Hypertension meds have got my life on hold

If you didn't have the dizzyness and rapid heartbeat before the meds, then the only option is to drop one at a time to see which one is causing it.

I suspect the hydralazine.

Hi wayne08874...First off., about 99.9% of people do not have symptoms of high blood pressure, which is why it's called the 'silent killer'. People can feel absolutely great, but unbeknownst to them, their bp is so high it's frightening. High bp most certainly CAN cause eye problems, so it's possible the high bp caused the issue with your eye.

Doxazosin can cause dizziness..depending on the strength you take. I take 1mg/day..& don't have a problem, but when first starting, it's suggested that one take the first tablet at night to see how it goes. Be careful getting out of bed, don't rush..Right from the get-go I was ok with this med & take it with the rest while having breakfast. That way, I know all my pills have been taken, & there's no worry about missing any. If you refer to the forum on Amlodipine, you'll see a myriad of problems people are experiencing. It has a very common side-effect of swelling ankles/fee/legs. I was ok on just the 5mg but when my then-Dr. increased the dose to 10mg (the 5 mg wasn't controlling the bp), my ankles/feet/legs swelled like you wouldn't believe. Other people have no problem with it, but again, read the forum. 

To be quite honest, I've been on bp medications since late 2013, & I must say that since that time, I haven't truly felt normal. There's always a feeling of a light 'fog' so to speak. If you don't know this already, bp fluctuates by the minute. You can have a reading of 120/80 one minute, then say 135/75 the next. You may have a day where it's running a little high, due to things you may have on your mind, etc., then it may level out. If you're at all anxious, expect higher readings., & you can also get higher readings just because you're at the Dr. office. I'm not at all familiar with Lercanidipine. at all. I've read some not so implimentary things about the Hydralazine too. Is that a diuretic??? 

I think you're doing the right thing by exercising to a degree, reducing  your weight. I just wish the pharmaceutical companies would develop a bp pill...just one., that would suit everyone..no side effects, etc.etc. yet it would control the bp beautifully.That won't happen because the more drugs they produce, the more money they make.

 

I have been on BP  meds for 24 years, after having blurred vision and then it was 220/115.   I was well controlled on meds until,2 years ago when I developed a bradycardia and had to come off Bisoprolol.   I then realised my lack of sleep due to going to the loo 5 - 7 times a night wasn’t me ageing but a side effect off Amlodopine so,I ended up of all my meds.   I ended up with a fast heart rate for a year, it’s now fine again, however my BP went high again which was very scary.   After 6 difficult months, I,am on Losartan 100mg and Feledopine 5mg slow release, they have made me feel tired but the alternative is worse. 

Oh Wayne, I can so relate to this.  I'm 45 and about 2st overweight - really active though, cycling, tennis, cricket.  Never smoked, occasional drinker of fine ales! Went to the GP last May feeling lousy, with constant headaches, had the wellman check up, all good, cholesterol ok, liver/kidneys/bloods ok, and then as an after thought, the district nurse took my BP: 180/115.  Given meds right away - 5mg amlodipine

Once I'd overcome the initial side effects, the BP came down to normal, and I lost the 2st by ditching bread and sugar, and hitting the cross trainer.  I thought I'd cracked it, so my the end of the summer I let my diet go, and by Xmas I'd gained the 2st back again, and what's more was feeling lousy again, and my BP monitor was giving me higher readings. 

I went back to the doc, and was given losartan 25mg to add to the now 10mg amlodipine, which sent me bandy.  On review the doc dropped the amlodipine back to 5mg.  That was back in March, and I feel your pain.  I'm knackered all the time, not sleeping well, suffering with ankle and knee pain, weird chest pain that feels like a stitch (ECG came back normal) and of course my weight isn't dropping fast because I'm literally coming home from work and falling asleep.  

My next steps are now to ditch the bread again, and to force myself to get to the gym, no matter how rough I feel.  I believe myself to be in the cycle where I won't feel better again until I'm off the medication (or at least earned a reduction in dosage) and that won't happen unless I drop that 2 stone again, and I'm going to have just fight that fatigue until I reach the goal, but at the moment I'm pretty miserable.  

Keep going buddy.

Hi Wayne.  I have experienced exactly the same problems.  I have chronic kidney disease stage 4 and my BP is typically 150/70.  I found that although Losartan worked for me a for several months, I became so unwell that I spent much of my time being pushed around in a wheelchair because I couldn't walk more than 100m and easily became breathless. In addition I got joint pain, couldn't raise my arms above my head and couldn't look left or right.  I stopped all my tablets and replace them one by one every three days. I started with Doxazosin 4mg and found that all was well until I got to Losartan; it was that which caused my problem and I have not taken it since.  I cannot take Lercaninidpine because of my very low kidney function.  Furthermore, I don't want to reduce my diastolic reading below 70 because my heart output is then too low to sustain my need for oxygenated blood and also endangers my kidneys.  I haven't had the same horrible symptoms since stopping the Losartan but have changed to felodipine initially 2.5mg but now 5mg.

I suggest that you talk with your GP about coming off Losartan and taking something else.