Anyone with Benicar or Avapro experience

[Onclou9]

My lovely insurance company just notified me that Diovan was being taken off the preferred drug list so I will have to change or pay it all myself...no biggie, I think my Diovan was causing some significant lethargy and muscle pain.

The insurance company listed some alternatives and I would like to get any feedback I can on any of these:

Benicar/HCT
Avalide/Avapro
Cozaar/Hyzaar

Thanks,
Michael

[mrmojo]

The Benicar HCT made me gain weight, which caused my BP & Cholesterol to go up, then my doc doubled my dosage & the weight really shot up

I felt a little off all the time I was on it & I was waking up to pee about every hour all night

It controlled BP sometimes, but i would get weird spikes up & down for no apparent reason, & I got occasional dizzy spells

my insurance company didnt like it, my copay was $50, which was higher than the retail price at my pharmacy, their preferred drug copay was $20

I also was so sore & tired & couldnt stand to work out

[Palamedes]

I am on plain old Benicar 20 mg (no HCT) with very good results. Benicar is a little more potent and has better 24 hour control than Diovan. So, IMHO, it's a better choice anyway (aside from the fact that it is a little cheaper). Though I wouldn't expect there to be a dramatic difference between the two.

Each medication has two versions - plain, vanilla (Diovan, Benicar, Avapro, Cozaar) and HCTZ versions (Diovan HCT, Benicar HCT, Avalide, Hyzaar). My preference is a the plain version combined with a low sodium diet. If you want to continue eating normal (i.e. excessive) amounts of sodium, you'd be better off with the HCTZ versions.

Pal

[CASSIEBEL]

I've taken Avalide, MicardisHCT, and finally BenicarHCT. Only the Benicar worked for me. No side effects and it was the only one that worked a full 24 hours. Micardis quit working after about 8-10 hours and the avalide caused anxiousness and insomnia.
But as we all say (the hypertension motto) "we're all different"
Cass

[Onclou9]

Thanks guys and gals....

I may suggest...but heed the doctor's call...BenicarHCT.

I wonder if the Diovan hasn't been causing weight gain or retention. My diet wasn't causing me to gain weight and then I began working out 5 days a week (20 minutes on a interval treadmill) and lost absolutely no weight over almost six months! If my diet wasn't so overpowering that I was holding my weight, the logic would dictate that adding a workout 5 days a week religiously would drop some weight.

Hopefully the BenicarHCT will work.....who knows? For the people for whom Benicar worked, did you gain or lose weight or have any muscle problems?

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