Massive Weight Gain

[Ukuleleman]

Diagnosed heart failure 6 weeks ago. New meds at high doses to get heart rate down: not working. Reason for contact: I have put on one stone in weight in about three weeks. I haven’t changed any thing except meds.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

The weight gain could be fluid retention which can be symptom of heart failure. I would suggest you ring your GP urgently as fluid retention can cause further problems. Let us know how you get on.

If you have problems contacting your GP then 111.

[Ukuleleman in reply to MichaelJH]

Thanks Michael. The gain coincides with starting then building up to max of furosemide. I was put on furosemide because digoxin not bringing down BPM. GP ringing this a.m.. I get the impression the medics getting a bit windy: I’m not!

[Smarticus in reply to Ukuleleman]

Hi, furosemide is a diuretic to stop fluid retention so I doubt its that (Im not a medic!) so as others have said best bet is to contact your GP/Hoospital or BHF nurses (who are excellent!) Personally I wouldnt worry about it too much, you wont be as active as you were and a little weight gain is not a bad thing... just keep your diet in check and try and get out for little walks every day... HTH

[hf54 in reply to Ukuleleman]

The maximum dose of furosemide is 240 mg and I doubt you’re on that. What they may need to do is intravenously give you the diuretic to get the water off and then hopefully you should stabilise with a higher dose of furosemide.There are other diuretics which can be used in conjunction with the above medicine. This is why for heart failure patients it can take a long time to get all the medication is balanced out and correct for each patient. I was just the same. When they get all the water off you will strangely find you are not nearly as thirsty – and your thirst will stabilise.

[Ukuleleman in reply to hf54]

Thanks hf. The GP has increased me from 40mgs to 80mgs today : so a long way to go before I max out. The GP is great and I have to keep the Consultant ( and head of cardio) on side.

[hf54 in reply to Ukuleleman]

That’s the exact dose of furosemide that I am on 40 mg just didn’t do it I’m 6 foot three I needed to shift the water that was already on and it wouldn’t do it it’s got so bad that when I went in hospital as I said they took 10 kg of water off me can you imagine. You need to restrict yourself to about 1.75 L of liquid a day (me Maybe a little more if it’s hot weather) if you can walk that helps because the calf muscles are pumps which will help to pump the water around but don’t overdo it. If you still feel you have retained this water after a number of weeks tell them you want it draining off once you can get it stable and the correct amount of water it’s far easier to keep it balanced if you know what I mean

[Ukuleleman in reply to hf54]

I’m going to resist trying to read the future: I’ve got the tachycardia to deal with - it slightly predates fluid retention - plus I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia a couple of years ago ( nasty chronic pain all over) so I’m on a sackful of meds and the interaction between them must be a factor in what’s going on. Thanks, again to everyone for your support.

[Ukuleleman]

Yes I am, so far, having a full blood count monthly. Spoke to GP this a.m..He has doubled furosemide ( so my earlier post that I was on max wrong) and will see me face to face next Tuesday. I’m awaiting echocardiogram which I should get in mid month.).

[Ukuleleman]

Thanks. The consultant’s early insistence was BPM needed consistently to be below 90. It’s nearer 120 although the consultant said he was content a week ago( a bit like Govt saying 100,000 tests a day by end of May was essential, then it wasn’t- after figures massaged). So focus now on fluid retention/weight. A propos weight my ankles and legs ok; gut the main prob but always has been. Any offers as to where all this fluid might be hiding?

[080311]

Hello, I had heart failure and needed aortic valve replaced and bypass, the fluid retention was awful it was everywhere from my feet up to my head! Was taken into hospital and put on a diuretic drip twice a day, lost 68 lbs in weight over 7 weeks! My heart couldn’t cope with pushing the fluid out, remember waking up one morning and felt my neck and realised I could feel my collar bones hadn’t noticed they had disappeared!

Everything is fine now still have furosemide 40mg once a day but my heart now copes. ( have had my surgery nearly 4 years ago)

Please contact your cardiologist or GP.

Best wishes Pauline

[hf54]

It’s almost certainly fluid retention. They drew 10 kg of me in hospital and a further three with the medication and now I’m stable. I would honestly get down to A&E as soon as possible. They have to test you with a small dose of the water tablets at 1st to see if you can tolerate them (kidney function) if this is water retention every day you delayed it will just make it worse. Please don’t delay

[Ukuleleman in reply to hf54]

Thanks. And thanks to everyone for advice and support. X

[Sunnie2day in reply to Ukuleleman]

Update?

[Ukuleleman in reply to Sunnie2day]

Doubled the furosemide and face to face appointment with GP next Tuesday. I also took the opportunity to raise symptoms not related to my ticker. I tick most of the boxes for Parkinson’s ,including that I’m 72. He’s happy to follow this up but says as there’s very little can be done about P they won’t be in a hurry (because of COVID-19 causing backlog in every thing else). I simply want to know what’s wrong with me; I’ll deal with what, if anything, can be done about it in due course. Patience is still a cardinal virtue.

[Sunnie2day in reply to Ukuleleman]

Hopefully in a day or two the increased Furosemide will have the wanted effect. Please update, especially after you've seen the doctor on Tuesday. (and hopefully you won't have Parkinson's when they have had a chance to investigate that)