How to Retain Fluid While Taking Hydrochlorothiazide

If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, your doctor may prescribe hydrochlorothiazide--a medication that helps the body excrete excess water and sodium.



One common misconception about retaining water is that this means you have too much of it in your body—although just the opposite is true. Usually when people retain water it is because they are not properly hydrated and the body is trying to hold on to what water it can. This can cause bloating in the legs, ankles and other areas of the body



A side effect of hydrochlorothiazide is excessive urination, and because of this, patients may feel that they are not getting adequate hydration. There are things you can do to combat this and restore your fluid levels to normal, but always remember to check with your doctor if you plan to change your diet or exercise habits while taking a prescribed medication.

Instructions

• 1

  Drink more water. This may feel counterintuitive, but drinking more water will help the kidneys do their job. Water helps the kidneys to remove salt from the body more efficiently, and this can lead to less fluid retention and less thirst. If you don’t normally drink water, just increasing your intake may be enough. Be sure to check with your doctor to see exactly how much water you should be drinking every day.

• 2

  Eat less salt. Salty foods cause your body to retain water in order to dilute it. The less salty foods you eat, the less your kidneys will have to work to process it and, therefore, the less water you will retain.

• 3

  Exercise in water. If you have a gym membership or home swimming pool, you can do some gentle water exercises. Just walking back and forth in the water or swimming a few laps is enough. A half-hour of water exercise every other day can help the fluid move through your body. Let your doctor know before you begin your new exercise regimen to rule out any health concerns.

• 4

  Sit with your feet up. If you find that you have bloated legs or ankles, simply lying down or reclining while propping up your legs can allow the retained fluid to make its way to your kidneys to be processed into urine.