Does high blood pressure tablets cause water retention??
Sarah- In most patients with high blood pressure (BP) the approach to treatment is twofold. If you’re overweight then you need to exercise more and lose weight. At the same time, as your ankles and calves swell, the first medicine for treatment is so-called water pills or diuretics (like Diuril or Lasix) to remove water from the blood circulation; BP tablets never cause water retention. How much diuretic you need may be more than you are now taking and may well have to be increased. Of course, there are other high BP medicines which help reduce the swelling (“edema”) in your lower legs. It sounds like you may need another physician who is more understanding and better at treating hypertension. Meanwhile, whenever you can, try to sleep with a pillow under your ankles or sit with your legs raised to the level of your heart (in private) to reduce swelling. Be sure to greatly cut back on the use of any sodium salt; put the salt shakers away.
