Dr Fett/Nurses Dehydration

[mommafisch]

I have been seeing a new Dr for about 1 year and he has run a blood panel on me every three months or so due to low potassium levels. Well, every time he discusses the results with me he says you know you are dehydrated. He says this with concern but never elaborates or offers a solution. i feel i drink plenty of water and do not take lasix except once in a blues moon. He did explain to me today that he determines this because of the ratio of creatinine to another part of the test. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know i need to increase fluids and i really try but i have gotten this result time after time. my creatinine level is always low. I also am constantly sweating. Which is aggrivated considerably by the humid hot mississippi weather. My question I guess is waht other than the obvious lack of fluid intake could cause this and could excessive sweating effect it? Is it something to be concerned with? Thanks Sonya

[melissamph]

Hi Sonya,

You should drink 8 ozs of liquid every hour. That will help as long as you aren't on any fluid restrictions. Secondly, you need to get into physical shape. You need to excercise daily and eat things that are good for you too. Cut sweets out of your diet completely unless you can tell me one nutitional positive outcome that comes with eating them. Also, buy a pedometer. It counts the steps that you walk daily. You should shoot for at least 10,000 steps a day. The key is getting into shape and taking care of your body and making the doctor tell you what he is saying by "you know you are dehydrated". What does he suggest. Google search dehydration and excessive sweating and they will tell you the more you sweat the more you need to drink. Wishing you well.

[JAMESFETT]

I'm not sure, Sonya. Without seeing all the figures I don't think I should comment very much. I would feel more confident that I understand the situation if you were taking lasix regularly. You need to keep up on your fluid needs, but you don't want to overdo it either. Overall, it seems to me NOT to be a really serious situation. I think you can work it out with your physician.

JD