hydrochlorothiazide

Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.

Hydrochlorothiazide treats fluid retention (edema) in people with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, or kidney disorders, or edema caused by taking steroids or estrogen. This medication is also used to treat high blood pressure.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to hydrochlorothiazide or if you are unable to urinate.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, asthma or allergies, gout, diabetes, or if you are allergic to sulfa drugs.
Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of hydrochlorothiazide.

Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather. Follow your doctor's instructions about the type and amount of liquids you should drink. In some cases, drinking too much liquid can be as unsafe as not drinking enough.
There are many other medicines that can interact with hydrochlorothiazide. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.

If you are being treated for high blood pressure, keep using this medication even if you feel fine. High blood pressure often has no symptoms.

Side Effects.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

- dry mouth, thirst, nausea, vomiting;
- feeling weak, drowsy, restless, or light-headed;
- fast or uneven heartbeat;
- muscle pain or weakness;
- numbness or tingly feeling;
- a red, blistering, peeling skin rash; or
- nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

- diarrhea;
- mild stomach pain;
- constipation; or
- blurred vision.

Source.