Could we be wrong about reducing sodium?

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by Grizzler, Aug 20, 2023.

  1. Grizzler

    Grizzler New Member

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    I just been watching this informative video on the inner ear and seen that endolymph is high in potassium and low in sodium, and perilymph is high in sodium and low in potassium. If Meniere's is caused by too much endolymph (in my case endolymphatic hydrops has been confirmed on an MRI) then shouldn't we be trying to lower potassium instead of sodium? If that's the case reducing sodium is actually counterproductive! Is there anyone here that knows why it's sodium that needs to be reduced and not potassium?
     
  2. Grizzler

    Grizzler New Member

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    I just watched a video on how important potassium is. Ignore me, I don't know how to delete my thread or if I can delete it.
     
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  3. Donamo

    Donamo Active Member

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    LOL - I think a proper balance between them, and any electrolytes is important. I have never tried to go low on sodium, but I don't eat many high salt foods like you find in restaurant sauces etc. I have definitely found that MSG is bad for me and it is in many prepared foods.

    Don't worry about deleting a topic and especially don't worry about being wrong about something!!

    We have pretty much all been wrong many many times!
     
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  4. June-

    June- Well-Known Member

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    Low sodium never helped me.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  5. twodogs

    twodogs Member

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    Low sodium intake did nothing for me either. It is worth a try though.
     
  6. IvanNew

    IvanNew Active Member

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    Same here, low sodium, caffeine or alcohol did nothing for me.
     
  7. Mark55

    Mark55 Active Member

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    I have been on very low sodium the last 3-4 years. I'm talking 600-800 mg a day. Sometimes more but not often. Thought it was the magic cure for a few years haha .
    Last November the vertigo chaos started again, bad as ever. So...not a believer, but not into testing the waters either.
     
  8. JanieJiffy

    JanieJiffy Member

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    I, too, found sodium intake irrelevant to symptoms.
     
  9. yellowboy

    yellowboy Active Member

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    Betahistine has eliminated my vertigo 99%, I eat and drink anything I want.
     
  10. Mark55

    Mark55 Active Member

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    Yellowboy,
    How much of that betahistine do you take? Help with other things??
    Nice you can eat whatever you want without worry.
     
  11. yellowboy

    yellowboy Active Member

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    I take one 16 MG capsule 3 times a day. Nothing else, no supplements or other regimens , alcohol and coffee in moderation, but I try and eat healthy and always have.
     
  12. RomKon

    RomKon New Member

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    @yellowboy what about ear fullness and tinnitus? betahistine did nothing for me
     
  13. yellowboy

    yellowboy Active Member

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  14. Grizzler

    Grizzler New Member

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    How long did Betahistine take to work for you? I have taken it (16mg 3 times day) for several weeks but still have a general feeling of being slightly off balance when standing still or sitting still.
     
  15. yellowboy

    yellowboy Active Member

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    Right away . I was having 2 serious episodes a week that would last 24 hours they stopped the week after I started taking it.
     
  16. jose suarez

    jose suarez Member

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    normally doctor ask to reduce sodium because sodium make your body retain fluids.
     
  17. MrZennie

    MrZennie New Member

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    I just posted this on the Meniere's Reddit board yesterday:

    Some doctors believe it's high potassium that may cause some of our symptoms. I've been pretty stable for a couple months now, but today tried some of Dr Berg's electrolytes. They're very high in potassium. A few hours later I had a high sodium meal, the same as I've had quite a few times in the past couple months with no issues. But tonight shortly after the meal, I developed loud tinnitus in my left ear, and the hearing seems to have gone down a little.

    Funny thing, I have a bottle of potassium citrate in my cabinet which I have used a handful of times over the past couple years. Now I'm wondering if my past episodes may have been precipitated with me using the potassium! I wasn't keeping track of things so I'm not sure. Anyway, I wanted to post this just in case someone else is taking potassium supplements and having a tough time but not realizing why.

    This article discusses it...

    https://journals.lww.com/otology-ne..._modification_as_adjunct_treatment_in.39.aspx
     
  18. RoseS.

    RoseS. New Member

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    This is very interesting to me. I have had BPV for years but recently diagnosed with Menere's and told to reduce my sodium by a lot. Which I have. One doctor told me to take potassium supplements and when I told this to my ENT specialist he told me DO NOT take them! I also asked him to increase my diuretic pill because I didn't think it was helping much. And again he said he wanted to leave it at 12.5MG's. He said that sometimes doing more things can actually make the disease worse. I've had success in my reduction of sodium and only cooking good foods, nothing packaged. Less Tinnitus , less pulsing and less dizziness. But with the holiday I did indulge some and guess what came back with a vengeance? All the symptoms! So back at it today!

    Thanks for your input!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 5, 2025
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  19. Patrick of WA

    Patrick of WA New Member

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    What brand of Betahistine do you take?
     
  20. yellowboy

    yellowboy Active Member

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    There is no brand per se, I have it made (compounded) at a local pharmacy here in NC
     

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