Something bad happened on my first day of P3 (two weeks ago). I left for vacation that morning, flying from FL to AZ. I had forgotten to take my potassium supplement that day, and probably the day before since I was so busy with last minute stuff, including packing.

I was very tired and went to bed early in AZ that night. About 3:00am I woke up with horrible leg cramps. It was the worst I've ever felt, both legs and seemed to be all the way around my calves. I stood up, and tried to flex my legs but the pain didn't subside. Then all of a sudden I felt faint. I tried putting my head down but it was too late -- I passed out cold. My BF said he was scared to death because I fell backward (on carpet) and he said I was making a noise that sounded like I couldn't breathe. He propped me up to a sitting position and then all of a sudden the noise stopped but he said my eyes were rolled up in my head and I lost control of my bladder (I know, TMI). He said he thought I had stopped breathing!

I regained consciousness a very short time later and felt pretty crappy but knew what had happened since I've fainted a few times in my life. I immediately took a couple of potassium supplements and soon fell asleep again -- after I cleaned myself and the carpet up, of course :((( No problem with leg cramping since then, but I've also made sure to take my supplements.

Any thoughts, Barb and/or all you other medical professionals? Was it the lack of potassium? The severe pain? I don't want this to happen again.

-Cindy

I've been taking two potassium pills 3x a day. It's just I was so busy the day before (and forgot) and then I packed the potassium in my suitcase and didn't get to it at all on the day I left. So I missed about 4 or 5 doses before it happened. I was actually pretty comfortable on the plane. The cramps I've had before in the early hours when I didn't have enough potassium in my system but never had pain as bad as that night. Perhaps I did get up too quickly, though.

If you were slightly dehydrated (from the flight) and then forgot your potassium pill, the symptoms of low potassium were probably made much worse than they would have been. The cramps and faintness are common side effects of low potassium. Low potassium levels can also cause irregular heart beat and the passing out. In extremely severe cases it can cause cardiac arrest. Be careful! What an awful experience. I'm so sorry you had to go through that! Make sure to take your potassium.: ) - Deb RN

that's very extreme, gogo..I didn't mean to scare you. Just make sure you're having your levels monitored frequenty.

i believe that can only be done with blood work.