I'm 44 and very athletic, work out 6 days a week and follow the Body for life diet and can not lose my weight (6'2"/217). I'm on 360MG of diltiazem and HCTz and bp around 140/80 on average. I want to change to either diovan or avapro to get the bp lower and still be able to run and work out (and hopefully lose 15 lbs). I read that avapro is more effective than diovan but I heard alot of good talk about diovan. Has anyone taken avapro that has any recommendations? And any help with the weight-diltiazem really put it on.

Hi- Sorry you haven't had any responses yet. I'm a huge Diovan fan. I take straight Diovan, not the combo with diuretic. No side effects at all. And it controls my BP beautifully. I tried ACE inhibitors, diuretics and beta blockers which all made me feel lousy.

You say you've heard Avapro is "more effective".... Haven't heard that. But maybe you'll hear from some Avapro users shortly, who can give you a comparison with Diovan.

Good luck,

zuzu xxx

I got HBP when I turned 49. Prior to this, my BP was normal. I started gaining weight around 44 years old and put on pounds from then to now; despite, me being a person that has never stopped working out since highschool PE classes. I too eat very little yet, I can't lose weight despite my diet and working out. Again, I didn't start working out as a fade, I'm very atheletic: volleyball, jogging, martial arts instructor, basketball, swim, light weights; now, i do light weights and walk and swim. Sunday, I walked 4 miles.

My point is, this disease as with others is 99.5 percent genetics: the weight thing and the hypertension.

We I first was treated, the doctor tried to give me diretics and everything else. I took diretics for about 2/3 days and noticed immediatedly that i couldn't get an erection. I went back to this "knowing all" doctor, and told him I wasn't taking it. He said fine, find a new doctor. After one more similar doctor, I finally found a gem of a doctor who recommended me Diovan. I've taken it for two years now without duretics. Erections are find. I also take Norvasac 5 milligrams with it and started the latter only recently.

My friends, there is no cure for this Hypertension. My chief diet is raw nuts, fruit and vegetables; occasionally, I'll have a pizza once every 6 months, or, salmon but i stick to this-still havent loss much weight.

Without the medicine we would surely be dead or disabled. We have to take it but like me please do all the research you can do and depend on you not the doctors. You ultimately are responsible for your health not these guys and gals..They get hypertension and other disease just like us too. Okay.

So, try Diovan. Most doctors like compliant, "sheep" like patients who don't speak up or take charge of their own health and what they will or want take. If you have a physician like that, find another one.

And oh, like most middle age men, my weight is in my abdomen.

Thanks Truthfinder you are right and quite frankly I'm tired of this doctor, waiting 3-4 days for an appointment, 15 min appointments with 3 other patients simultaneously. I've been on HCTZ for three years and yes I too sure miss my erections. But the Doc won't listen- he thinks I’m crazy. He's been stringing me along on Diltiazem for a year now which by the way was prescribed by a cardiologist I went to see in frustration. Get this one, 4 doctors, with only x-rays told me I had left ventricle hypertrophy, the cardiologist and an echogram proved I didn't. I’m shopping for a new one soon.

Remember, once you start something your body adapts to the function of the pill. When the pill is stopped, it may cause consequences. You have to therefore be weaned off of some medications. Duretics are very powerful and dangerous. There are many alternatives and some herbal diretics you can buy in health stores. Often, doctors prescribe a diretic at the onset of hypertension even though the patient has no sign of edema in the lower extemities or cariomegaly.

I'm afraid of this medicine because it is not a cure. It only lowers the pressure for 6 months to a year, then it loses its effect, and then the doctor has to try a new combination of drugs. Eventually, the disease wins over.

Good luck.