Hey all,Hoping someone can guide me. Recently was prescribed furosemide for water retention. Been taking it for 3 days now and today been feeling chest pains. Also have pins and needles in hands and feet. This is going to sound strange but also been feeling what I can only describe as little electric shocks in my body.
Anyone experienced anything like this?
morning… I didn’t have pins & needles but for the first 12 months a blocked Ears whilst taking furosemide. Several visits to Doctors and it has gone completely. ? Why but life is much better now. 15 month after my pacemaker fitted in Murcia Spain. Good Luck x
Afternoon. Thankyou for your reply. Glad to hear your symptoms have all resolved x
I haven't had chest pains with it, but do get pins and needles in hands during the night. I've also just got gout in right foot due to it.
Thankyou for your reply. Sorry to hear your now dealing with gout, hope your getting the right treatment for it. Have you stopped taking the furosemide? x
Well GP wants me to have a blood test to see if it is gout, but I've just tested positive for covid today so I'm not going to go to surgery and infect others. Probably by the time I recover from covid the gout will have settled! I have stopped the furosemide myself as GP didn't give me answer on that question - consult done via Econsult so all on line. I've increased fluid intake to dilute everything. I will see how it all goes. I really hate furosemide as it doesn't improve the sob at all, makes me dehydrated and now gout. Slightly improves swollen legs, but not by much. Think I might ask them for something else once I'm better.
I didn’t have those symptoms but plenty others. I was very happy to come off furosemide after 2 weeks. It done its job but my goodness I suffered, especially at night waking up drenched in sweat. I did not appreciate how strong a medication it is. Best of luck.
Thankyou for your reply. Yes I get night sweats also 😔 it is definitely working fornthe water retention but these side effects are not good at all. Better preserve though x.
Hi and yes the strength and initial aggressive nature of the first tablet was quite a shock...never have expereienced any reaction remotely similar to a prescription tablet.Nights and breathless has been the worst thing for me...even tho am only on 20mg and 3rd day last nite a vast improvement.Doctor admitted to being over cautious with the 20mg for 28 days prescription ...am due to see here next Thursday to discuss going forwards.Good luck with your continued recovery.
Hi Groott. I had similar to you when I was on that but I wasn't on it for long this was when I was in hospital had some strange sensations on that one was major stomach pain was awful I was crying it hurt so much. Hopefully your doctor can change it to a different one.
Thankyou for your response. I'm currently out weighing the side effects vs the effectiveness of using it. Thinking I should persevere as it's only a 2 weeks course. If the chest pains get too much maybe then I might think about stopping it. It really is helping with the water retention though x
Aw im glad it's helping with the water retention. I guess that's the silver lining of feeling like that and that it's only a 2 week course of tablets. Yeah definitely speak to gp if chest pain gets any worse X
Yes I'll definitively be keeping an eye on it x
Furosemide is usually well tolerated and the symptoms you mention are not very common with it. Usually one starts with a small dose of 20mg/day. It is often very effective in reducing the ankle swelling but it does take several days to completely reduce the ankle swelling. As always if your symptoms persist please consult your GP as Furosemide can affect blood electrolytes when taken for a long time. Regards.
Thankyou for your response. Yes I only have a short 2 weeks course of 20mg a day. Chest pains seem yo have calmed down this afternoon so I'm thinking of trying to persevere x
I have limited knowledge of this but my 91 year old mother has been prescribed this for water retention and she hasn't had any of the symptoms you mention.
As with any side effects it is worth contacting your GP or speaking to 111.
Thankyou for your response. Yes maybe I'm not tolerating it too well. Will keep an eye on it. Chest pains which was worrying me most seem to have calmed down so will see how that goes. Never can get through to GP so 111 is a good idea, thankyou x
Hi my cardiologist prescribed 80mg I day and a 120 mg of furesomide on alternate days( twice a day). I have had no side effects apart from a dry mouth, and sometimes urinating a lot. It has cured my breathlessness completely.
Thankyou for this I'm expecting a call from my cardiologist at some point this week. Wonderful to know it's helped with your breathlessness. Can I ask how long after you noticed the difference? I've only been on it a week now but haven't noticed a difference in my breathless as yet.
Can't quite remember but I would say just a few days.
It didn't work until I was prescribed the higher dose. 20mg a day didn't do anything.
Thankyou yes I think I will speak to them about maybe increasing the dose. It has helped with the water retention but not so much with the breathlessness.
Hi just joined the site few hours ago.Poblem started around 2 mnths ago experiencing tightness of chest,breathlessness and general lack of energy.having been an astmha suffereror when younger assumed was a minor flare up after many years of no symptoms.3 doctors appointents later and prescribed antibiotics/steroids a chest x ray has shown a heavy chest infection and fluid retention in lungs.After weeks of feeling unwell and no improvement was happy and relieved today to be prescribed furosemide 20 mg for 28 days.first tablet was taken around 8 hrs ago and immediately could feel my body kick start recovery and actually felt quite euphoric how my body seemed to be aggressively kicking out bad and refuelling my energy.Tried sleeping but could feel my whole body literally pulsing with the changes that feel very positive and now sat awake typing here.So positive at this early stage am about to take 2nd tablet and feel exited to see how things progress from now.Having read some of the posts here regarding furosemide am wondering if recovery will continue..or have i been way too over positive an my assesment of this hopefull miracle overnight recovery.🙄
Hiya so I'll start with the positive which is I've been using furosemide for 2 weeks now and it's keeping my water retention controlled. I'm no longer flushing water out as when I took it initially but as long as I'm not swelling up I'll take it. My issues are heart related they suspect so slightly different reasoning to your. I have been given another 2 weeks course till I have a blood test. Make sure you get one done for liver function. I was told by my GP it can have an adverse effect on the liver so best to be careful.
Glad to read you are feeling it be helpful already. Hopefully it continues for you 🤞
Hi thank you for your reply.Nice to be able to talk with someone in a similar situation with the furosemide.2nd day now and having taken 3 20 mg tablets the aggressive nature has reduced to a fairly rapid " flushing " of my system after taking the tablet morning as pescribed.By late afternoon things seem to be reasonably calm and first time in weeks last nite was actually able to sleep through until 5.30am seemingly without any breathing issues.Biggest concern altho leg swelling was initially reduced to just feet and ankles the swelling and soreness is still there after a mild if any overnight improvement.How was the swelling issue for you and how long before able to undertake short walks outside shopping etc? Good that you say your water retention is under control that is a worry for me too.Heart issues havent been ruled out by my Doctor who has been really good in her communications with me and yesterday via telephone advised that as soon as my current situation has stabilised the cause of the fluid retention will be investigated via scans etc.A blood test taken few days ago apparantly indicated that my heart had been struggling to pump blood efficiently due to the excess fluids.🥵.Have to admit more than slightly concerning.Good luck to you with your continued "onwards and upwards".
(P.S reread your original post and so far no pins n needles,chest pains or electric shocks.Have you since increased dose from 20 mg upwards?)
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