Posted by Linda (USA) on 11/26/2006
★★★★★
Dear Ted, It's Linda again. I`ve really been upset it has taken my Doctors a year to find out what's wrong with me. The Kidney doctor said i have Liddle`s syndrome, and he said I have to stay on Potassium and magnesium and a pill called spironolactone, a potassium sparing pill. AlsoI have Acid reflux, but I have a salty taste in my mouth and mucus that comes up. Could the acid and mucus that comes up have anything to do with Liddle`s Syndrome? I haven`t felt good for so long,and I cough alot from the mucus and acid . The Doctor didn`t explain to much to me about this.i know my tubes in my kidneys hold on to salt and water,and dump potassium a defective gene. But long term can this be controlled,I won`t die from this . i`ve been so depressed about it, and I have a hard time losing weight, because I hold salt. Please tell me about this .Thank you so much Ted you always help me .
Posted by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) 392 posts
Dear Linda: If you have Liddle's sydrome, it is best you see a medical doctor as it is a hereditary disorder. The condition causes sodium retention and potasium excretion, which is why your potassium and magnesium are so low. The condition is treated by drugs that reduce sodium and increase potassium. Those drugs are triamterene or amiloride. It will also lower the drug pressure.
Besides those you still need to take a much larger dose of magnesium citrate and potassium citrates, and find out how much will be enough for you. Apparently the dose you are taking whatever you are doing is too low. Some lithium citrate which the dose of over 10 mg will also effectively lower your excess sodium, thus increasing your potassium retention too.
It would seems your acid reflux are of this electrolytic imbalance and you are not taking enough. Please measure your urinary pH and find out what it is, so you can get the proper pH for you body by alkalizing. Ted
P.S. Sometimes low aldosterone can also help high sodium retention. Increasing aldosterone might help some. You can try to see if taking more phosphorous, or vitamin B5 (which is directly related to aldosterone) by starting from 100 mg and slowly increase the dose and see how your salty taste in the mouth is diminish. It has help some people I know who have this conditions a lot. In some cases takin DHEA alone has helped greatly, the dose they sold are often 25 mg. and you can try this once a day or as directed on the bottle. Taking as in past post, alpha lipoic acid and black coffee reduces sodium retention. DHEA, and vitamin B5 (some take about 500 mg/day to reduce the sodium levels) are also important too.
