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Resistant Hypertension

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LynnG
LynnG

Since being diagnosed with very high blood pressure (bp) in 1999, I've had a difficult time finding a bp medication that doesn't give me intolerable side effects and/or lowers the bp to an acceptable level.   I have been on all the different classes of bp meds and have been on Carvedilol, a beta blocker (25 twice daily) since 2011.  However, in the last few months my upper bp number has been in the high 150's to low 160's.  Although on the highest recommended dose, my doctor had me try 25 three times daily which resulted in intolerable side effects.  Then tried 2 1/2 daily (although the pill should not be split) but it still didn't lower bp enough.  Also, since being on Carvedilol I've noticed considerable hair thinning, low platelet count, double vision in one eye, worse tinnitus, joint pain, and crusty scalp.  My doctor didn't think these symptoms are from Carvedilol and was attributing them to aging (I'm in my 60's).  I told her I thought it awfully coincidental that all these symptoms have developed while being on Carvedilol and want to get off a beta blocker.  I've also become a blood "clumper" in the last two years but the hematologist doesn't think it's from the beta blocker (?).  She is not happy with me since we've tried so many other bp meds (Carvedilol is the 12th) but I finally convinced her to get me off it.  I am currently weaning off Carvedilol and she had me add one low dose Amlodipine Besylate (a calcium channel blocker) while doing so.  But I've tried a calcium channel blocker in the past and got leg, foot, ankle, and shoulder flu like aches.  Well, we will see how this works.  My doctor is practically at a loss for what else to do and may refer me to a cardiologist.   ALL that being said, is anyone else having a difficult time finding a bp medication that lowers it enough without intolerable side effects?

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  • gwen22261
    gwen22261 LynnG

    Posted

    Yes Lynn ,, I am ,,have tried about 10 and got really bad effects ,, am still not sorted bp wise and am so depressed that i had to see a counsellor ,, she of course says my bp needs to be sorted but to date no one can help ,, I see a cardiologist and he put me thro all tests for essential hypertension then could not help ,,, there are a good few people who are intolerant , none seem to have the answers !
    • aetl
      aetl gwen22261

      Posted

      Hi Gwen,

      Because after 2 years of non working/bad side effects BP meds. I was sent to a cariologist.  Tested, etc.  The state of my heart is fine.  He's put me on a beta blocker.  Week 1, started with 2.5mg of Bisoprolol. So far so weird.  I'm having weird dreams.  One which I woke up and had to ask my husband if what I thought happened actually happened. It seemed so real that I was going to call my friend and tell her "what happened".  My husband told me no, it did not happen.  Other very visual and strange dreams.  The last one was awful because although I knew, as I was dreaming that it was a dream, it was very frightening and I could not pull myself out of it.  I did wake up some (don't know for sure if I actually did) and I was afraid to go back to sleep, afraid of entering the same dream.  Week 2, I just started 5mg.  If my weird dreams continue I will contact the cardiologist and say NO because I can't live in such weirdness.

      Would you mind teling me about your side effects from the BP meds?  I had constant coughing (and they put me on that 2xs, like the 1st time wasn't good enough?) another did nothing for me, then there was the I am a zombie pill, very bad.  But the worse pill was the one that caused anxiety.  A horrible feeling.  The doctor tried to tell me it was my own doing, something wrong with me but I found in the side effects information that anxiety is one of the side effects-well they had to admit that I was telling the truth.  The thing about that pill (can't remember the name) was the anxiety stayed with me well after I went off it.  I'm fine now but wow, it was AWFUL.

      I hope you can find something to help you.   Gosh, depression, I'm sorry to hear that.  I hope this forum helps you.

      The latest is a pill that if you are "darker skinned"  then you have to take a stronger dose than a light skinned person I live in Denmark and I guess they couldn't find 10 different types of pills to put me on?  

    • gwen22261
      gwen22261 aetl

      Posted

      Hi Aeti , thank you for replying , I will reply soon ,, i feel so bad , I notice you live in Denmark , lucky you ,, I lived in Nykobing F for 5 yrs when i first married ,, loved it ,, My Danish has sort of gone now but i try to read what a friend writes !
    • aetl
      aetl gwen22261

      Posted

      Hi gween2261

      Don't worry.  Reply when you have the time.  I've lived in Denmark or (danmark as they like to say) for 25 years.  The language is toughneutral.  I'm still working on itwink but in order to keep my sanity I stand by my english when ever I can.  That's another story another time.

      Meanwhile . . . hang in there.

       

    • gwen22261
      gwen22261 aetl

      Posted

      Hello Aeti , so you are not Danish ? yes it is a hard language to learn ,,, i was only 25 so i managed because i sort of had to , my husband worked in NF hospital and spoke it fluently , when we were with others they all spoke Danish and i was left out ! i just thought they would speak english ! they all could but didnt unless they had to ! i grew to love the country and would have stayed there but my husband wanted to  be a gynaecologist and over there it was put with surgery ! we did not go back ,, i wanted to go last year as a friend asked me but i was not well enough ! which part are you in ? I have just reread what you said about anxiety being bad ,, i have terrible anxiety and get so panicky at times , the Dr said it had nothing to do with any tablet but i did read it on the leaflet  that it caused it , Im so fed up of being told its all my fault and its me who is acting stupid ! Iv been on Bisoprolol for ages so i think its the only one i can take , i have tried about 12 tablets in the past year and i get lots of muscle pain from them all , back ache excruciating ,headcache ,leg ache , arm ache , dizzyness which really incapacitateds me ! the only ones which gave me a cough were the ramipril and perindropil ones ,, the Dr believed me then ! amlodipine made my gums bleed as did isosorbide mononitrate ! i was sent to a consultant cardiologist as id had a funny heartbeat at one time , he gave me tests for essential hypertension and they were all ok which means i do have e hypertension ! but then he could not come up with one tablet either ! I was told to take small bits of Candesartan over the day which i do but again i still get bad effects ! if my BP goes up i get really funny muscle things which are just undescribable so i think that is why im depressed ! i had a lung funtion test and that was ok so they could not understand why i was saying i felt i could not breathe ! Im now on an antidepressants but they make no difference ! I had to ask to see a counsellor and at least i can spaek to her team ! im amazed that so few doctors are interested in sorting out intolerant people ! there is one at Barts in London so in the area as large as it is that is all ! Oh i wish i was still in Scotland where i come from ! I hope you are having some success ,i did read about your hip op ! i hope you get the other one done ! Oh i did notice what you said about weirdness and ivhad that as well , Im a bit older than you at 69 but feel as tho my life is over ! I dread every day because of all this ! take care give DK my regards !
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