These medications are not as benign as many physicians once believed. Hydrochlorthiazide is an excellent diuretic for treatment of patients with high blood pressure. But its use for water retention is nebulous and suspect. Weight loss and exercise often have been better management tools for water retention. If your mother is overweight, continued use of medication may not be in her best interest.
Side effects can be very serious.
Patients using Synthroid should be monitored with regular blood tests to assess the effect the medication is having on thyroid function and also to check for toxicity. Patients might experience heart rate irregularities. Clots can be dislodged, and, in some cases, may help lead to stroke. At worst, a general hyperactive metabolic state can even lead to death. The test that helps determine the appropriate dose of replacement thyroid medication finds the level of TSH, or thyroid stimulating hormone, in the blood.