I am allergic to sulpha. I have been taking lasix.
At about the same time I started water pills,
I broke out in a rash. That was 31 months ago.
It is a rash similar to poison oak/ivy. It itches.
This rash is over 80% of my body. Mostly legs, torso, and arms.

I saw doctors and dermatologists and specialists.
I was poked and prodded and swabbed and biopsied.
And they couldn't find anything.
But they never tested me for being allergic to my water pills.

I posted a related question over on the Kitchen Table forum last week.
And somebody told me to research Lasix, that it is related to sulpha.
I did a Google search on "lasix allergy" and got lots of info.
The physicians desk reference says be wary of taking Lasix if allergic to sulpha.
The package inserts I get when I refill my medicine say the same.
I asked the pharmasist and he told me the same.

I went to my doctor yesterday and told him all of this.
And that I suspected that was what has been causing my allergic reaction for the last 31 months.
He changed my prescription. To HCTZ (hydrochlorothiazide).

I looked up HCTZ online, I read the package insert, I asked the pharmacist.
Same deal. If you are allergic to sulpha you should be wary of taking HCTZ.

I want to research what water pills are available.
I am going to see a different doctor, and I want to be informed before I go.

So what water pills are available.

I have congestive heart failure.
I have to take water pills. But I want one without sulpha.
And I want one that is not related to sulpha.

Thanks.

Pooh Bear

On the paper that my phamacy includes with every perscription is the warning:

....."tell your doctor if you are allergic to sulfa medications. Some brands of this medication MAY (emphasis mine) contain sulfites."

So I am reading this to mean that while some drugs like Lasix and others MAY contain other things like sulfas, perhaps just the plain HCTZ does not.

However, you are wise to check further. It is possible that you may be allergic to the HCTZ itself, even if there is no sulfa in it.

Sulfas in the long ago past have given me trouble. The HCTZ does not seem to bother me. Perhaps I have just outgrown the problem

At any rate, I would think that it will take a while for make sure what is happening.

Good Luck!
PB

Just a question, since you have been taking this med to eliminate fluids, have you been supplementing your diet with foods and vitamin/mineral supplements to offset the loss of nutrients that are being flushed out of your body?

Besides dandelion as lazygarden suggests, do a search for herbal diuretic and you can find additional alternatives for the prescription drugs.

GG

My wife asked one of the nurses where she works as a CNA.
The nurse told us check into these water pills.
Aldectone, Diamox, Midamor, Edecril
I may not have the spellings correct.
Hard to read her hand writing.
Haven't had a chance to research these yet.
And still trying to get an apptmt with another doctor.

Pooh Bear

I would love to have any info you can send me.

Thanks.

Pooh Bear

He has me on a very low calorie diet and this is the diuretic he prescribed to go along with the diet. It's a very restricted diet, a lot of salad, (the Musgrave diet if anyone has heard of it). At the same time, he put me on Metformin (glucopage) and I don't have diabetes but was told this can be prescribed for other reasons.

I think I need a new doctor that will listen to me.

Pooh Bear

I think a new Dr is a good idea, or at least a 2nd opinion.