can't exercise blood pressure medication

redraidergirl2009
redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was put on high blood pressure medication for a month to see if it works and they've taken blood to try and find a cause of why it's so high (155/111) and I'm young and only about 10lbs overweight with a bmi of 26.3ish. I recently switched to a vegan diet for my own reasons, but before that I wasn't eating horrible. It's been up for about 3years though according to my doctors records. Yes I have tried the DASH diet and all sorts of remedies to lower it on my own but it appears none of those have worked which is why they are trying to see if something else is going on.

I took my medication for the first time yesterday morning and felt like crap. I had a horrible headache and when I stood up I would get lightheaded. The dosage if high, 20mg, so I thought maybe it was too high. I'm going to try to take it at night tonight instead and maybe I'll sleep through the worst of it, but if not I plan on calling my doctor about it because these side effects too extreme. I wouldn't feel comfortable driving like that and especially not working out and I have been regularly working out 4 days a week but if it's going to keep doing this I can't work out at all. Does anyone else have any experience with blood pressure medication? Do the side effects lessen in a few days?

Replies

  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
    If your doctor put you on a beta blocker (drug name usually ends in -"lol"), he needs to change it if you are planning on starting an exercise regimen. I can't help you other than that since you didn't name the med.

    Weight loss is going to be the biggest factor you can control for lowering blood pressure.
  • myjourney2
    myjourney2 Posts: 424 Member
    If it is making you feel that bad go back to your dr. Maybe it is the wrong dosage. I am on blood pressure pills and have never had any kind of side effects from them. I exercise 5 times per week.
  • flowersgalore76
    flowersgalore76 Posts: 12
    Hi, I was on blood pressure med's and it was .05 mg I was taking which is a low dose. I had no ill effects from them.
    I started doing water aerobics and weights (kettle bell) and walking after dinner. You know it was a shock to me but with the exercising my blood pressure came down and I weaned myself off the blood pressure meds. Hope this was helpful for you.
    flowersgalore
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    I'm on Atenolol for my high blood pressure. Like you, there's not reason for it, but the meds make it so much better. It's when I go off the meds that my head is screaming in pain due to the pressure.

    I also have no issues working out, and I do so, fairly intensely, daily :)

    I'd go ask your Dr. for a med change
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    for reference they put me on lisinopril 20mg once a day
  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
    Beta blockers take some time to adjust when starting, it is highly recommended to stay on them once started...fainting is very common in people who decide to discontinue them without advising his/her doctor first
  • stephmo86
    stephmo86 Posts: 45
    I'm a big fan of calling the doctor. If it's serious, they'll ask you in for an appointment. If it's something simple, they can probably save you time and money and just answer it over the phone. I had a similar reaction when I started taking my bp medicine, and my doc suggested to take it at night rather than in the morning. The side effects passed too and my body got used to it. Now only if I could lose the weight...
  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
    for reference they put me on lisinopril 20mg once a day
    Yeah, my roommate was started on the same med, also he couldn't handle the nausea. Coughing is common too
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I took one rx for blood pressure that gave me horrible migraines. If the side effects are too severe go back to your Dr
  • neesie0358
    neesie0358 Posts: 29 Member
    Before i started working out and eating right, I was on lisinipril and felodipine for high blood pressure. I started working out on March 13th, 2012 and since then I've lost 24 lbs and no longer have to take either medication. My blood pressure is normal now but I also make sure I keep my sodium intake very low, below 1500 mg daily.
  • rigdonia
    rigdonia Posts: 6 Member
    I was fine on lisinopril at a low dose 10 mg but when doc increased dose to 20 I felt awful, lightheaded, palpiatations etc. I still never did get him to admit it was the meds - but I know as soon as I quit taking it, I felt better. Some people just don't tolerate some meds, but docs don't like to hear it sometimes. I wouldn't wait - I would call and tell them you are not tolerating it well and describe your symptoms and ask if you can take something else. My doc then put me on metaprolol and I didn't tolerate it well, either - I ended up severely depressed, which is a common side effect my doc didn't mention. (I have a new doctor now.) Finally over a year later, I am taking Losartan and tolerating it very well.
  • wotan
    wotan Posts: 9
    I have been on a variety of BP meds for the last several years. They didn't seem to really do the trick (though not sure what it would be like w/o them). The meds I have been taking take 14 - 20 days to become "effective" as they tend to build up in your system. The biggest change I have seen in my BP has been in the last 6+ weeks as I have been watching my sodium intake along with dropping some of the excess lbs that I have accumulated. I also take 2 TBL of natural ACV with 8 - 10 oz of water every day.

    I hope to be able to reduce/eliminate the BP meds once I have lost a few more lbs.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member


    . Does anyone else have any experience with blood pressure medication? Do the side effects lessen in a few days?

    The only experienced person you need to be holding this discussion with is the same provider who prescribed the BP-med. This website is not designed for medical questions like this.

    Drugs react differently with everyone
  • mikey1976
    mikey1976 Posts: 1,005 Member
    sorry i think you need to go back to the docs. i didn't have any problems but it was a lower dosage and i think it was a different med to. just to be safe go and see him. i was able to get off mine with weight loss and proper eating habits. but your sound like something different
  • BigDaddyBRC
    BigDaddyBRC Posts: 2,395 Member
    Ive lost almost 50 pounds by changing my diet. try that first.
  • DallasLeann
    DallasLeann Posts: 44
    I had side effects from that medication and other blood pressure medications. The side effects do seem to get better after a few days, but if they don't call your doctor to change. After trying a few different ones, I chose to take Micardis. It's more expensive, and it still causes weakness in my arms. It's the lesser of multiple evils. Taking it at night also helps.
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    Lisinopril didn't work for me. It was so long ago that I don't remember the side affects I was having but I was only on it for about 2 weeks.

    Have you bought a blood pressure cuff for home? You should and take it when you feel light headed to see what the numbers are. I was having dizzy lightheaded moments and found out that my pressure was going down to 102/62 so needless to say the meds got reduced a lot so that didn't happen. I still do get it sometimes even though my pressure is within a normal range. I just don't stand up too fast and steady myself before going on.

    It hasn't hindered my exercising most days as I stay upright when I exercise. Try the treadmill or elliptical and see how that goes for you. I don't do anything that would move my head too fast like lunges, burpees or even situps as that is when I do get dizzy.

    I do recommend a cuff because as you lose weight or cut sodium from your diet your pressure could go down considerably. Mine was stable for years on the meds until I lost weight and now I deal with the dizzy again as can't seem to get the dosage just right yet. You can also talk to your Dr as mine lets me adjust mine as needed. So if I get up and mine is really low I can take half a dose instead of the full dose. But he makes me check it twice a day to make sure that it stays in the normal range.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
    Ive lost almost 50 pounds by changing my diet. try that first.

    I did change my diet, I used to eat out a lot and alot of prepacked processed foods. Cutting those out did diddly squat, as did losing 15lbs.

    Thank you everyone. I just called my doctor and am waiting for a call back.
  • gradgal01
    gradgal01 Posts: 46 Member
    there are a bunch of BP meds that make your BP drop a lot when you stand up, or even make you feel like you're going to faint the first few times you take it. it might be a good idea to take it before you go to bed instead of when you wake up in the morning. talking to your doc is a good idea -- tell him/her that you're trying to do some exercise, and ask what he'd recommend to do re: exercise or the medication. good luck!
  • HealthyLivingKathy
    HealthyLivingKathy Posts: 190 Member
    Glad you called the doctor. There are so many options for HBP meds, hopefully the doctor will be able to find the right one for you.
  • carisadepew
    carisadepew Posts: 17 Member
    I'm on Propranolol (high blood pressure) and work out 7 days a week. I take 40 mg 2xday. If your feeling light headed, nausea, etc you need to see your doctor. The dosage may need to reduced or increased. I work out and have no problems with my meds. Meds are to assist until not needed any further.

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