Lasix Survey

[Debster]

Hey All! I was wondering how much Lasix and/or other diuretics some of you may take...my mom has chf and usually keeps it in check but had a setback this week. She grows tomatoes and cucumbers and ate them after she loaded them with salt Needless to say she felt like garbage and called her cardio. He doubled her dose from 40 mgs 2x a day to 80 2x. She got rid of the fluid and is back to normal dose. Of course was on extra potassium too. Saw him today and she is much better! Anyone else this happens to? Just wondering.... Deb ps-She is back on the straight and narrow now-learned her lesson!

 

[twinmaker]

Hey Deb! I take 80 mg. of Lasix everyday plus 25 mg. of Altactone. There have been times that I would skip a day because of traveling, etc. The next day, I too, feel like garbage. I have a much harder time breathing and just feel bad in general. I took Dyazide for years, and it finally just wasn't doing the job, so the doctor took me off that and added the other two. Glad your mom is feeling better! LINDA

 

[Mary]

I take 80mgs a day, but I have gone up to 160 when I am fighting fluid retention.
Yes, all it takes is one day of too much salt to really make you regret it the rest of the week!
I'm glad she's better.

 

[Lisa in Katy]

I take Accuretic/Quinaretic, which is a combination blood pressure med and diuretic. The dose says 25 mg/12.5 mg, and the first number is for the Quinapril, the 2nd number is for the hydrochlorothiazide. It doesn't look like these numbers correspond to doses of Lasix, as they're much lower.

 

[Ross]

40mg twice a day Lasix, 25mg Aldactone, 5mg Zaroxolyn and 80meq of potassium.

 

[Kathleen]

80 mgs of Lasix, twice per day, 25 mgs Aldactone once per day, 20 meqs potassium 4 times per day

 

[njean]

I am taking 40mg of "furosemide" (generic for Lasix) twice a day. I too started showing severe signs of CHF months ago after my 3rd OHS for re-replaement of the aortic mechanical valve. After my surgery last Mar/2006, and after I went back to work, I started slacking off on my salt intake, & I was on 40mg of Lasix once a day. Being that I worked & had to compensate a lot of times by not taking the Lasix for fear I'd have to run out in the middle of a meeting or while I was running errands, I would not take it! And too, fast food restaurants were a lot more convenient to pick up all the wrong things to eat!

Well, I started bloating up like a balloon! My abdomen, upper torso & ankles started to swell! I am a small, 5'3" female & I weighed at one time as much as 150 lbs! I couldn't lay down flat to sleep, coughed all the time, raspy sound from my lungs, etc. My doctor here sent me to Houston where I had my other OHS done because he said that the "mitral" mechanical valve was beginning to fail & I had to have it replaced. The ECHO's also showed severe pulmonary hypertension due to the fluid retention! When I got to Houston, they were going to prepare me for my 4th OHS but I pleaded that they change my medications around some & explained some of my past behavior to them. That's when they increased my Lasix to 40mg, twice daily. I also take coumadin, Altace, Baby Aspirin & Potassium. I spent 2 weeks in Houston, did not have the surgery & came home. The medications are doing their job for now & I'm making sure that I follow a low-sodium diet & take the meds like I'm suppose to! Salt is a heart patient's worst enemy!

P.S. One thing that kind of bothers me though, is that one of the doctors told me that I couldn't remain on Lasix forever because it tends to "dry you up", but after talking to so many other people, they've been on Lasix for years with no bad effects. So for now, if it's working, don't knock it & enjoy each & every day God gives you! Take care & lots of luck!

 

[briansmom]

Well, I have to say that these replies make me feel better about my son's dose of lasix. He is on 20mg every other day. It has helped him. He also watches his salt pretty closely, weighs himself every day and takes extra lasix if he gains weight. Right now he gains almost 5 lbs from his weekly IV iron infusions and takes lasix 2 days in a row for that.

The hydrochlorothiazide is a gentler diuretic.