Urine Sodium Test Strips?

[BNLFL]

Weird question, I realize. Since at least February — and actually the year before that too, before I ever started Reta, based on old lab results — I've been dealing with low sodium. Had another blood test on Wednesday, and it came back the same. Every 2 or 3 days I'll have a Gatorade or a Liquid IV, which clearly isn't cutting it. Salt barely features in my diet unless tomatoes or eggs are involved. Eating out is rare for us, and we don't buy frozen dinners, so there's no high-sodium food coming in. What I'm after is a way to test roughly once a month and see whether things are trending upward, without going for a blood draw. I get that it won't be very precise, but it might be good enough to tell if there's progress. I came across some in China, sold in 100 or 1,000 tub quantities. The UK had a few options. 2 strips for an absurd price plus shipping, duties and other charges — no thanks. Yesterday I spent hours searching and eventually gave up out of frustration. Figured I'd ask on here on the off chance, given the experience and experiences people have.

Thanks Gang

 

[woundcarping]

For most people this likely isn't worth it. That said, since I have a Fitomics membership, a CMP blood test costs me $3.90 total. Without a membership, it's $4.90 plus a $20 draw fee.

 

[HARLEYV2]

BNLFL said:

Weird question, I realize. Since at least February — and actually the year before that too, before I ever started Reta, based on old lab results — I've been dealing with low sodium. Had another blood test on Wednesday, and it came back the same. Every 2 or 3 days I'll have a Gatorade or a Liquid IV, which clearly isn't cutting it. Salt barely features in my diet unless tomatoes or eggs are involved. Eating out is rare for us, and we don't buy frozen dinners, so there's no high-sodium food coming in. What I'm after is a way to test roughly once a month and see whether things are trending upward, without going for a blood draw. I get that it won't be very precise, but it might be good enough to tell if there's progress. I came across some in China, sold in 100 or 1,000 tub quantities. The UK had a few options. 2 strips for an absurd price plus shipping, duties and other charges — no thanks. Yesterday I spent hours searching and eventually gave up out of frustration. Figured I'd ask on here on the off chance, given the experience and experiences people have.

Thanks Gang

BNLFL said:

Weird question, I realize. Since at least February — and actually the year before that too, before I ever started Reta, based on old lab results — I've been dealing with low sodium. Had another blood test on Wednesday, and it came back the same. Every 2 or 3 days I'll have a Gatorade or a Liquid IV, which clearly isn't cutting it. Salt barely features in my diet unless tomatoes or eggs are involved. Eating out is rare for us, and we don't buy frozen dinners, so there's no high-sodium food coming in. What I'm after is a way to test roughly once a month and see whether things are trending upward, without going for a blood draw. I get that it won't be very precise, but it might be good enough to tell if there's progress. I came across some in China, sold in 100 or 1,000 tub quantities. The UK had a few options. 2 strips for an absurd price plus shipping, duties and other charges — no thanks. Yesterday I spent hours searching and eventually gave up out of frustration. Figured I'd ask on here on the off chance, given the experience and experiences people have.

Thanks Gang

At the hospital, test strips aren't used at all. Instead, samples go to the lab as either blood or a 24 hr urine collection. Any thoughts on what's causing your hyponatremia?

 

[BNLFL]

HARLEYV2 said:

BNLFL said:

Weird question, I realize. Since at least February — and actually the year before that too, before I ever started Reta, based on old lab results — I've been dealing with low sodium. Had another blood test on Wednesday, and it came back the same. Every 2 or 3 days I'll have a Gatorade or a Liquid IV, which clearly isn't cutting it. Salt barely features in my diet unless tomatoes or eggs are involved. Eating out is rare for us, and we don't buy frozen dinners, so there's no high-sodium food coming in. What I'm after is a way to test roughly once a month and see whether things are trending upward, without going for a blood draw. I get that it won't be very precise, but it might be good enough to tell if there's progress. I came across some in China, sold in 100 or 1,000 tub quantities. The UK had a few options. 2 strips for an absurd price plus shipping, duties and other charges — no thanks. Yesterday I spent hours searching and eventually gave up out of frustration. Figured I'd ask on here on the off chance, given the experience and experiences people have.

Thanks Gang

BNLFL said:

Weird question, I realize. Since at least February — and actually the year before that too, before I ever started Reta, based on old lab results — I've been dealing with low sodium. Had another blood test on Wednesday, and it came back the same. Every 2 or 3 days I'll have a Gatorade or a Liquid IV, which clearly isn't cutting it. Salt barely features in my diet unless tomatoes or eggs are involved. Eating out is rare for us, and we don't buy frozen dinners, so there's no high-sodium food coming in. What I'm after is a way to test roughly once a month and see whether things are trending upward, without going for a blood draw. I get that it won't be very precise, but it might be good enough to tell if there's progress. I came across some in China, sold in 100 or 1,000 tub quantities. The UK had a few options. 2 strips for an absurd price plus shipping, duties and other charges — no thanks. Yesterday I spent hours searching and eventually gave up out of frustration. Figured I'd ask on here on the off chance, given the experience and experiences people have.

Thanks Gang

At the hospital, test strips aren't used at all. Instead, samples go to the lab as either blood or a 24 hr urine collection. Any thoughts on what's causing your hyponatremia?

I have no idea—none of the symptoms apply to me. It hasn't dropped to the lowest point, only low. Without those tests, I'd never have found out. I'll be seeing my usual doctor before long, and perhaps he can shed some light on it.

 

[lessthanhalf]

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

 

[BNLFL]

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

 

[Stace_wow]

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

 

[bamagirl26]

Stace_wow said:

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

Yeah, LMNT definitely brings the salt. It's like chugging a watermelon-flavored sea!

 

[Stace_wow]

Honestly, the salty taste is something I genuinely enjoy

 

[PinKushn]

Stace_wow said:

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

I ran into the same problem. These days I take 2 LMNT packets daily, and my levels have returned to a good range. The cost is high for what you get, and you could definitely reduce it by buying the individual ingredients separately (LMNT even publishes their formula), but the convenience is a big plus.

 

[Stace_wow]

PinKushn said:

Stace_wow said:

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

I ran into the same problem. These days I take 2 LMNT packets daily, and my levels have returned to a good range. The cost is high for what you get, and you could definitely reduce it by buying the individual ingredients separately (LMNT even publishes their formula), but the convenience is a big plus.

Venture Pal costs much less. $10 gets you 16 packets. The electrolyte amounts match.

 

[PinKushn]

Stace_wow said:

PinKushn said:

Stace_wow said:

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

I ran into the same problem. These days I take 2 LMNT packets daily, and my levels have returned to a good range. The cost is high for what you get, and you could definitely reduce it by buying the individual ingredients separately (LMNT even publishes their formula), but the convenience is a big plus.

Venture Pal costs much less. $10 gets you 16 packets. The electrolyte amounts match.

From what I can find, Venture PAL provides 400mg sodium, while LMNT delivers 1000mg. I haven't come across many other brands that reach that higher amount, but I'm definitely willing to give new options a shot.

 

[eidos]

Do you really think a natriuresis test can tell you about your natremia?

From what I can recall, those two are controlled by separate mechanisms. Might be a good idea to ask an LLM.

 

[Slogger]

My sodium has been low for quite some time — this week's labs put it at 128 — and in my view LMNT comes out on top. IV sodium is another route I've tried, though every session eats up roughly 60 minutes. Try LMNT: from what I've seen, Amazon has the lowest price. Wishing you the best — for me it lifted my numbers, and the effect came on fairly quickly.

 

[BNLFL]

Stace_wow said:

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

Not yet, but I plan to. Could it cause my blood pressure to go up? Mine usually sits at 128/75. My heart and BP have been fine. One day I drank two Liquid IV and my BP read 140/90. I have no idea how long the low sodium has been going on; the first test was March 2025. @HARLEYV2 said that taking Metoprolol 50mg twice a day may interfere with sodium absorption, and I've dropped a lot of weight, though that only began in January this year. I'll bring this up with my cardiologist and GP.

Thanks

 

[laansasa]

bamagirl26 said:

Stace_wow said:

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

Yeah, LMNT definitely brings the salt. It's like chugging a watermelon-flavored sea!

The lemonade, pink lemonade, and spicy mango flavors are ones I enjoy. Their new iced tea being caffeinated is a letdown—I won't be able to sample it.

 

[Stace_wow]

BNLFL said:

Stace_wow said:

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

Not yet, but I plan to. Could it cause my blood pressure to go up? Mine usually sits at 128/75. My heart and BP have been fine. One day I drank two Liquid IV and my BP read 140/90. I have no idea how long the low sodium has been going on; the first test was March 2025. @HARLEYV2 said that taking Metoprolol 50mg twice a day may interfere with sodium absorption, and I've dropped a lot of weight, though that only began in January this year. I'll bring this up with my cardiologist and GP.

Thanks

That's definitely the wise approach! The doctor for my coworker kept pushing him to take sodium in large doses… so he had medical supervision the whole time. The one thing I can contribute is that this product is out there, and if you ever do need that kind of thing, it doesn't taste bad at all! Wishing you luck! I realize low sodium tends to set off warning bells for doctors….I hope you figure out what's causing it.

 

[Stace_wow]

PinKushn said:

Stace_wow said:

PinKushn said:

Stace_wow said:

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

I ran into the same problem. These days I take 2 LMNT packets daily, and my levels have returned to a good range. The cost is high for what you get, and you could definitely reduce it by buying the individual ingredients separately (LMNT even publishes their formula), but the convenience is a big plus.

Venture Pal costs much less. $10 gets you 16 packets. The electrolyte amounts match.

From what I can find, Venture PAL provides 400mg sodium, while LMNT delivers 1000mg. I haven't come across many other brands that reach that higher amount, but I'm definitely willing to give new options a shot.

Right now it's marked down to $8.49 as part of a lightning deal lol ***I went back and put in the Amazon link


https://a.co/d/0iULhxl8

 

[BNLFL]

Stace_wow said:

PinKushn said:

Stace_wow said:

PinKushn said:

Stace_wow said:

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

I ran into the same problem. These days I take 2 LMNT packets daily, and my levels have returned to a good range. The cost is high for what you get, and you could definitely reduce it by buying the individual ingredients separately (LMNT even publishes their formula), but the convenience is a big plus.

Venture Pal costs much less. $10 gets you 16 packets. The electrolyte amounts match.

From what I can find, Venture PAL provides 400mg sodium, while LMNT delivers 1000mg. I haven't come across many other brands that reach that higher amount, but I'm definitely willing to give new options a shot.

View attachment 10539

Right now it's marked down to $8.49 as part of a lightning deal lol ***I went back and put in the Amazon link


https://a.co/d/0iULhxl8

How do the watermelon and grapefruit versions compare? The all-orange option costs twice as much.

 

[Stace_wow]

BNLFL said:

Stace_wow said:

PinKushn said:

Stace_wow said:

PinKushn said:

Stace_wow said:

H

BNLFL said:

lessthanhalf said:

Is your fluid intake, including water, on the high side? That is not the sole reason serum sodium can drop, but it does happen quite often.

These days, no. But during January and February, yes. I was drinking a huge amount of water because I believed it would support the dieting.

What about an electrolyte with a bigger sodium load? A guy I work with ran into the same problem, and it was messing with his heart. On top of that, his blood pressure was elevated (we're blue collar in Las Vegas, so water and electrolytes are a non-negotiable part of every day). Liquid IV is fine, but it doesn't pack that much sodium. Over on Amazon you can find LMNT or Venture Pal, and those are HIGH sodium electrolyte supplements….I usually take them for hiking or when I'm sweating through the whole day, since I have to keep an eye on my sodium intake, but my coworker began using them every day and it's worked well for him.

I ran into the same problem. These days I take 2 LMNT packets daily, and my levels have returned to a good range. The cost is high for what you get, and you could definitely reduce it by buying the individual ingredients separately (LMNT even publishes their formula), but the convenience is a big plus.

Venture Pal costs much less. $10 gets you 16 packets. The electrolyte amounts match.

From what I can find, Venture PAL provides 400mg sodium, while LMNT delivers 1000mg. I haven't come across many other brands that reach that higher amount, but I'm definitely willing to give new options a shot.

View attachment 10539

Right now it's marked down to $8.49 as part of a lightning deal lol ***I went back and put in the Amazon link


https://a.co/d/0iULhxl8

How do the watermelon and grapefruit versions compare? The all-orange option costs twice as much.

I enjoy them, though the flavor is pretty much just fruit plus salt and adding salt to fruit is something I already do! Grapefruit tops the list for me