I have an appt with my Doc to get meds for High blood pressure tomorrow...any thoughts of what to ask or any other advice from medicines you have tried? My average BP is prolly around 140 over 95 or so? Any input would be appreciated. Also, any side effects that you have experienced?

I am on Lisinopril and HCTZ, peepee doesn't stay up anywhere near as long as it should! Fuggin blood pressure! I know if I don't take it for a few weeks, I am a champ in the sack, things stay up, but when I take it like I should, Bang, I'm done. Remember, if Momma ain't happy, ain't no one happy. It's true!

Benicar HCT eliminated all of the side effects from my previous medicine. I used to be tired and have an irritating cough that were side effects before I switched over from Lisinopril.

It does cost more as there is no generic, but mama stays happy.

I also take Lisinopril, but with no such side effect. The last six times I've been checked (I give blood every two months) I was at 110/78.

No cough, and not tired, just the er, uh, manly problems. I will have to check with the VA doc on the Benicar HCT, silly question, does it mess with your durability? 150/86 off the BP meds, 127/80 on the bp meds, and yes, you azzhats that say it is diet, I have tried that, going so far as eating like a fuggin rabbit for a year, guess what, no change!

I take HCTZ like Les, and Vasotec, they work very well. Was told they might make me drowsy or impede my libido. They lie, it doesn't make me sleepy, and it increased my libido, go figure, they do not always know what they are talking about. But the two medicines combined certainly have helped my blood pressure problem immensely.

Lynn

Was it the vasotec Lynn.

My blood pressure was borderline and they put me on lisnopril.....it worked, buy about 20-30% can develop a cough as a side effect...which I did.I switched to benicar...no cough,,,but pretty expensive,,,,,,,it is supposedly a better med. Good luck....Goodshot

Try hyzarr for your BP, or viagra for your PP.

I ain't old enough fer Viagra, hell, I'll ONLY be 41 on the 16th of March. And gots a good cholesterol count. Irritating as hell

problem is every ones body chemistry is a lil different than the next guy......whats true for most can be the opposite for any individual.....after 6 months of trying my doc decided i wasnt wired right for sleeping pills, im better off not taking anything and dealing with the side effects not sleeping sometimes than dealing with the side effects from the pills.....

Tis what good Scotch is for.

I take lisinopril. It works well on the BP with no other side effects.

Yer a buncha lucky buggers.

Same, same.

Sorry Les..............

I am on the Hyzaar (hydrochlorothiazide and losartan) and no problems at all plus the BP stays in the low one teens over the 60's.

How about amlopine? I diddn't mean to type hyzarr. Doh

I have tested BP for over 40 years... First thing I tell folks who encounter borderline hypertension for the first time is: Lose 10 lbs, and then lets see what it is. Taking a small amt. of Lisinopril / Zestril, is basically akin to losing a few lbs!
Every male I test over 50 who is at least 20 lbs over weight, has high blood pressure, or is on meds to control HBP!

Norvasc 5 mg and a regular exercise program

unfortunately my liver dont agree, its on a downward slide now.....drives one of my good buddys nuts cause i used to drink alot with him and anymore if i have a 6 pack a month ive been drinking alot.....ive got no problem drinking something else while he drinks beer but he thinks its just wrong....

in one of my cycles now where im not sleeping.......last 7 nights i think ive slept 18 or so hours combined.....

One thing you don't say, is "Honey, are you sure it's not you."

I was on Lisinopril. Managed to lose some weight and get in shape and no longer require the meds. I was on the min prescription and can't say I had any side effects though.

My father is on Norvasc and has had good success with it.

Studies have shown that instead of starting people out on high priced BP medications, they should be placed on a diuretic, like HCTZ (barring any contraindications), and then add another medication, like an ACE inhibitor, if needed. Controlling high BP with medications is a trial and error thing...keep at it until you find what gives you the desired results. Sometimes those higher priced meds. are required, and sometimes people need beta-blockers to control their BP. One poster mentioned that she takes HCTZ and Vasotec...that is the combination that I take also. I started out with the HCTZ, and then added enalapril (Vasotec). That combination works very well for me, and it has no side effects for me at all. The enalapril also increases blood flow to the renal arteries, and that's a bonus.
Whatever you and your Doc decide on, I hope it works well for ya'.

Beta blockers in general make men have "issues." There are usually other medications that will work without that side effect.....IF (a big if) you only need it for BP control, not other cardiac issues.

I have taken lisinopril and developed the cough. Also tried a couple of others with poor results. Now have been taking Exforge. It seems to control pressure pretty good and havent noticed any side effects. You can also get exforge with HCT.

Lisinopril and HCTZ here with no problems. Gotta take a leak pretty regular all morning (and cold weather makes it worse) but seems to work fine for me.

Had 3 cups of coffee and 2 big glasses of water with breakfast just before leaving on a trip. My back teeth thought they were gonna drown that morning!

Dale

50 years old been on Micardis for 5 months absolutely no side effects, blood pressure is where it should be.

The libido thingy has me a little concerned

I've been taking lisinopril for a few years with no issues.

Adhesive tape and a popcycle stick are a lot cheaper.

10 mg. Norvasc (amlodopine)
Small water pill (furosemide)- Don't remember the non-generic name for this.
Potassium Chloride tablet - supposed to prevent liver damage from the other two.
Don't get too far from a restroom for the next few hours after taking meds. About 2 hours after taking, seems I'm in the restroom every 15 - 20 minutes. Maybe my urgency to pee is partly due to age? I have talked to others much younger that had the same pee urgency, though.

Myron

I have been on generic Norvasc for about 5years.Seems to work I am usually 120/75 now was up to 140/90

Remember when you get to the point, where you can't cut the musturd, make sure that you lick the jar.

Benezeporil BP good winky works fine!

It's a diuretic and ACE inhibitor.

Only problem is I've occasionally had gout flare ups if I get out doing too much and get a little dehydrated.

Mike

I had high BP until I cut out the smokes and large quantities of beer.

Norvasc has been very effective for me. I was on a beta blocker, little waater pill and altace and a specialist wrote my and suggested the novasc instead of the beta blocker.

Exercise is just as important as the drugs.

Lisinopril with no side effects.

I just wish the statins had no side effects.

I got a new doc this year, internal medicine guy. After seven visits with normal BP I had one high reading 130 over 82. The only reason he got that high reading was because I was ready to bust him upside the head, because he will not listen. That bastid wrote me a script for lisinopril with one high reading. After 4 more visits with normal BP he kept telling me how well the meds were working. I told him that they must be miracle pills cause I had not taken but three pills the first three days after he wrote the script. I think I should have checked his BP at that moment.

furosemide=Lasix

Lisinopril for several months now, no side affects to speak of.

Maybe if ya didn't refer to it as "peepee" it would cooperate more.

Blood pressure creeping up and resting heart rate was through the roof.
Stress...

Started peddling a bike around the block, than miles and now hills and more miles. BP is in teens, resting heart rate is good and I am in better cardio shape.

Only side effect is spandex but that is only temporary

If your peepee
Is getting sleepy,
And things flow downhill like Niagra,
You sure as hell ain't too old for Viagra.

Think about that, Men...
Before it takes on a permanent bend.

Think about it long and hard.

Pics or it didn't happen. :>)

That's the US name for Vasotec, and it works wonders for me, with no bad side effects.

Lynn

I'm a pharmacist and I absolutely hate taking medicine. It's been many years since I've even taken a tylenol.

Bad thing is I have kidney disease (and only one kidney) that really effects my BP. Even on meds it has been as high as 225/150.

I take high doses of losartan, metoprolol, and eplerenone with very minimal side effects. So far the PP is OK. I have to work out a lot to keep in shape as they will really decrease your exercise tolerance if you let them.

I have taken HCTZ which worked well but lowered my potassium too much. I also took spironolactone which worked well but started to give me man boobs. If I was single, man boobs might be OK, but I'm married and don't need another set to play with.

Kodiakisland,

I take Metoprolol along with Vasotec and Hydrochlorothiazide, the Metoprolol (Angina, the stress related kind) seems to make me slightly sleepy for a bit after I take it, is it normal, even after taking it for 4 years ?

Lynn

Yes it can be. Do you take the tartrate or succinate version? The succinate is a longer acting formulation that tends to have less of the immediate effects like being sleepy or tired.

I take the tartrate, 50mg twice a day. First time I took them I took 100mg, slept for 17 hours. Scared me big time

Next time you see your doctor, ask about switching to the succinate. Most people can take it once a day as opposed to the twice a day dosing of the tartrate. The succinate went generic about a year ago but still costs a little more than the tartrate. When the succinate was brand name only (Toprol XL), doctors used the tartrate because it was considerably less expensive. Now the cost difference is less and more people are switching to the succinate form.

I take the succinate twice a day though because it only controls my BP for 18-20 hours when I take it once a day. Most people get a full 24 hour effect from one dose. You could probably go to 100mg once a day or 50mg twice a day of the succinate and have noticeably less side effects.

Concerning Viagra...

I started taking taking 10mg Enalapril Maleate (Vasotec) about 5 months ago and have had positive results and no side effects.

After two years the lisinopril started causing a cough. Switched off and the cough disappeared.

I've been taking a beta blocker (atenolol) for a few years. AS far as issues, what issues. You think I have "issues"? I'll show you "issues".



'Bout the only side effect I've had is the inability to get my heart rate up to the target zone when doing a cardio workout. On the positive side I don't get nervous or the jitters at the start of a rifle match like I used to (little preformance anxiety...)

My pee-pee works just fine without any chemical enhancement.

I've been taking Amlodipine Besylate 5mg (Norvasc sub)for a few years. It works well for me with no noticeable side effects.

Get on Google and search For "What are the side effects of blood pressure medicines " or "Can Noravsc make me irritable"

Depression, confusion, irritable, hard time thinking, memory loss, rash, swollen ankles.

Diuetics seem the less trouble some, but then you have problems there also

Saw my Doc this morning, he prescribed the following:

Clonidine HCL 0.2 MG Twice a day.

Benazepril HCL 10MG Once a day.

I guess the stuff takes effect in hours? Hoping for the best.

Some such meds can become toxic when combined with grapefruit, so make sure to check into this if that's something you ever eat.

i take atenonel and lisinopril

It will start to work immediately, however it will take 2 or 3 weeks before you actually get the full benefit of the meds, or at least that is what my Cardiologist told me.

Good luck and good health.

Lynn

I've had to take clonidine before when my BP was really high. In short, that stuff sucks. It works great on the BP, but I always felt drugged when taking it. When you try to get off of it your BP will spike higher than it was before so you have to slowly taper off.

I've taken at least 8 or 9 BP meds and clonidine has been the worst for me by far.

I was on Tenormin (Atenolol) for just under three years until diet and excercise got my BP down to normal. I've been off the meds for eight years.

My side effects were headaches and decreased libido. The wife hated it....but liked me alive and put up with it. It wasn't all that bad...just had to work a bit harder (pun intended!).

Kodiakisland,

Thank you ever so much for the help and advice about my medications, I plan to speak to my Doctor about switching to the Metoprolol succinate as opposed to the tartrate I am on now. I sure could do with losing the "tired" feeling I get after taking them, night time I don't mind, but that first time part in morning, I could do without.

Besides, the Metformin and the Methotrexate, kick my butt hard enough

Lynn

I don't get it. Do these BP meds all kick a man down, and boost a woman up, in the libido area ?

Strange

Lynn

Are you hearing this from patients too?

Lisinopril-HCTZ
BP-123/68

50 years old
6'
250 lbs
I need to exercise!!!!

Probably the hydrochlorthiazide (diuretic) causing the ED malfunction and I agree that clonidine is terrible about causing sedation and a bllod pressure rebound if not taken regularly

There is no pharmacological intervention for BP as important as regular exercise, and losing weight! I am stunned by the number of people who do not know what drug (poison) they are taking, and what dosage... The one I love... "yeah, I got high BP, but I haven't been taking my medication"! Unchecked HBP, is the 1 cause all research points to for shortened life. There is a ton of different meds to fix this, with NO side effects... Drs. are schooled in finding the right one individually!!! As mentioned here, heavy drinking is a major cause of HBP also!

Yes. Not all but many. Clonidine is usually not used unless your pressure is really high and needs to come down quickly or you have failed on other drugs.

You may do fine with it as everyone is different. If you do feel bad on it though, discuss it with your doctor and find one that you feel good on. Many people stop taking their BP meds because of side effects and suffer the consequences later.

Many people just need to lose weight and get in shape and they wouldn't need meds at all or could use much smaller doses.

I'm one of those who has always had high BP, even in high school, and have never weighed over 165lbs. Go figure.

I'm not over weight,part of my problem is not being able to exercise vigorously due to a bad back and chronic pain.

I really appreciate all the info shared here!

Tried lisinopril but developed a cough. Swiched to Avalide with good results.

Bad back?

Try a recumbant bicycle. I have met quite a few folks that have regained their physical health riding those recliners.