Anyone have experience with Tarka? - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

thouserindallas · 06-06-2003, 03:52 PM

My internist has switched me from Clonidine to Tarka, which is an ACE inhibitor. According to the PDR, Tarka might increase your potassium levels so you should not take it with potassium sparing diuretics or potassium supplements, both of which I am on. I trust my doctor and he really wants me to try this drug. Does anyone have any experience with Tarka? Am I being foolish to worry when my doctor says not to? Thanks a lot!

zuzu8 · 06-07-2003, 04:42 AM

Hi-
Tarka is a combo drug with the ACE inhibitor trandolapril and the calcium channel blocker verapamil.

It's true that the prescription literature warns about taking potassium supplements and pot. sparing diuretics while on this medication, but the warning says don't take these without the supervision of your doctor (below):

• *Do not use salt substitutes or potassium supplements while taking trandolapril and verapamil, except under the supervision of your doctor.*

I presume your doc knows what diuretic you are already on, plus the fact that you are taking supps.... (at least he'd better!) and will want to see you very soon to monitor your potass. blood levels and electrolytes. Insist on follow-up blood -test monitoring if he doesn't mention it to you.

So, in the meantime, relax...And report any untoward side effects to him if they occur.

thouserindallas · 06-07-2003, 07:29 AM

Thanks for the prompt reply. My doctor does have me coming in in three weeks to monitor my blood, but I just hate trying new meds! I already have this fear of hyperkalemia since I take Triamterene and Potassium and to add something else into the mix that can raise your serum potassium really freaks me out. I guess I just have to try it and hope for the best. I just wish he would try me on one of the new ARB drugs that everyone is talking about but he is extremely conservative.

sunbird_owner · 06-07-2003, 09:31 AM

I am just one person, but since I have experienced this drug I will tell you my experience. I was taking accupril and my doctor gave me Tarka. I felt like the channnel blocker was retarding the beating of my heart and I stayed up all night thinking that it had permanently altered the heart beat. I did not take anymore of these. It took about 12 weeks for the pain to go away. I then found another doctor - an OD instead of an MD. He said that no one really uses that
type of medication anymore because they cause so many
side effects. He said this must have been an older doctor.

The new doctor gave me Benicar (an ARB) and I have no real side effects. The only side effect that I have is that if I take it I cannot run for about four hours. If I run before 4 hours, it makes the task very difficult. I am heading down to Atlanta to run the Peachtree 10K in about three weeks.

Jay

zuzu8 · 06-07-2003, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thouserindallas:
Thanks for the prompt reply. My doctor does have me coming in in three weeks to monitor my blood, but I just hate trying new meds! I already have this fear of hyperkalemia since I take Triamterene and Potassium and to add something else into the mix that can raise your serum potassium really freaks me out. I guess I just have to try it and hope for the best. I just wish he would try me on one of the new ARB drugs that everyone is talking about but he is extremely conservative.

Hi- If you've been reading the boards recently, you'll find, as you say, a lot of people (like Sunbird, me, Moxie et al) who after much experimentation, found and fell in love with (well...it's hard to be in LOVE with any of these meds, or the fact that we need them, but you know what I mean!) the ARBs.

I don't know your medical history, but when you next see your doctor, why not ask him WHY he is reluctant to try an ARB with you. It's not okay for him to simply stick to what he's more familiar with, unless MEDICALLY there's a good reason he wants you on the regimen you're on.

I personally would love to know his answer.

Keep us updated.....

zuzu xxx