Need advice with rebound water retention

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TheFinalThird
TheFinalThird Posts: 315 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have lost 88 pounds in 5+ months. I have 190 more to lose. Yesterday, my doctor took me off of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), 25mg/day for the first time in 12 years. This morning, my weight was UP 3 pounds even though I stayed within calories yesterday. I got on the boards and found that when someone stops taking a diuretic (particularly a strong one like 25mg of HCTZ/day) he or she can gain as much as 20-30 pounds of water weight over the course of about 3 weeks. It is called rebound water retention. Then, the person can lose that 20-30 pounds of water weight over the following 3 weeks. If you want more information about the phenomenon, type "rebound water retention" into the message board search box.

Here is my question. If you were in that situation, would you continue to weigh in and take the repeated gains from water weight over the next 3 or so weeks, or stop weighing in for 6 weeks until the water weight comes off? I know it's 99% psychological either way, but I can't decide which is better to do.

Help?
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Replies

  • LeighAnnH75
    LeighAnnH75 Posts: 34 Member
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    If it was me I would really watch my sodium intake. Keep it as low as possible and drink as much water as you can. Continue to eat right like you have been doing and exercise but stay off that scale. It's so defeating when I do everything right and see gains. It will all even out eventually.
  • aprilwilliams2729
    aprilwilliams2729 Posts: 107 Member
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    That's a tough one! If you can handle seeing the scale go up it might be a good idea to go ahead and weigh once a week. You can do this! :)
  • tekwriter
    tekwriter Posts: 923 Member
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    I think I would hold off on my weigh in if I could. I held off weighing last friday because I weighed on the first, and had not been taking my water pills. I realize that is not nearly as long though. You could always check and see if it is happening, maybe it won't happen to you. Drink plenty of fluids hopefully it will work out.
  • TheFinalThird
    TheFinalThird Posts: 315 Member
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    Oh, yes, it is definitely happening to me... I stayed under calories yesterday and am up 5 pounds in ONE DAY today. That has never happened before from first thing in the morning to first thing in the morning.
  • lik_11
    lik_11 Posts: 433 Member
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    seems to me that watching my weight go up 20-30 pounds in just a few weeks... even though I knew the cause of it- would be very hard on me, mentally. Personally- I don't think I would weigh in. Watch your clothes and how they fit. Most likely, they're going to get pretty tight for a small stint. When they start fitting again, that's when I would resume weighing.
    You've been doing an amazing job, Scott! Stick with it- and ignore your body's rebound, best you can.
  • tubaman58
    tubaman58 Posts: 151
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    I went off HCTZ before Christmas and immediately put on about 5 - 6 pounds......
    Everone assumed it was the Holidays and I didn't bother to correct most of them.

    just this week I got back to where I had been......

    I just kept weighing in every week.. depressing at first but fun went it went back down.

    Watch your sodium intake and enjoy the fact you don't need to get up and pee nearly as often.
  • Culley34
    Culley34 Posts: 224
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    It may sound counterintuitive, but I feel like drinking more water throughout the course of a day would help you.

    I think the underlying issues surrounding water retention is typically with excess sodium in the body, or people just not drinking enough water. When the body is underhydrated, it's going to try and hold on to as much water as possible.

    I would make sure you're getting at least 10 (8 oz) cups of water a day and then see how drastic the retention is on your body.

    Overall, the retention may only be 5-10 lbs and then you return to normal a day or two later.

    Did the MD say that you would gain between 20-30 lbs, or is this just what you found on the web?
  • mjterp
    mjterp Posts: 655 Member
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    I weigh daily. It is part of my morning routine and a part of my reminder and commitment to be as healthy as possible every day. For me it is nothing more than a number. My numbers go up and down daily. (depending on how much salt I have had, whether or not I've pooped, TOM, etc....) The number is nothing more than a relationship between my body and the earths gravitational pull as measured by a thing called a scale. It is ONE scientific part of measuring my progress. It does NOT tell me that my FAT % has decreased or increased. It JUST tells my physical relationship to gravity. I also use other things...like measurements, NSV's (being able to tie my shoes on TOP instead of on the instep...being able to keep walking or increase my speed or incline...being able to do a full pushup...then five...etc), and how my clothes fit and how I feel!

    IF "your self worth is somehow tied to your body mass" (a quote from sheldon of Big Bang Theory) and will discourage you from staying on a healthy path, then DON"T weigh. Hide the scale. But also expect that with water retention comes things like swollen ankles and feet, expanding waistline making your pants fit tighter...so the frustration won't only be the scale. Just know it IS NOT YOU and more importantly, DON"T LET THIS BE A SETBACK TO THE AMAZING PROGRESS YOU ARE MAKING!!! TELL yourself every day, this is medical. I am OFF the medication because of all of the great things I am doing. I WILL NOT QUIT!!!

    Whatever you decide (you know yourself and your attitude best...I'm just giving you things to think about so you make the best possible choice with the knowledge that you have at this time), know that WE are here for you. and the scale will eventually move again. This is TEMPORARY and will NOT hold you back nor does it define how great you are as a person...because you are GREAT as a person reguardless of your weight. (just ask Mrs. TFT!)

    All of that said...

    WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO
    YIPPY
    WOWZAA
    CONGRATULATIONS!!!

    ALREADY OFF YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE MEDS!!!!!
    WAY TO GO!!!!
    WAY TO ROCK THIS!!!!
    And in ONLY 5 months!!!!!!!
    Doc should put you up as poster boy in his office for what is POSSIBLE!!!!
    happy dance happy dance


    ...just WOW!
  • kingscrown
    kingscrown Posts: 615 Member
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    I write my weight down in a chart. Mark out 6 weeks, make notes and weigh as usually knowing you are getting over the rebound water weight gain just to monitor it. Having it written down I find helps me mentally when I'm having issues from time to time.
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
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    No, I would not weigh, etc. However, if my doctor took me off my diuretic he and I would have some serious words.
  • vbarrient
    vbarrient Posts: 52 Member
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    I would continue to weigh at least once a week. Just continue doing what you are doing. Watch your sodium something we all need to do anyway! You never know, it might not affect you in that way anyway. Great job on an 80 pound loss!!! :smile:
  • tpt1950
    tpt1950 Posts: 292 Member
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    Weigh yourself to keep track and in the meantime drink 80 to 100 ounces of water each and every day. Whatever sodium intake you have will flush out with the water and it will keep you hydrated. I went through something similar and as long as I kept my water intake high, my weight never went up more than 1-2 pounds the whole 6 weeks after I was taken off the meds. Don't miss a day of drinking water!!! Good luck - you can do it!
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    That's an interesting question. I weigh myself every day and record it but yours is a different situation. I guess I would but if started to make me feel bad, maybe I'd stop. Or, maybe I'd just skip it for the rest of the month and start weighing again in February.
  • dantrick
    dantrick Posts: 369 Member
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    If it was me I would really watch my sodium intake. Keep it as low as possible and drink as much water as you can. Continue to eat right like you have been doing and exercise but stay off that scale. It's so defeating when I do everything right and see gains. It will all even out eventually.

    ^^ This - Sodium aka salt will make you retain water.
  • mjterp
    mjterp Posts: 655 Member
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    Maybe ask your doctor about the possiblilty of using extra caffiene to help ...but that is a definite ASK YOUR DOCTOR first. Might be better to just go cold turkey...but just brainstorming options.
  • Ke22yB
    Ke22yB Posts: 969 Member
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    As hard as it is to watch if your routine is weighing every day stick to it. I was in the hospital for kidney stones and had a procedure done and the IV drip kept running I couldnt eliminate as much as they poured into me. I knew the reason and kept using the scale I gained almost 20 pounds of fluid in a week . I went home swollen and bloated BUT as I returned to normal could eliminate fluids I loved watching the scale drop 2 or 3 pounds a day. I did keep my fluid intake up and never use salt anyway.
    So as everyone says keep drinking your 80 plus ounces of water a day keep sodium down and enjoy the second part of the process you might even find you are a few pounds down by the time the water is gone
  • Maddalen101
    Maddalen101 Posts: 307 Member
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    Is there a way you and your doc could work together to TAPER you off that strong diuretic so that your body doesn't experience such a shock? (I know that with meds such as prednisone, one MUSt be tapered.) Perhaps tapering over the course of a month might ease the rebound water retention.
  • kdub67
    kdub67 Posts: 181 Member
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    I definitely wouldn't weigh myself once a day...it would make me crazy. Once a week is ok as long as you go into with the mindset that the scale might move up for a bit before it starts going back down. Do not let this derail you! You are doing such an amazing job and I think you have the mental stamina to get past this roadblock and keep pushing through...We're all on your side, here, Scott...YOU CAN DO IT!!!!
  • ravengirl1611
    ravengirl1611 Posts: 285 Member
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    at the risk of sounding repetative - watch the sodium, drink lots of water - if you're in the habit of weighing daily then I would continue - you know why the extra weight is going on and you can keep an eye on it better if you're weighing often. Also - although going off the meds is causing the water retention if it is too much you might need to see your doctor about it - weighing in often will let you monitor just how much water you're retaining. You'll make the best choice for yourself as you always do - one of the things I like about you!

    Good luck either way

    R
  • pspam
    pspam Posts: 9
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    If it was me I would really watch my sodium intake. Keep it as low as possible and drink as much water as you can. Continue to eat right like you have been doing and exercise but stay off that scale. It's so defeating when I do everything right and see gains. It will all even out eventually.

    ^^ This - Sodium aka salt will make you retain water.

    This, while sodium does increase the concentration of electrolytes, your body responds by diluting the electrolytes to an ideal concentration by retaining water. However, sodium minimum requirements are just over a gram a day, but as a preservative in most foods this is nearly impossible to attain as a minimum unless you cook your own meals from fresh food. In this case, you will have to add salt to get to 1 gram minimum (much more with physical output and temp/humidity a determinant).

    As for weighing in, water rebound is psychologically difficult. I weigh in every day regardless just to track the trend.

    You aren't looking for a quick fix, so forget about adding a mild diuretic like caffeine. Just go for the ride and in a week it should level out. I had to take a prescription diuretic for 4 days and while the 13 pound weight loss was great (I fit my medium fat pants-not just stretchies) it all came back. Keep to the code, be patient, understand what is going on, and keep moving forward. Don't break a habit that is good just because it pains you to see your body equalize.

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