High Blood Pressure Medications side Side effects??

lmejianyc · 08-07-2007, 05:50 PM

How long does Side effects suppose to last when is a good time to tell your doctor to change your meds..because since I been on med I been a little light headed my bp still run 140/90 somtime higher like 159/100....I'm going to the doctor on Wed so any good question I should ask please tell me... I'm running out of ideas what going on with me I was fine before all the meds stuff never light headed but alot of bloody nose I never knew is because my HBP..These are the seconds meds I try out

1. Aspir-low 81
2. tekturna 150mg
3. Enalapril Maleate (Vasotec)10 mg
4.water pill

And I lost about 40 pounds I was 310 now I'm 271 I'm 29

bethsheba · 08-07-2007, 06:22 PM

First off, a hearty congratulations on your weight loss!! That most certainly will help you reduce the number and or the amount of medications you will take. More weight loss may make it possible to get off of medications entirely!!! Go slowly and eat wisely and you will be rewarded many ways.

Definitely tell your doctor about your lightheadedness...it may help him to know when you experience the symptoms...is it 2 hours after taking the meds? does the lightheadedness come and go? Do you experience lightheadedness once a week? Once a month? Have you fallen? Have you passed out? Does the lightheadedness happen with a warning? Without a warning?

Tell him about your bloody noses...when do you get them? How badly do they bleed (do you use one tissue to stop the bleeding? or the entire box?) How long do they bleed? 1 minute? 5 minutes? 1 hour?

And tell him what your blood pressure readings are...but also tell him how you take those readings so he or his nurse can tell you if you are taking them correctly and consistently. 159/100 may be an acceptable blood pressure reading if you just finished a marathon run or chased after the dog....I don't know if it is or not, but it's important for your doctor to know how and when you take your blood pressure.

If your side effects are tolerable, ask your doctor how long it may be before they go away...if your side effects are not tolerable, tell your doctor what side effects you are experiencing and tell him you want to try different medicine.

If you don't get answers to your questions, or if you think of more questions after the doctor's visit, write down your questions and call your doctor's office. I get kind of nervous when I'm in the exam room and even if I have questions written down, I forget to ask them or get too nervous to ask them...so sometimes it is easier for me to call the office and to tell them what I want or need after my visit. They haven't charged me extra for these calls. The only problem is waiting around the house for the doctor to call.

There are no easy questions or answers to these things...do the best you can...you're a step ahead of everyone else because you're asking questions now!

Take care and good luck with your doctor's visit.

Bethsheba

lmejianyc · 08-07-2007, 08:13 PM

Thank you bethsheba for the fast reply I almost lost faith with this site

lightheadednesses is not so bad most of the time I don't pass out of nothing it just bug me alot... Norvasc I was very lightheaded.... the bloody noses i dont get anymore since i take meds for hbp..... my lightheadednesses is 24 hour a day come and go but come more then it goes until i fall asleep... All I know is that it didn't start this until with all these meds came to my life this year...My family think I'm crazy.... My blood work is good mir the ekg is good of my brain dont have the results until the other doctor come back in Septermber thank you again bethsheba anymore advise to relax at the doctor appointment

bethsheba · 08-07-2007, 10:06 PM

Hello lmejianyc,

Please don't lose the faith...we're all in a similar boat here and we have good days, not so good days, and sometimes very bad days so we can't always be as "talkative" as we'd like. And I, for one, sometimes need to think abit before I answer as sometimes a quick answer means I've overlooked something important or my words don't mean what I want them to mean.

I think you need to tell the doctor what you're telling us...sometimes the lightheadedness is a nasty side effect and sometimes it means that our meds are too strong and working too well...so again, do tell your doctor...and you are definitely NOT crazy...I experienced lightheadedness to the point of passing out on at least one of my meds...it is not a rare side effect...very common. But it can be a dangerous side effect if you lose consciousness.

It must be a relief to know the results of your tests are good...and I'm sure you'll feel better once you talk to your doctor. Make sure he answers your questions as you pay for that privilege! And you are entitled to know and to understand what is happening to your body. If your side effects get worse, call your doctor's office right away. Things can change faster than you realize sometimes and it's better to be safe than to be sorry.

Take care and do keep us posted. And yes, it would be wonderful if one could relax at the doctor's office....

Keep the faith, lmejianyc!

Bethsheba

flowergirl2day · 08-07-2007, 11:17 PM

Hi,

As Beth mentioned, we are on the same boat. All drugs have side effects and affect each of us in different ways. That's why you might have to move on and try yet another blood pressure medication. Your lightheadedness will lessen or dissapear and you will be able to enjoy life once again. Most of us on this board have experienced many side effects of the drugs we were prescribed. The goal is to find those meds whose side effects you can live with. Your doctor should work with you and help you achieve that.

I checked the side effects of your meds and there are at least two that can cause lightheadedness. They are Enalapril and Tekturna. Hctz (if that's the water pill you are on) can cause lightheadedness also.

I then ran your meds through the interactions checker. Enalapril and Hctz taken together have an additive effect. That means that your 10mg dose might affect you as 20mgs or more would and make your lightheadedness that much worse.

Aspirin also interacts with Enalapril. Those on a small dose should not be affected greatly and the evidence of negative interactions in higher dosages is somewhat contradictory as the studies were quite complicated.

I had the same issues in the past with lightheadedness. Just like constant nausea, it can make our lives miserable. I really don't know which drug to suggest for you to try. Some of the others have side effects that are even worse. How about an ARB? You could ask your doctor about those. They have relatively few side effects, IF you can tolerate them.

PS. ARB stands for Angiotensin Receptor Blockers. They are: AVAPRO, DIOVAN, COZAAR and ATACAND.

Good luck with your appointment
Don't give up hope

Flowergirl