Issues with electrolytes and diuretic/low sodium diet

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by dizzybee, Apr 13, 2014.

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  1. dizzybee

    dizzybee New Member

    I take the diuretic Maxzide and eat around 1500 mg of sodium daily. I think this is what might be causing my lightheadedness and headaches. Had anyone had trouble with this regime as far as electrolytes go? If so, what can i do to feel better before my doctor's appointment Tuesday? Just really concerned that I'm doing damage.
     
  2. Juz

    Juz New Member

    To be honest, low sodium had never done anything positive at all for me, both with and without diuretics. In fact, if anything I feel better if I'm not on a low sodium diet (still healthy, nothing crazy). At one point I went very low sodium and I was quite lightheaded.

    I do think that in my case, keeping my sodium levels consistent had more impact that low sodium.

    That being said, from what I know 1500mg should still be supplying you with the sodium your body needs (and we really do need it).

    Others probably know a lot more about diuretics than I do. Docs keep prescribing them so presumably they give some people sufficient relief. Presumably!!

    I hope you feel better soon.
     
  3. dizzybee

    dizzybee New Member

    Do, Juz, can you tell me more about your sodium intake? Do you when it out throughout the day? How much a day do you get? Also, did your doctor tell you to come of the diuretic? How are your symptoms? If i didn't feel so damn lightheaded I'd be fine.
     
  4. bubbagump

    bubbagump New Member

    First time around I did diuretics (from my ENT) for 2 days and felt so bad I had to stop. Serious fatigue, weakness, nausea, and lack of appetite (basically can't eat) were my side effects from the drug, and they were very clearly different from the Meniere's symptoms because one is from my head and one is from my body. Obviously with 2 days I can't tell if it helped with Meniere's.

    Now my neurotologist is adamant that I at least give diuretics and low-so a good try for a month before we give it up and try something else....I was prescribed a different diuretic and lower dose...been on it for about a week, basically same symptoms has before but yeah, it's at a lower level than before due to lower dosage. I can function but I don't think how this is sustainable in the long term. I can do this for a week or two tops. Even if it's not as bad as before I still feel pretty crappy. I must have lost at least 5 pound in 1 week, this cannot be healthy. I feel like you are hurting your whole body just to "attempt" to fix your ear, and it probably won't even help the ear. I still can't tell if it is helping my Meniere's...it just keep fluctuating.

    Now my question to all of you on low-so and diuretics:

    1) Why do docs always prescribe the two in conjunction? Wouldn't one be in enough? If you do both lo-so and diuretics wouldn't that be too extreme?

    2) At what point do you decide if it works for you? How do you know? My problems are mainly fullness, tinnitus, hearing loss. Are you supposed to see reduction of those symptoms within days? weeks?
     
  5. dizzybee

    dizzybee New Member

    I'm just so freakin weak, i feel like i haven't eaten in days. My ENT prescribed it but never made another followup appointment. I just don't feel right, ya know?
     
  6. Intrepid

    Intrepid New Member

    Nope. Never doing that stuff again. I use salt but since I prepare all my food from scratch, hardly ever eat out and don't consume things in boxes or microwaveable food, I know how much sodium I am getting on a daily basis.

    I tried a diuretic for about a month and it just about did me in. Messed up my potassium levels, made me feel sick, etc.

    The cardiologist I saw forbid me from going low sodium! She said I am one of her few patients that has to have salt. I have low blood pressure and a low heart rate. I was constantly lightheaded, very weak, low energy and seriously felt awful all the time. Plus I had awful muscle cramps.

    Like I said, I stick to the low end of the recommended sodium amount, I drink plenty of water, eat lots of fruits and vegetables and when the weather starts getting very hot, I add a packet of electrolyte powder to a bottle of water and drink it.
     
  7. Intrepid

    Intrepid New Member

    *forbade me not forbid me.
     
  8. Intrepid

    Intrepid New Member

    Add some salt to your diet or quit the diuretics. Try it and see what happens.
     
  9. dizzybee

    dizzybee New Member

    Thank you....eating something with salt now and i think I'll skip the diuretic tomorrow. I feel the exact way you described how you felt. Thanks again everyone!
     
  10. bubbagump

    bubbagump New Member

    anyone on a lo-so and diuretic diet....how do you know if its working? i would still like to know..thanks.
     
  11. zotjen

    zotjen New Member

    I've been on a low salt diet and diuretic for about 7 weeks, and for almost two weeks now I have seen improvement. I currently have only low level tinnitus (as compared to what it is when it's really bad). My hearing has improved and I only occasionally notice some slight disortion. As I mentioned in another post, it's possible my symptoms are in remission which has happened before, but for now I'm going to stay on this regimen. When I first started taking the diuretic, I did notice some light headedness and fatigue, which lasted for a couple of weeks. Also, I initially wasn't drinking enough water and felt what I would consider cramping in the areas where my kidneys are located.

    Tom
     
  12. dizzybee

    dizzybee New Member

    When I was first diagnosed late last year I was put on this regime. I went to a neurotologist about a month ago and was retested (with the Ecogh). He said whatever I had was gone or in remission. He noted in my file that maybe the diuretic and low sodium diet were working and kind of ruled out I still had Meniere's. I don't know, it's a possibility. I just can't shake this darn lightheadedness and pressure....I go to a neuro tomorrow to get more info. But, they noted in my file that this may be the reason for the "disease" to not show up in the test this last time.
     
  13. bubbagump

    bubbagump New Member

    Prior to lo-so and diuretic, have you not had any fluctuations? Was the symptoms consistently bad every day?

    Because for me, my symptoms always fluctuated and I had good days even if I didn't do anything. So I cannot tell if it is helping or not.

    Also, the side effects of the diuretic, is it supposed to pass after a couple of weeks?
     
  14. dizzybee

    dizzybee New Member

    Bubba, my case is not really exact to Meniere's symptoms. I've only had one major vertigo attack and that was a year and a half ago. I've had some balance issues but no major attacks (except for the one). I have absolutely no hearing loss, very mild tinnitus in one ear and sometimes fullness in that same ear. I went to the ENT to see why I had vertigo because I had met my insurance deductible and figured it'd be a cheap way to find out. Then, according to the Ecogh test, I had Meniere's (wish I'd never gone, btw). They had to test me 3 times because the doc was confused by my symptoms (or lack thereof). One test was negative, two of the tests were positive. Then the neurotologist kinda ruled it out altogether. So, I've never really had the issues and symptoms that most of you had/are having. They just assumed that maybe the regime worked because I tested negative for the disease the 4th time. But as far as symptoms go they were never really an issue for me....until I was told I had Meniere's and now I'm a wreck mentally which could be causing my head "feelings" ???

    Sorry, I'm probably not much help. Just wanted to tell you what my doctors said about the diuretic/low sodium routine. I'm betting the people that are actually helped by that aren't on this board.
     
  15. bubbagump

    bubbagump New Member

    thanks..but I would like to hear what zotjen says though...
     
  16. zotjen

    zotjen New Member

    Well, I'll start on the side effects of the diuretic first. When my doctor prescribed it, all he really told me is what it was for and that it was safe. When I started to feel some fatigue and light headedness I did some research and found that many people do have side effects initially as your body adjusts to the medication, which is true for almost any medication. In my case it only lasted 2 or 3 weeks but from what I've read, there are some people that can't adjust to it and continue to have side effects.

    As for my symptoms prior to the low salt diet and diuretic, without getting into the details of my entire history, my current bout of symptoms started late Spring/early Summer of last year. Every once in a while I would have a good day but most days were bad, with the "bad" being of different intensities. Many days would start out good but by the end my ear would be roaring. I did have a period around Christmas though, maybe about a week, where things were better than usual, but for the most part things were consistently bad. This is the longest I've gone since last year where things have been relatively good. Again, I don't want to say for sure that this regimen improved my symptoms as they could just be in remission, but it's definitely a possibility.
     
  17. nicmger

    nicmger New Member

    I take a diuretic daily but "normal" sodium intake - note I don't really salt anything but of course sodium is found in most foods nowdays. Initially I was doing both but my blood pressure was dropping too low with the low sodium so the doctor told me to stop that part.

    Important to drink lots of water though - seems counter intuitive but you have to replace the water being flushed out. Dehydration can cause headaches and lightheadedness. I take a potassium supplement as well.

    Has your doctor investigated MAV?

    Good luck
     
  18. bubbagump

    bubbagump New Member

    thanks...do you plan on doing the diuretic for the foreseeable future? I think I can do this for a few weeks but I just don't know if I can do this for extended periods or for the rest of my life....I can't imagine that's healthy?

    anyway, so now your tinnitus and fullness has gone away?
     
  19. cappelhans

    cappelhans New Member

    bubbagump - I had similar symptoms when i first started diuretic - lightheaded, drowsy - but they faded after 2-3 weeks. I'm on diuretic, JOH lite and a low-dose anti-viral - and the past 9 months my CH has been pretty good. Occasional minor fullness, but nothing big.

    This disorder is so complex and the inner ear so fragile - I think it's smart to give each component of treatment lots of time to prove it's worth. It's hard to be patient, but it's the only way we can hope to separate what's really helping with what's coincidence or temporary remission. Good luck..!
     
  20. rondrums

    rondrums Bilateral

    Dizzybee: I take Dyazide, same thing as Maxide. I notice that it makes me feel weak and fatigued sometimes. I have also tested with low potassium a couple of times, even though Dyazide is supposed to be a "potassium-sparing" diuretic. This is definitely not cool, and it makes you very draggy. You might try bananas, sweet potatoes, white beans, stuff to get your potassium up.

    Hope you feel better.

    Ron
     

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