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have been diagnosed with hypertension, doctor has prescribed rimipril1.25

Posted , 10 users are following.

marilyn98768
marilyn98768

i haven,t taken any yet as am very frightened off the side effects that i have read about . i have bought myself a blood pressure monitor ,but i am very anxious and every time i take my pressure it keeps going up and is now higher than ever ,is there any advice as to what is the best medication to take and should i ask for a 24hr monitor before taking medication . i am going on holiday in 4 days time only my second ever holiday abroad and do not want complications with either the medication or the hypertension 

 

0 likes, 30 replies

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  • 33309
    33309 marilyn98768

    Posted

    Marilyn...you're obviously concerned about your health, but make no mistake...lowering high blood pressure is critical...you can prevent damage to your heart, your kidneys, your eyes....for heaven's sake, you can save your very life!!  So  let's do this....start takng your pressure many times a day!  You have to get over the fear of taking it...and, you'll learn how your own body's pressure varies throughout the day.  It's different for everyone...but do start ...do not delay!! It's your life...don't depend on anyone else...no one cares more about you....tha you!  If you don't take action...no one will!!! Call me in the morning!  Arthur
    • marilyn98768
      marilyn98768 33309

      Posted

      thank you for your reply have to see the nurse on Thurs for ECG if pressure high (think it will be due to my anxiety) may start them Thurs night 
  • MrsO-UK_Surrey
    MrsO-UK_Surrey marilyn98768

    Posted

    Marilyn, I have so understand your fear as I've been there myself.  You haven't said how eye your blood pressure is but if it is very high then you would be wise to at least give the Ramipril a try.  Yes, some people do suffer side effects but others don't have any side effects at all, just the benefits of getting their BP down. I believe 1.25mg is a very small dose anyway.  You have every right to request a 24 hour monitor before embarking on the medication if that would help to reassure you of the need for medication and it can be an especially good idea for those people who have what is called 'white coat syndrome' where their BP only rises when they are at the surgery.  Mine goes sky high at both the surgery and the hospital, so now the consultant has stopped taking it and relies on my occasional readings.  One thing I would say is that it isn't a good idea to keep taking your blood pressure several times a day - some people can experience further stress from doing just this and consequently their blood pressure will rise.  I was advised by my consultant to take my blood pressure three times leaving a couple of minutes between each recording, and then make a note of the average of the 2nd and 3rd readings for him.  I now just do this about once a week.  If you sit very quietly for a few minutes before taking it and completely relax, breathing into your stomach slowly and letting your body go, you will probably find that the 3rd reading is lower.  As far as what is the best medication to take, I have been told by my pharmacist that Losartan Potassium is generally well tolerated and is the one he hears the least complaint of side effects from patients.  Hope that helps - importantly, relax, relax, relax......Tai Chi is great for reducing BP. 
    • derek76
      derek76 MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      Problem with 24 hour monitors at your GP is that they don't have many of them and have a waiting list. Given a reason they will fit you in for an ECG even it it means the nurse cancelling a few appointments for other patients. Last year she had to fit another woman and myself in.

      The other woman then collapsed and was taken to hospital by paramedics. I later asked the nurse how the woman had got on. Anxiety attack she said and she had been kept in overnight for more tests.   

    • mary1954
      mary1954 MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      Hi there!

      I have only joined this site today and on reading your reply to Marilyn it was near enough my story you where telling..I have the "White Coat Syndrome",unfortunately or fortunately... my blood pressure was so high that machines wouldn't register it, even the 24hour one had NO readings when downloading it. I ended up my Doc sent me to hospital as she said there was no more she could do for me, In a short space of 3 weeks I was on Bisoprolo 2.5ml, Ramipril10ml, Furosemide 2x40ml, Simvastatin 20ml, Amlodipine 10ml, Spironolactone 25ml, Omeprazole 20ml.I was in a CCU Unit in The Countess of Chester, transferred to Liverpool Broad Green, given an Angiogram and Diagnosed with Hypertensive Heart Failure- to be Medicall Medicated. I never went to the Doctors,.... just got on with it, to my regret!... I had had the constant Swollen Ankles, fluid around my Organs, getting more and more breathless to the point of Gasping to breath going upstairs to the toilet.... I had stopped smoking 15months before and had felt really bad since then...... and was slowly killing myself not going to the Doctors. I believe.... and my Doctor confirmed that had I not gone when I did, I wouldn't be here now. I went from thinking I had a bad Heart to taking Tablets probably for life... Things are pretty Hard and Scary at the moment, I have no Energy, but hopefully that will improve in time. I think talking to other people might help me and this is why I have joined this site today! Thankyou for listening! 

       

    • derek76
      derek76 mary1954

      Posted

      With all the medications you are taking how is your  now?

      Do you have a monitor to check it at home?

      Hope that things grdually improve for you.

    • 33309
      33309 mary1954

      Posted

      Mary..i'm a little confused about where u stand right now, but addressing your situation is the best thing you can do.  Find a physician(recommended by someone)who is willing to sit and listen to your story, and get involved with your care.  Almost anyone can improve/cure their problems with enough effort.  Stick to it...we're all rooting for you!!!
    • derek76
      derek76 33309

      Posted

      Are you in the UK?

      Here we are governed by the NHS unless we can afford to go privately.

      The NHS is not free it costs us a bomb in National Insurance contributions and needs backing up from other sources.

      The NHS is not in the main geared to listening to patients. Consultants do tests and work from that. Tests can have many months between them due to waiting lists.

      As I have posted here previously I was referred to a cardiologist after having aortic stenosis diagnosed. Five weeks wait to see the consultant, seventeen weeks wait to have a stress echocardiogram (I managed to get a cancelation) Ten weeks wait for angiogram and then 28 week wait for surgery. Five weeks of the 28 were lost by my notes not being sent to the hospital that was going to do the surgery.

    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey mary1954

      Posted

      Mary, I'm so sorry to hear of your heart failure diagnosis but thank goodness it has been diagnosed before getting worse and affecting your other organs.  Are you still taking all the medicines you listed?  Obviously, the Omeprazole has been prescribed to protect your stomach from any possible side effects from the different medications, in which case taking a 'live' yoghurt daily with your breakfast and before taking the pills could further help to line your stomach.  Live yoghurt proved a godsend for me when on high dose steroids for 6+ years and my body was unable to tolerate either Omeprazole or Lansoprazole prescribed to protect my stomach from the steroids.  The yoghurt worked a treat and I didn't experience any stomach problems during those years.  

       A little tip:  when you are prescribed different medication always check drug compatibility with the pharmacist, even those bought over the counter, including any herbal supplements.  I came across the following which might be helpful:

      "Patients with hypertensive heart disease should avoid taking over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or cough suppressants, and decongestants containing sympathomimetics, unless otherwise advised by their physician as these can exacerbate hypertension and heart failure.[10][11]" 

      I hope that now you are on the right treatment, you will soon start to feel much better.

  • derek76
    derek76 marilyn98768

    Posted

    Wait until you have taken the medication before you worry about the side effects. They have to warn you about them but not everyone gets any.

    How high is your BP?  1.25mg is the minimum dosage. There is no best medication it depends to a degree on your GP to what is prescribed. Often others are added or the the original changed if the initial one does not help. Obviously anxiety is the greatest factor in increasing your BP. Relax, sit back and enjoy your holiday. Once you are there you will soon forget your BP. I have flown all over the world since it was diagnosed 14 years ago. Normally you should tell your insurer that you have a pre-existing condition but with BP if it is controlled by two medications that is not usually a problem. As soon as you say you are taking three medications they mostly slap a £75 surcharge on an annual policy.  

    When my hypertension was discovered (210/110) I was a week away from flying to Barbados. They said that I should not fly long haul when it was so high. After four days my BP was down to 168/78 and off I went. Actually flying in a pressurised cabin is quite safe.

     

    • marilyn98768
      marilyn98768 derek76

      Posted

      thank you for your reply it is the min dose my pressure at the dr,s was 160/90 but have always had low presure but i have taken readings now of 178/114 i think due to the anxiety of the whole thing 
    • derek76
      derek76 marilyn98768

      Posted

      Normal practice is not to prescribe on your first visit and to have you back twice more to be sure that the readings are sustained. If stress at the doctors put it up you could probably take at least 30 off.
  • amsjo
    amsjo marilyn98768

    Posted

    Hi Marilyn,

    I know how scarey it can be to find out about having high BP, but it is better to know and be able to do something about it. I was put on Ramipril, starting on a low dose until I got to 10mg. For me I toloerated it fine as it was gradually increased, but it was the start of me taking responsiblity for my own health, so as well as taking the tablets I also increased my exercise levels, cut out as much salt as I could and made sure I relaxed when possible.

    Think Arthur sums it up well smile

     

    • marilyn98768
      marilyn98768 amsjo

      Posted

      thank you for your reply it helped to hear from someone who has taken ramipril without side effects , i dont smoke ,drink take moderate exercise walking, but i have now cut out salt was hoping to bring it down myself but looks unlikely now 
    • derek76
      derek76 marilyn98768

      Posted

      I had stopped salt and  sugar in 1982 and smoking in 1993 before getting hypertension in 2000 and had always exercised and not eaten junk food. It just happens unless their is someting like a kidney problem causing it.
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