zuzu8 - are you out there?

[huntress-nm]

Hi, Zuzu!

Just joined and you seem to make a lot of sense.

I'm 63, female, mother had HBP and was very overweight but died in an accident at 76 with the doc saying she could have lived on for a long time yet (in spite of her angina pectoris) were it not for the accident.

I have HBP that stays beautifully under control for months on end with meds, then skyrockets for no apparent reason. Out comes the Clonidine temporarily for a few weeks and we're back to serenity.

I'm on:

Lisinopril - 20mg
HZCT - 25mg
Cozaar - 50 mg
Hyzaar - 50 mg
Premarin - .325 mg (had a hysterectomy in '77)
Clonidine - one-quarter of a 0.1 mg tab BID, due to go off even that over a 4-5 day period.

Yesterday my (new) doc put me on 2.5 mg of Norvasc and says that he wants to cut out the Hyzaar in a week or so, also perhaps cut the Lisinopril and HZCT in half. Today my BP is hovering around 100/68, HR @ 59.

I exercise, eat "properly", am at my ideal weight and generally have a very happy life.

Any thoughts/suggestions/observations are much appreciated.

[This message has been edited by huntress-nm (edited 10-04-2003).]

[zuzu8]

Hi Huntress- I presume that when your BP "skyrockets" it's not just a temporary spike? (which we all get from time to time even with well-controlled blood pressure). Just want to ask you how high does it go and if you don't take the clonidine has it ever come back down to normal by itself? And within what time frame?

It sounds like it IS time for a doc to re-evaluate your meds, which he's doing. This new guy sounds like he might be on to something better for you.
Before the Norvasc, your other doctor had you kind of doubling up on stuff that seems odd.
For instance, you're on Cozaar AND Hyzaar. They are IDENTICAL except the Hyzaar has a diuretic component (HCTZ). BUT he ALSO had you on a separate HCTZ pill. So it sounds right to definitely drop the Hyzaar. Basically with the cozaar and hyzaar and HCTZ he had you duplicating meds which I don't quite understand.

Since new doc now wants you on Norvasc, it sounds like an appropriate experiement to A) Lose the Hyzaar, B) cut your lisinopril (ACE inhibitor) in half and C) possibly lower your separate HCTZ dose as well. Without trying this route, it sounds like overkill.

See how you do on the Norvasc,Cozaar, and lower doses of HCTZ and Lisinopril (ACE ).

Who knows, the Norvasc might be so effective you may be able to drop SOMETHING completely.......Your BP right now is gorgeous! And if it holds, perhaps you won't get these "spiking" episodes and will never have to take another clonidine again!

zuzu xx



[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 10-04-2003).]

[huntress-nm]

Thanks a ton for answering, Zuzu!

No, not just temporary... The last spike was 176/108 tops, but it usually doesn't fly that high, more like 165/100. It used to come back down by itself but not any longer unfortunately.

You really are "with it", lady! My new doc wants me off the Hyzaar for the reasons you mention, and I told him that I wake up between 3 and 4:30am ever since I began the Hyzaar with an almost lightly burning tingle in the skin on my thighs and barely noticeably so on my legs. My theory was that I was overdoing the diuretics after adding the Hyzaar but didn't tell him that - he got it nevertheless. Have you ever heard of such a reaction to diuretics?

I feel like a walking pharmacy. Am I the (unwilling) champ of multiple HBP meds?

Thanks again, Zuzu!

[This message has been edited by huntress-nm (edited 10-04-2003).]

[zuzu8]

Hi Huntress- If you keep it up, you will become a bona fide expert on all these meds!

Regarding the skin sensations you are feeling, I have read that sometimes diuretics can cause parasthesia (which is any sensation characterized as burning, prickling, itching, or tingling.).....So it's "possible" that's why you've been having this. However, you will now be lowering your intake of diuretics so if they are the cause, your symptom will disappear. Sometimes these things are purely coincidental though and will go away by themselves anyway...

Let us know how you're doing on your "shiny"new regimen!
Good luck!

zuzu xx

[maxjasper]

Originally posted by zuzu8:

Regarding the skin sensations you are feeling, I have read that sometimes diuretics can cause parasthesia (which is any sensation characterized as burning, prickling, itching, or tingling.).....
zuzu xx

Perfect zuzu, this was great info. Thanks a lot.
--Max.