People who should not take water pills also known as diuretics are people with severe kidney disease, low blood pressure, people with liver disease, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people with gout, people that have certain electrolyte imbalances, people who're allergic to diuretics, people on lithium therapy, when you take NSAIDS, people that have heart failure unless directed to by a doctor.
Some diuretics or water pills can worsen heart failure symptoms in some people.
And diuretics can cross the placenta and enter breast milk which could harm the infant and even the fetus when in the womb.
When you stop taking water pills or diuretics the high blood pressure, heart problem etc will come back and swelling can also return.
Withdrawing from water pills when you need them can lead to symptoms of heart failure or increases in your blood pressure which can reach hypertensive levels.
When taking water pills also known as diuretics you should drink the normal amount of water which is eight 8 ounce glasses of water a day.
If you need to drink more you can do so to prevent dehydration.
In most cases you don't need to drink any extra water when taking water pills or diuretics although you may need to if you're losing a lot of fluids.
If you don't drink enough water while taking diuretics it can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances as the diuretics help increase urine output which removes fluid from the body and so those lost fluids need to be replaced through drinking water.
You could become dehydrated and possibly seriously ill when taking diuretics and not drinking enough water so ensure you're drinking enough water when taking diuretics.
You should drink more water when taking diuretics if you're losing a lot of fluids.
You don't always have to drink more water than normal when taking diuretics although some people do as diuretics can sometimes cause electrolyte imbalances and dehydration.
In most cases as long as you're drinking enough water normally you should be fine when taking diuretics.
The foods you should avoid when taking diuretics are high sodium foods such as processed foods, canned foods, frozen foods, deli meats, condiments, cheese, sauces and dressings.
You should also avoid salt substitutes, alcohol, caffeine, natural licorice and grapefruit or grapefruit juice when taking diuretics.
The most serious side effect of diuretics are electrolyte imbalances such as low potassium levels "hypokalemia" and low sodium levels "hyponatremia" which can be life threatening and cause irregular heartbeats and other serious health issues.
Diuretics including thiazide diuretics can cause your body to excrete excess potassium and lead to dangerously low levels of potassium and can also cause irregular heartbeats, muscle weakness and even cardiac arrest.
Diuretics including thiazides can also cause sodium loss, leading to hyponatremia, which can cause seizures, coma and confusion.
In rare cases taking diuretics can cause kidney failure or kidney damage and allergic reactions such as skin rashes and severe anaphylaxis.
The safest diuretic to take is Thiazide diuretics such as chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazine, especially for older adults.
If you have kidney problems, loop diuretics such as torsemide and furosemide are the safest diuretics to take.
If you have low potassium levels the safest diuretics are potassium sparing diuretics such as amiloride or spironolactone.
And if you have heart failure the safest diuretics to take are SGLT2 inhibitor diuretics such as dapagliflozin and empagliflozin which are effective in treating heart failure.
Some natural diuretics which are also the safest are dandelion, ginger and parsley although their effectiveness can vary.
And some over the counter diuretics also known as water pills are also available and are often safe but should be used under medical supervision and with caution.
Diuretics increase urine output by promoting the excretion of water and electrolytes, like potassium, chloride and sodium through your kidneys.
Diuretics work by inhibiting the reabsorption of water and electrolytes in the kidneys by increasing the permeability of the renal tubules to water and electrolytes, blocking the action of hormones which promote reabsorption such the hormone aldosterone and inhibiting the enzymes that are involved in the reabsorption process such as the enzymes of carbonic anhydrase.