Currently 33 5 '11 153 & in good shape. I had all of my blood tests done, 2 EKGS, A Chest Xray, Metabolic Panel, Thyroid Check+ & everything is perfect.
Currently on 100 MGS of Atenolol & 5/20 of Lotrel. My B/P at the doc. was like 160-170/80 for about a year. Over the last 6 months I have been getting readings like 120/78 at the doc. & readings like 106/62 outside of the doc. I was put on meds. initially in April 2003 after a panic attack. My B/P was 190/90 at the time. I currently take 2-3 MGS of Xanax a day & feel relaxed. Like I said I get readings as low as 106/62 recently & 125/80 will be the highest on a 1st reading. Do I even need to be on the meds??? After going to 3 doctors & 1 specialist, I'm sick of it. Tired of the side effects. Could these all be side-effects? My current doc. says that a reading of 120/78 is not low enough in his office to be off of the meds. What should I do? My 1st doc. wouldn't listen, my 2nd left the office that my 3rd is at. My current doc. doesn't believe that I should be weaned off of the meds. even though my readings are great & low outside of his office.
Side effects
Flushing (My cheeks get red, 3rd doc. ruled out roscea). Doc. told me to buy Oil Of Olay 15
Stomach grumbles & is upset 3 days a week (Take Immodium & it helps, but I still wake up with an upset stomach about twice a week).
Depression
Mood Changes
Short Term Memory Loss (From time to time)
Lethargy (around 3-4 everyday).... I take the meds. in the morning
I HATE THIS! Before the meds. I felt great, unless I did something stupid like drink too much the night before. Now everyday is an adventure. What would you guys do? Does it sound like the meds?
I don't know what to tell you but there is nothing wrong with 120/78. I don't understand why your doctor thinks that reading is high?? I take Diovan for hypertension and my home readings average 115/75 and my readings at the doctor's office are always higher 130/85------124/82. My doctor said my readings were fine.
I am not familiar with the medication you take so I don't know what side effects you could experience. I have had no noticeable side effects from the Diovan. Maybe some of your side effects are from the Xanax.. As far as having you stop the medication only a doctor can approve that.
Xanax doesn't have those side-effects, except lethargy. Lotrel & Atenolol do have all of those side-effects.
My B/P is 120/78 now at the docs. office on the meds. I know that you should get the approval of the doc., but what are you supposed to do when he says to keep taking them & you know that your b/p gets to the 107/62 range at times. It is one thing to take meds., but it s**ks to feel like junk everyday. I know that some of you will say then switch to a different med. with the docs approval. What if I don't need meds. except for xanax to control my anxiety? My doc said that I could wean off of the xanax when I don't feel so anxious. What about the B/P meds. that make me feel like junk??? I have been on Toprol, Altace, Atenolol, Lotrel, Verapamil. They all have different side-effects. I'm convinced that my B/P was caused by drinking a 6 pack a night from 22-32. I have quit drinking for the most part for the last year & entirely for 1 month. My pulse rate keeps going down (it's in the 50's now) & my B/P is going down on average as well.
I just want to know what some of you vets would advise. I have been to 3 docs., 1 specialist & 2 psychiatrists over the past year. They all have different opinions & my current doc. won't allow me to wean off of these b/p meds. even though my #'s get low, as well as my pulse rate. I asked him when I need to come back & he responded "whenever you want, we have put you through enough tests". Sorry doc. but that doesn't help the side-effects. He responds "They are good meds. Stay on them." 120/78 isn't low enough in your office???? "No, that is on the meds."
Since your diastolic seems consistently below 90, I think your problem is most probably anxiety as well, especially at your age. Some people just seem to have higher BP reactions do to anxiety. I'm one of them. Just taking my machine out of the dresser gives me an automatic 30 point increase!
Just the fact that you've had low readings says that you're not really hypertensive. I don't know why we only remember the high readings and not the low ones. For example, most of the time, my readings are in the 150's/80's range. But the fact that I can get a single reading of 135/85 once in a while tells me that I don't really have hypertension. Look at it this way... Many things can cause false high readings, but there aren't too many things that can cause a false low reading. If you have a low reading, trust it as being your normal BP.
Your BP is normal. I would stop taking the meds. Seems to me like your doc just want to make money off of prescriptions.
The problem is that you can't just stop taking a beta blocker like Atenolol. It would cause a severe increase in my pulse rate. You have to be weaned off of it by the doctor. My doc. says that medicated 120/78 in his office isn't enough. What about 107/62 away from his office??? With nice pulse rates today of 59-62. I feel like a zombie around 3. I just want to go to a doc. who knows *** they are talking about. I stopped drinking 2 weeks ago & it just seems to get lower & lower. I cut down from 6 beers a night to 2 drinks every once in a while about 13 months ago. I have stopped taking my b/p except for once a week. I really don't know the answer. I don't feel as anxious anymore, but the side-effects aren't worth it!!! I listed the side-effects in my previous post. One side-effect will go away & another will come. Like clockwork I feel like a zombie around 3 everyday & have to have a soda. It s**ks, because I cut out so many things in life & made so many modifications, but my lifestyle has severely suffered ever since I started going to the doctor (now on my 3rd one) in April 2003. I have gone from 158 pounds down to 150. I don't feel like jogging or playing tennis, because my energy is gone. All of my tests once again are normal. I don't have the answer. Switch docs. for the 4th time in 16 months, because none of them have put me on an ARB, or tried to wean me off of the meds. They will try to wean me off of xanax, but not the b/p meds. I guess they don't get kick-backs, unless Atenolol, Lotrel or Altace is the prescribed med.
Linear Mode
