I have taken hydrochlorothiazide for years and was told it was sa...

I have taken hydrochlorothiazide for years and was told it was safe and worked well with blood pressure meds. I noticed that my weight gain would be 4 pounds on and off for no apparent reason. I also noticed my breasts felt like it did when I was nursing my babies when the milk came in. While on this med my potassium was off so I was on 3 fat potassium pills a day. Then I became light headed and became depressed and my mind was really awful. I knew I didn't have Alzheimer but knew something was wrong. Doctors thought I was a hypochondriac I am sure. I saw in Best Pills Worst Pills that you can have mental confusion as a side effect. I found out that when I went off of the pill for even a day the mental problems were gone and when I went back on the problems came back. After ingesting too much salt at a meal I ended up in ER. Doctor on call told me to quit my waterpill and also the potassium supplement, Since that time my weight has not fluated one ounce, my breasts no longer hurt and the mental chaos is gone. Such a relief to not have to worry where my potassium level was and never thought I would feel good mentally again as I was talking suicide. Meds they prescribe can kill us and we have to research all side effects ourselves it seems.