Gram,
From what you've said thus far, there are some red flags waving warnings at our end. Hydrochlorothiazide can elevate cholesterol levels and uric acid (gout) levels. With your husband's history, I would question taking a diuretic, ESPECIALLY hydrochlorothiazide!!! I don't have a family history of cholesterol but do have a family history of gout...but when I was taking hydrochlorothiazide, I experienced almost a 100 point increase in cholesterol levels within the year, and experienced joint pain similar if not identical to the joint pain gout sufferers experience.
Did you fill the new script yet? If so, did you get a package insert with information about the drug? I should clearly state a warning about gout and cholesterol...if you haven't gotten an insert, ask for one from your pharmacist and show it to your doctor and point to the warnings. My doctor didn't warn me, either, nor did he ask about my family history...I will never get a prescription filled again UNLESS I review the package insert first. Doctors overlook too much in that 15-30 minute exam.
If your husband has already taken the medication, you might want to call the pharmacist to see what he/she recommends based on your husband's history of cholesterol and gout.
His bp numbers are a little high but not bad. Has your doctor talked about lifestyle changes to bring it down further? If not, lifestyle changes should be tried before adding another med given his numbers.
Take care.
Bethsheba
PS Famnd and other posters were kind enough to point out that the package insert which comes from the drug manufacturer and the med information sheet, which comes from the pharmacist, are not the same thing. The package insert that comes from the drug manufacturer contains more info than the one the pharmacist provides. Ask for the manufacturer's drug info.
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