Diuretics

[Yvonne]

Thinking about my 'little' cocktail of meds I was wondering how long it is neccesary to use diuretics. I use both frusemide and spironolactone in the morning. Since a long time my fluidbalance is fine and I'm loosing enough fluids during the whole day (not only after taking my p-pills). I asked my nursepractioner about this but he has the opinion don't change a winning team. But I think because the BB and ACE do their job very well, my heart works better and I don't retain fluid. So maybe there will be no really need for using diuretics. I was just wondering is there a rule of thumb for this?

[melissamph]

I lost my diurtetics as soon as all of the swelling went down. The Sprinalactone was discontinued with my Digoxin after a 3 mos Echo showed improvement from Ef of 30 to 45.

[SerenaWelsh]

Since coming home from the hospital I have been on an "as needed" basis for lasix. I decide on when I need it based on how I feel, how I look, how I breathe, and what the scale says every morning.

It's worked beautifully. And I've been able to pin point exactly which foods cause me problems because of this. Pizza, for example, will cause a 3-4 lb weight gain the next day EVERY time.

[Junny]

I was put on Lasix back in January of 2004 because my ankles and feet were swollen but there wasn't any fluid around my heart and my EF was 56% at the time. My cardiologist told me to take it once a day, everyday, which the Lasix was a 40 mg. I took the medicine for a couple of months and went back for a check up and he said that the medicine was doing great for me. A few times I started to miss dosages and my ankles and feet weren't swelling and so I, on my own, stopped taking the Lasix until I seen my feet or ankles looking puffy. I told him that I didn't want to keep taking something that was just making me urinate all the time and he said it was fine just take "as needed". With my pregnancy I only had to take the pill 4 or 5 times already. Just an opinion, but maybe you should see how you do maybe a day without the Lasix and if you swell back up keep taking it or maybe ask your doctor to lower the mgs. By the way how many mgs are you taking?

[Yvonne]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

Junni, I´m taking 40 mg Furesomide and 25 mg Spironolactone.

[miachic]

Serena - Holy cow! I would be so mad if pizza did that to me. I love pizza.

I weigh myself often, at least once a day, and my weight just doesn't fluctuate hardly at all which makes me know that I'm not retaining fluid. Sometimes I'll take a Lasix if I'm feeling "fluid-y" in my lungs but when it doesn't resolve it, I just think it's all in my head. I really do think that when I have "symptoms" that they're in my head and that's all. I would try some time without it and see what happens. If you start feeling like you're retaining fluid half way through the day, then take one.

HTH.

Emily

[ibvalerie]

I am still on Lasix 40mg, and Spro. 50mg. We have tried several times to take the lasix to 20mg, but then I start to pit again. If I miss a dose I feel it. I thought it was maybe me, till the Dr had me stop taking it for a week then come in, and I was pitting bad. ( I only lasted 3 days w/o.) Then we started 20 and waited a week, I didnt feel as bad, but the Dr didnt like the pitting and put me back to 40, lasix. Now he wont fool with it till my echo in Dec. He said once we have the reports then we will make any adjustments that need to be made. I just want to be off the coumadin!