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I'm only one person, and your mileage may vary, but thought I'd pass this on:
I've been taking HCTZ (non-potassium-sparing) diuretic along with another high blood pressure medication -- for about 3-4 years now. Over the last several months, my joints and muscles have hurt. Back spasms were quite bad, kept me up at night. First one knee hurt, then the other. Then my hip hurt. Xrays found nothing wrong -- no arthritis, no injuries.
Then insomnia kicked in. Felt anxious for no good reason-- racing mind, hyper-alert. I'm ususally a good sleeper.
What's up? I thought. Suddenly I went from a healthy, active older women to a pain-filled one.
Started doing some online research. Found the diuretic could cause all this..and gout, to boot.
A week ago, I stopped the HCTZ. Guess what? All the pain vanished. I'm back to my old self. Continued with the HBP med. Started drinking Fennel tea which is a natural diuretic and potassium-rich. You don't want to be short on potassium--vital to muscles and nerves,
And even blood tests cannot really tell what your potassium levels are as they can only measures plasma and not intra-cellular levels of potassium and other minerals. (this I learned from my research). Diuretics can wash away your postassium and other minerals. Potassium is instrumental for healthy muscle and nerve operation.
So...are you feeling pain in your joints and muscles. Been taking diuretics for a while, like me?
Food for thought.
Google "diruetics" and "Side effects" and potassium's role in your body and see what you come up with.
I was taking a diuretic (Torsemide) and other BP meds for years. Then, all of a sudden, I ended up with gout in 5 joints of my foot 24/7 for 3 months. The gout meds would kick in after a few days but, one day later, I'd have another full-blown gout attack. The pain was so bad that I begged the doctors to amputate my foot. I even had to take short-term disability at work.
Eventually, the docs discovered that I had acute kidney failure, which was apparently the cause of the 3-month non-stop gout. No doctor would admit that the diuretic was the reason for the kidney failure but the doc who prescribed it for me told me to reduce the amount I was taking by half. Once I did that, my gout stopped. I havent had any more problems for the past 4 years.
Started drinking Fennel tea which is a natural diuretic and potassium-rich. You don't want to be short on potassium--vital to muscles and nerves,
And even blood tests cannot really tell what your potassium levels are as they can only measures plasma and not intra-cellular levels of potassium and other minerals. (this I learned from my research). Diuretics can wash away your postassium and other minerals. Potassium is instrumental for healthy muscle and nerve operation.
BP meds for many years but in recent years potassium was too high and sodium too low. So they added a non-potassium-sparing diuretic. Potassium has come down to an ideal 4.4 and sodium while still too low, rose to 133.
I blame the high K and Low Na on Losartan Potassium which is an angiotensin receptor blocker. The docs tend to agree but are reluctant to remove the drug because it has an excellent track record for protecting kidneys. So their solution was to add the diuretic.
So funny, a Certified nutritionist friend was called back to Conn bec her mom
was SO bad, in bed for weeks on so many pills.
So my friend sees a 'diuretic'...''Mom, where's your potassium?'' None, of course.
MD playing golf.
So she crushes some into some orange juice...same day her mom had to be stopped
walking around the house and pulling weeds.
Making a broth of parsley is a diuretic, too.
(I'm surprised she didn't also give her some magnesium, too.)
I've been on HCTZ (with blood pressure meds) since 1996 - but I also have spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, degenerative disc disease ... my potassium was always low so I started taking a potassium supplement (plus magnesium) which helped with the painful leg cramps .. my blood pressure has been creeping up over time so I don't know what the next step is (I do use a cane now because of neuropathy in both feet ..probably caused by the spinal stenosis)
Seems keeping our electrolyte blanced is key..too much or too little of any of the minerals can cause big problems. Read that most Americans are short on magnesium.
I supplement with magnesium and calcium and for potassium I'm drinking the fennel tea, eating bananas and oranges and lots of green leafy things. Hope to keep back in balance from the mineral-depleting diuretics.
Right now, most of the muscle/joint pain has gone and I intend to keep it that way. My last blood tests have shown potassium at the lowest end of normal and chloride below normal so something's out of whack.
Thanks for the parsley broth tip, MIss H! You're very knowledgeable!
I was taking a diuretic (Torsemide) and other BP meds for years. Then, all of a sudden, I ended up with gout in 5 joints of my foot 24/7 for 3 months. The gout meds would kick in after a few days but, one day later, I'd have another full-blown gout attack. The pain was so bad that I begged the doctors to amputate my foot. I even had to take short-term disability at work.
Eventually, the docs discovered that I had acute kidney failure, which was apparently the cause of the 3-month non-stop gout. No doctor would admit that the diuretic was the reason for the kidney failure but the doc who prescribed it for me told me to reduce the amount I was taking by half. Once I did that, my gout stopped. I havent had any more problems for the past 4 years.
What about your kidney's. Kidney failure doesn't go away. It can be controlled but it doesn't go away.
I think it is important for all of us to remember, reading google and other websites on the computer can be helpful, but also it is a very general. Thus we can't put too much into what we read. Now, as for diuretics, I have heard for years, a shot of vinegar daily is a natural diuretic. It is also important to remember, every med we take has side effects. We have to, with the help of our doctors weigh the pros and cons. Are the side effects so bad we would rather suffer from whatever than take them? Are the meds we are taking saving our lives or making life more barable. It is lik my hubby on cumidin; he hates it, but if it keeps him from having a stroke or another blood clot it is worth it.
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