***Huge Helpful Tip***

Normally I write all of my little 'Helpful Hints' on the left margin of my blog, however, I believe this one is extremely important!  So I have decided to briefly interrupt my medical stories, but will resume them tomorrow.

One of the most important things a person with POTS can do is consume a large amount of sodium.  This helps the blood vessels expand and allows the blood to flow throughout the body easier.  Now, when I say a large amount of sodium, I’m talking 3 to 5 grams per day.  That is a lot of salt!!!  For example, one package of ramen noodles has about 1,300mg of sodium.  The salt tablets I suck on have about 150mg.  My point is that it is difficult to consume that much sodium and stay hydrated at the same time.  As a result of that I have been getting IV fluids weekly for a while now.  And being that I have these awesome veins that work like an old flat empty garden hose, it makes this process quite a hassle – being stuck 3 or 4 times to find a vein…each week…that adds up over time.  My arms were pretty much starting to look like I had been shooting up heroin.  Not to mention the process last 4 to 6 hours by the time I’m done getting the two liters. 

Well, the other day, I remembered that a friend use to talk about drinking her electrolytes while she was doing track at Kansas University.  I called her to find out exactly what those electrolytes were.  Turns out, there electrolytes made by Gatorade.  The actual name is, G Series Pro Gatrolytes Electrolyte Mix.  Each packet contains 780mg of Sodium and 400mg of Potassium.  I had been drinking a lot of G2 since it is high in sodium and has fewer calories, but it also was causing cavities, which my dentist wasn’t too stoked about.  So I took this packet of Gatorlytes in to my doctor and asked him what he thought about them.  He pulled out his calculator and then told me that if I mix 4 packets with one liter of water it would be the equivalent to one liter of fluids I was receiving at the hospital.  The idea alone made me completely ecstatic.  I thought if it really works there would be no more digging on my arms each week, no more bruises, no more sitting in the hospital every week.  The next morning I tried it.  Let me tell you – it works!!!  I have been drinking these Gatorlytes for almost two weeks now and haven’t had to get IV fluids once during this time.  AND, I was able to cancel the surgery to have a port put in on the 14^th of this month!

The one difficult thing about this product is that they are actually made for elite athletes, so they aren’t sold in too many stores.  I have found it easiest to order them off Amazon or the Gatorade website.

For those booze hounds that read my blog, I know there are just a few; this actually is the perfect hangover cure.  Of course, you wouldn’t need four packets - just the one.  However, it’s always better to just say no to drugs and alcohol to begin with.  You booze you lose, kids. 

G Series Pro 02 Electrolyte Mix Gatorlytes

***The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment.***