Before I explain, I don't want sympathy. I just want you to know why I have been absent lately and not been updating my site, answering messages etc.... Why I haven't been working basically!

I've had a potassium deficiency for about two years. But until about 4 weeks ago I had no idea what it was, what it did or how important potassium is to the healthy function of your heart.

Potassium is an electrolyte. The normal amount of potassium in your blood is between 3.5 and 5. If you have too little you are at risk of heart failure. If you have too much you are at risk of heart failure. In fact, a lethal injection is simply pure potassium! That's why they have to drip feed it over 6 hours per bag until balance has been restored.

My potassium levels dropped to 2.1 which is dangerously low and meant I was at serious risk of heart failure. This has happened 3 times in the last 3 weeks. Getting the balance right in hospital is easy, but managing it at home is proving to be difficult.

Physical symptoms of low potassium are dizziness, weakness, nausea, exhaustion amongst others, cramping in hands and legs, ringing in ears etc. So if you experience anything like this, get it checked out immediately!

Sadly, the reason for me losing potassium is a direct result of a long term illness I have suffered with for 17 years. One of those invisible illnesses that make you look healthy on the outside but leave you feeling wretched on the inside.
There is no actual cure, but recovery is possible. But it will take a long time.
It's very hard to talk about and I ave kept it a secret for many years. But I have been to my GP many times begging for help but the right treatment just isn't there.
However, my recent admissions to hospital have forced some f close my family and friends to find out about it and the health system to do something to help. I' not holding my breath. I am a huge fan of the NHS, all the staff at hospitals, surgeries etc are over worked and underpaid (except maybe some doctors). The government keep making cuts and it's meaning people aren't getting the right treatment soon enough and as a result people are dying. Ok, enough about politics!
Basically, I am now waiting to get the right help and hoping to end up back in hospital in the mean time, or worse.

I'm not ready to talk about the long term illness yet. I am scared of being judged. It's very hard to understand. It is linked to depression and anxiety as the illness makes them worse. And I know many of you can relate to that. But for now, I will just hope that I am well enough soon to get messy.

Love you all very much,
Jessie

I wish you the best, Jessie.

Thank you all so much!!

I didn't know whether to post or not. But I do have an obligation to my UMD family and I wanted you to know what was going on.
I haven't even told most of my friends and family because I am too weak to cope with all the questions and too scared to explain it all. I haven't told my dad because he has so much on his plate already looking after my stpmum and brother.

But I have been lucky enough to have a few incredible friends and my mum. One friend in particular has been bending over backwards to get me the right help! But it's going to be a long battle!

But I am going to indulge in some wam therapy tomorrow! Hopefully I will be smothered in warm porridge

Jessie xx

Well porridge is proven to make everything better.

I hope you get get better soon. You of all people don't deserve all this!

Sorry to hear you've had it rough Jessie - I do hope you manage to get some help soon.

It's worth looking for a patient's group or support group near you for the long-term condition, they're often a great help where the doctors either can't or don't help...

Take care of yourself!

Henry

Get well soon Jessie, sending lots of love and hugs xx

Get well soon Jessie!!!

Hope you feel better, Jessie.

Get well soon, and eat more bananas (high in potassium ).

Jessie, I am so sorry to hear about all this, both the long-term illness, and the part of it that keeps putting you in the hospital!

Best wishes that they can get things under control for you, and you start feeling better!

Love and good wishes sent your way!

Norman

If we can't offer sympathy then I hope we can offer support. There's a lot of love for you here and we're behind you all the way. Take care.

Sorry to hear this Get well soooooon!!!

Hope you get the treatment you need and feel better soon!

Get well - if not soon then take it steady til you do. Sending u love xxx

I hope you feel better soon. I end up in the hospital frequently and I'm not sure how things here compare to the UK but here it sucks and you have to deal with sooo much incompetence. I hope you get to the point where you can manage your potassium levels outside the hospital.

And thank you for sharing this, after becoming invisibly disabled I found out so many people have invisible illness and are often treated poorly because of it. People need to know that just because someone is young, or looks healthy or doesn't need a cane to walk doesn't mean that are "fine".

I would suggest eat bananas but they, like tomatos to Lisamoomin, are your kryptonite.

Take it easy, plenty of rest, and we will still be here at the end!

All the best Jess, lots of love.

Really hope they can get your levels right soon. Thank you for given us some insight in to something I have never heard of before. Hope you are OK again soon you are already missed.

I've only just stumbled across this message, but I really wish you a speedy recovery Jessie, your health is very important and I'm sure if there was anything anyone of us on here could do for you we would.

Make sure you get plenty of rest and I'm sure you'll be back within good time, I'll have a nice thick pie waiting for you :splat:

Sounds like a really scary experience. Totally shocked when you posted the pic of the multiple IVs on twitter.

Get well, with things under control, and hope to see you back where you belong soon, at your messiest.

Hope you feel better soon Jessie. Sending lots of love toward your way.

I Hope you get well soon.

Jessie you know I am such a big fan of yours.
I really wish you get well.
SJ x

All the best Jess.

Wishing you a speedy recovery Jess. X

Our thoughts are with you! Hope you feel better soon!

Stay strong Jessie! Im so happy there's someone there helping you find help. I hope we get some WAM therapy together tomorrow, and if not I will make my way down to give Ya a hug goodbye before I leave!

Wow, I just found this. What a shocker. You have always looked so good (and healthy!) that it's difficult to wrap my head around you having an illness like this.

I know about invisible illnesses, though...we have one of those in the family. It's incurable, it means meds for the rest of his life, but to look at him, you would never, ever guess.

Rest up, do what the doctor says, and I hope very much that you're up and about again, getting plenty messy, soon. Hugs to you and may they get it under control soon.

I have followed you off and on for a long time and have always liked you.

Nessie

Dear Jessie,

I wish you all the best. Step up to the plate and defeat it! I bet you will!
You are in our thoughts and prayers and I hope you manage to believe in your strength at all times.

Please feel supported by this wonderful community.

Sincerely,
1978WAM

An update from Jessie's pal
https://umd.net/forums/messy-jessie-is-a-seriously-il

I just want to applaud you for your courage Jessie. Thankyou for sharing this with us. Huge hugs and get well soon. Xx