Bumetanide Dose

[Curryandchips]

I am on 6mg of Bumetanide daily. My Doc says this is quite high but NHS online has it safe between 1mg and 10mg

Is anyone else on 6 mg?

[Hidden]

Dear Curryingchips

I am on Furosemide 40mg a day for water retention if that is any help, dropped down to 20mg for awhile but was too breathless so it was put up again.

As with all our medication I think that you are right to question {review} them regularly as with all the best will in the world you could be stuck { repeat prescriptions } longer than you need be.

If your Dr thinks that it high dose then he/she should be checking for you and not have you worrying.

Take care

[Ktomoph_ in reply to Hidden]

Hi Blue

I was interested to see your comment on getting breathless but this changed with increase in Furosemide.

I too was on Furosemide - originally 40mg daily but this was increased to 80mg daily when the breathlessness was put down to fluid collecting around the lungs as my heart failure made it difficult for it to pump effectively.

Over the past 5 years or so fluid was building up, not just around my lungs but around the stomach and in my legs! The Furosemide was increased to 120mg - but I couldnt cope with how this made me feel. So recently the cardiologist stopped the Furosemide and changed it to Bumetanide - 3mg in the morning and 1mg at lunchtime each day.

He explained that each 1mg of Bumetanide was equivalent in its action to 40mg of Furosemide. It took a week of a slightly lower dose for a comfortable transition to take place, but I have now been on the full dose of Bumetanide for a couple of weeks and thankfully am noticing the difference in fluid retention, particularly in my legs.

My original thoughts on changes made to meds by GPs etc was always that it was a 'money issue' - being prescribed whichever meds were the cheapest! But I have to now admit from experience that thankfully not all GPs work to this restriction!

and yes, I agree with you 100% when you say Drs should be checking and doing tests rather than just making a worrying statement and doing nothing!

[Hidden in reply to Ktomoph_]

Strange that you say about being changed from furosemide to Bumetanide as the heart nurse is looking into that as well for me , now that my breathless is worse and the swelling on my ankles is back again.

I am on Spironolactone for the heart muscles and it seems that its a mild water tablet as well { not that I have noticed }

Take care and thanks for your helpful answer

[Curryandchips in reply to Hidden]

May I ask how much Spiro do you take? I have just started at 50mg along with 5mg bumetatane

[Hidden in reply to Curryandchips]

Just 25mg of Spiro for the heart muscle

[Ktomoph_ in reply to Hidden]

Hi Blue.....just to let you know I was also taking Spironolactone up until about 18 months ago.

Spironolactone is a diuretic but works differently to Furosemide as it retains the potassium in the body rather than pushing it out like Furosemide does.

The problem I eventually discovered with Spironolactone was that it made the body retain too much potassium and I suffered severe, painful and debilitating full leg cramps overnight!

I stopped taking the Spironolactone after dicussio0n with my GP and the cramps stopped.

The cardiologist has just started me on Eplerenone - which has similarities to Spironlactone (meds with same ending indicate they are related) - to help with my breathing but it also retains potassium so will have to keep an eye for signs.

The issues I appear to have are either too low in potassium or too high - oh to find a happy medium!

There may be an issue with Eplerenone as it is generally prescribed for high blood pressure - but I have always had low blood pressure. The warnings are related to feeling dizzy and faint, which indicate perhaps too low blood pressure, but my GP says that although it is meant to help with lowering BP it wont take it lower than normal.

trial and error...as one size doesnt fit all!!

[Hidden in reply to Ktomoph_]

Yes that is very much the case as we are all individuals , one size certainly does not fit all, but I can understand starting out on these blanket doses

I wonder how many folks are on exactly the same drugs as they were first prescribed ?

Take care

[thetidders]

My husband is on 5mg in the morning & 4mg after lunch. He was in hospital for fluid retention for 10 days in February & was put on this dose after discharge. The heart failure nurse told us that you can take up to 10mg a day This dose appears to keep his weight stable, he weighs himself most mornings after he gets up as told to by cardiology

Jean.

[Curryandchips in reply to thetidders]

Thats interesting. May I ask if your husband has his Kidney function checked?

[thetidders in reply to Curryandchips]

Yes he has, no problems, he also lost 10kg in weight.

Jean

[Curryandchips in reply to thetidders]

I am so pleased to hear that. Thank you for your help.

[Curryandchips in reply to thetidders]

Also, I'm restricted to 2.5 liters of water a day. Does your husband have a restriction on the amount of fluids he can drink?

[HumanZoomieMachine]

I was on about 5mg when I was in and released after hospital... Helped me loose 13kg.. deffo worked

[thetidders]

Sorry about the delay in replying.

No he’s not been restricted to an exact amount of fluid, he was just told not to drink too much fluid.

Jean

[Curryandchips in reply to thetidders]

Jings! I want your Doctor!

[thetidders]

Not unless you live on the Wirral & under the care of Liiverpool Heart & Chest.

Jean