Ramipril cough

Hello, powerwalker, perhaps I phrased my posting poorly, I don't think that I am old at 63, and I do take regular exercise, both swimming and walking.  I was just curious to know if anyone else on the forum had experienced the same thing as myself, meaning that a drug which had previously been tolerated had started to show side effects because of an ageing ( not old ) body.  Many thanks for your reply. Regards, Peter.

Peter, at least you lasted longer than me!  I've just come of Indapamide 2.5mg after only 3.5 weeks - the fatigue and leg discomfort hit severely after a couple of weeks, plus much more serious effects on my bloods.  Now consultant is searching for another drug to suit me - meanwhile the Losartan I have been on for several months is ok but isn't bringing my BP down sufficiently on its own.

Sorry, meant to address you as Powerwalker, not Peter - Anno Domini!!!

MrsO - You sound like you've had the same symptoms as me for which I sympathise with you as they're really horrible. I've been off Indapamide for a week and already feel a lot better. Interesting that you should mention your bloods as my GP has asked me to do a number of blood tests. Good luck with your new medication. At the moment I am not taking any BP tablets and my BP is 127/64.

Thank you Powerwalker.  Like you I am also feeling so much better just a week after coming off Indapamide - just a slight feeling of congestion in my legs when out for a walk this evening but at least I managed to walk briskly which was a complete no-no whilst on Indapamide.

With regard to my abnormal blood test results, the Indapamide had reduced my sodium levels, and the consultant put my fatigue down to this.  Other abnormalities thrown up in the blood test were high Creatinine and Urea, and eGFR (kidney function) reduced by 7 points after just 3.5 weeks on Indapamide.  I have just one kidney and it had already been diagnosed as low functioning about 7 years ago but remained fairly stble during those years.  All the best with your results.

MrsO Gald to hear you are already feeling better now that you've ditched Indapamide. Thanks also for sharing your blood results - let's see what mine throw up - I'll let you know.

Many thanks for your reply.  My GP sent me for a chest X-ray, if the results rule out any other problems he will investigate a BP medication link.  Reading this forum and the replys from yourself and others I am pretty sure that Ramipril is to blame.  Other side effects mentioned on this forum are more insidious, muscle aches, blurred vision etc and I realise that I have also suffered these to some extent, one way or another I will be coming off Ramipril. 

I didn't mention that I had severe dizziness with Ramipril. Last Christmas we took the grandchildren to see Santa and there was a slight delay. I was so dizzy that I had to hold on to anything convenient as felt as though I was about to fall over and came out in a sweat. Let us know how you get on but I'm sure you will soon get the right medication to suit you. Good luck with Xray.

Peter, I was on Ramipril for a very short short time earlier this year. I was also on it for a very short time some 7 years ago.  Didn't want to take it but was cajoled into giving it one more try by my renal consultant.  Within about 10 days I developed nausea and fleeting pains in my temple area on both sides.  This was exactly what happened the first time on Ramipril all those years ago, with painful symptoms spreading to all the large muscles, head and blurred vision, eventually leading to a diagnosis of Polymyalgia and Temporal Arteritis, two very long term, linked inflammatory auto immune conditions, necessitating long term high dose steroid treatment in order to protect me from eyesight loss.   I may have gone down with the illness anyway, but, in the absence of a known cause, I was left wondering whether Ramipril played its part in my case.  On this second and most recent experience with Ramipril, it's possible my sypmtoms could have been psychosomatic, I don't know but I wasn't taking any chances and refused to continue taking the drug..

I hope I haven't bored you with my post but I just wanted to impress on you how important it is not to ignore such side effects as you are experiencing from any drug.

I hope your chest X-ray rules out any underlying problem and that your cough subsides very quickly after coming off Ramipril.  Good luck! 

Curiouser and curiouser, shortly after starting Ramipril 6 years ago, I started to experience dizzy spells and was investigated for labyrinthitis which proved negative, it has come and gone over the years with an episode quite recently.  Everything is falling into place now.  With the replys from yourself and Mrs O I can feel my optimism returning.  It shows the value of these forums when people take the time and trouble to help.  Many thanks to all of the people who have given me advice.  Regards, Peter.

By no means have you bored me!, as I mentioned to Powerwalker, it's people like yourself who take the trouble to give advice that helps to fortify you when you are starting to despair.  I'm reasonably sure the my X-Ray will be clear and that Ramipril will be proven to be the culprit.  Again, many thanks for your help.  Regards, Peter.

Keep in touch so we know how you're progressing

Will do.  Many thanks, Peter.