Potassium supplement symptoms and conditions

I'm a 70 year old woman, I have taken this drug for 3 1/2 yrs. I was prescribed Spironolactone 25mg for high blood pressure of 140/80. After researching the side effects I chose to stop taking this drug 2 days ago. First off, it's a potassium sparing diuretic and one isn't supposed to eat foods high in potassium, like fruits and vegetables a contradiction to what is needed for both high cholesterol and high blood pressure, does this makes sense no it doesn't. Also I was taking a potassium supplement, maybe I'm lucky to still be alive?
I don't think Dr.'s read about side effects or what one isn't supposed to eat or take along with the drugs they prescribe. They only look at what the drug is supposed to do, then prescribe it to thousands of patients their, victims. This is probably why they're considered, "Practicing Physicians!"
This drug is known to cancer. This drug is known to cause muscle pains. This drug has caused me to go Bald on the top of my head. This drug plays with ones hormonal balance, it can help make someone grow hair, or lose it. This drug should not be prescribed for simple high blood pressure, it is a very dangerous drug!
I have huge rashes on my ankle and now my hands, they say it's eczema or drug induced atopic dermatitis.
Please do yourself a favor and research the many side effects and cancer causing of this drug. If you're taking simply to lower your blood pressure find a safer drug and try to stop taking this one particular diuretic and use supplements and foods to lower it if you can.
I'm taking this and Lipitor which I stopped one week ago and this one two days ago thank God, I thought I was going to be a cripple for the rest of me life from the toxic side effects, all drug induced.

I can't say that I've had too many side effects. The worst things were the severe leg cramps. When I talked to the doctor, he suggested that I might need more potassium. On that day, I took a potassium supplement and a banana (or two) a day. The cramps have since stopped.

Keep that potassium in your system!
Hope this helps someone

My thyroid troubles started in 1993. I am not sure how long before the discovery I had the problem. Mine started as a nodule on one side. I was immediately put on Synthroid and had to go see the Endo every 6 months for a biopsy. In 1995 I became pregnant. I had one more biopsy until after the birth of my daughter. The Endo told me he wanted to see me right away after she was born to do another biopsy. I had my suspisions, but didn't think anyhing until after she was born and went for my biopsy. Well, I had cancer. I went through the whole thyroidectomy, the 3 days isolation with radio-iodine, and every year to every few years after I had to go back and get the radio-iodine treatment, while not the high dose as the first time, it went with the complete body scan. In fact, I am due now, but don't have health insurance. My dose has been switched a lot, I have probably been on every dose from the lowest up to .200mcg, which has been the highest for myself.

Symptoms: pre-thyroid disease, I am 5'2. I was always 110-115 lbs, I was 22 yrs old and 120 lbs. when I married in 1993. I did notice gradual weight gain, probably because of my thyroid problems. I am sad to say that now I am around 180 lbs. I cannot seem to lose the weight unless I go on a total starvation diet. I managed to lose 10-15 lbs over the past summer, but unfortunately for me it has come back over the winter. I tried to stay as active as possible by going to stores and malls to walk around. I do for a fact notice that when my dosage for Synthroid goes higher, so does my weight gain. I was on .137mcg over the summer, and I think that was a good dose for me, that was through the regular dr. The Endo is the one who put me back up to .150mcg. My Endo told me the thyroid is a regenerative organ, so it CAN grow back. I guess they don't want that in case of cancer again, and I guess that is why he keeps me on higher doses.

I personally cannot stand it. I feel it is a horrible curse. I feel very robbed of my previous active life. I have been dealing with this now for 12 years not having a thyroid and being on this medication. I feel angry that I do not have the energy to do things with my 12 yr old and 3 yr old. I miss the way I was before having thyroid disease. I feel very sad when they come up to me asking to do certain things and they (nor anyone else I know for that fact) can understand that I just feel so whooped, and no energy. All I ever seem to want to do is take a nap. I have migraine headaches constantly, I am constantly tired. I cannot concentrate, I have some memory loss. My ex-husband, and my current husband too for that fact think I am just being lazy. Well, that is not so. There are moments when I do feel a burst of energy, but then, I have to use that burst to do the things I need to do around the house.

Pre thyroid disease I was always active, never tired, could do anything. After: TIRED, I was 24 in 1996 and felt like an old lady, dry skin, no matter how much lotion I put on. The tub is full of hair, while it doesn't come out in clumps and I still have thick hair, I have hair all over the place. Irritable, mood swings, happy to angry and the snap of a finger. I can have insomnia some nights, constipation, lots of the same stuff others have listed on this forum. Those side affects are the same no matter what dose I am on. And like I said the higher the dose for me, the more weight I pack on. It is instantanious. Over Christmas, and no, it wasn't from eating all the goodies, I gained a lot of the weight I had lost over summer back, and that was because a few weeks before, the Endo had put me on the .150 mcg.

Last week, I was prescribed to take Lasix, along with Klor-Don (potassium supplement) for Congestive Heart Failure. Also Levaquin for pneumonia.

I returned to doctor, to state that the Lasix was not having an effect on my urinary habits at all.

SO, the doctor prescribed 60mg Lasix per day, 30mg Klor-Don per day, with an additional 5mg og Lisinopril per day.

Now, everything I read about Lisinopril, is that it should not be taken with Lasix, or any potassium additive stuff.

Plus all the side symptoms that lead to my first prescriptions, are exactly the side effects of Lisinopril. How in the world would I ever know anything was working?

Also, my BP is 108/81. Doesn't look high to me.

Any thoughts? I watched my Dad wither away after being presented additional prescriptions when ones weren't working. To me, it complicated his problems. I'm not about to get into the same piss*** contest with doctors & prescriptions.

I had a stye/ staff infection in my right eye. It was swollen and severely hurting me. Well, my doctor put me on sulfameth and a eyedrop antibiotic. I don't mind taking the eye drops, but these pills are making me feel horrible. I am on 1 pill twice daily for 10 days. I asked the doctor and the pharmacist if this stuff causes constipation and they both said no. Well, I haven't been able to use the bathroom well since I started it. My muscles twitch, my eyes are sensitive to the sunlight, I can't go to sleep easily, I've been itching up a storm, and I have headaches. I want to just stop the medication but if I do then I will never get rid of this infection in my eye. I figured I'd stop the meds in the middle of the week. I hate feeling bloated and constipated. Has anyone else had the constipation effect?

I have been on 100 mg of topamax twice a day now for over three years. Most of the early side effects have worn off like soda tasting bad and the memory loss. I never had any hair loss. Also the weight loss has stopped and I did gain it back which really stinks. Anyway, the reason I was looking, was that in the last several weeks, I have been suffering horrible body aches and joint pain. My hands and knees hurt very badly. I am 39 years old and hate to think that arthritis has set in so quickly. And I know that I can't have the flu with no other symptoms and so often. Does anyone else have these symptoms? Also I wonder why these could have started after so many years of taking it.I have tried to wean myself off in the past and the migrains came back full force.

I've been using maxide now for over 5 years as a way to keep off unwanted water retention. For the past year I've been experiencing numbness and tingling in my feet and hands which has progressed to severe peripherial neuropathy. In the beginning, it was only brought on while running and I thought it was just a result of my running long distances and perhaps just an electrolite deficiency. I began taking a potassium supplement and continued to run (30- 60 miles per week) without much relief. At this point I am no longer able to run. My arms are numb much of the time and my feet and legs become numb while sitting. I am unable to stop using the drug as I blow up and cannot even wear my own clothes. I have not been able to go off the drug for more than a few days without intolerable side effects. It's changed my life. I'm depressed and frustrated that I can no longer enjoy running which was a major part of my life. Has anyone experienced any similar side effects or have any idea if this condition can be reversed?

A pharmacist heard my breathing and told me I was over medicated. My doctors prescribed 20/12.5 Benicar, olmesmartan, twice a day for systemic hbp and Toprol once a day for pulmonary hypertension. I gradually stopped taking the Benicar because I could barely function, felt like I had been beaten down all day, had the sharp pains from one point to another and couldn't remember anything short term. I'm also allergic to sulfa which is an ingredient in olmesmartan. I'm only taking Toprol. I feel 200% better. The "charlie horses" aren't nearly as bad and the sharp pains and muscle tenderness are gone. My short term memory is better as well. I drink lots of water and take a potassium supplement. As a result, I retain much less fluid.

I have been taking Toprol for 2 1/2 years following bypass surgery. Some weakness has occurred, but I have bicycled 5,500 miles and even finished in the top five in a couple of amateur races during that time. I often have leg cramps, but have noticed taking a potassium supplement (or eating more bananas) and drinking more water seems to alleviate that problem. Other side effects include reduced sex drive and a need for more sleep and rest. When I don't get enough rest, I get so tired I can barely function. I am also taking Crestor and Avapro (the combination of which has caused even more side effects -- weakness, BP drops, dizziness, sharp muscle pains, sleeplessness, etc.)

Hello Silke and everyone
Former guest 18063 here, maybe I should call myself bitterRN? :) Anyway I hope you are all doing well. Sorry its been so long since I have written. I saw there were some questions about spironolactone what it is and if it could cause problems. Birth control pills are a combo of synthetic estrogen and progesterone. From what I have read on Yasmin the progesterone they use contains a hormone that acts like the diuretic spironolactone. Spironolactone is a potassium sparing diuretic, and Im not talking about an over the counter water pill to fight bloating, Im talking about a DRUG commonly used on patients with severe health problems like congestive heart failure and other diseases where they need a drug on a constant basis to combat swelling and water retention, which complicates the diseases they are having. (Quick example, I dont want to get too technical.) People with congestive heart failure have a weak heart that doesnt force blood through the body like a strong normal heart does. Therefore the blood does not circulate as it should causes all kinds of bad things including a lot of swelling especially in the ankles and even causes fluid in the lungs, which can quickly fill up with fluid causing respiratory distress (almost like drowning from the inside.) Drs put these patients on diuretics to keep the body constantly flushing fluids out to keep the lungs "dry" and so forth. Spironolactone is one such diuretic they use. Lasix is another. The difference between Lasix and Spiro is that Spiro holds on to the potassium in your body, while Lasix excretes it all out. So patients on Lasix frequently have to take a potassium supplement so that their potassium levels do not fall too low. My point here is not to scare you. They say the spiro level in Yasmin is very low compared to someone who is on the full drug. But I was shocked to see that they would put such a drug (I dont care how small amount it is.) In a birth control pill?!?!? Just to combat bloating? It is just my OPINION, but I dont see how this can be healthy to a normal healthy woman. I have noticed a lot of the side effects people mention in this website seem to be kinda related to dehydration. The muscle cramps you had, Silke, In my OPINION, I would think would be related to dehydration, being as that is a sign of severe dehydration, though I cannot say for sure if the spiro caused it. Probably even the drug company cant. All I know is that I was on ortho 777 for years without problems. Then all of a sudden I start taking yasmin and my whole life fell apart and I felt like I was dying...some days I wished I was dead. I looked at other birth control sites online, there is one where you can rate birth control meds on how well you liked it. I looked at yasmin and other birth control pills Yasmin had about a lot fewer people who liked it compared to the people who hated it. And while it is true, as my doctor said when someone does not like a drug or have a bad experience with it, they will write about it or post it on the site, but when someone likes the drug they do not write about it. This may be true, but I tried to find complaints about other birth control pills like ortho novum, etc. The only thing I found that people didnt like were things like, my period wasnt lighter, it didnt clear up my skin, it made me bloated, or gain weight. NOT serious things like chest pains, palpitations, severe headaches, severe depression, etc. Nor did any of the others have SO MANY symptoms!! Has anyone else found severe complaints about other bcp's? I would be curious to see them. So yes in my opinion I feel it is the spiro, because that is what is so different about this bcp compared to others, and NONE of the other bcp have this (spironolactone) component in them. I could be wrong though. As far as feeling better, I felt like I was going forward until this past week, feels two steps back again, my period is due next week too. It baffles my mind how a drug can hang in your system for soooo long, but I wonder if this bcp or just bcp pills in general have a cell binding action, so not only does it just circulate in your system and then metabolize out of the liver/kidneys as most drugs do, but binds to the cells in your body so that it takes longer (months) for your body to get rid of it? Maybe that is why my OB said it would take a few more CYLCLES to feel better. Maybe the drug is resurfacing during ovulation and we are shedding it with our cycle? I dont know Im just guessing. I will try to do more research on it, or ask my OB when I see her again. Gosh I'm so sorry I wrote too much again! I hope I kind of gave you a little more insight to spiro and why I was so PO'd when I found out it was in my bcp after 3 months of taking it and the OB didnt even bother to tell me it was in there when she put me on it. I'm so bitter! I wouldn't recommend Yasmin to my worst enemy!!!! To those of you who are on it and like it, just please be careful, if you notice a lot of the people on this website who were on it for years seemed to have symptoms come on either right away or years later and they tried to explain them away with stressful times in my life, or just tired, or some other reason other than the pill. I did it myself because I just didnt even realize it could be the birth control. My symptoms surely were not in the pamphlet. Oh and to the girl who is bulimic GUEST 18998 Yes vomiting can lessen or negate the effects of the pill. When you induce vomiting you dont know how much of the pill you have absorbed and how much you are throwing up. Chances are VERY good you are NOT getting the full dose of the birth control pill, being as that the pill takes a while to absorbed by the body, thats why they even like you to take it at the same time every day. Be careful to use another form of birth control on top of the pills (such as condoms) if you are mid pack now, and then I would explore other options for birth control (patch, IUD) something that is not ingested until and this is most important, you need to get help for your bulimia problem. This disease is not only a serious problem for your health, but I fear that if you are on Yasmin, which has the diruetic effect I have been talking about, and you are vomiting a lot, you are not only losing fluids and electrolytes from your bulimia, but also from the Yasmin, which can cause severe severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance in your body and serious health consequences, so please seek help, and I really feel if you are on yasmin please consult your doctor and be honest with him or her about the bulemia, because I really feel its a VERY dangerous combination. Please also consider if you decide to quit a pack of yasmin before you have finished the active pills, that you must again use another form of birth control such as condoms to keep from getting pregnant. A "withdrawal" period is normal after stopping a pack of bcp suddenly, even if you recently had a period. If you need help finding a treatment center please let me know, but please get help. The lasting effects of an eating disorder are so not worth it in the end. I feel for you and hope to hear fromyou and everyone else soon! Thanks for listening. BitterRN

I am 50 years old and was put on Topral 2 weeks ago for HBP and PVC's. I had
been on a diuretic and Potassium supplement because of slight high blood
pressure for 9 months, and that's when the PVC;s got bad. 4 days after
starting the 50MG of Toprol and stopping the diuretic, my calves started to
swell up and get puffy with edema. I weighed myself and saw that I had gained 8
pounds in 4 days! I went to the Dr. the next day, assuming he would take me off
the Toprol, but he said to stay on it, because it was contolling the PVC's and
that the Edema was caused by my stopping the water pill! So, I went back on the
water pill and weaned myself off slowly for the past 9 days. Now, today, the
edema is back. I am scared that I am going to get Heart Failure because of the
water weight gain, or DVT, I want off the pill! But I can't stand the constant
PVC's and I was near suicidal with that! I don't know what to do? Does anyone
else have this leg swelling? Does it go away? Is it dangerous? My husband
died last year and I need to stay well for my teenage daughter, but this is
ridiculous! I'd rather have had the slight HBP and not taken any of this at
all. if there is anyone out there who cares, please answer me, I'm so scared!
And now that I have read al these posts with the other awful side effects, I'm
twice as scared. I know many peolpe on Beta-blockers, and they have no side
effects. What is wrong with me?

Kathy

I am 50 years old and was put on Topral 2 weeks ago for HBP and PVC's. I had been on a diuretic and Potassium supplement because of slight high blood pressure for 9 months, and that's when the PVC;s got bad. 4 days after starting the 50MG of Toprol and stopping the diuretic, my calves started to swell up and get puffy with edema. I weighed myself and saw that I had gained 8 pounds in 4 days! I went to the Dr. the next day, assuming he would take me off the Toprol, but he said to stay on it, because it was contolling the PVC's and that the Edema was caused by my stopping the water pill! So, I went back on the water pill and weaned myself off slowly for the past 9 days. Now, today, the edema is back. I am scared that I am going to get Heart Failure because of the water weight gain, or DVT, I want off the pill! But I can't stand the constant PVC's and I was near suicidal with that! I don't know what to do? Does anyone else have this leg swelling? Does it go away? Is it dangerous? My husband died last year and I need to stay well for my teenage daughter, but this is ridiculous! I'd rather have had the slight HBP and not taken any of this at all. if there is anyone out there who cares, please answer me, I'm so scared! And now that I have read al these posts with the other awful side effects, I'm twice as scared. I know many peolpe on Beta-blockers, and they have no side effects. What is wrong with me?

Kathy