Too many diuretics?

[Alupie]

My friend is taking Furisemide for water retention and has had her prescription recently upped from 40 to 80mg daily. However she recently told me that she takes between 200 and 240mg each day as this has the best effect on taking away excess fluid. Is this going to do her any harm? I'm worried about her but she says it's ok - is it really?

[Hidden]

Hello,

I understand your worry about your friend, and was left with many questions: how does she manage to get hold of enough furosemide to take a dose that is (up to) 3x what is prescribed? Why aren't her doctors prescribing more if this is what works for her (I read that up to 600mg daily is 'safe')? Importantly, what is the cause of the water retention? If it is kidney disease then maybe that needs to be treated as a priority.

You cannot be her keeper and if she is determined to take more than she is prescribed, I don't think you can do much. But maybe, as she is your friend, you might ask her about the causes of the water retention - and suggest that she needs to make sure that the underlying cause is treated. Other than that, I don't really know what to suggest.

Good luck!

[beckside]

I think it is extremely dangerous to exceed the prescribed dose of diuretics. Excessive diuretics can cause severe dehydration, upset the electrolyte balance of the body plus they may cause kidney damage and have a negative effect with other medication she is taking. Do you know why she has water retention. I would have thought at the dose she is taking it would require close monitoring and supervision. As MaggieS said you are not her keeper but maybe as a friend she would permit you to ask a pharmacist foir advice.

[LloydE]

When i had 8kg of water in my legs a few years ago i was on 150mg for about 4 months or so. It may have been even longer as is does take time to get rid of the excess fluid. Why did she up her dose to 240mg? was this on her Dr's advice or is she self medicating

[Alupie]

She decided to increase her dose herself. She's also lost a lot of weight recently but I suppose that's because she's always going to the toilet.

[Alupie]

Thank you to everyone for your responses. At least I know she's still within the 'safe' limits so hopefully it won't cause any damage.