You may feel very fatigued and weak throughout your body if you suffer from a deficiency of potassium. Your potassium level may become low if you suffer with diarrhea for an extended period, or if an illness makes you vomit frequently. If you take a diuretic medicine to help lower your blood pressure, the diuretic can excrete needed potassium along with the fluid it expels from your body. Ask your doctor about your need for a liquid potassium supplement before using one. It may produce some serious and non-serious side effects.
Gastric Problems
Taking a supplement of the liquid potassium electrolyte can produce some non-serious side effects in your digestive system. Typically, you may become nauseated when you first use the solution. Your stomach may feel uncomfortable even without nausea. Liquid potassium may cause a mild form of diarrhea and vomiting to occur as well. Any mild side effect in your digestive tract should go away by itself. If such side effects feel severe, get advice from your doctor. If diarrhea appears with black or red stool, get immediate help from your doctor, the University of Maryland Medical Center suggests.
Breathing Problems
Introducing liquid potassium into your body can produce a serious side effect in your respiratory system, UMMC reports. The substance may make it difficult for you to breathe, forcing you to struggle for air. This may occur with pain in your throat or in your chest, although these side effects may happen separately as well. Speak with your physician immediately if these side effects occur while you take liquid potassium.
Arrhythmia
Your heart may change its usual rhythm when you use liquid potassium supplements. You may notice your heart begins to beat irregularly. You may feel your heart pounding in your chest. Your heart rate also may begin to race, speeding up to an abnormal or unhealthy level. This arrhythmia, called tachycardia, may increase the pressure of your blood moving through your body. A heart attack or stroke may result. Pain also may occur in your chest because of heart changes. Call your doctor immediately if any problems develop with your cardiovascular system.
Mental Confusion
The ingestion of liquid potassium may produce a side effect that affects your mental state. You may become mildly confused about usual things such as household tasks or participating in a conversation. This confusion may become worse, making it difficult for you to think clearly. Drugs.com mentions confusion as a non-serious and temporary side effect of liquid potassium, but UMMC reports confusion as a serious side effect for which you should call your doctor at once.
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