Doc has left me a prescription for water pills?

[mille]

I have been having a lot of problems with my ankle, they have said it is OA even although I have had rheumatoid for almost 20 years. The pain in my ankle is so bad that I cannot weight bear. Today i thought i would call doctor to see what next step should be (no pun meant) anyway she has left a prescription for water pills and that has surprised me. I did say to the receptionist that I have some swelling in my leg. Has anyone else ever been prescribed water pills for arthritis? xx

[Hidden]

No new medication should be prescribed unless your seen. I’ve had major swelling these past 12 months and water tablets were never mentioned

[helixhelix]

You can get secondary OA as a result of RA - sorry! What drugs are you on? As I would be tempted to contact the GP surgery and say that you are not happy to take a diuretic without when you are also taking (if you are of course) other drugs that can affect the kidneys.

[mille in reply to helixhelix]

I did wonder, as seems strange to have OA and not have it anywhere else and did read somewhere that is can be a result of inflammation damage. I did tell the receptionist I wasn't happy to take them with good reason. I am on rituximab (biologic drug) sulphasalaine and plaquenil. Just so difficult when using crutches to get around and hoped she would have been of some help. xx

[Hidden in reply to mille]

It seems that GPs' reflex response to swollen ankles etc is water pills. Mine offered me some when what I actually had was undiagnosed RA. I read the PIL and decided against taking them as one possible side-effect was deafness - possibly permanent. Another very common one is gout. I know a few people who have suffered these side-effects. After the RA treatment my ankles are slim and beautiful (!) again.

You are already on some strong drugs. I would be very wary of adding something else into the mix without a good explanation from the doctor. Of course, we sometimes have to accept side-effects in return for the relief of greater problems, but it's your body that will be made better or worse by the pills and you should be given good information to make an informed decision. (And, yes, I know pigs ought to be able to fly.)

Do what helixhelix advises and ask for an appointment (GP or surgery pharmacist) to discuss your concerns.

[mille in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply. I will do as you suggest, it's just so difficult getting there as I am using crutches and to be honest I don't have a lot of faith in her.

[Hidden]

Why would your doc do that without even seeing you? That's not good practice.

[mille in reply to Hidden]

She seems to make a habit of it Bunty, when my husband had what seemed like cellulitis she refused to come out, he also suffers from parkinson's and couldn't get to her, i said I thought it was cellulitis and she left a prescription for antibiotics after saying if I was sure that was it was, how could I be sure when I'm not a doc, it turned out it was but again I thought it was very careless.

[mille]

I was at the hospital last week for a steroid jab and it hasn't helped and i've had x-rays that has shown OA and the report was sent to the doctor and when I called today to ask what I was supposed to do now as I can't walk the receptionist told me to call back later in the afternoon and that was the message I was given. I am already on a lot of drugs and not happy without an explanation. I find it very difficult to go there the way I am. x

[Mmrr]

I would not be taking diuretics without explanation, I think you need to ask for clarification of why you need them.

[mille]

Exactly what I thought and asked to speak to doc, she said it would probably be Monday before she would call me back so I haven't collected the prescription as don't want to take anything without good reason x

[dwsurquhart]

I was prescribed to take leflunomide (lasix) water pills for 3 days after my tocilizumab Infusion. I get pretty bad pitting edema after my Infusion and it seems like I gain 5-10 pounds with the pint of saline and toci. I feel like I absorb all the water out the air. I take 10mg per day of the diuretic for 3 days and am right as rain for the rest of the month. I also have found that when my water levels become too elevated (even without the edema) I find I am out of breath climbing a flight of stairs in my home. The water pills do help immensely. You will know if you take too much as a heavy headache will set in and is very hard to get rid of as it is caused by dehydration.

Speaking from experience.

Scott

[helixhelix in reply to dwsurquhart]

Lasix is furosemide, not Leflunomide. Just adding this as many people on here will be on Leflunomide and could be worrying that it is a diuretic.

It sounds in you case as if there's a thought through reason as to why you are prescribed them. That’s not the same as for Mille where thereks no explanation so it seems ramdom.

[dwsurquhart in reply to helixhelix]

My apologies, so many different meds with similar names. Yes, I meant ferosemide.

[mille in reply to dwsurquhart]

Thank you Scott, I just felt she should have offered and explanation as to why she was prescribing them, I did say to the receptionist that one of my legs is swollen so I'm guessing that's why. I always seem to put a few pounds on too after my infusion (rituximab)

[oldtimer]

Have you had problems with fluid retention in the past? And have had a diuretic as a result? Or are you on other medication that might suggest fluid retention as a cause for the swelling? Otherwise I cannot follow the reasoning and I would not take the medication until it had been explained to me the reasoning behind the decision.

[mille in reply to oldtimer]

I don't think i've ever had any problems with fluid retention, I am thinking it's all coming from my ankle although the leg is a bit swollen too and looks a bit more pink than my other leg that is milk bottle white, perhaps when the receptionist told her that she has thought fluid and that's why she has prescribed them and I think there is some fluid there when i've had fluid in my knees on the past they drained them and never offered water pills. x

[Mickymoo in reply to mille]

Hi mille, I was reading through your post as I also have arthritis (psoriatic). My knees are very. Painful at present and I seem to have a pocket of fluid at the side of each kneecap, as opposed to the whole kneecap swollen. Have you ever experienced this? I don't know what the pocket of fluid is but I do know it's extremely painful. My question is , is it painfull to have fluid extracted from the knees? Im a big baby when it comes to needles!! I am also on furosomide twice daily for suspected heart failure as my feet and legs fill with fluid retention terribly. The furosomide helps with this swelling but not the pockets of fluid beside the kneecap. I'm assuming one is fluid retention (in legs) and the pockets of fluid are arthritic based. Xx

[mille in reply to Mickymoo]

Hi Micky,moo I have had fluid taken from my knees quite a few times in the past but they have been fine since being on Rituximab. It is a bit painful getting the fluid removed but it only lasts for a few minutes and the relief is worth it, they then usually put a steroid into them. I would recommend getting it done. x

[Hidden]

I personally wouldn't touch them with a large stick. The swelling in your leg could be anything. Jeez...I despair of some docs. It's totally inappropriate to prescribing a new drug for something thst hasn't even been investigated! I'd be telling them so too.

I hope whatever the problem is sorted quickly a d appropriately.

[AgedCrone]

Write down all your symptoms, the drugs you are on & then telephone asking for a telephone consult with your GP.

It is quite common to have OA as well as RA...but it is not good practice to be prescribed ANY new drug without at least speaking to the person prescribing it.

If you have the facility ........take a photo of the swelling & email it to the surgery....FAO your doctor,

After all there is swelling, & then there is SWELLING....& did you emphasise it was your ANKLE that is swollen....you say leg in your post.

To one person an enlarged ankle is a minor blip ...in another person it could be a major problem....it is obviously unusual for you.....so your doctor should really see it.

After all .......if you are going to take water pills you’re going to be on your feet quite a lot ........backwards & forwards to the loo!

Hope you get it sorted soon.

[mille]

That you, I am up to the loo during night once or twice as it is and don't fancy getting up and down any more than that. Yes, they say I have OA in both ankles, the left one is much worse, the ankle bone is enlarged and the pain is right across where the leg and ankle meet (if you were wearing an ankle strap on your shoe that is where it is so sore and the swelling is from their up to my shin) I had thought at first the pain was coming from the shin even although my ankles have been so sore , but just over the last 6 weeks I can't weight bear on the left one. Thanks so much for your reply xx

[mille in reply to mille]

meant thank you x

[BonnieG123]

I have been prescribed water pills for swelling on my legs but it seems to me it’s the arthritis causing the swelling and once the pain is relieved the swelling goes down. Water pills did not help me. I try to watch what I eat because after eating foods (that I should not eat) the ankles swell. A bit of gout maybe? No one has answers for me. I wouldn’t rely on water pills to take care of it all but it can work a bit to give some relief at certain times. Could your ankle be flaring? Do you have prednisone to help you through? Best wishes to you.

[mille]

Thank you for your reply Bonnie. I was later in getting my infusion (rituximab) as I had had a lung infection so I did wonder if it could be a flare and it feels like my ankle is broken but they are saying it is OA so not sure. I keep hoping if the infusion kicks in I will get some relief but I have never been this bad that I can't walk. I had a steroid injection but it hasn't helped. I could always ask for some as it could be worth trying but whether they will give me them I don't know. I am actually thinking of getting referred to a private consultant as they don't seem to be doing anything to help. xxx

[Troygirl]

My ankles swell from time to time due to being on prednisone for over a year!!! Have reduced from 20-30mg for months and months down to 5mg today!

When I presented the giant ankles to my RA dr he did not seemed concerned at all (like with so many other things that have happened to me over the past year)!

I went to my GP who has been wonderful to me for the past 25 years a few days later and he knows me like a book. He immediately (that same afternoon had test) ordered a ultrasound on the legs to make sure I did not have blood clots. Thankfully no clots. He ordered water pills to help take down the edema. My ankle when pressed looked like play dough!

They worked like a charm!

He says the water build up is due to all that darn prednisone I have been taking!

My RA dr like I said, did not seem interested at all!

All he wants to due is experiment on me with RA drugs. Been on soooooo many DMARDS & biologicals and to date NONE have worked! My family & friends say it is time to get new RA dr!

Now I get ankle swelling from time to time and I take one water pill for two days & it goes away, until the next swelling a few weeks later. Repeat process.