Diabetes Talking

Question:

Hi Folks, I’m taking 50 mg of Hydrochlorothiazide a day for water retention and blood pressure reasons.  After a little research, I am wondering if this drug may be helping to prolong a rather long weight loss plateau. I was reading in the Protein Power book this evening that Hydrochlorothiazide may increase your blood sugar / insulin levels.  I also went on the internet and searched under Hydrochlorothiazide and found several additional references where a side effect was blood sugar swings. My question is this:  Has anyone taking this medication stopped due to the reported blood sugar issues and consequently has stopping the medication aided your weight loss and blood pressure levels? Thank you, Dave 346/289/235

Response:

Dave, I was on HCTZ at two different times in my life.  It does raise blood sugar slightly and is contraindicated for people with diabetes though most doctors ignore this. I was stalled, the first time I was taking it and discontinued it. It takes no more than a week to clear out of your system according to the doctor. My stall continued. My blood pressure did not normalize with low carbing. Many people, particularly younger people report that they do see it normalize, however. An ACE inhibitor (lisinopril) or an ARB (valsartan/Diovan) is the recommended blood pressure medication for people with blood sugar abnormalities. Among other things they appear to reduce insulin resistance and preserve kidney function. The second time I took HCTZ I was low carbing again. It stopped working after a couple weeks and my blood pressure climbed into dangerous territory. I had to move to an ARB since I had an allergic reaction to lisinopril.  As soon as I started the ARB (Diovan) my weight loss picked up dramatically. — Jenny Weight: 168.5/137 Diabetes Type II diagnosed 8/1998 Low Carb 9/1998 – 8/2001 and 11/10/02 – Now http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean How to calculate your need for protein * How much people really lose each month *  Water Weight Gain & Loss * The "Two Gram Cure" for Hunger Cravings * Characteristics of Successful Dieters * Indispensible Low Carb Treats * Should You Count that Low Impact Carb? * Curing Ketobreath * Exercise Starting from Zero *  NEW! Do Starch Blockers Work?

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Folks, I’m taking 50 mg of Hydrochlorothiazide a day for water retention and blood pressure reasons.  After a little research, I am wondering if this drug may be helping to prolong a rather long weight loss plateau. I was reading in the Protein Power book this evening that Hydrochlorothiazide may increase your blood sugar / insulin levels.  I also went on the internet and searched under Hydrochlorothiazide and found several additional references where a side effect was blood sugar swings. My question is this:  Has anyone taking this medication stopped due to the reported blood sugar issues and consequently has stopping the medication aided your weight loss and blood pressure levels? Thank you, Dave 346/289/235

Response:

The second time I took HCTZ I was low carbing again. It stopped working after a couple weeks and my blood pressure climbed into dangerous territory. I had to move to an ARB since I had an allergic reaction to lisinopril. As soon as I started the ARB (Diovan) my weight loss picked up dramatically.

Did the Diovan work for lowering your BP? — Peter website:  http://users.thelink.net/marengo

Response:

Peter, The Diovan worked very, which was a huge relief since the HCTZ had stopped working and my blood pressures were going up into the 160/90 range while I was on it. When I went to the standard dose which was double the starter dose, my blood pressure went so low I was waking up in the middle of the night with a pounding pulse, which my doctor explained meant my body had gotten a cortisol burst to keep my heart beating! The biggest "problem" I ran into with the Diovan was that after a couple months on the lowest dose my blood pressure started going very low–80s/60s. When I didn’t take it for a couple days, the blood pressure went up to 130/85. Splitting the pill doesn’t work as it has some kind of special coating.  Oddly enough, this problem abated after another couple months. Now I skip a pill maybe once a week and my blood pressure is usually in the 110/70 range. — Jenny Cut the carbs to respond to my new email address! Weight: 168.5/137 Diabetes Type II diagnosed 8/1998 – HBa1c 5.2 10/03 Low Carb 9/1998 – 8/2001 and 11/10/02 – Now http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean How to calculate your need for protein * How much people really lose each month *  Water Weight Gain & Loss * The "Two Gram Cure" for Hunger Cravings * Characteristics of Successful Dieters * Indispensible Low Carb Treats * Should You Count that Low Impact Carb? * Curing Ketobreath * Exercise Starting from Zero *  Do Starch Blockers Work? * NEW! Why the Low Carb Diet is Great for Diabetes  * NEW!  Low Carb Strategies for People with Diabetes

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The second time I took HCTZ I was low carbing again. It stopped working after a couple weeks and my blood pressure climbed into dangerous territory. I had to move to an ARB since I had an allergic reaction to lisinopril. As soon as I started the ARB (Diovan) my weight loss picked up dramatically. Did the Diovan work for lowering your BP? — Peter website:  http://users.thelink.net/marengo

Response:

I was on 12.5mg of HCTZ for the last year.   I was having heart palpitations at night before I went to bed, and thought it was a sure sign that I was going to die an early death from heart failure (since it runs in my family)..  My blood pressure is only maginally high, so I made the choice to discontinue the medication before starting a low-carb plan.   Well, my blood pressure feels better now (the numbers fluctuate between normal and high-normal now), and the heart palpitations are gone.  I’m not a big fan of HCTZ — it seems to work by blocking the function of the kidneys, many of which are important. duane

Response: