Does Taking Water Tablets Cause Diarrhea?

Diuretics, such as potassium-sparing or loop diuretics, help the kidneys clear excess water from the urine. However, many diuretics can cause side effects such as diarrhea or loose stools. A Cochrane review from 2012 found that antihypertensive drug treatments over 4 to 5 years did not significantly affect kidney function.

Water pills, also known as Metolazone, are commonly used to reduce fluid retention caused by certain conditions. If you experience diarrhea or vomiting while taking Metolazone, you may need to stop taking the diuretic for one to two days to prevent dehydration. If you take too much Metolazone, it can lead to very low amounts of water and electrolytes in your body, causing dehydration.

To avoid these dangerous combinations, it is important to monitor your water pill intake and consult a doctor if you experience diarrhea, vomiting, or other dehydration symptoms. It is crucial to consult a doctor if you are taking a water pill and experiencing any side effects.

Is it normal to have diarrhea when taking pills?

Diarrhea is a common side effect of drugs, and many medications can cause it. Certain ones are frequent culprits.

Doctors don’t really understand why antibiotics cause diarrhea. They think it’s because the drugs kill bacteria that help your body digest food. Whatever the reason, just about any antibiotic can bring on diarrhea. If yours does, talk to your doctor. They may be able to give you a different one to try.

Over-the-counter medicines you take for heartburn can cause diarrhea. When they do, it can be because they contain magnesium or calcium.

Do you need to drink more water when taking water pills?

Water pills, also known as diuretics, increase urination, so it is important to avoid dehydration while taking them.

With this in mind, you should ensure you drink enough water daily. However, you do not always need to drink extra water while taking water pills unless your healthcare provider tells you to.

This article will explain how much water to drink while taking water pills.

How Much Water Should I Drink While Taking Water Pills?. Unless your healthcare provider advises you to, you do not need to drink extra water while taking water pills.

What are the side effects of water tablets?

Common side-effects of diuretics include:dizziness. feeling very tired. headache. feeling sick. low blood pressure, especially when standing up. losing too much potassium or sodium, which can cause muscle weakness and cramps.

Side-effects of diuretics. Side-effects are unwanted effects that you may get from taking a medicine. There are many different diuretics, and each can have different side-effects. The best way to find out about any side-effects is to read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine. Alternatively, you can ask your pharmacist.

• Dizziness
• feeling very tired
• headache
• feeling sick
• low blood pressure, especially when standing up
• losing too much potassium or sodium, which can cause muscle weakness and cramps

Diuretics can sometimes affect other medical conditions you may have. If you have gout, some diuretics can make your symptoms worse. If you have diabetes, they can make your blood sugar level higher.

What is the #1 most common side effect of diuretics?

Diuretics are a type of medication used to treat kidney problems. They are used to prevent the loss of sodium-rich, bicarbonate-low extracellular fluid from the body. The most common adverse effect of diuretics is mild hypovolemia, which can lead to dehydration and increased thirst. Over-treatment can result in severe hypovolemia, hypotension, dizziness, and syncope. Other side-effects include headache, urinary frequency, restlessness, weakness, fatigue, and lethargy. GI disturbances like nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, anorexia, and abdominal pain can occur with loop diuretics and PSDs.

Electrolyte abnormalities are common with all diuretic agents, with hypokalemia being caused by all diuretics except PSDs. Acid-base disorders usually accompany electrolyte derangement due to their close association with their reabsorption in the renal tubules. Metabolic disturbances can lead to derangement of glucose, uric acid, or lipid levels with certain diuretics.

Rare adverse effects include impotence, hyperglycemic hyperosmolar non-ketotic syndrome, skin reactions, aplastic anemia, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis, hemolytic anemia, muscle cramps, and myalgia. Adverse effects are dose-dependent and are higher with loop diuretics. Controlled low-dose formulations have reduced adverse effects, especially with thiazide diuretics.

How long do water tablets take to reduce swelling?

• Key facts. You will usually take furosemide once a day in the morning. Some people take it twice a day, once in the morning and again at lunchtime.
• Furosemide starts to work within 1 hour. Most people need to pee about 30 minutes after taking furosemide, and again within a few hours.
• It can take furosemide a few weeks to take full effect and start helping with your high blood pressure or oedema.
• Furosemide does not usually upset your stomach. You can take it with or without food.
• The main side effect of furosemide is peeing more often than normal. Do not take furosemide after 4pm or you may have to wake in the night to go to the toilet.

Page last reviewed: 21 February 2022 Next review due: 21 February 2025.

Is it bad to take diuretics daily?

Diuretic medications cause your kidneys to release potassium along with water and sodium. Too low levels of potassium can create muscle weakness, cramping, and an irregular heartbeat. The medical term for low blood potassium is hypokalemia. The normal potassium level should be 3. 5 to 5. 2 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). If your level is less than 3 mEq/L, you have severe hypokalemia. Signs of hypokalemia include:

• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Heart murmurs
• Numbness and tingling

Treatment is usually a potassium supplement and/or switching your diuretic. You can also eat more potassium-rich foods, but usually, that’s not enough to counteract the effects of a diuretic.

How much weight can you lose with diuretics?

The Bottom Line. Diuretics are a type of substance that helps rid the body of excess water. Although the thought of quickly losing a few pounds may sound enticing to some, taking diuretics is not a safe or effective way to lose weight sustainably. Water weight fluctuates daily and does not play a role in long-term weight loss and maintenance. To lose weight in a healthier way, focus on an overall healthy eating pattern and exercise behaviors that you enjoy and can keep up with for the long haul.

Up Next : The #1 Habit You Should Break to Lose Weight, According to a Dietitian.

Can water tablets upset your stomach?

Some of the symptoms of a potassium imbalance include:

• Bloating and constipation
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Weakness and Fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Muscle aches and stiffness
• Tingling and Numbness
• Heart palpitations
• Chest pain
• Irregular Heartbeat
• Difficulty Breathing
• Collapse

Why am I pooping water every 20 minutes?

Watery diarrhea can result from infections, medications, or chronic conditions. Treatments may include drinking plenty of water, avoiding foods that make it worse, and taking medications to treat diarrhea or an underlying condition.

Most cases of diarrhea in adults are not serious and resolve on their own in a few days. Home care can help with avoiding dehydration. However, persistent or recurring diarrhea could indicate another problem.

This article outlines some of the potential causes of watery diarrhea and the treatment options available.

Do you pee a lot on water pills?

Water pills can affect your routine. Your kidneys will make more urine (pee). You will need to use the bathroom more often.

• Jump to. What is this medication?
• What do diuretics do?
• How do I take a diuretic?
• Are there any interactions?
• Are there any side effects?
• Lifestyle changes that can also help
• Related information

What is this medication?. Diuretics are also called “water pills.” They are usually taken with other medications.

• Chlorthalidone
• ethacrynic acid (Edecrin)
• furosemide (Lasix)
• hydrochlorothiazide
• indapamide (Lozide)
• metolazone (Zaroxolyn)

What to avoid when taking water pills?

If you’re taking a diuretic such as furosemide, it’s important not to have too much salt in your food because this can stop it working.

Do not eat foods that have a lot of salt in them, such as processed foods or ready-meals. Do not add extra salt when you’re cooking or at the table.

Also, do not buy salt substitutes, like Lo-Salt, instead of ordinary table salt, as they contain a lot of potassium, which can affect the way certain medicines work, or cause side effects.

Adults are advised to eat no more than 6 grams of salt a day. Your doctor will tell you if you need to eat even less than this.