What is the best natural diuretic

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I am a 40 year old male who has been too busy to take time to take care of myself. I would get sick and just keep pushing because there was no one else to do what I was doing...

Well finally my body said Screw you and I ended up in the hospital for 5 days, 2 1/2 in ICU I had fluid on my heart and lungs and was really ran down. Well we thought we had me better but now that I am out of the hospitial (And taking things slower and watching my diet like a hawk) I am still putting on fluid.

My Dr has raised the Mgs on my diuretic but it dose not seem to be working very fast and I can feel myself getting back in the shape I was in before. Any ideas

-- grant (organicgrange@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002

Answers

Water, cold and fresh.

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.

addendum: But check with your doctor first, before attempting to increase your output.

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.

Yes, go back to your doctor and have him adjust your medication(s). There are 4-5 different classes of diuretic drugs and numerous individual drugs within each class. So, there are many different combinations that can be arrived at, with each one having a different mechanism of action.

I don't know of any readily available, natural diuretic compounds, that would be recommended to control the symptoms you described. There are all kinds of natural diuretic, but they are weak diuretics, when compared to the diuretic medications that your doctor has access to.

You must be very careful with your blood potassium levels, when using diuretics, as potassium blood levels regulate the ability of your heart to function (pump).

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.


Tea and coffee are also diuretics, but contain caffeine, which can exacerbate other problems....

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), January 31, 2002.

You might want to check out the book called "Your Body's Many Cries for Water". It was written by a Dr. that researched how water and your body interrelate. Check with the library. An interesting read. It could be worth your time. Marie

-- Marie (Mamafila@aol.com), January 31, 2002.


Grant, can you elaborate on what you mean by you are watching your diet?

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.

asparagus, dandelion tea

-- Jo (mamamia2kids@msn.com), January 31, 2002.

parsley water (fresh parsley boiled in water, drink hot or cold). Ask your doctor first, please. Mary

-- Mary Fraley (kmfraley@orwell.net), January 31, 2002.

I use dandelion leaf as a green additive to soups as a diuretic additive.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 31, 2002.

grant, I would guess that you have a lot of physical problems and your Doctor is probably doing a balancing act between keeping you hydrated and not letting your lungs fill up with fluid and incidently compromising your heart. It is tricky. I think I would listen to the Dr. and not screw around with your meds, or if you are not satisfied with your treatment ask for a second opinion. If you do go off and take stuff without the Dr.s knowledge, he(or she) cannot treat you properly. I think you are being foolish and risking further problems. Hope all goes well for you. LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), January 31, 2002.


Grant-be aware that even though herbs are not considered drugs by the DEA, but rather "nutritional supplements" the compounds in them DO have physiological effects. PLEASE inform your physician of any herbals you are taking and make sure your electrolytes (blood counts of specified minerals/elements) are OK. Extra important ones are potassium, magnesium and calcium.

-- Jim NE KY (jedeweese@earthlink.net), January 31, 2002.

Sir, you have congested heart failure and you need to keep in close contact with your doctor. Do not take any herbal supplements-Take your medication and follow your doctor's instructions to a tee.At your age you need to go to a major medical center. If your doctor is not a cardiologist (heart doctor) then you need him to refer you to one. This is a life or death situation-do not take it lightly.

-- Terry Lipe (elipe@fidnet.com), February 01, 2002.

Diuretics that work for me: Parsley, celery and cranberry.

Just toss the fresh parsley or celery or fresh/frozen cranberry in the blender with water. Blend and strain. The resulting liquid is what I would use.

However, if there are drugs involved, who knows what the result would be??

-- HV (veggie@ourplace.com), February 01, 2002.


tthank you all for youe answers. at the moment the dr is not calling it congested heart failure I have seen a cardiologist (heart doctor) and realive that This is a life or death situation. as for my diet it is an 1800 cal low carb diet

I know about the problems with drug interactions and was more or less just asking to see what was out there. the High intake of water sounds the best.

Again, thank you all

-- grant (organicgrange@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.


Make a pot of Green Tea. It has amazing properties.

-- westbrook (westbrook_farms@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.


Grant I know what you are going through I was hospitalized in march with congestive heart failue the first three days in the hospital I lost 27 lbs of water. I don't mess with anything other than what my cardiologist recomends. I also had a heart attack in august and in september. These are condiations in my mind that require modern medicine. DON'T MESS AROUND. By the way I am working on being Vice- president how many more stents do I need I only have one now. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef@getgoin.net), February 02, 2002.

Corn silk tea is the best natural and safe diuretic there is, you can buy it already in tea bags from Alveta tea company, or make your own from plain dried corn silks, field corn or sweet corn will work the same.

But Grant, first you have to figure out WHY you have the fluid around your heart and in your lungs, this is VERY SERIOUS stuff here, especially for someone your age!!!

Are your kidneys OK? What about your prostate? Is it blocking your elimination by being enlarged?

IMHO, you need to be on a low protein, low salt, all vegetable, high fiber diet to give your kidneys a rest as you figure out what is causing this fliud retention.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), February 02, 2002.


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