[MomWriterStudent]

Anybody else here taking that for blood pressure?

I ended up in the ER over the weekend due to my blood pressure getting super high. I think it was 170/110 at one point? I can't remember. I was pretty out of it this weekend.

I have been on the Hydrochlorothiazide for 3 days now, and I feel like my concussion symptoms are starting to get worse. I am dizzy, exhausted, and having trouble seeing.

However, I believe these are all side effects of the blood pressure med. I'm just curious if anybody else is on this med and whether the symptoms went away quickly for you?

[Mark in Idaho]

That stuff is to combat fluid retention. When one has questions about a med, often the best answers come from a pharmacist. 170/110 is high but not real high. I and my wife have both experienced 255/150. Those can be scary times. Stroke city.

Call your pharmacist. They are usually very helpful.

[mrsD]

This drug, often abbreviated HCTZ, removes potassium as well as sodium from the blood. This lowers the fluid pressure in the arteries.

However, many people do not eat as they should and may be low or marginally low in potassium already. Sudden tiredness on a diuretic usually means low potassium.

So eat potassium rich foods....a V8 has a good amount per can.
People need 4500mg a day, and often may get 3000 or less.
If you have loose stools or diarrhea you can lose a lot of potassium also in a short time.

http://www.health.com/health/gallery...721159,00.html

Gatorade is NOT a good source so don't even think about it. Oranges and bananas, and cantaloupe are much better.

There are websites that give the contents of nutrients in foods like this good one:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/
Just make sure you pay attention to the serving size.

If you continue to feel awful, do contact your doctor. Some people may get sun reactions (photosensitivity) to this drug, or be allergic to it.