Am I the only one having no side affects to BP medication?
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi,
I would just be interested to
know if anyone else out theredoes NOT get any side affects from taking blood pressure
medication. I am reading so
many horror stories about all
these horrendous symptoms
from taking BP tablets . I was put on 5mg Amlodopine 2 yrs ago
and was preparing my self for
the worst but have had no side
affects at all. A month ago I was
also put on 4 mg Perindoprol
and again was waiting for the
side affects mentioned by so
many people to happen. Again
No side affects at all. If anyone is nervous about starting BP
nedication just remember not
everyone gets these side affects. I am proof.
0 likes, 20 replies
ann_c.04098 angela91414
Posted
angela91414 ann_c.04098
Posted
with everyone suffering from
these horrid side affects.
These were the first tablets I
was put on and the only thing
the Dr said was that I may
develop a cough with the
Perindoprol. I guess it was
just luck that it just seems to
suit me right from the
Beginning I was just making th
point to anyone worried that
Not everyone gets side affects. My friend started Amlodopine 6 months ago and she also
has no side affects. Before
starting them I remember
being so worried after reading all the comments about the
side affects. As I said I have
complete sympathy with
everyone suffering.
cpwood angela91414
Posted
A good question Angela, but an issue we won't resolve on this forum. I've had bad reactions from Lisinopril and Amlodipine. I've read about 10% of users get a serious cough from Lisinopril and Amlodipine caused aFib for me. I also have severe ringing in my ears, but I'm on several medicines and don't know the cause. But not only can a drug cause side effects, the interaction of multiple drugs can cause unexpected side effects. Not long ago studies were saying the blood pressure could be a little higher than normal in older people. The latest studies are saying even old people should have blood pressure kept in the 120s with up to three medications. I've also read some doctors don't want to comply because of the many side effects of blood pressure medicines. There are just so many variables I'm not sure this can even be studied with a broad valid outcome. I believe the best thing is forums like this for all blood pressure medicines so we can be aware of what might be causing issues. Thank you to everyone who shares on this forum.
MrsO-UK_Surrey angela91414
Posted
Angela, even Doctors and pharmacists agree that every drug carries a risk of possible side effects but not everyone gets them all and some lucky people don't get any - consider yourself very blessed to be in the latter category. Everyone is different in both how their illness presents and how they respond to medication. Because of the nature of online forums such as this you will rarely find people posting like yourself who are without problems and therefore not needing the support and guidance from others' experiences. Long may you continue to be one of the lucky ones. Meanwhile, long may there be Doctors out there who can deal with the challenges presented by the rest of us!
d01875 angela91414
Posted
I have to agree with Mrs O in that people who don't have problems with the drugs are unlikely to come on here. I took amlodipine for over a year before I started with problems, during that year I felt no need to come online........trusted my doctor, took the pils, BP came down, I felt OK, why would I?
Once the problems started, I didn't associate them with the drug having been on it for so long without any bother.
From then on it was a nightmare that just got worse. 5 years later, and a story too long to go into, I really didn't care if I died.
No one on here is saying that they don't work for many people, it's mentioned many times. Either they work for them or they know someone else who takes them without problems. Some people take them for years and then suddenly develop side effects, but the truth is, that there are many that do suffer on these med's and are either ignored and told it's not the med's, pressured or treated with condescension by their doctors when they present their symptoms.
For me, finding this site after so long, the relief I felt was immense. For those like me who need support and validation and to hear from other people who have also suffered trying to find an answer to their BP problems, this site is invaluable.
It's wonderful that you have not experienced any side effects with your medication and it gives me hope that at some point I may find the pill that works for me without causing other problems, but I think we all know that one size doesn't fit all. For those that do have miserable side effects, they need to know they are not alone. And for those about to embark on BP med's, who are lucky enough to find this site beforehand, at least they will have some warning of what can happen. I knew nothing, and suffered for far longer than I needed to had I known.
MrsO-UK_Surrey d01875
Posted
d01875
"For those that do have miserable side effects, they need to know they are not alone."
I couldn't agree more. My GP once told me that she hadn't got anyone like me with such a problem with BP medication and that she would prefer I stay under the guidance of my renal consultant (I took that as sounding as though she didn't want the responsibility!). Thank goodness for forums such as this for reassuring me that I wasn't all alone with my experience or worse still some alien from space!
d01875 MrsO-UK_Surrey
Posted
Oh MrsO.........If I had a penny for every time I was told they had never heard of anyone having my problems on these tablets before, by several doctors! They had me thinking I was going mad. I honestly thought that it couldn't be the med's if no one else had the same problems. Just wish I had searched online much sooner
.
ann_c.04098 MrsO-UK_Surrey
Posted
Mrs. O that GP is plain full of baloney.. It isn't you and all problems can be solved, the issue is finding the correct combination for you.. I hope you were able to change your doctor.. It sounds like that GP couldn't find the right combination and she became frustrated...
angela91414 d01875
Posted
I agree these sites are
invaluable for help and
reassurance .As well as
hypertension I also suffer
from diverticulitis and I
have had so much good advice
and tips on how best to handle
flare ups from another forum.
Although I don't have side
affects yet from my 2 BP meds
I am not assuming this will
always be so. As reading other posts it seems these can
appear some time after they
are started. Best wishes
Angela.
Guest angela91414
Posted
Yes, I've been taking 5mg Amlodipine since 2012 and have had very little side effects from it. I also take 10mg Ramipril with it and the combination works very well in controlling my BP.
angela91414 Guest
Posted
I am also on 2 BP meds. Judging by all the comments I think we are very lucky to not have all those horrid side affects. Must admit I was really worried when I started taking them and was looking for problems! but just goes to prove that not everyone gets the side affects Best wishes Angela
ann_c.04098 angela91414
Posted
Angela BP meds are given for different reasons and conditions, it's not just to lower BP.. apparently your physician hit the correct combination and your body responds accordingly.. Great for you.. On the other hand I will never believe that a 20 year old and a 70 year old should have the same bp readings no matter what the "infallable medical profession" says.. A few short years ago BP was measured by 100 + the persons age.. That went out the window, but now the "infallable medical profession" permits elders to have a higher BP somewhat.. heading back in the direction of original BP readings .. all these findings and research are funded by drug companies...
MrsO-UK_Surrey ann_c.04098
Posted
Ann
"On the other hand I will never believe that a 20 year old and a 70 year old should have the same bp readings".
I so echo those sentiments.
My BP was 172/87 at my appointment with my renal consultant a couple of weeks ago (an improvement, as the systolic is often in the 200's in the hospital/surgery environments!) The old mantra "100 + the person's age" could apply to me here - I am 75!)
The consultant has now decided not to intervene any further with medication other than the Losartan Potassium 50mg (recently reduced from 100mg due to an all-over body itch). He said we are now left with little option for treatment as my body can't cope with even a baby dose of most of the BP meds he has tried me on, let alone there being a combination that would suit me as you suggested in a previous post. Some of the side effects have been dire, including seriousl salt deficiency (that renders one almost impossible to put one foot in front of the other), plummeting kidney function (already have just a sole kidney and CKD3b with just 38% function), plus inflamed skin around the ankle area (varicose eczema), plus plus! Of course, if the BP increases to worsening heights, then the consultant will have to re-think.
I don't know what the hell we are to believe: in the press today, we are told that the NHS is now putting checks in place in surgeries/pharmacies on people's BP, cholesterol and heart rate, quoting how many lives could be saved. Yet, an eminent cardiologist is quoted in another article in a weekend magazine as saying that there is no benefit in treating cholesterol in over 60's, quoting the potential side effects, including diabetes, and adding that we need cholesterol to survive!
ann_c.04098 MrsO-UK_Surrey
Posted
Mrs. O.. People our age (I'm 74 in 2 weeks) can not tolerate drugs the same way younger people can and also the weather has an influence on this as well. I've been feeling terrible on 100 mg of Metoprolol so last evening I cut the pill in half.. this morning I feel much better and am not dizzy, tired and the rest of it.. I didn't even have energy to walk around the block, but I managed this morning. We are a forgotten group and I truly believe doctors don't know what to do with us.. Best I can advise is to research everything that goes into our system and use common sense when dealing with doctors.. Good health to you Mrs. O
MrsO-UK_Surrey ann_c.04098
Posted
angela91414 MrsO-UK_Surrey
Posted
I also read that article about statins and now totally confused . When I started a new BP tablet 3 weeks ago the Dr also prescribed a 10mg statin for my cholesterol which is 6. I was told to not take the statin until I had got used to the BP pill as if there were side affects they needed to be clear which pill was causing it. Have had no side affects from new pill but now after reading the article I don't know whether to even take it. Think I will take the article to my GP to see what she has to say as I don't want to take pills unnecessarily. It's all so confusing!!!I am also in the early 70s age range.
Best wishes. Angela
MrsO-UK_Surrey angela91414
Posted
angela55814 MrsO-UK_Surrey
Posted
Thank you for your reply. i cant understand why the dr put me on the statin.No family history and other than highish (mostly when I am in the surgery) BP no other medical problems (I still take a keep fit class for the elderly) I have decided to speak to the Dr about this.At the time she said it was borderline/high but at 6 I dont think it is that high.Dr also said I could take a 75mg aspirin if I wanted to! I am already on thyroxine which I have been taking for 25yrs so I will soon rattle!!
It looks like you live in Surrey I am in Berkshire so not that far from you.
Best wishes Angela
MrsO-UK_Surrey angela55814
Posted
Yes, Angela, I'm in Surrey - how did you guess???!!!!!!
Not far from Heathrow.
When you see your Dr, don't forget to ask what the ratio of your cholesterol is. Perhaps she's working along the lines that your risk factor is greater due to having raised BP as well. Having read such conflicting articles in the press during the last few days, it seems we have more questions than answers! Not surprising if the GPs are confused, too, plus our treatment will depend on which way any particular GP is leaning at the time!
angela91414 MrsO-UK_Surrey
Posted