Elias Fernandez
06-19-2003, 06:14 PM
I read that you should not take an iron supplement within two hours of taking a high BP pill. I just started taking a Multivitamin and I tak it with meals which are at least 2 hours from taking my high BP med.
I am taking 25 mg of captopril (ACE) could doing this RAISE my BP??? I know sounds strang but just noticed a small jump when I started the Multivitamin. I guess I could stop the thing and see if I notice a change but I can't figure out why it would do this. In fact I was hoping it would go down due to the Magnesium.
Thanks for any thoughts on this matter.
Elias
I am taking 25 mg of captopril (ACE) could doing this RAISE my BP??? I know sounds strang but just noticed a small jump when I started the Multivitamin. I guess I could stop the thing and see if I notice a change but I can't figure out why it would do this. In fact I was hoping it would go down due to the Magnesium.
Thanks for any thoughts on this matter.
Elias
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zuzu8
06-20-2003, 11:29 PM
Hi Elias- If you are concerned that the iron in your multi-vitamin may be an issue in causing the slight BP elevation, you could also experiment with a multi that does not contain iron at all.
How big a leap does your BP make when on the vitamin?
[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 06-21-2003).]
How big a leap does your BP make when on the vitamin?
[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 06-21-2003).]
Elias Fernandez
06-23-2003, 02:39 PM
well that is the problem. I do not have enough data to show one way or the other. I was on 12.5 mg of Captopril and getting an average reading of 149/98 but then when I steped up to 25 mg of captopril I thought I would see a bigger drop than I did (avg. reading now is 147/96) I have only been on the 25 mg dose for 3 weeks but most people seem to think that is long enough to judge. Oh I was avg about 162/103 without medication. I added the mutlivitiman when I went from 12.5 to 25 mg. Is it not odd that my BP would drop as much as it did from no meds but NOT as much from 12.5 to 25 mg???
Any thoughts would be welcome from ANYBODY on this issue :)
Thank You
Any thoughts would be welcome from ANYBODY on this issue :)
Thank You
zuzu8
06-23-2003, 11:47 PM
Elias- It's not odd really, that the increased dosage didn't make that much of a difference in your BP. It indicates more, that even on the increased dosage,Captopril just simply might not be the drug for you to give you good BP control. 147/96 is still way too high.....When you first started, it made a significant "dent" but not enough.
If I remember rightly, you've tried Toprol XL which made you feel lousy and also hydochlorothiazide which trashed your electolytes.
Is there any reason you have not tried the ARBs? (angiotensin2 receptor blockers)?
I went through the regular ACE inhibitors, diuretics, and beta blockers which all just about did me in with side effects until I found Diovan.
No side effects. Gorgeous BP control.
I know you'll be hearing from Sunbird Owner any minute about Benicar (also an ARB) who I think is a secret agent for the pharmaceutical company ...He loves the ARBS so much, I think he'd sell his beloved boat before he gave up his Benicar!!!
zuzu xxx
If I remember rightly, you've tried Toprol XL which made you feel lousy and also hydochlorothiazide which trashed your electolytes.
Is there any reason you have not tried the ARBs? (angiotensin2 receptor blockers)?
I went through the regular ACE inhibitors, diuretics, and beta blockers which all just about did me in with side effects until I found Diovan.
No side effects. Gorgeous BP control.
I know you'll be hearing from Sunbird Owner any minute about Benicar (also an ARB) who I think is a secret agent for the pharmaceutical company ...He loves the ARBS so much, I think he'd sell his beloved boat before he gave up his Benicar!!!
zuzu xxx
Elias Fernandez
06-24-2003, 12:43 PM
I was also on lisonopril and that also messede me up very bad (hospitalized with BP of 178/113) are the two you mentioned very close to that drug? I thought lisporpil was a ARB but might be wrong and even then maybe the two you mentioned are diffrent enough I should try.
Elias Fernandez
06-24-2003, 01:10 PM
besides spelling the drug name wrong I also got the type wron as it is also a ACE. BUT I briefly took Irbesartan (Avapro) and that was also very bad news. Is Valsartan (Diovan) chemically diffrent than Avapro?
Also this is similar to a question posted but I thought diffrent enought to post. I was at home yesterday and I did not feel to good so I took my BP and it was 180/108 so I laid down and it went down to 142/88 then I immediatly sat up (no rush just sat up and took again) and it read 165/103. I laid back down and took BP yet again and it read 136/78!!!
How could your BP change so much just from siting up and taking your BP!?!
Hey Zuzu8 I am 31 and before I was told I had High BP I was living a normal life (I remember a BP of 145/95 in that past life but I was "normal" this was at 29.) then after a day of not eating and then going out a night to drink and dancing I wok up feeling bad (24 hours withouot food and then went to Mickey D's for the usual double quarter pounder meal deal super sized (don't do this no more :)
I started to black out and went to the hospital. They told me my BP was 178/102 but that should not cause me to feel like blacking out. I was given a two week suplu of captopril and after taking for two weeks I was "normal" again. Being VERY stupid I did this six months later and then again and on the third round of medication I did no go back to normal.
My BP has always gone thru the roof when I did not eat within 4 hours and it went hand in hand with my blood sugar going down.
My doctor NEVER looked at secondary hypertension even though I showed him a report showing trace amounts of protiem in my urine which the guy said I should have my kidneys checked out. From what I read this is a possible secondary effect?
I have had a general blood work done and my BUN looked good so do you think that is why he did not look secondary causes or should I ask him more in your face questions on why he did not even try to other tests that people on this board have gotten.
Any help would be welcome because I just am not sure if the reason I am having so many problems with the diffrent meds means that something else is wrong...
Elias
Also this is similar to a question posted but I thought diffrent enought to post. I was at home yesterday and I did not feel to good so I took my BP and it was 180/108 so I laid down and it went down to 142/88 then I immediatly sat up (no rush just sat up and took again) and it read 165/103. I laid back down and took BP yet again and it read 136/78!!!
How could your BP change so much just from siting up and taking your BP!?!
Hey Zuzu8 I am 31 and before I was told I had High BP I was living a normal life (I remember a BP of 145/95 in that past life but I was "normal" this was at 29.) then after a day of not eating and then going out a night to drink and dancing I wok up feeling bad (24 hours withouot food and then went to Mickey D's for the usual double quarter pounder meal deal super sized (don't do this no more :)
I started to black out and went to the hospital. They told me my BP was 178/102 but that should not cause me to feel like blacking out. I was given a two week suplu of captopril and after taking for two weeks I was "normal" again. Being VERY stupid I did this six months later and then again and on the third round of medication I did no go back to normal.
My BP has always gone thru the roof when I did not eat within 4 hours and it went hand in hand with my blood sugar going down.
My doctor NEVER looked at secondary hypertension even though I showed him a report showing trace amounts of protiem in my urine which the guy said I should have my kidneys checked out. From what I read this is a possible secondary effect?
I have had a general blood work done and my BUN looked good so do you think that is why he did not look secondary causes or should I ask him more in your face questions on why he did not even try to other tests that people on this board have gotten.
Any help would be welcome because I just am not sure if the reason I am having so many problems with the diffrent meds means that something else is wrong...
Elias
zuzu8
06-24-2003, 01:17 PM
No, lisinopril (Zestril) is another ACE inhibitor, same as captopril. It's a different class of drug than the ARBs (Diovan and Benicar plus others). More and more people are finding that these drugs are fantastic at controlling BP without the side effects you get from the ACEs.
Definitely talk to your doctor about the possibility of switching.
zuzu xxx
[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 06-24-2003).]
Definitely talk to your doctor about the possibility of switching.
zuzu xxx
[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 06-24-2003).]
Tamsin
06-24-2003, 01:38 PM
Hi Elias,
Are you diabetic?
I'm having a (3 hour--yikes) glucose tolerance test tomorrow. I'm tired of being tired and need to rule this out.
My magnesium intake has really helped my BP, BTW.
Are you diabetic?
I'm having a (3 hour--yikes) glucose tolerance test tomorrow. I'm tired of being tired and need to rule this out.
My magnesium intake has really helped my BP, BTW.
Elias Fernandez
06-24-2003, 07:58 PM
I think I am pre-diabetic as when I eat my sugar spikes over 140 and then can either drop like a rock OR stay high for many hours (over 120 after three hours after a meal)
in fact they found traces of protein in my urine so I think there may be a case for secondary hypertension and I am going to see the doctor again (urgent visit) about seeing a specialist. He will probably say no but I am going to state it in writing so later on I can sue if it is sceondary issues (kidney/heart)
I also think I found out my heartbeat issue as this is called tachycardia and is found in people who take ACE's who are volume depleted...I am not sure what this means but I have read enough on the web to guess this means salt depleated.
I have the blood work he just did and lo and behold my salt in my body is BELOW the normal range (remember he also had me on HCTZ dieuretic)
so like all doctors they do the wrong thing which they are warned not to do and that is give an ACE to a guy who has low salt from prievious medication and then wonder why I have a high heart rate when the drug maker TELLS you this would happen.
They are all morons IMHO.
Elias
on a happier note good luck on your test tommorow as I hope it shows on way or the other what is going on with you.
in fact they found traces of protein in my urine so I think there may be a case for secondary hypertension and I am going to see the doctor again (urgent visit) about seeing a specialist. He will probably say no but I am going to state it in writing so later on I can sue if it is sceondary issues (kidney/heart)
I also think I found out my heartbeat issue as this is called tachycardia and is found in people who take ACE's who are volume depleted...I am not sure what this means but I have read enough on the web to guess this means salt depleated.
I have the blood work he just did and lo and behold my salt in my body is BELOW the normal range (remember he also had me on HCTZ dieuretic)
so like all doctors they do the wrong thing which they are warned not to do and that is give an ACE to a guy who has low salt from prievious medication and then wonder why I have a high heart rate when the drug maker TELLS you this would happen.
They are all morons IMHO.
Elias
on a happier note good luck on your test tommorow as I hope it shows on way or the other what is going on with you.
zuzu8
06-25-2003, 08:12 PM
Hi Elias- I think our earlier posts 'crossed"......and I was just responding to your question about Captopril...
I think it's wise of you to talk again with your doctor about your concerns... Ask about the possibility of secondary hypertension...Write all your questions down, so you don't leave anything out. And take your time writing down his ANSWERS even if you sense impatience. (I keep promising myself that one day I'm buying a little tape recorder to take to the doctor's office!)
The protein in your urine could be a fluke (it DOES happen) but it would be good to have it re-checked.
If your blood sugar is all over the place, ask about a glucose tolerance test, like the previous poster mentioned.
By the way, when I was once on a diuretic and my electrolytes and especially potassium levels and creatinine got screwed, my doctor made a leap in the OPPOSITE direction, and said "maybe you have an adrenal problem that we should investigate".... (i.e. secondary hypertension). I then pointed out that my bloods were all normal until I went on the drug, so it was more likely to be the drug, no? He continued insisting that I go for kidney scans and all kinds of expensive tests and I insisted that before we went that far, wouldn't it be easier to go off the drug first to see if my bloods returned to normal? He relented....and sure enough, it was the drug, and not my kidneys or adrenals.
You can't win. Some docs are too "invasive"...some don't investigate enough.
Let us know what happens next and what your doc explains to you.
zuzu xxx
I think it's wise of you to talk again with your doctor about your concerns... Ask about the possibility of secondary hypertension...Write all your questions down, so you don't leave anything out. And take your time writing down his ANSWERS even if you sense impatience. (I keep promising myself that one day I'm buying a little tape recorder to take to the doctor's office!)
The protein in your urine could be a fluke (it DOES happen) but it would be good to have it re-checked.
If your blood sugar is all over the place, ask about a glucose tolerance test, like the previous poster mentioned.
By the way, when I was once on a diuretic and my electrolytes and especially potassium levels and creatinine got screwed, my doctor made a leap in the OPPOSITE direction, and said "maybe you have an adrenal problem that we should investigate".... (i.e. secondary hypertension). I then pointed out that my bloods were all normal until I went on the drug, so it was more likely to be the drug, no? He continued insisting that I go for kidney scans and all kinds of expensive tests and I insisted that before we went that far, wouldn't it be easier to go off the drug first to see if my bloods returned to normal? He relented....and sure enough, it was the drug, and not my kidneys or adrenals.
You can't win. Some docs are too "invasive"...some don't investigate enough.
Let us know what happens next and what your doc explains to you.
zuzu xxx
zuzu8
06-25-2003, 08:17 PM
PS I can't remember you mentioning your tachycardia in earlier posts. How does it manifest itself?
Also do you ever break out in sweats or feel panicky when your heart races? I ask this because panic, sweats and tachycardia are not always attributed to "anxiety disorder" but can also be a sign of secondary hypertension.
P.S.S. In ans. to your earlier Q. ...Avapro is also an angiotensin2 receptor blocker (ARB)...same class as Diovan and Benicar, although molecularly they all differ from each other, and sometimes if one doesn't work, another will, even within the same class.
zuzu
[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 06-26-2003).]
Also do you ever break out in sweats or feel panicky when your heart races? I ask this because panic, sweats and tachycardia are not always attributed to "anxiety disorder" but can also be a sign of secondary hypertension.
P.S.S. In ans. to your earlier Q. ...Avapro is also an angiotensin2 receptor blocker (ARB)...same class as Diovan and Benicar, although molecularly they all differ from each other, and sometimes if one doesn't work, another will, even within the same class.
zuzu
[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 06-26-2003).]
Tamsin
06-26-2003, 09:42 AM
Thanks, Elias.
I'm waiting for my glucose test results. I really think you should check out the possibility of diabetes, as it really confounds the whole BP issue.
Speaking of confounding the issue: I am also on HCTZ and I had a frightening episode a couple of weeks ago where I worked out for about an hour and a half and then felt my heart rate would not recover. My doctor's nurse told me I sounded like I was dehydrated and suggested Gatorade, etc. (I already take a potassium supplement). Well I got disgusted about the HCTZ (this has happened before) so I took my Cozaar instead of Hyzaar (I have the two because I ALSO tend to get respiratory ailments when I work out a lot and the doc says the the HCTZ is not good for that---OY!) anyway within a week I had gained about 5 pounds of water weight and my pressure was up! Seems I really need the HCTZ but we need to tinker with the dosage so I can still work out in hot, humid, weather and not get dehydrated.
Anyway, hang in there, I know what a PIA this whole thing is. And don't hesitate to get second and third opinions if you feel like you're hitting a wall.
Good luck!
T.
I'm waiting for my glucose test results. I really think you should check out the possibility of diabetes, as it really confounds the whole BP issue.
Speaking of confounding the issue: I am also on HCTZ and I had a frightening episode a couple of weeks ago where I worked out for about an hour and a half and then felt my heart rate would not recover. My doctor's nurse told me I sounded like I was dehydrated and suggested Gatorade, etc. (I already take a potassium supplement). Well I got disgusted about the HCTZ (this has happened before) so I took my Cozaar instead of Hyzaar (I have the two because I ALSO tend to get respiratory ailments when I work out a lot and the doc says the the HCTZ is not good for that---OY!) anyway within a week I had gained about 5 pounds of water weight and my pressure was up! Seems I really need the HCTZ but we need to tinker with the dosage so I can still work out in hot, humid, weather and not get dehydrated.
Anyway, hang in there, I know what a PIA this whole thing is. And don't hesitate to get second and third opinions if you feel like you're hitting a wall.
Good luck!
T.