Has anybody had problems with water weight gain over three months out of surgery? My surgeon told me I could go off Maxide at 6 weeks or continue to take it until the script ran out. I took it till last week and noticed during my every other day weigh-ins at rehab I gained four lbs in 5 days. I told my surgeon (I work with him) and he said that was not unusual after stopping the med and I should be fine but I felt bad and went straight to bed after work. Today I couldn't get my wedding band on and I felt terrible all day...very tired, eyes puffy like I'd had an allergy episode but no other obvious edema. During my rehab class weigh-in this afternoon I had gained 4 more pounds in two days! The nurse called my cardiologist and he put me back on the med. Has anyone else experienced this? I've never had this type of issue before. My blood pressure was 94/48. Will this go away? I was hoping to decrease the meds I'm on but so far I've not had much luck. I'm 14 weeks out of surgery. Am I asking too much of myself too soon?
Water Retention Anyone?
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Ross
Well-known member
Only time will tell. Obviously you need the medication for now. I'm on it for life it appears. 
Have your other medications changed since pre-op? If so, it is possible that a side effect of your medication change is the fluid retention. My cardiologist told me this week that I should go back on either a calcium channel blocker or a beta blocker and for me to think about it. I've been thinking. I'm still on diuretics and like Ross, I'm on them for good. Still, I think I'm doing pretty good.
How is cardiac rehab going? Did you feel better once back on the Maxzide?
How is cardiac rehab going? Did you feel better once back on the Maxzide?
Better
Better
Yes! I feel much better and 24 hours later I can get my rings on. I haven't had any other med changes. I'm on Toprol and my surgeon wants me to stay on it. Because of my aortic involvement he seems to think I have an abnormal vascular system, ya think? What I don't get is I don't and never have had blood pressure problems. I've never had any real fluid retention problems before ......haven't had open heart surgery before either. DUH! I can't say I was short of breath but I was really tired......it was weird. I guess I now have something else to be mad about. I have anger issues about all this stuff. I'm really amazed my patients take it so well. Rehab is going slow but well. I've been getting back to running and biking but they have to slow me down when I run. It's well worth the time and effort. Thanks for asking.
Better
Yes! I feel much better and 24 hours later I can get my rings on. I haven't had any other med changes. I'm on Toprol and my surgeon wants me to stay on it. Because of my aortic involvement he seems to think I have an abnormal vascular system, ya think? What I don't get is I don't and never have had blood pressure problems. I've never had any real fluid retention problems before ......haven't had open heart surgery before either. DUH!
I can't say I was short of breath but I was really tired......it was weird. I guess I now have something else to be mad about. I have anger issues about all this stuff. I'm really amazed my patients take it so well. Rehab is going slow but well. I've been getting back to running and biking but they have to slow me down when I run. It's well worth the time and effort. Thanks for asking.
I've been on Lasix forever it seems like. When my Cardio started me on it, he said a good way to tell if it was working was the "search for a bathroom" soon after taking the dose . It means the body is dumping "excess" fluids. Some days you had better not stand between me an a POTTY!!!
The constant monitoring while in rehab was the thing I liked most. It gave me some reassurance that things were progressing as they should and quickly pointed out problems.
Hope everything gets balanced out soon and you can continue to enjoy recovery.
May God Bless,
Danny
. It means the body is dumping "excess" fluids. Some days you had better not stand between me an a POTTY!!! The constant monitoring while in rehab was the thing I liked most. It gave me some reassurance that things were progressing as they should and quickly pointed out problems.
Hope everything gets balanced out soon and you can continue to enjoy recovery.
May God Bless,
Danny
Ross
Well-known member
I needed the added kick of Zaroxolyn to make it all work. Lasix alone was insignificant.
Water problems
Water problems
Thanks to all for the input. I should be thankful I have internal water problems instead of the external ones of our fellow citizens in New Orleans.
So far I've been put on about half the previous dose of Triamt/HCTZ or Maxide, if you prefer. Don't think I've had the Lasix treatment since I was in the ICU. Boy, talk about a cotton mouth. So far I think it's working. I was able to do about 8 miles on my bike this morning which was much better than last thursday when all I wanted to do was go to bed. I'll weigh again tomorrow during my rehab class so we'll see if I've rid myself of the estimated extra gallon of water I was carrying around. I just wonder if I'll ever come off of it. I did some searching and found many people who have had any type of major surgery end up on a diurectic for a while.
I like being monitored while I exercise. Since this has happened to me any little thing makes me paranoid. So far much of my paranoia has been justified so I like people watching my little heart rate line run across the screen. I experiment in pushing myself in class to see how much I can do and how I feel when I reach the upper limits so I will be able to gauge myself when I'm on my own. I can't believe that there are people who don't take advantage of rehab. I consider it one of the best parts of my treatment......even though my surgeon told me I didn't need it and it was "just for old people". So far I think old people are cool.
Water problems
Thanks to all for the input. I should be thankful I have internal water problems instead of the external ones of our fellow citizens in New Orleans.
So far I've been put on about half the previous dose of Triamt/HCTZ or Maxide, if you prefer. Don't think I've had the Lasix treatment since I was in the ICU. Boy, talk about a cotton mouth. So far I think it's working. I was able to do about 8 miles on my bike this morning which was much better than last thursday when all I wanted to do was go to bed. I'll weigh again tomorrow during my rehab class so we'll see if I've rid myself of the estimated extra gallon of water I was carrying around. I just wonder if I'll ever come off of it. I did some searching and found many people who have had any type of major surgery end up on a diurectic for a while.
I like being monitored while I exercise. Since this has happened to me any little thing makes me paranoid. So far much of my paranoia has been justified so I like people watching my little heart rate line run across the screen. I experiment in pushing myself in class to see how much I can do and how I feel when I reach the upper limits so I will be able to gauge myself when I'm on my own. I can't believe that there are people who don't take advantage of rehab. I consider it one of the best parts of my treatment......even though my surgeon told me I didn't need it and it was "just for old people".
So far I think old people are cool.
