Any Experience with 'Water Pills'

I know nothing about the pills but I know a little about the internet. First of all only one person in history has ever gone online to say, this works perfectly!

The other thing is those that tend to complain the most, or in other words post the most negative things, are also the people who think well if one works, two is better... Then they are shocked they have side effects and post something blaming the drugs.

In my opinion you always visit the drug maker's site first. See what is possible side effects and the percentage chance of said side effect. Then compare that to the other websites. Makes it easier to weed out the nonsense.

I took Lasix for years because of major water retention due to massive amounts of steroids for my Crohn's Disease. I'm still here, my heart is fine, as are my kidneys .... And I'm willing to bet I was on a higher dose for a longer period than your doc is suggesting.

The dosage given for hypertension related water related water retention and menstrual related water retention are generally different. I worked for a GYN for years and there were lots of patients who to HCTZ or Lasix.
Do you trust your doctor? If so, give it a try, if not..keep doing want you've been doing.

K. this is a great question to ask, & I'm glad you are working with a doctor that is willing to "think outside the box" in helping you treat your migraines.

Here is my story - take it for what it's worth. A few years ago started experiencing swelling in my legs, called "pitting edema". Prior to this, I had been suffering from migraines, fibromyalgia, tmj, borderline high blood pressure, etc. In other words, I'm a bit of a medical mess. =-)

My doctor prescribed a water pill, called hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). It works by a different mechanism than Lasix, and is longer-lastsing throughout the day (My understanding of Lasix is it acts in a big whoosh once a day).

The swelling in my legs was finally under control (although I also ahve to be careful with my diet) but even more beneficial side effects were realized -

My blood pressure was finally under control. And the migraines that I used to get 1-2 times a week slowly subsided to once every month or so.

Now... anytime you look up a drug online, you will find the worst of the worst & the best of the best about it. Any side effects or adverse events need to be published by the drug companies in full disclosure. But that doesn't mean they are common, or will necessarily occurr without other symptoms present first.

One of the drugs in many migraine medications is caffeine, which is also a mild diuretic, so taking a water pill is not a treatment without proven results specifically for migraines.

I would talk with your doctor further, & discuss different diuretics available, along with the benefits & drawbacks of each for YOUR situation. HCTZ works for me, but it might not be right for you, due to other reasons. Talking with a community pharmacist might also help you.

Good luck, T.

I have never heard of using Lasix for migraines. Lasix is a common drug used for high blood pressure and heart problems such as congestive heart failure. It removes the fluid from the legs or lungs or other areas in the body. It decreases the fluid volume in your body therefore it can decrease your blood pressure and the potassium levels.

I would get a second opinion before starting lasix for your migraines.
Birth control pills (hormones) is a common treatment for migraines.

Diuretics have been around forever and are generally regarded as a safe medication. Before we had expensive statin drugs, diuretics were the go-to treatment for heart issues and studies over the years have proven that for many people, they are still the most effective treatment but they're not often prescribed because the pharmaceutical companies push the statins so heavily. It sounds like an interesting approach and it makes sense to me. Presumably you have no kidney issues, which are the biggest risk with taking a diuretic. I would give it a try and see if it works. The side effects of migraine medications are a lot worse than those of a diuretic and if those aren't working anyway, it sounds like this is worth a try.

I would not take it. Lasix is a good drug when taken for specific reasons.
You will end up passing out. Just my opinion. My blood pressure is the same. I had to have a "lasix" study for kidney function. It did give us the needed info but I will not do it again. Completely drained me. Luckily my husband was driving. I would really think twice about it.

I've taken both Lasix and HCTZ. Both work well but I do have better results with Lasix. I get more leg cramps with HCTZ.

I am allergic to banana's so I have to find potassium in different foods.

The reason why Midol works on Migrains so well is because it has a water retention med in it. My MIL told me FIL to "Take this pill" when he had a migraine one time. His migraines would come on and last for days. This one went away in a few minutes. He asked her what that pill was and she said "It was a Midol". He went and bought his own bottle.

So water retention is a definite issue that can cause mood changes and migraines. Taking a water pill is not a real issue. Take them according to the doc's instructions though. Don't take too much.

Before you go the medication route try the diet route. Carefully go through your pantry and read the labels. Look at sodium content, anything that is high in sodium, stop eating. Most people feel an enormous releif just from cutting salt/sodium from their diet. The salt we add to our food for cooking and at the table is often not the culprit but it is the large amount of salt added in processing.
You can use celery seed to replace salt in cooking. Your best alternative is to do the majority of your shopping in the outside aisles of your grocery store, fresh produce, meat, dairy, bread, cut as many canned and processed foods as possible. Try this for a month or two and see how you feel.
Chamomile tea and dandelions are a natural diaretic. Honey will cure a migraine in many people.

I take HCTZ, a different water pill. I too was worried, because I have naturally very low blood pressure (90/60). However, it's been fine. The first few weeks, I would wake up in the morning with a terrible headache, and my doctor told me that I was getting dehydrated overnight. So I started drinking a large glass of water before bed, and that solved it.

I used to get menstrual migraines. A day before my cycle, and for the first 2-3 day days, I'd have migraines. I tried hormones, per my doctor, and that actually made them worse and more frequent. Tylenol, Motrin, and Excedrin Migraine didn't work.

My mom read an article that stated that caffeine can interfere with a woman's natural hormonal cycle. It builds up in the system over time and breaks down progesterone.

So I stopped drinking ALL caffeine. And never had a migraine after that. After about 3 months of no caffeine, I started allowing myself to have a little here and there.

I've found that I can have a LITTLE caffeine. Like a soda or cup of coffee each day. But when I have too much, I can tell the difference when my period comes. I'll get a headache, but not as severe as they used to be.

So that might be some place to start before you have to take a pill every day.

Best,
C. Lee

I used to take Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), also a dietetic and often prescribed for high blood pressure. I was prescribed it because I'm prone to kidney stones, and this helps the kidneys in some way.

My current doctor has chosen a different route, so I'm no longer taking it. I can't speak of lasix, exactly, but I just wanted to let you know that there are many "other" uses for most prescription meds. You can "google" any med and find a list of the conditions it is most often prescribed for, but there are many, many other uses that your doctor could have in mind that are completely legit.

I tend to be very trusting of doctors. Possibly too trusting. But "they went to med school and I didn't," tends to be my rational. At any rate, I would make a list of questions you have and bring them up with your doctor. This really could give you piece of mind.