hospital/doctor doing gall bladder surgery and was given much fluid for surgery and after. Out of the hospital on Wednesday, went to hospital on Monday after a weekend that I should have been committed. I called my husband and told him I was going to the hosp. to be put away - that's how bad I was. We went and found my sodium was down to 119. Seizure level is under 110. Stayed in the hospital 3 days given sodium tabs (1000 mg), little fluid and they let me go with a sodium level of 124. Not in range but better. Have to watch my fluid intake. Symptoms can be severely exaggerated with low salt. That is my experience with it. My blood is taken weekly.

Good luck,

Cigi

Posted by Kara Tyson (Member # 939) on :

I agree with avoiding the table salt. It is so processed. Here is some information that you might find helpful: http://www.elementsofwellness.com/celticsalt.htm#process

I think Celtic Sea Salt is a very good choice.

There has been so much in the news about the over use of salt, that few people know you can literally die from not enough salt in your body.

There is also Organic Grey Salt: http://www.saltworks.us/shop/product.asp?idProduct=264

[This message has been edited by Kara Tyson (edited 17 August 2005).]

Posted by hiker53 (Member # 6046) on :

If your daughter takes salt in powder form(like Real Salt) she should divide the 1 tsp into 4 doses during the day and put 1/4 tsp in a glass of 8 ounces of water. Drink lots of water with this. 1 tsp. of salt at one time is a lot!

You can get Walgreens or other drug stores to order pure salt tablets(brand CMC). These tablets contain only pure salt(sodium chloride) and no potassium. About $10 for 100 tablets.

If she is salting food, Morton's light salt contains potassium in it, but this is not to be used as the 1 tsp. of salt per day.

Check out lymephotos.com or lymestrategies.com where people use the salt vitamin C method to kill lyme critters. The protocol is on each site. E-mail me if you have questions. Hiker

[This message has been edited by hiker53 (edited 17 August 2005).]

Posted by ConnieMc (Member # 191) on :

Also, RealSalt is a good choice.

I had the low sodium/chloride thing as well, and had major problems from it. Apparently my sodium had been consistently low. But I didn't know this. Another doc picked this up and told me to supplement this. It was down to as low as 122, but ever since I have been supplementing it (with the salt/C protocol, taking 1/4 tsp 3 to 5 times a day with some C) my lab levels have been fine. Also noticed an improvment in my cognitive status. Perhaps your daughter will see improvement in her cognitive status if she does this.

My doc told me a scary story of when he was working in an ER. Long story short - he saw a confused patient in the ER. Labs revealed very low sodium. Gave him IVs and got the sodium level back to normal. Patient improved lots. Doc called the treating MD to tell him and recommended admission for further evaluation and observation and treating MD refused to admit him. Sent him home, and later that day sodium levels crashed again. Patient became confused and walked out in front of a car and was killed.

Needless to say, this had an effect on the doc and he always remembered the incident. This is how critical the sodium level is.