[Speed Gibson,
Sunday March 6, 2005 at 9:40pm]
I Can't Win
I just got my blood test results from my annual physical. Everything's fine, except ...
Let me back up. I have been taking medication for my blood pressure that finally crossed the marginally high line a couple of years ago. Each prescription refill comes with two pages of warnings, among them that I not eat too many bananas or other potassium-rich foods. This medication can raise potassium levels and very high levels can be fatal. Fair enough. I get it.
So what do I see? My blood potassium reading was 3.2, below the 3.5 minimum. What does my doctor write alongside?
"Eat more bananas."
Let me back up. I have been taking medication for my blood pressure that finally crossed the marginally high line a couple of years ago. Each prescription refill comes with two pages of warnings, among them that I not eat too many bananas or other potassium-rich foods. This medication can raise potassium levels and very high levels can be fatal. Fair enough. I get it.
So what do I see? My blood potassium reading was 3.2, below the 3.5 minimum. What does my doctor write alongside?
"Eat more bananas."