ve tried almost every class of BP medicine there’s is. Started with amlodipine...horrible side effects that sent me to ER 3x. Changed to atenolol, even worse side effects. Then I took hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg but it wasn’t enough to bring BP down. Finally found lisinopril and after 8 happy months, I’ve got the dreaded cough. Cough so bad that I couldn’t talk at work (I’m on the phone a lot for work).
Doctor decided to try hydrochlorothiazide again but at 25 mgs because she felt losartan would be too strong and side effects from that may hit me hard.
Per the doctor, ok to stop lisinopril cold and I am now on day 3 of hydrochlorothiazide with high BP (139/95) and rapid resting heart rate (105). Headaches, dizziness and feeling foggy. Would this just be temporary since coming off one and starting another? I want to give it a few more weeks but I to feel better again. I’m almost ready to just deal with the coughing and get back on lisinopril so that my BP is stable.
Any thoughts?
These medicines are usually taken in combination.
I don't like amlodipine either, but for some people apparently it works.
Atenolol is unlikely to do much for your BP by itself, but it's good in small doses in combination.
I take 25mg of HCTZ and it's great for me, but I need an ACE/ARB as well, in a small dose, to go with it. Maybe with the HCTZ you can take a smaller dose of Lisinopril and do OK.
If you're on HCTZ and get fast heart rate you may be low on electrolytes. Have some potato chips or a banana or something, might help. Otherwise if you have any atenolol around, that should lower the heart rate, it's really good at that - but don't use it to cover up electrolyte problems!
I have been down the same road as you I have just stopped taking Nevibolol which I thought was ok until yesterday when I realised the swelling in my feet had reached my knees and I couldn't get my shoes on. Also my weight had gone up. Last night was my first without this drug and I had to visit the lavatory 5 times. When I took linispril I got the cough almost immediately but carried on with it for a month but the cough never went away. It took another 2 months before I got rid of the cough. I will just have to put up with my BP jumping around but I am not taking anymore except Indapamide. Life is for living and quality in it comes first. Dangerous but so is crossing the road!!!
Hi,
I too suffered all the same side effects as you, and I decided I would take my chances without the meds and side effects that were more likely to kill me!!
However, I recently moved overseas and saw a local specialist who suggested I tried Carvedilol, which I did, and found there were no obvious side effects.
my original GP put me on hypertension drugs based upon my reading on my blood pressure machine, and also based upon the GP’s electronic machine. I have to say that here in the Philippines they all use the old type of manual blood pressure machines, and, on the 8 or 9 times I’ve been tested on three or four different manual machines, my blood pressure has been normal!!
maybe some people are ‘allergic’ to new tech.
My first thought was that it could have been me writing your post! I started off on Amlodipine - dreadful side effects, the worst it caused was a diagnosis of varicose eczema resulting from the ankle/lower leg swelling. Four years hence and 7 other pills later, I have been on Losartan Potassium for some 3 years with no descernible problem except for it not really bringing my BP under complete control. So I am faced with the prospect of another trial on another drug shortly, Heaven knows with what side effects. I am an extra challenge to those treating me because I have just a
sole kidney and Chronic Kidney Disease, and many of the drugs
pose a risk to my remaining
kidney function. I’m at a loss for why your Dr considers Losartan being “too strong” for you - my pharmacist has told me that it is the drug about which he hears
the least side effects from
patients. Admittedly, whilst I experience no side effects from a 50mg dose, any higher and I itch, particularly when adding another BO medication alongside! Lots of good luck wishes - I really do both empathise and sympathise.
Yes, the old traditional method of taking BP is the most reliable. I was told by one of the electronic machine manufacturers that if, for instance, someone had a bit of an irregular heart beat (the method by which the electronic machines work) the machine would not record accurate readings
Indapamide is among the many drugs I’ve tried - it reduced my sodium levels to such an extent that I could hardly put one foot in front of the other! So glad that it works for you.
Hi MrsO-UK Surrey...Idapamide is a different type of diuretic..actually it's better than HCTZ but is usually found contained in a bp medication. In any event...for teresa06 to say her Dr. believes the Losartan would be too strong for her...that boggles me. Taking HCTZ along with something else DOES help reduce bp readings. It doesn't have to be the highest dose...start out low, then work up if necessary. The pharmacist was quite correct in saying the Losartan has the lowest side effects, but so does Valsartan. Both are in the classes of ARB's. My own Dr. prescribes Valsartan. It isn't any wonder she had a cough while taking LIsinopril. It's in the class of ACE's..which are known to cause hacking, dry cough. 1 in 4 get the cough while on ACE's. Honestly, I think she'd have better luck with a low dose Losartan along with HCTZ.
I only wish the pharmaceuticals would come up with ONE bp pill..one that does the trick for everyone...very few side effects...very effective, etc...but that's dreaming isn't it. Sometimes the medications themselves make us sicker than the ailment.
“Sometimes the medications themselves make us sicker than the ailment.”
I so agree, Mike. Isn’t it amazing though how some people can take a whole stash of pills without any problem? Goes to prove how different we all are and let’s face it they only test these drugs on quite a small percentage of people when you consider how many of us are in this big wide world! Even a recent change of eye drops prescribed made me itch all over. I have decided that as I was ‘made’ on a Friday when “the children were coming out of school”, I was a rush job with everyone dashing off early for the weekend!
I've been taking the ARB Olmesartan (brand name Benicar) for several years with minimal side effects - although there is a lawsuit they settled, so YMMV.
Maybe it's more common in the US to go right to combinations, rather than just one drug, for BP.
But while you're worrying, take a look at the fact that HCTZ may cause blood sugar to rise, and beta blockers may cause insulin resistance, and separately or together they may cause - diabetes! So IF you find yourself on that combination, you might want to get a blood sugar monitor (available in any drug store, cheaper than a BP monitor but uses disposable strips that add up over time).
Thank you for all your kind words of experience. Since I’ve been off the lisinopril, I feel like I should have tapered off (against my doctors instructions who said ok cold turkey). My BP is high but I’m hoping it’s just a rebound effect and as soon as lisinopril is out of my system and the HTCZ kicks in, the high BP will go down.
I guess it’s all trial and error when finding the right meds.
Your doctor told you the truth when he/she said it was ok to stop Lisinopril cold turkey. If you were on Metropolol, Atenolol or any other beta blocker..then no way.
BP will rise as a rebound when one stops taking the meds. Monitor your readings. For some, just taking HTCZ isn't enough.
MrsO-UK Surrey....good laugh!!!!!!!! I was born on March 13...oh but it was early SATURDAY morning!
I do wonder at times why I have such rotten luck. I hate meds...& currently stopped taking the Tecta & other meds for the Gerd. The Gastroenterologist said it was ok to do this because they weren't helping anyway, but if I decide to start back..that was fine too. Or I could chew on Gaviscon. We're doing Gastroscopy May 17, so we'll see what's going on in the stomach.
Bazzank...you've tested just fine 8 or 9 times on 3 to 4 different manual machines. Perhaps when at the Dr., you are suffering from "White Coat Syndrome" which is VERY common. It's when one gets nervous in the Dr. office..& this causes bp to spike. Otherwise, the patient's bp would be normal. Did you know that bp can spike as many as 20pts in a Dr office??? It's true!.
Lots of good luck wishes for 17th May, Mike.
Good luck on 17th May, Mike.
MrsO-UKSurrey...thanks for the good wishes. I'm hoping the Dr. does find something. At least this way, we know what to do. If it's nerves (I do have a neurological problem) then that does present a problem for me because the nerves could do damage elsewhere as well. I must think positive though.
Again...thanks!
jx41870...The key wording here is "may". That doesn't mean it WILL. Actually, Dr's here in Canada most certainly have prescribed HCTZ on it's own. It's a good base to start with controlling bp rather than going full steam on a bp medication. Sometimes flushing out the excess water/salts from the body is enough to lower the bp. I think any Dr. worth his/her salt would be monitoring a person's blood...regular blood tests to be sure everything is on the straight/narrow.
Hello there. My mind is boggling over the fact that her Dr. stated that perhaps the Losartan would be too strong for her. Say, what!!??? Losartan is an ARB..not an ACE. ACE's are known to cause dry hacking cough, whereas the ARB's are not known for that. My GP usually prescribes Valsartan, which is also a member of the ARB family. If a higher dosage is first prescribed, then the patient is at risk for side effects. Start with a lower dose, see how it goes, & if it works...great. If it's not quite doing the job...increase the dosage a little. The Dr. never gave her a chance...that's how I see it. BP of 139/90 is not high..that could be monitored for a while without meds. It may be considered high-normal, but isn't anything to worry about.
A racing heart at 105 when resting certainly is cause for concern though. It isn't any wonder she's experiencing headaches, dizziness & a foggy feeling.
She made mention of perhaps going back on the Lisinopril, but what's the point? It interferes even with her job because of the cough., & the persistent cough certainly does put pressure on one's head. Think about it. This could be a cause of the headaches as well. I'd be very inclined to suggest to her that she get back to the Dr., & ask to try the Losartan...at a small dose..see how it goes.