V8 and Flutter.

I've read in an earlier post about the benefits of low Sodium V8 for managing flutter and being newly diagnosed to the flutter world I am interested in the idea..I have also read on other sources that combining that and metoprolol was not a good idea. I am looking for some input regarding this.

I have never heard about problems with drinking low sodium V8 and taking metoprolol together. I take metoprolol for rate control for afib and BP. I also drink low sodium V8 for the potassium and take mag taurate for PVCs. They seem to help with my PVCS. I will be interested in hearing what others say since I am no expert by any means.

Metoprolol raises potassium levels and low sodium V8 adds potassium. Whether or not this is too much potassium, I don't know, but may be the reason why you read the two should not be taken together.

Jim

Metoprolol is only mildly potassium-sparing, so if you have normal kidney function it shouldn't be a problem. If there's any uncertainty about your kidney function, ask your doctor for a metabolic panel first.

I used potassium for almost two years to control my flutter, and I used huge doses of potassium chloride at first. I had a potassium meter and so could measure my serum potassium levels on the spot any time I wanted, which was the only way I could do this safely. What I learned from that is how rapidly your kidneys excrete excess potassium, even when taking potassium-sparing drugs. I finally sold my EP on the idea and he prescribed not one but two potassium-sparing drugs along with high-dose potassium supplements. This allowed me to keep my potassium levels at around 4.5 without resorting to huge doses of potassium chloride. I got raised eyebrows and warnings from the pharmacist every time I refilled those prescriptions together, but it worked beautifully despite every doctor, nurse and pharmacist I interacted with those two years swearing I was going to kill myself. Medical professionals have potassium paranoia drilled into them in school.

Fun fact: Intense exercise can raise your serum potassium to levels that would land you in an ICU under normal circumstances, but it has no adverse affects on you during exercise. Tough to explain how that works.

I was on metoprolol for at least a year and a half while taking potassium gluconate supplements and eating just about any high potassium food I could find. (Didn't learn about low-sodium V-8 until this week).

Anyway, after a year, my Potassium levels were just below dead-center of the "normal" range. YMMV.

A different account: when I went to the ER with high AF six days after my index ablation, after they had done the routine tests, including a full blood workup, they came back with my first dose of amiodarone and two very large oval white tablets. My raised eyebrow had the nurse say, 'Your potassium is low.' First I had heard of such a thing. Four months later, I was back in the ER, but this time no white tablets. I had been eating summer beets for a while, plus dried apricots, some avocados, etc, but not what I would call a newly adopted regimen. I was eliminating it quickly anyway....surely. But, weeks later, I decided to peek at my latest records, which I can do through the provincial health app, and my potassium levels were marginal, but still within range, at that time.

You'd think a bright bulb at the ER would look over my year's history for clues, see that I had low K four/five months earlier when presenting for the same problem, and give me...oh, I dunno...maybe ONE of those tablets?!

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gloaming
You'd think a bright bulb at the ER would look over my year's history for clues, see that I had low K four/five months earlier when presenting for the same problem, and give me...oh, I dunno...maybe ONE of those tablets?!

You'd think the first guys would have sent you home with a script for daily timed release K.

Sure, or coached me to consume more foods on a daily basis with K in them. Mind you, I have probably four tbsp of peanut butter (Adams) each day, and that should provide a good chunk of what a healthy adult needs. Maybe I dump L the way you dump Mg, George.

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GeorgeN
You'd think the first guys would have sent you home with a script for daily timed release K.

Really unlikely. ER docs really don't like to write prescriptions and almost never will because they can't do any follow up or monitoring, and they can't have 3000 patients they don't even remember from the last few months requesting refills. That's probably especially true with something like K+ supplements that require monitoring. Their job is to stabilize you and then either admit you or refer you to someone who can handle long-term care.

I would steer clear of V8 as it contains "natural flavors", i.e. neurostimulator to enhance taste, but potential trigger for adrenergic afibbers. I believe there are organic brands that would be safer. BTW "natural flavors" are not at all natural, do your research...

"Low sodium" isn't low enough for me. I need no sodium. I add spare pinches to my food but I have to be very very careful or else I get warning beats.

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Shiny Sleeves
"Low sodium" isn't low enough for me. I need no sodium. I add spare pinches to my food but I have to be very very careful or else I get warning beats.

It contains no added salt.

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Jeff W
I would steer clear of V8 as it contains "natural flavors", i.e. neurostimulator to enhance taste, but potential trigger for adrenergic afibbers. I believe there are organic brands that would be safer. BTW "natural flavors" are not at all natural, do your research...

LS V8 is just the veg juice spiked with potassium chloride (plus the flavors). You can get potassium chloride powder (or citrate or bicarbonate) powder and "spike" anything you want (I just put it in water).

Isn't coconut water a viable solution? Packed full of 'natural' potassium and no salt?

Yes. Coconut water is very good, although it ain't cheap per unit volume. Beets also, and potatoes, and peanuts. Dried apricots if I recall.

I keep one or two half-liter cartons of coconut water in my pantry. During the warmer months, I pull on one of those over a couple of days.