Hydrochlorothiazide and hctz

Folks, I was on this standard diuretic for about 6 years or so. For a very long time, I did not think it was causing any significant side effects (other than having to pee a lot). I was wrong. It gave me type II diabetes.

If you ask MOST doctors and nurses about this, they will deny it strenuously. As one very good PA told me, "diuretics are our first line of defense." An RN just two weeks ago thought I was crazy to blame my diabetes on it.

But it is not my imagination. The ALLHAT study -- which, if you cite, will cause most docs and nurses to shut up right fast -- is one of the most famous studies out there. It was huge, and its authors became strong proponents of diuretics. But the same study found that if you take HCTZ for five years, you have about a 12.6% chance of developing diabetes (versus perhaps a 1 to 2% chance otherwise). I am so angry about this because no one warned me. No one told me this, so I could never make an informed decision about taking this medication. Now I will be fighting diabetes for the rest of my life!

I haven't looked at the insert for HCTZ in a long time, so for all I know they're now finally listing blood sugar issues. But they said nothing when I started in 2002, and no one bothered monitoring by blood sugar either. Even when we finally noticed the glucose readings going up, no one said, "Oh, we should take you off that diuretic."

If you do some googling, you'll discover that there are a (minority) of doctors out there who are also very concerned about this. They argue a lot at forums for doctors. This business about diabetes IS a known side-effect. It's just, as I said, that too few doctors seem to be aware of it, or if they are, seem to feel the need to inform their patients before prescribing it.

Big weight gain in the past 6 months (40 pounds), sleeplessness at night, mental and physical fatigue, hand joint pain, feet pain. I was taking a low-dose anti-depressant, which I stopped taking. All symptoms remained. So, I'm going to stop taking 25mg HCTZ for my mild high blood pressure, and will start walking again once my feet feel good enough to take the exercise. I will research natural herbal remedies to help me lower my hypertension, and with the walking, hope to lose weight which will help lower my blood pressure, too.

33yr. old/male 5'8", 170lbs.
I just switched from taking Lisinopril 10mg for 2 weeks to get rid of memory loss issue, dizziness, lethargy, etc. Now I'm on 25mg of HCTZ and I'm having worse issues with the dizziness, tired, lethargic, dumb, drunk, dopey feeling that won't quit. The only other med that I take is Allegra-D 12 hour once a day for the last two years. I saw that high blood pressure was a possible side effect of the Allegra, but my doctor said he was pretty sure that wasn't it since my cholesterol was also high (210). I have to find something to lower my all of a sudden high blood pressure 195/100 to a comfortable level without these life hindering side effects. I have a lot of living left to do and I'm pretty fit, but now since I started these meds, I feel like I'm 70 yrs. old.

this medicin is killing me, ive had to apply for ssid dissability because of side affects of maxzide hctz i have comlain from start of this medicin ,problem is i guess that all blood tests come back normal for electrolites except once my magnesium was low but dr said it was no big deal and for me to just add a banana to my daily diet well that dident work and i only take a half tab of hctz everyday .i have no quality of life at all anymore because of cronic headachs and my whole body hurts ,all joints ,wrists feel broken knees too, muscles hurt and are weakening more everyday my muscles have what i describe as seazure type spasums , and now i cant hardly walk to my car cause my legs tire so fast, arms have same problem . and also i developed a cronic sinuse problem i can breath through nose but im allways feels stuffed up and overly dry .another problem for me is that i cant take ANY other bp meds do to alergic reactions and even worse side affects. i dont have insurance anymore .