Been On Benicar 40 for nearly 2 weeks

[sunny6]

Dear Ones,

I am hoping for some advice. I just got back from our vacation and the computer crashed, so I am hoping this gets thru. ( I had to sign in again.)
I have been taking Benicar 40 and I am noticing alot of dizzyness. Is this transitory. WHat concerns me more is that I am still getting, even yesterday, readings of 190/100 at times. My internist is going to think I am just a malingerer, but I just cannot seem to get this BP down. ( I even tried using Benicar 40 in AM and again in PM and still got high readings. )
I felt better on the Diovan 160, no dizzyness, but it also did not keep the BP down. Zuzu, suggested taking it in divided doses and I wonder if I used 160 in AM and PM, if that would help. Again, the EKG and ECHO are fine. I am dealing with constant burning feet and the pain seems to keep the BP up.
How I wish I had better news to report...is it just to soon? ( Sometimes, I get readings like 134/96, but more often it is 150-160/ 90-104, and then the high one that I reported above.)
Thanks...I also notice I am more tired and I think it is due to Benicar...I must be weird, since so many others like it and respond.

Hugs,
Sunny

[CASSIEBEL]

Oh Sunny!
I'm so sorry to hear things are not working out. I don't think your dr will think bad of you, you do have a legitimate problem that needs to be solved. Do you take anything for your foot pain? Some anti-inflamatory drugs make BP rise. I cannot take Celebrex for my arthritis. I tried again today and my BP went up to 189/90. The highest it had been was 130/70. Another thing that gets mine up is anxiety. When I worry I can be sure it will go up. I have worried myself into a panic attack over my raising BP. As for the dizziness I'm sure it's possibly the Benicar - we all react so differently to these meds.
I would suggest you go over ALL your worries with your dr. talk to him/her like you do us. It took me so many years to be honest with my dr. I was afraid he would think I was just a hypocondriac but I was wrong. He set me up with a cardiologist for my BP and also helped me to understand how my anxiety affects my BP.
Please keep us posted as to how things go
I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers as I am so aware of the misery and worry HBP can cause.
Cass

[sunny6]

Hi dear Cass,

I am not taking anything for my burning feet...nothing seems to help.

I have noticed that ehen I lie down in bed, I have palpitations that really interfere with sleep and I wonder if that is due to Benicar. My gut is kinda telling me to try the Diovan in split doses and then report back to my internist if that works. She had me on Diovan originally and I know she loves that product, but I do not know that she is familiar with using split dosing, as opposed to once a day. We talked about increasing Diovan, but not about splitting the dose. The 160 mg of Diovan once a day ceased to be effective. Does this sound like a realistic approach to run by her?

Love Ya all,
Sunny

[CASSIEBEL]

I don't see why not. You have already taken Diovan and know how it makes you feel. Since you are comfortable with it and so is the dr why not at least ask her what she thinks. If I remember correctly, Diovan was working in the AM and wearing off later in the day? It seems reasonable that boosting the dose might very well work. Anyway you won't know till you try.
I can't remember if you take any other meds or not? But have you had Palpations brfore? I used to have them so bad and they used to keep me awake too. I used to worry that it was my heart but my cardiologist said it was too much adrenaline due to my anxiety. As far as the Benicar causing it - I am convienced any BP med can cause any side effect. I had an ER doc tell me that Calcicum Channel Blockers don't cause a rapid heart rate but they caused mine to race.
If your gut tells you somthing - listen!
Keep your faith, you will find an answer!
Cass
I wonder where everyone else is tonight. Maybe their computers are acting as crazy as mine (LOL)

[JJ]

Sunny, glad to see you, but very sorry U don't have better news for us. Trust me kiddo, I know what U are going thru. As U know, I was on the Altace for over 2 years, and the dr. wouldn't change it, said it was a great drug. I hated it, and it did nothing for my BP. For days it would be nice, down to 125-135/78-85, then BOOM, it would go right back up to the ole 150/90 routine, and I also got the palps.

It wasn't until I decided to ask for something for the palps did things start to quiet down, as the Altace was doing nothing for me at all. After I went on 25 mgs. of Atenolol with the 5 mgs. of Altace did I notice a difference. After about a month of that combo I took myself off of the Altace, dr. wasn't happy, but tuff, I didn't like that stuff, and I felt better off of it then on it.
Although the BP was still running about 135-142/88-90, the other side effects went away. New dr. shoved me on 50 mgs. of Atenolol, but my body didn't care for that at all. I got very lil sleep, very depressed, which is not a trate for me at all, so I told him to "Get me off that dose"!!!

He then shoved me on the Avapro, 150 mgs. and told me I could knock down the Atenolol to 25, and so far, so good. Maybe U need 2 different drugs like I did to make it work??? Next time I see him I am going to ask if we can even try 75 mgs. of the Avapro, as so far the BP has been running 115-124/73-78, and a couple of times it has been around 102/68, which to me is a lil too low, as I get light headed.

I know hubby is on 2 different BP meds. also, as just one didn't get it down to where they wanted it, and with him having diabetes naturally they want it as low and even as possible, so he is on Monopril, and Atenolol, forgot what the dose is, but it seems to be working for him, as he went thru years of not being able to get it low enough. Pills would work for a few months and bang, it would go right up again on just one kind of pill. Like I told you, his cardio man has high BP, and it fluctuates like mine, normal, all the way up to 200/102, so now he is on 3 pills to control his, so it might just be U need a combo, not a split dose.

Like Cass said, run all this by your dr., write it down if necessary, and see what he/she can come up with. Don't hold back, as if you aren't honest with your dr. there is no way of he/she knowing what to try. Normally they tell ya to give new pills about 4 weeks to kick in, so your dr. just might want U to hold off a lil longer, or may want to try something else, ya won't know till U explain everything. As far as the pain in the feet, it is hard to find a drug for pain that won't shoot your BP up, except Tylenol, as that is all I can take.

Get in touch with your dr. soon and explain everything and see what they have to say. I truly hope they find something soon to get those numbers down, as like I said, been there, done that, and it is EVER so frustrating.

All the love and prayers are going out for you, so hang in there, if they can finally get me fixed, they can you too...TRUST ME!!! Well wishes, and hopefully good news from you soon...... JJ