Just been started on a diuretic .....

Bet you know all this stuff, Luckygirl, but I can remember how successful a diuretic tablet was for both my late Mum and MiL. Taking a tablet early in the morning, always drinking lots (rather than trying to reduce fluids as some people mistakenly do), ensured that loo visits were usually over with by mid morning and it was 'safe' to have a normal day without worry.

I do recall that my Mum was very breathless when she stopped taking diuretics when her prescription ran out and she couldn't get a Dr's appointment. As soon as she was back on the pills, her life went back to normal. Pre-diuretic, MiL had got to the stage when she just couldn't walk and talk at the same time. So breathless. She needed a higher dose but, again, easily got into the habit of starting her daily routine a bit later and staying where she was comfortable until the pill had done its job.

Hopefully you'll feel so much better after a week or so.

Yes, Grandmafrench is right, take them early and wait an hour or two before going out. DH is on them and this is wjat he does.

On days when he needs to go out early, he either dos not take the pill that day, or he takes it later, after he returns.

luckygirl, I take a water pill, Furosemide every morning. if I'm going anywhere, even just to the local shops I don't take it till I'm back home, or I'd wet myself and when I don't take it I'm breathless. I run to the toilet from morning till afternoon.

I am so hoping the breathless might improve. I have a big rehearsal on 1st August at 09.30 ready for an evening concert ... I will have to think how I might deal with that. No way of getting from stage to loo easily at morning rehearsal so tempting to miss the pill ... but I will need lots of breath to sing in the evening! Hopefully by then I will have a better idea of how I react to it.

When DH was taking Furosemide he was told to drastically restrict his fluid intake or you are endlessly playing ‘catch up’. I could see the sense in that but it’s not easy to do in a hot summer!

He soon got used to juggling the times when he took them so he could go out where there might not be a handy loo.

I take Bumetanide as an alternative to furosemide.Im also on restricted fluid,recently increased from 1 litre to 1.5 litres.Fortunately the bathroom is downstairs but I still have to dash.

When I'm in hospital my diuretics are given IV and I have a catheter so there's no problems then.
You will get used to them but it takes time.
Good luck

Take early in the morning... But please remember to drink don't cut that back if anything drink more.
Do not miss a tablet just take very early in the day and by about 9-10 am all the frequent trips to the loo will subside

But please remember to drink don't cut that back if anything drink more

How can this make sense when the reason for taking a diuretic is to help the body excrete fluid which the body has retained due to health issues such as heart failure?

Don’t make the mistake of missing your tablet. If necessary get up earlier, you can always go back to bed! You won’t oversleep…..your bladder will wake you!

I asked chatgpt about this conundrum over drinking lots when on a diuretic. It seems that even in the face of a high fluid intake the pill still reduces fluid in the lungs ... goodness knows how!

midgey

Don’t make the mistake of missing your tablet. If necessary get up earlier, you can always go back to bed! You won’t oversleep…..your bladder will wake you!

Luckygirl make sure you have regular blood tests for renal ,liver and blood count . You should only drink 8-10 drinks a day. Duirectics can lower your sodium levels .

I have low sodium levels my GP started me on another blood pressure tablet but after having 10 tablets had kidney pain and could have filled a lake and ended up with a kidney infection. She didn't know they would do that to me as nothing in the manufacturers information says it acts that way.

When you have low sodium levels like me you have to restrict your fluid intake .

That's why I say you must have regular blood tests as duirectics can do more harm than good.

When I have fluid retention I can old elevate my legs and after a few days I do nothing but wee. I have PAF ,high blood pressure and a whole in the side of my heart plus a rare hereditary neurological condition.

merlotgran

When DH was taking Furosemide he was told to drastically restrict his fluid intake or you are endlessly playing ‘catch up’. I could see the sense in that but it’s not easy to do in a hot summer!

He soon got used to juggling the times when he took them so he could go out where there might not be a handy loo.

If I do that, I get cramps and leg pains. I was told to drink as normal

I drink as normal and take my pill as I go to bed

I've been on a diuretic for many years for high blood pressure. I've never had any problems, just go about my day. Nights are a whole other issue 🤣🤣🤣

I'm on loads of diuretics - Furesomide, Doxadosin and 2 lots of Lisinopril, along with a few other drugs such as blood thinners. I've been on them for years and the number of different ones have gradually grown

I think the aim of the diuretics is to keep my BP lower. I've now reached the stage where I use pads when going out, and very naughtily, just occasionally I miss a dose if I'm going to find it difficult to get to a loo.

However, you should be fine with just one dose - It didn't bother me for years.

I have been in them for years has others have said take first thing don't restrict fluids unless told to ,I find I pass large amounts morning then it settles.

I've just started them too for fluid retention in my legs and feet and high blood pressure. I'm on 60mgs of furosemide but haven't been told to restrict fluids. I do need to be near the loo for a couple of hours after taking them though. I started them on Tuesday and had to have a blood test on Friday to check my kidney function. I don't know the outcome of that yet but understand I might have the dose reduced or a whole new drug regime if my kidney function has dropped but that's because I already have early stage kidney failure. I really hope not as I'm enjoying having shapely legs again after months of tree trunks! Sorry for my vanity!

I was on Furosimide for several years due to Meniere's Disease. I didn't feel the need to dash to the loo generally, day to day, but did find car journeys troublesome, tryng to hang on between toilet breaks. Once had to ask a coach driver to stop at an earlier motorway services as I was in pain trying to hold on.

I too took Furosemide for a different reason (oedema post dvt) and it really didn't interrupt my day at all.
Good luck with it.

That's where pads come in useful

OOps My message was meant for WelshPoppy but I haven't mastered how to put her message on the same place.

I've been on a diuretic for years and the body gets used to it and the urge for the loo goes very fast. Maybe take it an hour or so before you go.out. You should take it regularly not just now and then

So far it has not made me pee more - and nor has it improved the breathlessness!

Maybe I am more susceptible than most people but I have been on Furosemide for years and the urgent peeing lasts for more than an hour. In fact, if I am going out I don't take them till I get home, or I would risk wetting myself!