# COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING - POWERLIFTING - ATHLETICS & SPORTS > COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING Q & A >  Help about diuretics for show?

## monkeyman33

Hi. I'm about 10 days out from my show right now and got everything down except for my diuretics. I have 25-25mg aldactones, and 4-40mg lasix tablets. I don't really want to use the lasix due to me coming in flat possibly and losing all my hard earned work since it is pretty unpredictable, so I'm really left with aldactone. I might be able though to get dyazide also which I'm working on hopefully the next couple of days from my cousin in Mexico. My questions are will dyazide from Mexico be as good quality as here in the U.S.? What are the differences between aldactone and dyazide? Which diuretic is actually stronger which I've done a lot of research and haven't found the answer? And Which diuretic if you have both would you take? From my searching on the boards it seems a lot of people really like dyazide; I just want to make sure that if I get it that it will dry me out really well because I hold a ton of water. Any feedback from anybody knowledgeable people would be highly appreciated.

Stats: 5' 11"
214lbs
5.8% bf

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## Iron freak

I used diuretics last year and come in flat.you may have beter luck.never used aldactone before so I have no clue.

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## monkeyman33

thanks, my buddy is telling me aldactone and lasix will make me look great but I'm not so sure about the lasix.

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## spound

From your post you sound like you are looking to use diuretics as a crutch for helping your conditioning. If you play your cards right, you will not need any diuretics AT ALL. Guys don't understand how bad diuretics are for you...they are terrible. If you manipulate your carbs sodium and water properly, you should be fine. BOATLOAD the water starting on Tuesday before the show. Increase your amount everyday until you are close to drinking a liter per hour the day before the show. Cut your water sometime that day (depending on how you are drying out) and you should be pissing gout water all night. diuretic suck, they are terrible for you and will make most come in flatter than they should/could/would be without them. You would be surprised at how little diuretics a lot of the pros use. I know two pros that use NO diuretics at all. Oh yea, do not mistake having too much fat on you for being "watery" diuretics will do nothing for you anyways if you aren't lean enough. 

ON the other hand. if you screw something up or if you happen to wake up the morning of the show more watery than you were th day before or more so than you expected, then, AND ONLY THEN, should you take a tab of diazide (1st thing) and then take another one an hour or so before prejudging and the night show, depending on how you look.

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## monkeyman33

hi spound

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## monkeyman33

I got my bf tested in the water tank and it was 5.9% and I'm 214lbs so I'm not using them as a crutch but as a way to drop the water that I hold like crazy. I think I'm holding anywhere from 8-12pounds of water. In your opinion should I take the diazide or aldactone because I've already pretty much eliminated lasix.

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## monkeyman33

i talked to my buddy also today and he said dyazide was stronger then aldactone but he said he doesn't have had a lot of success in the past with it compared to aldactone so I'm kind of stuck in between.

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## spound

5.9% ain't bad, but it could be lower. I would HIGHLY doubt you are holding 8-12 lbs of water....that is an asinine amount of water to be holding at that bodyfat level. THe thing with aldactone is that it takes A LOT longer to work. You have to use it over a time period of 4-7 days for it to work. The problem with that is that this gives it more time to flatten you out. DIazide is a lot faster acting. My advice would be to follow a VERY regimented water protocol the last week of the prep and see how your body starts dropping the water. If it is still holding (be honest with yourself in this assessment) then pop a diazide the morning of the show, it would be better to have a non-biased point of view though from someone else. How bout you post some pics? I could maybe help you out. Especially if you post some closer to the show as well so I can see how efficiently your body is ridding itself of the water. Your loading process will also have an affect on waht you should do as well. 

Oh yea, Drop your sodium a little as well leading up to the show...but don't make it non-existant b/c this will flatten you out as well. Don;'t drop it a whole lot, just enough to make sure that it does not fluctuate any higher. Drop the water at some point at one day out, then shitload the night before and the morning of the show...bingo...PEELED.

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## monkeyman33

thanks spound. I know it is hard to believe I'm holding that much water but I drink between 3 3.5 gallons a day and over one night I can't drop that much water naturally. I don't have time right now to post pics because I'm busy all the time but thanks for your help and I will go with the dyazide.

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## spound

> thanks spound. I know it is hard to believe I'm holding that much water but I drink between 3 3.5 gallons a day and over one night I can't drop that much water naturally. I don't have time right now to post pics because I'm busy all the time but thanks for your help and I will go with the dyazide.


Just because you are drinking A LOT of water, does not mean that you are holding a lot of water...I PROMISE. If you are drinking that much water right now, then I guarantee you are actually holding very little water. UNless your sodium is at an astronomical level, or you are using a long acting compound such as test E or deca . Are you using any anti-e's ? If so, which one(s)

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## Uconish

> Just because you are drinking A LOT of water, does not mean that you are holding a lot of water...I PROMISE. If you are drinking that much water right now, then I guarantee you are actually holding very little water. UNless your sodium is at an astronomical level, or you are using a long acting compound such as test E or deca. Are you using any anti-e's ? If so, which one(s)



Listen to the man, he knows what hes talking about. I agree, the more water you take in, the more your body will release because it beleives there is an abundance, which is why hes telling to begin increasing the water starting tuesday, everyday until friday before the show, at which time you should cut your water by mid day. This does not give your body enough time to realize you are no longer drinking any water, and it will continue to rid the excess, hence you will become dryer by the hour. Cut the water too soon, and your body will hold on to it. This becomes easier with time as you begin to adapt to your own body. Im gonna folllow this protocol this time more accurately, and i am not planning on using a diuretic, cuz last time my shinns cramped so hard, man did that suck!

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## Uconish

Spound, the sodium thing is whats driving me crazy, and im sure monkeyman might have the same question. When you say lower the sodium alittle, how much. Lets say i add some salt to my meats before i cook, then when do i begin to lower this. Am i wrong for beleiveing that sodium should be relatively high until friday before the show, especially if carbs are minimal, because the excess sodium will help you to retain fullness, at which time you lower it, until you shit load, either the night before or day of, which ever you choose, which in theory dry you out and fill you up? I know mikexxl says he adds a pickle to every meal in the final 2 weeks, until the day before the show, then he drops the sodium, and shit loads the morning of. Same idea here?

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## monkeyman33

hey guys. I got a question my cousin couldn't get me the brand name dyazide or maxzide so he sent my hydrochloridethiazide 25mg's but it doesn't contain triamterene; does it make a difference or does it not? I seem to think that it will not be the same.

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## Uconish

it is but its not. dyazide is in the thyazide family, but the triamterene is what makes it potassium sparing, just like aldcatazide. However, hydrochloridethiazide is not potassium sparing, so you would have to supplement addition potassium in order to make up for what is lost, otherwise this could cause sevre cramping and loss of electrolytes. Personally, not worth the risk, but i guess its not as bad as lasix?

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## perfectbeast2001

you mention using AIs could make you retain water?? Which ones and how? Should all AIs be dropped before show?

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## Uconish

> you mention using AIs could make you retain water?? Which ones and how? Should all AIs be dropped before show?



I believe you read his comment wrong, hes suggesting the original poster should be using an AI. AI's will help you stay dry because it blocks the excess estrogen, causing all the unwanted water weight. I believe that alot of guys use letro in their prep, but it is hard on your lipid profile, takes awhile to build up in your system, has negative effects on libido, and may cause a rebound effect. I suggest using aromsin throughtout the entire prep, until pct is finished, but letro, arimidex , or aromsain will due.

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## MIKE_XXL

Aldactone is a potassium sparing diuretic = weak
Dyazide iz 1/3 loop diuretic (strong) and 2/3 potassium sparring diuretic it works very well and most people around here use this diuretic as it is easy to control and work with.
What i would do it use 1/4 tab hydrochloridethiazide with 1/2 tab of Aldactone i would use this 1 hour before cutting your water, and then every 8 hours repeat untill dry, usually should be 2 to 3 doses, so for Ex:
3:00pm Diuretics
4:00pm cut water
11:00pm diuretics
7:00am diuretics
always monitor your condition and adjust dose as needed....XXL

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## monkeyman33

Hi mike. I got hydrochlorothiazide pills but am trying to get dyazide or maxzide from my cousin in mexico; my contest is in 8 days so i will have my fingers crossed that he finds it and overnights it to me. I know they sell it in mexico but it seems hard to find I'm going to tell him to go to walmart mexico and they should have it, do you think they don't sell it there?. If I get the dyazide should I just do the dyazide and leave out the aldactone or should I still use both? If I don't end up getting the dyazide I will go with what you just layed out above, thanks for the help.

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## MIKE_XXL

If you get Dyazide leave everything alone, JUST USE DYAZIDE...XXL

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## monkeyman33

hey thanks for the help. One last question, I'm going to urgent care and going to tell them that my stomach is bloated and have stomach pains and that I have taken dyazide in the past and it worked well and that is what I should get until I can see my regualr doctor again. Can you think of any symptoms or what I should tell the urgent care guy to get this thing taken care of. Any help would be great, thanks.

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## spound

> hey thanks for the help. One last question, I'm going to urgent care and going to tell them that my stomach is bloated and have stomach pains and that I have taken dyazide in the past and it worked well and that is what I should get until I can see my regualr doctor again. Can you think of any symptoms or what I should tell the urgent care guy to get this thing taken care of. Any help would be great, thanks.


I would tell them you have been having severe edema in the ankles (holding water), I will tell you now though that this probalby wont work. Diazide is a pretty strong diuretic and they wont just go handing it out like candy. They would probably give you something weaker, if anything at all.

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## spound

> you mention using AIs could make you retain water?? Which ones and how? Should all AIs be dropped before show?


Hell no, they should be run up to the show, and after...(tapered afterwards)

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## spound

> hey guys. I got a question my cousin couldn't get me the brand name dyazide or maxzide so he sent my hydrochloridethiazide 25mg's but it doesn't contain triamterene; does it make a difference or does it not? I seem to think that it will not be the same.


I would not use that shit, like uconish said, it is not potassium sparing, therefore there are a lot of risks with it. I have a feeling if you don't know what you are doing with it or how to adjust according to how you are feeling/looking hten you will end up feeling like shit and being flat as a freakin pancake. 

Oh yea, if you DO take any potassium sparing diuretics, then avoid anything that is high potassium levels before and immediately after the show such as gatorade...NO GATORADE with potassium sparing diuretics...this can cause big problems.

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## spound

> Spound, the sodium thing is whats driving me crazy, and im sure monkeyman might have the same question. When you say lower the sodium alittle, how much. Lets say i add some salt to my meats before i cook, then when do i begin to lower this. Am i wrong for beleiveing that sodium should be relatively high until friday before the show, especially if carbs are minimal, because the excess sodium will help you to retain fullness, at which time you lower it, until you shit load, either the night before or day of, which ever you choose, which in theory dry you out and fill you up? I know mikexxl says he adds a pickle to every meal in the final 2 weeks, until the day before the show, then he drops the sodium, and shit loads the morning of. Same idea here?


THe only reason I said lower it a little is because I wouldn't want him to accidentally RAISE it...this is what you don't want. Everyone does things differently in their preps, but from my experience of playing around with it and my research and talking with others, if you are measuring your sodium religiously and know how much you are taking in, then you do not have to lower it...just keep it the same. It is SPIKES in sodium levels that make you hold water...not just high sodium levels itself....well unless your sodium levels are SKY high of course. Keeping your levels up, but stable will keep you full. THen when you shitload...your sodium levels will inevitably increase DRASTICALLY filling you out even more. I was having 2 tbsp of soy sauce and 3 tbsp of natty PB leading up to my show for sodium and I wasn't holding any extra water from it...then when I shitload it was like WHAM!...FULL AS SHIT!

I have a feeling monkey man is not measuring his sodium levels, therefore he really has no idea how much sodium he is taking in, so thats why I told him to lower it a little...just to be safe. If he had been measuring I would tell him to just keep it the same. If he keeps it the same and his water is manipulated well (alot of it) then he should not be holding onto any excess water. Keeping the sodium levels up (yet keeping them stable of course) will only help keep him fuller...which is a good thing...physically AND mentally.

DISCLAIMER: like I have said, there are MANY different ways to prepare for a show and many different ways to hit your peak, but the methods I post about I have found to be VERY simple and fool proof. MikeXXL or anyone else may advise something else as far as sodium or laoding. The advice I give on here is something that is pretty much fool proof. All these guys laying out DETAILED outlines of how to approach the last week of prep leading up to a show is ridiculous unless that person was working with the competitor throughout the whole prep and knew everything going on with the said person's diet and training leading up to that point. Cookie cutter approaches as far as grams and mg's go (talking about food and sodium) just do not work. The advice I give can be applied very easily even over the net.

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## monkeyman33

hey i'm going to the doc. right now and will be back in 45minutes with an update.

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## monkeyman33

hey I'm back. I did my research online and learned the symptoms I told a good story at the doctor and I had to do a lot of tests including a urine test. He was very reluctent to give me the pills but I insisted that they worked great for me in the past and he gave them to me. He gave me a prescription for 90 pills at 25mg/37.5mgs. I'm extremelly happy. I think I will take 2 pills an hour before cutting water on friday and then one every 8 hours after reassessing my body. Does this sound good? Thanks again for all the help this is the last question.

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## MIKE_XXL

> hey I'm back. I did my research online and learned the symptoms I told a good story at the doctor and I had to do a lot of tests including a urine test. He was very reluctent to give me the pills but I insisted that they worked great for me in the past and he gave them to me. He gave me a prescription for 90 pills at 25mg/37.5mgs. I'm extremelly happy. I think I will take 2 pills an hour before cutting water on friday and then one every 8 hours after reassessing my body. Does this sound good? Thanks again for all the help this is the last question.



I would use 1 tab before cutting water, and 1/2 tab very 8 hours...XXL

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## spound

MIKE-Do you use diuretics no matter what, or do you feel you can get by with out them? Also if you get flattened out by a diuretic, what do you do to combat it? Do you just increase carbs and sodium? I can't see reversing that process being very easy once you are flattened out some by dyazide or something like that.

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## monkeyman33

Hi spound. My buddy who does all my nutrition and drugs and helps me out with everything says I should take an anadrol 50 at about 10:00pm friday night and then 2 hours before prejudging and 2 hours before the night show. He says this will fill me out and will make me extremely vascular. I also asked him about retaining water with the a-50 but he says it will not happen because the body is already dryed out and it takes 1 or 2 days for the a-50 to start holding water. What are your guys's opinion on this because I think I'm going to do it but want some more thoughts.

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## spound

I have heard of guys doing this before with good results, but honestly you won't notice JACK SH#T from only doing it for one day...I promise. You would have to do it for at least the last 10 days leading up to your show to notice anything. But yea, if you are lean enough and water is manipulated right, then bloating should not be an issue with the anadrol at the end. It is not somethign I would do though...jsut adds more uneeded complications to the prep. When you start trying to pull all these last minute tricks, it often times back fires on you. You don't want a whole 12-16 wks of prep to go down the drain do you?

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## MIKE_XXL

> Hi spound. My buddy who does all my nutrition and drugs and helps me out with everything says I should take an anadrol 50 at about 10:00pm friday night and then 2 hours before prejudging and 2 hours before the night show. He says this will fill me out and will make me extremely vascular. I also asked him about retaining water with the a-50 but he says it will not happen because the body is already dryed out and it takes 1 or 2 days for the a-50 to start holding water. What are your guys's opinion on this because I think I'm going to do it but want some more thoughts.


People do that often but i preffer D-bol over Drol...it will help you fill out but it will not make or brake you, the last 12-14 week of diet will do that...XXL

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## MIKE_XXL

> MIKE-Do you use diuretics no matter what, or do you feel you can get by with out them? Also if you get flattened out by a diuretic, what do you do to combat it? Do you just increase carbs and sodium? I can't see reversing that process being very easy once you are flattened out some by dyazide or something like that.


I always recomend Diuretics, you can get by but will not be as sharp unless someone is genetic freak...last weeks prerp is touchy subject...for one i do not recomend decarb...i would say keep carbs at 100-125gm week comeing up to the show, that will help you stay full and hard...i only recomend small amount of diuretics, depending on individual sometime even only one dose...before cutting water...and i like fat/carb (sh*t) loading, morning of the show...i think if all these are put together right the outcome is great...hard, vascular dry physique...but you are right once over dehydrated you are screwed no coming back from that...XXL

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## monkeyman33

If I decide to thrown in the anadrol would you do it as I stated above and do you think any negative could come out of it such as retaining water or would there be no possibility since I'm taking the diuretics? I think if anything I might see increased vascularity what do you think?

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## spound

> I always recomend Diuretics, you can get by but will not be as sharp unless someone is genetic freak...last weeks prerp is touchy subject...for one i do not recomend decarb...i would say keep carbs at 100-125gm week comeing up to the show, that will help you stay full and hard...i only recomend small amount of diuretics, depending on individual sometime even only one dose...before cutting water...and i like fat/carb (sh*t) loading, morning of the show...i think if all these are put together right the outcome is great...hard, vascular dry physique...but you are right once over dehydrated you are screwed no coming back from that...XXL


Well it looks like we recommend pretty much the exact same thing except the diuretics part. I do not like to de-carb or carb deplete either, I feel like the whole prep in itself is depletion enough...people just do not realize. SO do you usually only stick with dyazide or do you ever use aldactone or what? The only diuretic I have ever really thought there was much of a need for would be dyazide simply because it is fairly strong, yet is still a loop diuretic, but is also fast acting so you can wait really late to use it (which I feel is beneficial b/c you can wait a lot longer to see how well your physique is drying out first to see if you will actually have a need for it)

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## MIKE_XXL

Ilike mostly Dyazide, it is relitively easy to work with and predictible...Aldactone i do not like as it need 4-5 days of use for full effect to take place unless you use it with a loop diuretic...you are right Dyazide you can use late and still get it's benifits, i always recomend smaller dose and consecutice doses if needed, dry slower and you have a lesser chance of over deydration....and you are right the body is already very depleted from 12-14 weeks of dieting...no need for de-carb...XXL

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## Spooky

I would like to try dyazide , but it is goddam hard to find! Aldactone is muche easier to get.

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