Effective Mgmt of BP Med Side Effects? - Page 5

WYSIWYG · 11-20-2006, 12:21 PM

Regarding the diuretic BTW-- I certainly agree with my doc that I need it to counter the Norvasc edema, on non-pool days. However, IN the pool I am working hard enough to sweat quite a bit-- watch the Tour de France to see my cycling counterparts. I'm consuming and excreting quite a bit of water during the workouts, and apparently I am losing a lot of salt, as well. On days I do pool AND diuretic, I end the workout craving (needing!) salt strongly, and I am not normally a salt-craver. A handful of salty peanuts, or a hot dog, are all the salt I need to correct this. If I skip the diuretic, I don't crave the salt at all. I plan to talk with the doc about this next week as well.

~S~

Tamsin · 11-21-2006, 03:54 PM

After consuming diuretic and working out hard several times a week, I suffered a bad case of hypokalemia that sent me to the hospital with an irregular heartbeat.

Now I've cut the diuretic in half and only take it on non-work out days.

It's working so far!

Lenin · 11-22-2006, 08:53 AM

Susan,
What you need to overcome the effect of Norvasc is NO Norvasc. Doctors are FAR too highly induced to prescribe this drug. What forms the inducements from Pfizer take I am not sure but I can imagine. I would like a Congressional investigation to find out what they are as soon as we get some Congressional oversight in January.

Tell your doctor that amlodipine causes your legs to swell and that is MORE than reason enough to stop the stuff. If he gives you guff, tell him to read his PDR.

If nifedipine and amlodipine BOTH caused leg edema, then calcium channel blockers should be put on your VERBOTEN list.

Tamsin and Susan,
Ask for a trial with Lasix (furosemide) maybe 40 mg. taken twice a day....it works even better than HCTZ for edema. The effect is incredible. You may be very pleased with it.
If you ever had a bout with hypokalemia you should take 10 or 20 Meq. of KCl per day. THe higher dose is 800 mg. elemental potassium. Don't bother with OTC potassium supplements because the law says they are limited to 99 mg...a silly non-effective dose.

Tamsin · 11-23-2006, 01:19 PM

I take 10 meg of potassium on days when feel I need it--headache, neckache, fatigue. I don't take the diuretic everyday, so I don't want to take too much KCL. So far, that is working. But I'll know for sure when I get my potassium levels rechecked, in the next week or so. My pressure sure has responded nicely to the HCTZ (12.5 about 3 days a week).

WYSIWYG · 12-03-2006, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lenin

Susan,
What you need to overcome the effect of Norvasc is NO Norvasc. Doctors are FAR too highly induced to prescribe this drug. What forms the inducements from Pfizer take I am not sure but I can imagine. I would like a Congressional investigation to find out what they are as soon as we get some Congressional oversight in January.

Tell your doctor that amlodipine causes your legs to swell and that is MORE than reason enough to stop the stuff. If he gives you guff, tell him to read his PDR.

If nifedipine and amlodipine BOTH caused leg edema, then calcium channel blockers should be put on your VERBOTEN list.

Lenin, I know this will not fit your scenario as described, but my doc agreed with you and I am off it, at least for now.

~Susan