What do you take for high blood pressure?

[mountainsoft]

My blood pressure got up above 140/90 a couple years ago so I finally started taking medicine for it. Unfortunately, I have had really bad problems with side effects which has made the last two years rather stressful and uncomfortable.

Doc started me on Lisinopril 10mg, but it left me dizzy, light headed, and headaches that never went away. It only dropped my BP about 5-10 points.

Switched to Losartan 25mg, which didn't have much effect, so was raised to 50mg, then 100mg. Still didn't have much effect.

Added Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg, which made me urinate every 15 minutes. Obviously, you can't live a normal life like that, so discontinued that med.

Stayed on Losartan about 7 months, seemed to work OK, then developed really bad premature atrial contractions. Called 911, went to ER, checked out, said I was fine, and sent home.

Stopped taking Losartan and conditions seemed to improve. Doc put me back on Losartan 25mg and side effects quickly returned. More PAC's, weak, low energy, difficulty sleeping. Stopped again and side effects seemed to improve.

Doc started me on Amlodipine 5mg, and soon after Metoprolol 25mg. Fewer PAC's and BP came down around 125/75.

All seemed well about 5-6 months, then PAC's increased again and BP dropped to 110/65. Another month later diastolic was dropping into the upper 50's and pulse rate into the upper 40's. Started having low energy, blurry vision, and short term memory losses.

Doc switched from Metoprolol 25mg to Atenolol. After just two pills BP dropped to 99/50, major headaches, muscle pain, and dazed confusion. Immediately switched back to Metoprolol.

Doc switched from Metoprolol/Amlodipine to Diltiazem 120mg. Seemed to do okay about a week, though BP averaged around 135/80. Had another bad day of PAC's, ended up going to urgent care, checked out, and sent home. Chills, shivering, cold sweats, so stopped Diltiazem for a few days.

Don't know if issues were caused by Diltiazem or withdrawals from Metoprolol. I had stopped Metoprolol two other times for various reasons, and had a similar response about 7-9 days after quitting.

Urgent care doc switched prescription to Carvedilol 3.5mg, but I'm hesitant to go back on another beta blocker. Especially since the Carvedilol needs to be taken twice daily with meals, making it very inconvenient with my daily routine. So for now I'm giving Diltiazem another try.

All I can say is this journey has really sucked. The PAC's are the worst, and I never had an issue until I started the BP meds. Maybe timing coincidence, but still seems odd. I'm not against taking meds, I just wish I could find something that worked without making me feel horrible.

 

[W2R]

I started out with Fosinopril, which I gather is similar to your Lisinopril, but in my case it gave me terrible side effects which IIRC included an extremely bad cough that wouldn't stop. I didn't think my lungs could take it so I told my doctor.

So, my doctor switched me to Losartan 25 mg/day, and Metoprolol ER Succinate, 25 mg/day. I have been on these for about 10 years with no side effects, and he's happy with my BP now.

It doesn't seem from my casual observations like Losartan does much, but it's cheap and he wants me on it. Metoprolol really improved my heart rate which was 95+, and seems to work very well for me in general.

For some people it takes a while to find the right BP med, but from what I understand, once you and your doctor do find it, then all is well...it will work and you can stay on it. Or at least, that's what some of my real life friends told me.

 

[MRG]

Started on Metoprolol ER Succinate 50 mg. Transfer PCP and he put me, and all his BP patients, on atenonlol 100 MG. My heart rate was 55 for many years until it went to 30bpm, in the ER with bunches of people around. The cardiologist put me on 10mg lisniopril instead. I was on that for a few years when I went into tachycardia so they added a diltizam that did nothing.

When I lost 70 pounds all that crapola and medicine went away. A few years later I'm on Metoprolol ER Succinate 25mg with no issues..

 

[Mark1]

I was on a low dosage of Toprol xl for high blood pressure ~20 years ago for about a 3 years duration, until I lost some weight and got off of it. I had no side effects, but I remember one potential side effect was nightmares, which seemed odd to me.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

I started on metoprolol ER succ 25 mg about 6 months ago. I take it at night per dr instructions.
Seemed to be doing ok lowering BP but then I took mine at home yesterday and it was 142/90 [emoji2356]
Dr appointment in 2 weeks so we shall see.
I haven’t noticed any side effects and I really don’t want to take more drugs. I started walking 3.5 miles every day but then it got cold here.
I would go to a gym if it wasn’t for the Covid factor.
I might just suck it up on the cold weather and walk outside- which I prefer.

 

[swakyaby]

I sympathize with the OP’s blood pressure control journey, and it sounds like it’s been more difficult than most to find an optimal solution, mostly because of troubling side effects.

I had initially been attempting to avoid blood pressure medication by attempting weight loss, increasing cardiovascular exercise, and starting a CPAP for newly diagnosed sleep apnea. But after a year, all those measures didn’t help, so I accepted starting medication.

I was started on lisinopril 10 mg, then increased to 20 mg. The BP control was very good on this dose, but I started noticing ringing in my ears “tinnitus,” and became concerned. My PCP felt it was very unusual for this to be a side effect, but had me stop it since I was concerned. I was then started on losartan 50 mg with poor BP control, then 100 mg without improvement. She then switched me to Benicar (aka olmesartan) 20 mg without improvement. Then prescribed a combination Benicar 20 mg/Hct 12.5 mg. BP came down nicely. Great. But 3 weeks later, began having episodes of light-headedness and fatigue. BP had dropped to low 83/50 when I felt these symptoms. It went away upon drinking more water and laying down. I started skipping a dose every other day and checking my BP 3 times a day. Perfect BPs. The tinnitus had never gone away, so it may have been just a coincidence with the lisinopril. It’s been 5 months of excellent BP control, spoke to my PCP last week who said to just cut the pill in half and take it everyday. I’m happy with that.

I had an incidental finding last year of a borderline enlarged ascending aorta on a chest CT scan to obtain a calcium score, so good blood pressure control was particularly important. Hope your PCP can find something effective you can tolerate.

 

[aaronc879]

I started on metoprolol ER succ 25 mg about 6 months ago. I take it at night per dr instructions.
Seemed to be doing ok lowering BP but then I took mine at home yesterday and it was 142/90 [emoji2356]
Dr appointment in 2 weeks so we shall see.
I haven’t noticed any side effects and I really don’t want to take more drugs. I started walking 3.5 miles every day but then it got cold here.
I would go to a gym if it wasn’t for the Covid factor.
I might just suck it up on the cold weather and walk outside- which I prefer.

This might only work for a single person household like mine but when it gets too cold to walk outside I just walk around the house 20 minutes at a time sometimes including some basement steps.

 

[aaronc879]

If your blood pressure isn't too much above 140/90 maybe you can get by without meds by losing some weight and/or being more active. I wouldn't keep taking meds that caused side effects like mentioned above.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Beans and lots of produce - High blood pressure: Lower your blood pressure by adding these two BEANS to your meals | Express.co.uk.

I have a blood pressure monitor at home and I can drop my blood pressure quite a bit, like in an hour or two, just by eating a lot of alkaline produce.

High blood pressure is linked to high uric acid, so an anti-gout type diet might also help -Blood Pressure Diet Improves Gout Blood Marker - 08/15/2016 (hopkinsmedicine.org)

 

[Gumby]

I've been taking Olmesartan Medomoxil 20mg once a day for the last 8 months. I've also lost nearly 20 lbs and have been walking at least two miles almost every day. It has all helped my blood pressure greatly and I have experienced no side effects.

 

[latexman]

I take metoprolol succinate ER 25 mg at bedtime and HCTZ 25 mg when I wake. I’ve been on these about 14 years.

 

[Spock]

I was on Amlodipine and Lisinopril. Then I lost 50lbs while the grocery store shelves were empty during c*vid and my BP dropped so Dr dropped the Amlodipine.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

I've been taking Olmesartan Medomoxil 20mg once a day for the last 8 months. I've also lost nearly 20 lbs and have been walking at least two miles almost every day. It has all helped my blood pressure greatly and I have experienced no side effects.

If I’m remembering correctly, you live in an area that gets snow. Is that accurate?
How are you walking in the winter, if I might ask.

Californian- winter = anytime the temp is below 60. [emoji38]

 

[Gumby]

If I’m remembering correctly, you live in an area that gets snow. Is that accurate?
How are you walking in the winter, if I might ask.

Californian- winter = anytime the temp is below 60. [emoji38]

I occasionally snows, and then I'm exercising by shoveling my 130 foot long driveway. But if it hasn't just snowed, there is no problem walking. I live right in the middle of town, we have good sidewalks and everyone is good about clearing them after a storm.

 

[Donno]

I've suffered with HBP for most of my life and was even hospitalized for it in my late teens/early 20's. The doctor never could find a cause for it and I mostly ignored it since no medicine he put me on did anything to lower it.
In my early 40's I had a doctor that tried a few drugs and the combo that worked for me was Amlodipine and Bystolic. This combo worked great for 20 years or so until my dentist told me that my gums were becoming inflamed and after a couple of years of treatments he told me that Amlodipine was a known cause of gum inflammation.
Fast forward to today and I quit taking Amlodipine and went on Valsartin and my gums are good, but my BP is not.
I'm about to tell my dentist to forget about my gums because my blood pressure is making me feel crappy.

 

[euro]

I've suffered with HBP for most of my life and was even hospitalized for it in my late teens/early 20's. The doctor never could find a cause for it and I mostly ignored it since no medicine he put me on did anything to lower it.
In my early 40's I had a doctor that tried a few drugs and the combo that worked for me was Amlodipine and Bystolic. This combo worked great for 20 years or so until my dentist told me that my gums were becoming inflamed and after a couple of years of treatments he told me that Amlodipine was a known cause of gum inflammation.
Fast forward to today and I quit taking Amlodipine and went on Valsartin and my gums are good, but my BP is not.
I'm about to tell my dentist to forget about my gums because my blood pressure is making me feel crappy.

Good on you - if it is a choice between bad guns and high BP, I'd take bad gums any day. Excessive BP is quite dangerous.

 

[jollystomper]

Valsartan HCTZ (320-12.5 mg tablet) and Tiadylt ER (diltiazem hydrochloride 12mg) for me. No side effects that I can tell. At times My urination frequency increases but that seems more related to caffeine intake. Also daily indoor/outdoor moderate-to-heavy exercise, keeping my weight around my optimal BMI.

 

[Ronstar]

I've had high blood pressure for years - around 140/80. I don't take any meds, but my doc mentions it every year at my yearly physical. I need to lose some weight and eat better. I'll have to make a concerted effort to lower the bp a few months before my next dr appt.

 

[Dash man]

I’m on four different BP meds. Valsartan 160mg, Amlodipine 5mg, Metoprolol ER SUCC 50mg and Chlorthalidone 25mg.
I had been on Losartan 200mg and Amlodipine 10 mg for years when it just stopped working and my BP shot up to 190/100 and was stressing my kidneys. Now I’m stable averaging around 110/64.

 

[Ian S]

My doctor put me on Metoprolol 25 mg (lowest dose) at night to reduce my pre-ventricular contractions (PVC's) which are not dangerous but are disturbing and if I get them then how do I know it's not something more serious. Anyway, 25 mg is a very low dose but it also reduced my BP without any noticeable side effects.

 

[NW-Bound]

My blood pressure got up above 140/90 a couple years ago so I finally started taking medicine for it. Unfortunately, I have had really bad problems with side effects which has made the last two years rather stressful and uncomfortable.

Doc started me on Lisinopril 10mg, but it left me dizzy, light headed, and headaches that never went away. It only dropped my BP about 5-10 points.

Switched to Losartan 25mg, which didn't have much effect, so was raised to 50mg, then 100mg. Still didn't have much effect.

Added Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg, which made me urinate every 15 minutes. Obviously, you can't live a normal life like that, so discontinued that med...

My BP has been on the high side all my life. Even in the 40s, it was 128/85.

I had lisinopril with increasing dosage over the years, and it eventually stopped being effective while giving me coughs. BP went to 140/90, even with medicine.

Switched to Losartan, increasing to 100 mg and still had little effects. Doc added HCTZ, 12.5 mg, then 25 mg now. Seems to work for 1 year now. BP 125/80. My problem with urination is not that bad, particularly as I drink a lot of water to prevent kidney stones.

 

[latexman]

Added Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg, which made me urinate every 15 minutes. Obviously, you can't live a normal life like that, so discontinued that med.

How long were you on HCTZ? It seems like once you get "wrung out", output cannot exceed input, right?

 

[FiveDriver]

My Diastolic (the Lower number) was always high, even in my younger days. It was always over 100......it used to scare the Nurse taking my BP reading before my Doc came into the room.

My Doc prescribed Olmesartan (generic for Benecal) with the Hctz. BP came down to a more normal range and has stayed there. With Zero Side Effects. I have not experienced the weight loss that others have reported, but my Body Mass is within range.

 

[badatmath]

I was just reading a book "Are Your Prescriptions Killing You?" and the author seemed to favor calcium channel blockers in older adults. I can't quote because I returned the book to the library but it might be worth a look. I have a family member that tried over 30 meds to no avail and finally they determined he had a kidney issue of some sort and once corrected it was better though not 100%.

 

[eytonxav]

I've been on 10mg of lisinopril with hctz for years. I just started cutting pills in half and been monitoring my BP and discovered I don't need the full pill. Tried doing totally without it and my BP crept up a bit, so I will stay and the 1/2 pill and get with my PCP next year to discuss. The dam pill does make me pee too much so many he can prescribe without the hctz component.