Diuril Side Effects Center

What Is Diuril?

Diuril (chlorothiazide) is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that treats fluid retention (edema) in people with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, or kidney disorders, or edema caused by taking steroids or estrogen. Diuril is also used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Diuril is available in generic form.

What Are Side Effects of Diuril?

Common side effects of Diuril include:

• dizziness,
• spinning sensation,
• lightheadedness,
• headache,
• blurred vision,
• loss of appetite,
• stomach upset,
• stomach cramps,
• diarrhea,
• constipation, or
• muscle spasm as your body adjusts to Diuril.

Other side effects of Diuril include:

• decreased sexual ability,
• loss of interest in sex, or
• increased sensitivity to the sun.

Diuril may cause a loss of too much body water (dehydration) and salt/minerals. Tell your doctor if you have unlikely but serious symptoms of dehydration or mineral loss including very dry mouth, thirst, muscle cramps, weakness, fast or irregular heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, severe dizziness, unusual drowsiness, unusual decrease in the amount of urine, fainting, confusion, seizures.

Dosage for Diuril

The usual adult dosage of Diuril for edema is 500 mg to 1000 mg (10 mL to 20 mL) once or twice a day. The usual adult starting dosage for hypertension is 500 mg or 1000 mg (10 mL to 20 mL) a day as a single or divided dose. Pediatric dose is determined by the child's weight.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Diuril?

Diuril may interact with other medicines that cause lightheadedness (i.e., cold or allergy medicine, narcotics, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety), lithium, digoxin, cholestyramine, colestipol, steroids, other blood pressure medications, aspirin, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), insulin or oral diabetes medicines.

Diuril During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Diuril should be used only when prescribed during pregnancy. This drug passes into breast milk. While there have been no reports of harm to nursing infants, consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Additional Information

Our Diuril (chlorothiazide) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling).

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
• little or no urination;
• severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back;
• low blood cell counts--pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, easy bruising or bleeding; or
• signs of an electrolyte imbalance--dry mouth, increased thirst or urination, confusion, vomiting, constipation, muscle pain or weakness, leg cramps, dizziness, drowsiness, lack of energy, feeling restless, fast heartbeats, tingly feeling.

Common side effects may include:

• dizziness, spinning sensation;
• numbness or tingling;
• diarrhea, constipation, stomach cramps;
• blurred vision;
• muscle spasm; or
• impotence, sexual problems.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.