went to myDr, yelled at them for not knowing the side effects

Tracy, which one, there are a bunch.  Doctors tend to say they're all the same, but they're not.  ACE inhibitor is often one of your better choices for blood pressure, often in combination with others.  I don't like calcium channel blockers, however.  Make sure you also try a diuretic along with ACE or ARB, and/or beta blockers.

ACE/ARB may have some side effects but they're not overwhelming like the beta blockers, and they tend to clear pretty quickly if you just stop taking the drug if they occur.

tracy49491...I agree with jx41870 to a point. BP meds are not all the same; which is why they have different classes of the meds. There are ACE's.,ARB's, Calcium Channel Blockers, Beta Blockers, etc.etc. Usually when starting any sort of bp medication, a Dr. will prescribe something, then see how it goes. If the bp isn't coming down satisfactorily, he/she may add a diuretic. Everyone is different, & not all doctors do the same thing. A Calcium Channel blocker is the likes of Amlodipine, (or Norvasc  which is the brand name). An ACE Inhibitor is a medication with the letters ending in "il"., i.e. Perindopril, Lisinopril. ARB's are another class..such as Irbesartan, Valsartan, etc. Some of the ACE's & ARB's contain a diuretic. A very common side effect of Calcium Channel blockers is swelling of the feet/legs., but again not everyone suffers the same side effects. I was fine on 5mg Amlodipine a few years back, but the 5mg wasn't controlling the bp., so the doctor upped the dosage to 10mg...big mistake. My feet/legs were badly swollen, so I had to come off that medication. ACE's can cause a hard dry hacking cough, but again; not everyone suffers this side effect. Remember...we are all different, & what affects one person, doesn't necessarily affect another. 

Calcium Channel blockers, ARB's & ACE's can be stopped immediately (without weaning). You cannot do that with a Beta Blocker or some other meds. When in doubt..consult a Pharmacist..they are the pros when it comes to medications. 

I hope you find something you can tolerate. I do not tolerate the drugs well at all and I have been on all but one class of bp meds. I have the betablocker metoprolol and itching and burning, insomnia, depression and anxiety. I was on a water pill hctz and 2 days later was in the ER because it dumped my already low potassium and I had to get IV potassium, I was on an ace inhibitor lisonipril and I broke out in a hot red rash all over my chest. I was on a calcium channel blocker amlodipine, it made my GERD worse as well as anxiety. I was on the drug clonidine when I was taking amlodipine and this drug I was supposed to take every time my bp went over a certain number. Each time I took that one I woke up that night with tachycardia I couldn't control and I now am still paying off the ER bills. I had enough.

@T2R, in the US it is standard practice to prescribe multiple drugs, one from each class - one ACE/ARB, one calcium channel blocker, one beta blocker, and usually one diuretic.  There is a theory that if you don't do that, the body simply adjusts and works around the effects of a single drug, that the combination works better.

I don't know if this is true, but it is how I've been treated.

I bring this up because there is another thing to try when you have a reaction to a drug - reduce the dosage!  On the beta blockers in particular, I've found that one quarter of the standard low dosage is very effective for me.  On even a half dose I feel like a zombie.  I've also tried smaller doses of most of the other drugs I've been on. 

Hope that helps.