Hypertension (high blood pressure) meds

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tomomatic
tomomatic Posts: 1,794 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I was on Lisonprel and it worked great... except there was a 1/1000 chance that I would develop a chronic cough. Which is exactly what happened. But when I was on it, it was great... except everybody kept thinking that I had a cold. I've had acid reflux issues in the past so I couldn't really conclude what was causing my cough.

So then my doctor changed me Amlodipine which seems to be working but not as well as Lisonprel. Also, it's making me lethargic and nauseous. Some users have experienced mild depression and weight gain, among a laundry list of other things.

If you've got blood pressure issues, what are you taking? What have you tried? What are some of the side effects that you've experienced? I want to go to my doctor armed with the right information.
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Replies

  • garlic7girl
    garlic7girl Posts: 2,236 Member
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    Okay, did he tell that the nausea is just in the beginning and usually go away? If not ask him. If it is a side effect that stays then get off it....who wants to be nauseaous all the time!?!?!

    Did he/she talk with you about cause of H-BP?
    Do you have other health issues besides the reflux? Is that under control? How does that compound your H-BP?
    Did he talk with you about the DASH diet?
    When is the last time he did a complete physical on you with liver test etc?

    Sometimes he has to find what works for you and it may take a couple tries but ask a lot of questions!
  • marz42
    marz42 Posts: 223 Member
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    I was on Lisonprel and it worked great... except there was a 1/1000 chance that I would develop a chronic cough. Which is exactly what happened. But when I was on it, it was great... except everybody kept thinking that I had a cold. I've had acid reflux issues in the past so I couldn't really conclude what was causing my cough.

    So then my doctor changed me Amlodipine which seems to be working but not as well as Lisonprel. Also, it's making me lethargic and nauseous. Some users have experienced mild depression and weight gain, among a laundry list of other things.

    If you've got blood pressure issues, what are you taking? What have you tried? What are some of the side effects that you've experienced? I want to go to my doctor armed with the right information.

    I think mine is bispoporal it's a beta blocker with a diuretic. I haven't had any problems with it.
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
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    Hubby takes Lisonprel and developed the cough. It didn't last too long, though.
  • SARgirl
    SARgirl Posts: 572 Member
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    I used to take Lisinopril as well and got a dry cough so I now take Avapro and it works well.
  • rachelerwin
    rachelerwin Posts: 140 Member
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    I am on carvedilol. It is a beta blocker. I have had no issues with it. As of my last doctor's appointment he cut my dose in half since I have lost 83 pounds so far. He says I will be off it completely in the next couple of months.
  • CannibalisticVegetarian
    CannibalisticVegetarian Posts: 1,255 Member
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    I was on carvidelol (beta blocker) and furosemide (diuretic), but the doctor took me off the carvidelol in early December of last year thanks to the weight loss. I am still taking the furosemide and a hoping that with more weight coming off, I'll eventually be able to get ALL bp meds... forever!
  • glonigan
    glonigan Posts: 82
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    Lisonpril here (20 mg). I have had no issues except when I mixed with certain allergy meds. I have had to get off basically all allergy meds as the combination of drugs had me struggling to keep a coherent conversation going . My doc had me switch to a nasal spray as needed and all is better now. If you are experiencing the bad side effects, you may talk to your doc about other meds you are on, if any. My uncle is a retired internal medicine doctor and he likes Lisonpril based on how it works with the kidneys and liver compared to the others. Best of luck to you.
  • LittleMissClaireBear
    LittleMissClaireBear Posts: 6
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    i was on ramipril ..... and all my hair fell out ..... steer clear of that ... i now take candesartan and ive had no problems atall :)
  • jenny95662
    jenny95662 Posts: 997 Member
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    i am on labetalol and have had no issues
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labetalol
  • kls13la
    kls13la Posts: 377 Member
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    I've been taking Lotensin (Benazepril) for years and have never had any side effects.
  • carolebville
    carolebville Posts: 140 Member
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    I used to be on Atenolol (can't remember the dose)...but over the years that became so ineffective. I am now on Avapro (300mgs) and still Atenolol (50mgs). I'm hoping with my next visit I can get off the cholesterol meds that she put me on 4 mos. ago. And try to go down on the high blood pressure meds....because I'll be down 25lbs by then. That's my goal at least.

    I absolutely love the Avapro, I used to feel like a slug all the time on atenolol. Now I'm more energetic.

    Wish you well!
  • keeks8281
    keeks8281 Posts: 53
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    I take Metoprolol and Amlodipine. They were a bit hard to get used to because they made me REALLY dizzy, disoriented, and lethargic. No strange weight gain though. I've been on them since April, and probably by early to mid May I felt back to normal. Also, my doc advised me to cut Metoprolol in half because of my low BP readings and because doing so would give me more energy.

    My high blood pressure wasn't due to diet or weight. It was because of a long history of being on birth control, and because of low potassium. (Somehow my body loses potassium even though I was eating a lot of it!) Because of this I was also put on Spironolactone. I've noticed no strange side effects from that.
  • MadtownMadisonian
    MadtownMadisonian Posts: 66 Member
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    I also coughed on lisinopril and was switched to Diovan which has no bad side-effects that I can discern.
  • endureandpersist
    endureandpersist Posts: 59 Member
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    I've pretty much taken them all and Lisinopril is the best. I do have a bit of a cough, but it's not that bad, compared to the other side effects I had from other drugs. I like to run/jog and amplodipine caused fluid building in my hands, legs and ankles. Plus, I got chest pains and shortness of breath when I ran. The other drugs couldn't keep my BP under control. Right now, it's on average around 125/75. Of course, I attribute a good portion of my "normal" blood pressure to losing 22 lbs!
  • Elf_Princess1210
    Elf_Princess1210 Posts: 895 Member
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    I don't use blood pressure meds, but as a nurse I have given almost every blood pressure pill currently on the market. Every blood pressure med has side effects and the best thing to do would be to research drugs. Do your research and keep an open mind, because the doctor will most likely take your whole medical history into consideration before prescribing something for you.
  • haydensmommy30
    haydensmommy30 Posts: 65
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    I was just recenlty diagnosed with hypertenion. I was put on lisinopril. After taking if for 2 weeks I devolped the cough as well, but just kept passing it over as a cold until I realized I had, had the cold for 2 weeks. Then I remembered my doctor telling me, that if i developed a cough to let her know. My next appt with her wasn't for another 3 weeks so I took myself off of it, because I couldn't stand the coughing anymore. I know that's not a good thing to do but I did it anyhow. It took me 2 weeks to get rid of the cough too. When I went in for my appt, I had been off of the lisinopril for 3 weeks and my bp was 114/68!! I just knew she would be taking me off of meds completely, but I was wrong. Now I'm on the lowest does of Micardis. A little over 2 weeks now and no problems other, than the darn little bubble pack they come in. Lol!!
  • TXtstorm
    TXtstorm Posts: 163 Member
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    Actually, I believe that the percentage of people that are susceptible to developing a persistent cough as a side effect of taking an ACE inhibitor class blood pressure medication is as high as 35%. Any of the blood pressure meds with generic names ending in "pril" are in this class. If one of them bothers you, it is likely that all of them would cause cough for you.

    If the ACE inhibitor you were taking was keeping your blood pressure in check, another class of drug that might work for you is an ARB (angiotensin II receptor blocker). The two classes of drugs have a different "mechanism of action" but both produce the same end result... relaxed blood vessels that are more open, hence lower blood pressure. Another poster mentioned taking Candesartan... that is an ARB. Other ARB class drugs include Benicar (olmesartan), Diovan (valsartan), Avapro (irbesartan), and Cozaar (losartan). Of the ARBs, irbesartan and losartan are currently available as generics. Valsartan goes generic 9/21 and I believe that Atacand (candesartan) goes generic in December or just after the first of the year.

    If you're not getting good control with the drug you're on, by all means, talk to your doctor... try calling ahead first to see if you can avoid an office visit to switch and then another office visit for the follow-on check up to be sure your results are good and side-effects low.

    I had the ACE cough too and switched to an ARB. The one I was on worked well, but it is brand only and my insurance made it so expensive I couldn't continue to do it. I switched to a generic ARB, and while it is not quite as evenly controlled as the brand name one, it is effective for me overall. The drug they switched you to is a calcium channel blocker class and works differently than both ACE inhibitors and ARBs. If it's not cutting it, there are other classes to try and many affordable options.

    Good luck!
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    I am taking linsinopril 10mg. I was on 20mg for like one day but it made my bp go too low and I was super dizzy and basically useless. I have a dry cough and I cannot get up in the morning unless I have some strong tea or coffee, and I didn't use to be one of those people that needed caffeine in the morning. But other than that I'm fine. No headaches, no nausea or anything. Also the risk of getting a cough is pretty common with this type of medicine.
  • Nettie96fb
    Nettie96fb Posts: 82
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    I'm on Micardis, absolutely no side effects at all...I wouldn't even know i'm taking it, and my blood pressure has been dangerously high on occasion.
  • cherylzcv8
    cherylzcv8 Posts: 26 Member
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    I was on Propranolol for a number of years which was ok but wasn't help the BP average 183/110, was still really high.Doc has changed me to new ones Twynsta containing Telmisartan and Amloipine, in a couple of weeks of taking them my BP has come down to Normal range, goodness know how long its been since i seen a normal reading!!! Side affect for me seem to be occasionally rapid heart rate and a little bit of anxiety. Certainly feeling a lot better,no more night headaches.

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