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Side effects of Tablets

Posted , 9 users are following.

gwen22261
gwen22261

I wrote on here before about the terrible side effects i get from Hypertension tablets , a few months on and i am still suffering and at the end of the road in more ways than one , i was told just to take Bisoprolol which i can take ,however it is not enough and my BP is now sometimes too high ,My GP says she has no idea what to do and it apears that neither does the Consultant i saw at Harefield ! he did all the tests for essential hypertension and they were normal and i have not seen him since ! there is one Dr in London who does research into intolerance but as he also does tests he costs a lot to see privately , I have read of many people having problems but they seem to manage to stop and try another or stop altogether ,, i just wondered if there is anyone who suffers like me and if there is any answer ,? of course there are some natural methods like diet etc and wt loss but at my age they are not enough !

0 likes, 49 replies

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  • mike569
    mike569 gwen22261

    Posted

    I have been taking Blood Pressure tablets for 20 years and have had a similar experience to you and the other respondents.  Unfortunately, I can only get my blood pressure below 140/90 by means of 2 tablets.  For most of the 20 years these has been a Calcium Channel Blocker, like Adalat, and an Ace Inhibiter like, Lisinopril or ARB like Candesartan, and many other variants (including manufacturers!).  It was therefore difficult to determine which one was causing the massive hip/muscle/sciatica pain (NOTE I haven't had to have the hip replacement, once threatened) and which one was causing the chronic chest congestion, etc.  After a lengthy programme of visits to Addenbrookes, I have now changed my medication to two different Calcium Channel Blockers which appear to complement one another.  One is called Angitil and the other Lercanidipine.  Surprisingly, they produce AM and PM results well below 135/85 and the least worst side effects I have experienced, although fluid retention and edema (from the CCBs) are now regular features and I would prefer NOT to have these.  Recently, I have started experimenting with a Probiotic supplement, which is supposed to create a better balance between good and bad bacteria in the gut.  One capsule a day is helping to reduce the overall discomfort, but not the fluid retention.  Perhaps you should talk to your GP before trying this out.

    ?I am amazed that, after all this time and with all this data, side effects are still not being taken seriously enough.  I had hoped that the ‘Patient’ website would be lobbying pharmaceutical and medical specialists to do more research and find better solutions.  The cost of the supplementary medication being taken to alleviate such side effects is huge and it is a tremendous waste.  (After 20 years I find it hard to accept "be grateful for what you given, just grin and bear it"wink.

    • gwen22261
      gwen22261 mike569

      Posted

      Mike , i too find it hard to accept that side effects are not taken seriously enough ! People who find it hard to take certain tablets are still in the monority i suppose but they are still there ! I seem to have got blamed for not being able to take them from a couple of DRs ! Even Harefield have not been able to help me apart from increasing a diuretic which again i get side effects from ! Im glad you manage to find two you can take with Addenbrooked , yes oedema is a problem to have and no doubt id get it badly ! Thanks for the names of what you are taking, i will ask my GP about them ,  I do take a probiotic just for the sake of it ! But im so fed up as its hard when you find that there  are not a lot of people with brains who know what to do ! I hope perhaps the Patient Web site can lobby pharmaceutical firms to do something ! Glad you did not have to have the hip op !
    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey mike569

      Posted

      Hear Hear, Mike!

      Was reading about the latest treatment for those with difficult-to-treat HBP in the Mail on Sunday yesterday - a paper clip device implanted in the thigh. Apparently reduces BP instantly. Obviously not suitable for all but it is reassuring to hear that someone somewhere is on our case!

    • gwen22261
      gwen22261 MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      I read about this as well , yes good to see that there are things being tried ! The renal denervation that some hospitals are now doing is another thing that could help !
    • derek76
      derek76 MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      They were doing a trial with it at Eastbourne in 2011. I did not apply as at that time I had hoped to have renal denervation.
  • Pocket1
    Pocket1 gwen22261

    Posted

    I sympathise. The side effects of all these drugs seem to affect many people badly including me. I don't read the side effects when I change to a new tablet but make a note myself of any changes. I am sick of changing. Ramipril gave me a cough, Loasartan gave me trips to loo and depression, candesartan made me feel tired and grotty and headachey, felodopine  headaches that made  me unable to operate, and doxasosin unbelievable urgency to go to the loo. How do we win this? But our genes all react differently to these drugs of which there are hundreds. You  know your reaction better than anyone so don't let the doctors tell you otherwise.  So it's about trying to find something that suits while you change your diet and exercise to a point where you may be able to come off all of them. i am on drug number six and will have to change again. Good luck 

    • gwen22261
      gwen22261 Pocket1

      Posted

      I have just read this Pocket1, thanks for replying , I too am so sick of changing ! You seem to be as sensitive as me ! i went to see a consultant privately and he said i should be on as few tablets as possible ! true ! but what ? anyway he ordered a 24 hr bp monitor and iv to see hime again ! he said perhaps one of the newer drugs in a small dose !! will see ,, im taking a minute does of Candesrtan just now and still getting headaches ,earaches and dizziness ! am fed up ! hope you are faring better do let me know !
    • colin143
      colin143 gwen22261

      Posted

      Gwen, I am sorry you are haviong continuing problems. It's a matter of trial amd mostly error, isn't it? With every blood pressure drug you take do you also try the different generic versions to see if one suits you better than another? This works for even, even as far as the dreaded Ramapril cough is concerned. Somewhere ther just has to be a drug or combination of drugs that suits you better than any other.

    • gwen22261
      gwen22261 colin143

      Posted

      Hi Colin , sorry i did not reply before now , i had to put my computer in to be looked at ! I actually do not try the generic versions , i did not think about it , i dont think my gp would be happy dishing out other versions tho ! Are you saying that a generic version of Ramipril suited you ? It is mostly error on my part and its all no fun ! I have just been given Lercanidipine and as i had bad effects from Felodipine im sure this one will make me ill as well ! I now wonder if i will ever get a combination i can take !
    • colin143
      colin143 gwen22261

      Posted

      Hello Gwen. Your doctor, for instance, might prescribe Ramapril but from memory there are two generic versions. The principle ingredient is Ramapril in each case but the bulking agents are slightly different. I cough much less with one of the versions. The pharmacy might be able to provide the two different versions for you to try, it will depend on the size of the business and how they buy the drugs as I understand they buy spot loads on the open market (but I might be corrected by someone more knowledgeable). When I have collected a new drug for my wife from Superdrug they have not batted an eyelid when I have asked if there are, say two different generics, and if so could I have one of each. I go to a small pharmacy that is very helpful but they cannot necessarily obtain every generic version of a drug but so far it has not been a problem. If you find that one generic suits you better than another some doctors will actually write that on the prescription such as, perhaps, "Bristol please" because that version is manufactured/marketed by Bristol. Hope that is not too rambling but sometimes a drug can be manufactured by as many as six different companies and the bulking agents or additional ingredients can vary.

    • gwen22261
      gwen22261 colin143

      Posted

      Hi Colin , thanks for this ,I will ask the Pharmacist in the shop i usually go to , he is quite good ! It is a bit of a minefield isnt it / ? I did know about the different bulking agents but have just tried the ones iv been prescribed ! oh why cannot they make a one for all pill !!!!
    • annie78444
      annie78444 gwen22261

      Posted

      Hi, Gwen, when you say minute doses of Candesartan, what do you mean? I noticed that the lowest dose prescribed in 2mg - can you break these tabs up evenly? This whole conversation has helped me. Last time i tried Lisinopril i was on 2 x 0.625 mg per day and got all the symptoms, this time i started on half this - 0.625mg pd, and still got symptoms - cough, headache, tired, sort of depression, and a range of other things. Now i am trying breaking a 2.5 into 5, not easy, but choosing the smallest, and taking a bit off the bigger bits, so i am left with 0.4mg approx, the cough has virtually gone,  minor headache, and still of blood pressure - will have to see if this continues as the earlier 0.625 mg doses may still be working. If it does not work thinking of  trying candesartan. Was going to try before re trail of Lisinopril, but saw a side effect can be giddiness etc
    • annie78444
      annie78444

      Posted

      sorry, i meant still OK blood pressure....
    • gwen22261
      gwen22261 annie78444

      Posted

      HI Annie ,,sorry , have only seen your post now ! Yes you can break the tablets up evenly ,,but you can get candesartan in 2mg tablets ! Are you still on Lisinopril on the small dose ? It seems as tho you have managed to get rid of some symptoms on the small dose ! I have been having muscle and joint pain from the candesartan 2mgs ,, i thought i could take them but no ! All the sartans seem to have side effects especially dizziness , Im having a terrible time trying to get a tablet i can take , iv tried lots ,, im so fed up as no one seems to be able to help ! the Lisinopril gave me a 24hr cough , i have an app at the hospital on Thurs so have to ask the consultant i see ! Im on Bisoprolol which i find ok but its not enough ! you say your BP still ok so id stay on the one you are on if the side effects are not so bad ! let me know how you get on ! There was a lot of people commenting recently which was helpful but no one i spoke to has been on here for a while ! good luck

       

    • annie78444
      annie78444 gwen22261

      Posted

      Hi, Gwen, thanks for replying , is there a line in the pill, or do you mean you can break it ok?  No, I am not on Lisinopril now. The lower dose, though delivering  good blood pressure from about an hour after taking it, for about 10 hours,  did not last, the solution would have been 2 x 0.4 mg,  but i did not go down that route, as my pulse rate was becoming rather unstable, still ok, but not usual (it had done this when i used before, but more so) .  The dry cough  still disturbed sleep and  worsened  other  health conditions, the headache was lessened, but still constant,  and the general malaise/exhaustion  was increasing. i am waiting for a 24 hr bp monitor . I heard the sartans had the least side effects, so your experience has lessened any enthusiasm i had! Betablockers - on them then getting off them - wasted a year of my life, so they are not an option for me, though many have  good experiences. I hope you find something that works for you, Annie
    • derek76
      derek76 annie78444

      Posted

      You can buy a pill splitter from any pharmacy. They accept all sizes of pills although smaller ones are a bit fiddly.
    • annie78444
      annie78444 derek76

      Posted

      If i start on something else, i'll try that.Thanks, Derek 

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