This is topic Cigi- hyponutremia in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.


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Posted by bpeck (Member # 3235) on :
 
Cigi:
Sorry to hear this.
Did the docs give you a reason for why this condition is lingering and can be fixed?

DO they have a reason for why your sodium levels dropped so low in the first place?

Barb


CIGI WROTE
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 cigi (Member # 6600) on :
 
I don't know why, but there are a few reasons for hyponutremia. One was hiv, which I know I don't have, me and my husband were tested years 11 years ago and were negative, one is a cancerous chest tumor, (he wants me to go for a chest x-ray to rule that out, but I don't have the symptoms cough,... this is going on 6 mos now and I'd have other symptoms besides) and by process of elimination, the other is ssri's. It wasn't a pretty sight in the hospital cold turkeying the first time on zoloft in January, then lexapro in June, even though I think it was the amt. of fluid intake during surgery, not the lexapro the 2nd time. My psychiatrist is keeping a close look at the levels now as well as nephhrologist and llmd. I'm on anafranil now for ocd, anxiety and depression. It's weird to know that something like salt can do this to you mentally (I know mental and physical go together).

Take care,
Cigi
 


Posted by SunRa (Member # 3559) on :
 
cigi - I've had many scary episodes where I was extremely sick and delusional from low sodium as well. I'm pretty sure it was caused by the drug Trileptal (an anti-seizure drug), but I was also on Rocephin when it started.

I still make sure to take extra salt and my levels have tested ok since going off those drugs. So be sure to check all the rare side effects of the drugs youre on. Even my dr didnt pick up on it at first until I did the research.
 


Posted by Christine202 (Member # 6158) on :
 
This has been an ongoing probelm with me as well... It started 7 years agi when I began Lyme treatment with IV Roecefin.

My sodium is always low... Have been as low as 120... I cannot stay hydrated either....

I have been hospitalized for this 5 times in the last couple years.... they can not find anything except Lyme Disease as the cause of it...

I have been all over, even Mayo Clinic.

I was eventually diagnosed with dysautonomia and hypovolemia caused by Lyme Disease. As well As hypermobility syndrome.


These disorders cause low sodium as well as pooling in extremities. Also there is a disonnect somewhere in the area of the hypothalamus that does not allow for proper signals to go from the brain to specific parts of the body. The kidneys are getting mixed up signals and being told to dump magnesium instead of holding on to it...this in turn causes the body to dump sodium since sodium binds with magnesium.

Blood vessels will contract and allow fluid to leak into the tissue allowing for improper fluid absorption.

After all my tests and all the travelling I have done to many specialists, the resommendation has been for me to continue Lyme treatment hoping that the jmore treatment I get the more it will help that part of the brain with the disconnect.

There are also meds to try... So far I have not tried them... I take lots of salt tabls, salt my food and have become pretty in tune to my body.

I also recently started soem alternative therapies to see if they will help with this condition.

E mail me anytime.. I woudl be happy to share any info with you.


 


Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
 
Cigi....are you feeling a little better now? Love ya!

------------------
Do not take anything I say as medical advice. I am not a doctor, but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Express!
oops!
Lymetutu
 


Posted by bpeck (Member # 3235) on :
 
Christine202:
I'm very interested in what you've done to correct the edema/salt problem.

I know 2 people with this problem (one with Lyme who's drs. including the LLMD don't seem to be addressing it)

How much salt do you take? And do you take
an electrolyte or min. supplement too?

DO you think Rocephin exacerbated this problem? Or did you have it prior to the abx?

Thanks. Barb


 


Posted by Christine202 (Member # 6158) on :
 
Hi Barb - For me I am unable to completely correct the problem.... But I am able to do things to help with it.

I take between 6 and 10 grams of salt tabs a day....as well as salting food.. I go by how my body is feeling.

I also seem to to have the most probles with this when I have a virus. When I get really ill I get home IV fluids ( sodium Chloride) This helps keep me hydrated as well as helping to keep the sodium in some sort of check.

I also never drink plain water...That was the first leson I learned way back... I always add electrolite solution to it ( electromix) as well as take a salt tabe or 2 for every liter of fluid I drink.

I have also found compression hose work very well. definetly help to keep my blood flow even.

I have seen the 2 top autonomic Dr's in the country. There are meds available..I tried some of them, but never have good experiences with drugs since I am med sensitive.

One of the newest is called Mestinon. It has been used for years to treat a condition called Myathius Gravis but just recently has been used for peoplw with Dysautomic Conditions...Mestinon helps constrict the blood vessles withouth raising your BP to high. The other drugs such as midrodine can cause BP to spike.

I have also tried florinef ( did not tolerate)

Some beta blockers ( Also did not tolerate)

There are also ceratin antidepressents that actually target that area of the brain and some peopel have had success with... Iknwo 2 are Wellbutrin and Zoloft.. But again I have not tried these yet b/c of med intoerance.

I am hoping to try themestinon as soon as I get my Lyme treatment to a level I can tolerate... I have to do things one at a tome so that my body does not get too overloaded.

I think abx definetly exacerbated the problem. I think its a 2 fold problem since The abx in itself can cause dehydration etc that cam lead to this problem, as well as the Lyme disease responding to the abx...

Its a catch 22....

My LLMD has been working with my dysutonomic Dr for a while now and he has sent many people to him.... he has seen this problem in many Lyme patients as well.
E mail me anytime.
 




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