Ramipril dull headaches

Your GP should do some tests after you start the medication, say two weeks into it, for example with Perindopril he may do a blood test to see if your live or some other organ is being affected.  Some GPs seem not to bother with that.  So first check these types of requirements for it is possible your GP for some reason failed to do that for a particular drug.  I am not a medical doctor but I know that there are many mechanisms responsible for high blood pressure and so it is not just an issue of the dose and how quickly or slowly your body (parmacokinetics and pharmacogenomics) processes the drug, there is more.  You may have a mechanism X and me a Y and another guy a Z.  Until such time as personalized genomic medicine comes to everyday use, you and I and everyone else will be given drugs based on statistical findings for race and age (middle aged Caucasian males should take drug X and Y).  It would be risky to advise but I would say, based on your discussion, that you should accept a low blood pressure of 90 or just under 90 and not worry too much.  What you wish to avoid is a low of 100 or 110, but in any case you are young at 32 to worry excessively.  Another thing you must do for the future: take daily pill of vitamic C 1000 mg and take one or even two pills of omega 3 fish oil.  The former will improve your immune system and protect you from systemic diseases which harbour inside of us and eventually surface and kill us when we are weak (bacteria, viral cancers, certain cancers that are dormant for say a decade and then come out).  The latter, in the long run, will protect your cardiovascular system perhaps even reversing bad cholesterol and narrowing or arteries.  And there my knowledge stops but please consult doctors.  Hopefully in 10 years when you are 42 there will be affordable gene sequencing and also personalized medicine that will remove your blood pressure problem.

I don't know what to say to you, since I am so new at this HBP thing!  I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing such problems at such a young age.  I am 65, and my blood pressure was normal in 2010 (the last time it was taken at my surgery) but sometime in the intervening years, it became very high, although I had no symptoms! I have high cholesterol, too and my Doctor will prescribe statins when I see him in a few week's time, but he didn't want to put me on two new drugs at the same time. I do not smoke, drink, nor am I overweight, so I suppose in my case it is a matter of age and genetics. I had visited my Doctor on a few occasions during those years, but at no time did I have my blood pressure checked, despite the fact that it only takes a couple of minutes, and costs nothing.   In hindsight, I think everyone should check their blood pressure themselves, as monitors are very cheap, and I could have avoided the scenario of suffering uncontrolled high blood pressure for a unknown length of time!  I am prone to suffering migraines, so am dreading getting headaches on Rampiril, since I don't think I will be able to take my usual medication, which is a vaso-constrictor (Imigran).........

I don't think you should have to put up with side effects. Ramipril is well known for the cough and routinely the dr will change you to Losartan or similar. However the cough  doesn't seem to be your problem. There are many other medicines and combinations for hypertension that your dr could try you with. It is usually just a trial and error to find the right one for you - we are all different.

You should also tell the pharmacist about the side effects. When I first went on meds the pharmacist was very thorough and asked for feed back and even phoned after a few weeks to see how things were going. Sometime pharmacists have more time than the drs who can be quite dismissive of side effects.

Lifestyle changes however will also help. Cut out salt and sugar, you won't miss either  after a week or so, lose weight if you need to, lower your alcohol intake also if you should and it goes without saying don't smoke! On top of all that do sufficient exercise. At least 30 mins brisk walking on at least 5 days a week is good, every day would be better. Don't expect miracles overnight but if yu keep at it your BP should drop somewhat even without meds. You'll certainly feel better.

You say that your body has been used to dealing with severe BP for so long?

How long is that and is it only now being treated? My body is also used to my BP being high and I can always tell from the way I feel when it goes down to what is regarded as normal.

A GP is not the right person to deal with the level of BP that you have. Insist on being referred to a Hypertension Referral Centre to see a proper specialist, not a cardiologist. Google for one near you but they are few and far between.

NICE guidlines say that patients with BP over constantly over 168 should be referred to one.  First as you admit you need use will power to change your lifestyle.

Hi Mark. Jane and Derek have said pretty much what I would have said.

I have been on 10mgs Ramipril for about 5 years due to my previously high BP. I am also on 10mgs statins. 

My father died of a stroke after having a series of mini strokes. My BP, like so many, is partially inherited.

You should not put up with unwelcome side effects. See you GP. Make a daily diary of your BP readings, your weight and how you feel. Show your GP. Take charge of your body as no one will look after it as well as you can.

Now this next bit may not apply to you in which case ignore it. If you are overweight, lose weight. Stop smoking. Stop ALL alcohol for 4 weeks. Tell you why in a minute. Don't eat junk food. Eat veg and fruit. No added salt to food. Reduce coffee and tea to max of either 4 cups per day. Eat beetroot. Add garlic to meals. Exercise for at least 30 mins a day.....to a point where heart rate is raised. Start now. Keep a log. In 4 weeks your BP should be consistenly lower and you can re introduce alcohol as a TREAT. These are lifestyle changes. Harsh at first but you will embrace them because you should see a change for the better.

Good luck. Keep us all posted.

It took me quite a few months to get used to taking tablets I did find when I felt dizzy I drank quite a bit of water which seemed to help.  I believe being dehydrated can increase blood pressure as well. It's worth giving it a go ,a lot of us don't drink enough