2 weeks ramipril (2.5mg qd) caused potassium to go to 8.5 mmol/l and was stopped. does this rule out future use of all other ace inhibitors and arbs?

Not necessarily: All ace and arb medications will have some potassium sparing characteristics. Your likihood of developing hyperkalemia will depend on your state of hydration, other medication, and your renal function. Check with your doc.

Almost certainly: Ace inhibitors and arbs are valuable drugs and, in a rare instance, when other modifiable factors causing a high potassium have been addressed could very cautiously be reintroduced. However, in the fast majority of patients, they should be avoided when a very high potassium has occurred.

Yes: Eating 6 healthy meals of fresh organic vegetables and no salt followed by 5 minutes of relaxation breathing, and 10 minutes of walking 6 times would be a safe and effective way to safely lower blood pressure without medication if not in kidney failure. Check 25-oh vit d3 and take if deficient. Lower stress to prevent toxic effects of free cadmium.

PKD and ACEI: This is very unusual. Ramipril 2.5 is a low dose. That dose would only rarely cause potassium 8.5. Were you eating pomegranates or high potassium foods, too? Were you taking spironolactone? If the ACEI was the only variable, then yes, it seems you have a peculiar sensitivity to an ACEI or ARB from a potassium perspective. Is odd, though.....