Water retention, heart failure, water pills
Here is a message from a reader with my answer below
Hello, I am 57 years old and in 2003 I was diagnosed with Chronic Heart Failure. My body retains a large amount of water due to my condition. The doctors have gave me water pills to help take the water retention off but i can not take them because of the side affect of cramping. Sometimes I cannot stand the muscle cramps. Would this diet be something you would recommend for people with heart failure or water retention?
Answer: Water retention from heart failure is a little different
Water retention from heart failure is a little different from other kinds of water retention. There is not enough pumping force from the heart, so the kidneys are fooled into believing they don’t need to work so hard either. This means they have to be stimulated with water pills.
Unfortunately many water pills make you lose valuable minerals such as potassium and magnesium along with the water retention. This mineral loss is what causes cramps.
You might find the Waterfall Diet helpful, as it is a very healthy diet. But if it doesn’t help, and if you find it stressful, don’t use it for more than two weeks with a heart condition. It won’t harm you, but stress is not good for you either.
The book will teach you many healthy principles, so try to follow its advice about healthy foods and so on. Meanwhile for as long as you need to stay on the water pills, you should drink tomato juice every day for the minerals and potassium, and fruit juices are good too. Taking multivitamin and magnesium supplements will also help, and even cod liver oil capsules, since they contain vitamin D, which is difficult to get from most foods but is now known to help the heart.
Some water pills are worse than others for causing cramps. Ask your doctor about potassium-sparing diuretics, which may be better for you.
Water retention caused by heart failure can be quite severe so don’t stop taking the pills without consulting your doctor.
Related posts:
- Water Retention And Water Pills
- Can diuretics cause worse water retention?
- Water Retention Tablets
- Are Diuretics The Best Medicine To Treat Water Retention?
Comments
Comment from Ronald
Time December 6, 2011 at 4:35 pm
I have heart disease and everyday my legs release tons of water and my socks are soaked and I take water pills. When will this stop leaking?. I have allot of bruises on both legs and the back of my left legs is red and with allot of dead skin and it as burning sensations when my leg releases water.
Comment from Grace
Time March 2, 2012 at 6:28 am
Hi I am 86 year old woman, I had a heart attack in Sept.I also have high blood pressure..What I have been prescribe.is Reminyl 16mg Cap,Ostein 1000 cap,Norvasc 10 mg,Crestor 40mg,DBL Aspirin 100mg tab,Coralan 5mg tab,Nicorandil 20mg,Clopidogrel hvd 75mg,Pantoprazole so 40mg only for the evening, and morning tablets are Coralan 5mg tab,Nicorandil 20mg and I wear also a patch Transiderm-Nitro 25…I also take 1/4 tablet of Natures Own Maxi Iron, as I am low in Iron…since the heart attack, my feet have been sore and it seems I have fluid…when I rise in the morning, my feet and ankles dont be as swollan, but as the day progress they seem it become sore and im unable to walk properly. I also need to say my bowels and bladder are only function at only 24 %…
Comment from Jonah
Time March 5, 2012 at 5:35 am
Hi Linda,
I have been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, and have recently undergone surgery to have my gall bladder removed. Since then, I have been retaining water in the abdomen and feet and legs.
Comment from G. Mathi
Time September 3, 2010 at 3:58 am
I am 50 years old i am a chronic diabetic and my heart is weak. My leg is swollen, stomach is bloated. Most of the time i am breathless, i can’t even walk properly a short distance. I am suffering for about 3 years. I am fully in doctor’s medication.