Is it normal to have high potassium after treatment

I recently had blood work done and the potassium, creatinine and Alk Phos were all high. What does this mean? I had head and neck cancer two years ago. Is it related?

Hi @debiread16 Members of Connect aren’t medical professionals so we’re not able to interpret blood results, diagnose or offer treatment. But we can use our collective knowledge and experiences to help other members find answers or support.

When we have a past history of cancer our first thoughts turn to that specter over our shoulder anytime we see something that raises an eyebrow! I can surely empathize with you. When your lab result numbers are elevated it sounds that little alarm of doubt.

Your alkaline phosphatase, potassium and creatine were all higher than the standard charts test. How high? Just slightly elevated?
ALP is an enzyme throughout your body, including your liver, digestive system, kidneys, and bones. It can become elevated if there is some damage to the liver or issue with your bones. If your doctor suspected any damage to the liver they would order the ALP blood test to see how much was in your blood. My ALP was routinely elevated over the past 3 years due to medicaion I was on. Finally, it’s back in the normal range again. Our livers are very resilient.

Higher potassium and creatine have more to do with your kidney function. Both can fluctuate hydration. On your blood work, do you also have a BUN reading, which is generally taken along with the creatine level and a GFR? That paints a broader picture of your over all kidney health.
Have you spoken to your doctor about your blood results?

Hi @blulady, I believe members like @nmkblc1995 and @debiread16 experienced higher potassium levels after treatment for head and neck cancer.

Have your postassium levels changed to normal now?

Thank you Colleen for getting back to me.
The last potassium level was at the high end of normal.