Hydrochlorothiazide and medication

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.

Since I have been on the medication I have exsperienced red puffy hands that are VERY swollen. I have a lot of pain in my joints, including my shoulders. I hurt everywhere. I've also exsperienced extreme fatigue, dry mouth, sores on my tongue, a dry cough, and hair loss. Just yesterday I developed a rash the size and what looks like a misquitoe bite.

After 17 months on hydrochlorothiazide for blood pressure, I experienced a bright red itchy rash on sun-exposed areas ( primarily face and neck). It was diagnosed as solar urticaria (allergy to sunlight) and was successfully treated. However, after 24 months now on it, I have bright redness on my face and neck again (unpleasant but not particularly itchy) with really mild nausea. The doctor tells me it could be a side effect of the drug. I am now on another blood pressure pill, but it has been four days since I took the hydro. and the redness has not gone away.

i started takeing the pills on thursday the 29th of sept and had to stop takeing them as i was very sick and had to stop takeing the medication