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Diuretic AbuseDiuretic Abuse SymptomsEffective diuretic abuse treatments are within your reach. Call our nationally recognized toll-free eating disorder helpline at 1-800-542-4610. Get the help you need to recover your health and reclaim your life. Caring professionals are standing by 24/7 to assist you and all calls are confidential. What is Diuretic Abuse?Diuretics, or "water pills," are used in the medical field to help relieve fluid retention in the body or as a means for treating high blood pressure. The diuretic can either be prescribed or purchased over the counter. While the medicine is primarily used under medical supervision, it has recently become favored as an extreme weight-loss tool, especially for those people suffering from an eating disorder. People with an eating disorder will sometimes turn to diuretic abuse as a means to lose or control their weight. In their minds, they believe the diuretic is helping to control their weight, but in reality, it is just reducing the amount of water in the body. This can be dangerous as diuretic abuse symptoms can include a fluid and electrolyte imbalance in the body which is potentially fatal. The Dangers of Diuretic Abuse SymptomsWhen the body's fluid and electrolyte levels become imbalanced, severe dehydration will occur. This causes the level of potassium in the body to drop, thus increasing the potential of heart problems like cardiac arrhythmias and heart palpitations. Additionally, the person who practices diuretic abuse will also experience frequent headaches, nausea and dizziness. Taking diuretics without the proper medical supervision is not recommended. Doing so places extreme duress on your body and prolonged diuretic abuse can result not only in the previously mentioned complications, but harmful and potentially fatal conditions like kidney damage. Types of Diuretics AbusedDiuretics are often a "quick fix" for someone trying to lose weight as the water loss will typically result in a pound or two of lost weight. These medications were never developed for weight loss reasons and as such, can lead to many potential health risks. Some of the common diuretics abused by people suffering from eating disorders include:
Treating Diuretic Abuse SymptomsTreating diuretic abuse symptoms can take many paths. During diagnosis, it will be determined if the patient exhibits any other health conditions which can effect treatment, like the existence of a mental illness such as severe depression or another eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia. It will also be necessary to determine if the patient is also addicted to any narcotic drugs or alcohol, which is common in many people with an eating disorder. If it is determined that an addiction is also present, then a dual diagnosis treatment center is recommended. This type of rehab facility is specially equipped for handling sensitive cases like diuretic abuse. The staff and programs in a dual diagnosis facility are best suited for managing the addiction, the eating disorder and any psychological conditions that may also be present. It also allows for a comfortable and safe location in which to ease the patient off of the diuretics as well as educate them about proper weight-loss and weight-control methodologies. If you require confidential assistance in locating safe and effective treatments for diuretic abuse or eating disorders, please call the national eating disorder treatment helpline at 1-800-542-4610. Professionals are standing by 24/7 to help. CALL NOW! |
