Intolerant to Atenolol? - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

RexWig · 11-17-2002, 08:10 AM

I would like to hear from people who found that they could not take Atenolol. What did you switch to? What did not work for you and what finally did work for your high blood pressure? Rapid heart beat, becoming very weak or drug does not lower HBP are my reactions to every drug so far.

SamQKitty · 11-18-2002, 02:16 PM

Have you tried Verapamil? It's a calcium channel blocker.

I have an unusual kind of high BP that was very difficult to control. Once I got on calcium channel blockers, it came right down and has stayed down for years, with no side effects.

[This message has been edited by SamQKitty (edited 11-18-2002).]

tubesand · 07-02-2003, 01:01 PM

I believe I am unable to take Atenolol. Of course, I was on it for 2 days, off it for 2 days, back on it for 2 days, then off it again for good. That's a really bad thing to do.

zuzu8 · 07-02-2003, 04:21 PM

Hi- Welcome to "The Club"!

On Atenelol (beta blocker) I experienced lethargy, fatigue, depression, and diarrhea. The BBs are good at lowering heart rate but mine went too far.

Switched to Dyazide (diuretic)..it trashed me. Screwed my potassium blood levels and electrolytes. Abject exhaustion.

Altace (ACE inhibitor)- Fatigue and terrible cough.

Finally, DIOVAN ,(straight, without a diuretic) which I love and adore. Controls BP with no side effects. I'm a big fan, as are many folks on this board of the ARBs (angiotensin 2 receptor blockers).

I don't know your med history of course, so can't say if this would be a good choice for you. If you are otherwise healthy, have no kidney or heart issues, etc, the ARBs are a good class of drugs to be considered, since they seem to have less side effects than all the others.

But everyone is so different, and atenelol plus others work beautifully for many people.

Like SamQKitty does great on a calcium channel blocker, which is one I never tried because I could stop at Diovan.

However, it's hard to find someone who stayed with the very first drug or two or even three that they tried!

Talk to your doctor about another switch. Don't despair!

What have you tried so far?

[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 07-02-2003).]