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What are my chances of being taken off BP meds altogether?

Posted , 6 users are following.

jane243
jane243

I was diagnosed 2.5 years ago with BP of 163/93 after a 24 hr monitor following an NHS health check. I was put on the lowest dose of Ramipril which after a month was raised to the next level. After a month or so that dreadful cough started and they changed to the equivalent dose of Losartan. Last July because I was having such low readings  that dose was reduced once again to the lowest possible dose which I've been on ever since.  Expecting the readings to rise after the reduction they stayed stable at the same level - more or less - but for the past 3 or 4 months have gone down again. I now get a 6 day average of below 120/80,  sometimes as low as 115/71 - 111/70.

I have always been cross at having hypertension always feeling it was a stigma even though the dr said it was 'just a condition', I didn't think of it like that. To me it was and still is psycological and I would love to come off medication totally. I wouldn't do it without asking the GP first but if I did ask what are my chances?

I've always understood that you are on it for life but is that necessarily true?

 

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • AlexandriaGizmo
    AlexandriaGizmo jane243

    Posted

    Hi I'm glad your numbers are now at a healthy level at last, as for coming off medication there's only one way for you to get an answer and that by asking your Dr, ask if there is any way to keep it down naturally ie exercise diet losing weight etc or is it a health issue that has to be controlled with meds, good luck
  • Fisherman
    Fisherman jane243

    Posted

    Hi Jane. I too am on Ramipril, 10mg and like you assumed it was for ever. My 2015 monthly averages are more like 126/84, not as good as you but much better than they were pre medication. Whilst it would be great to be "drug free" I wouldn't stop taking them without medical advice. I would worry about increased bp and personally prefer to keep a lowish dose going in addition to common sense dietary and exercise regimes.

    See your GP and get professional advise and good luck, and well done on those readings!

  • MrsO-UK_Surrey
    MrsO-UK_Surrey jane243

    Posted

    Jane, if your excellent BP readings are due to the Losartan alone, then it would seem obvious that you will need to continue it.  However, if the readings are also due to a change of lifestyle, such as diet/daily exercise/weight loss, and you intend to continue with that change of lifestyle, then it may be possible for you to continue without the Losartan.

    You are wisely going to seek the advice of your GP before taking any action, but as to "what your chances are", you wll only have the answer to that question after being off the medication for a period of time.

    Well done on your success in lowering your BP to these levels and long may it continue - can you send some magic dust my way, please?!

  • robert25274
    robert25274 jane243

    Posted

    Currently with drugs, exercise and a change in lifestyle my average readings are around 110-115/70-75. However, when I asked my doctor about stopping the blood pressure medication he said it was unlikely they will stop medication completely. However, it is not all bad and they have reduced what I was taking and I am now taking 10 mg of amlodipine, 5 mcg of Ramipril and 2.5 gm of Bendroflumethiazide for my blood pressure, with additional tramadol and levothyroxine for other health issues. I have another appointment in two weeks to see where my BP has settled after the changes.

    My position may be different to your own as in addition to the High BP I also suffer from hypothyroidism that can cause problems with BP, and stage 4 kidney disease which is also closely tied to BP problems; any increase in blood pressure could potentially cause additional damage.

    However, you have to consider that your current BP readings are a result of your current medication, and the readings are not yet low enough to be considered a low reading, and where terminating your medication may well result with you ending up right back where you started.

    All you can do is see your GP and discuss your current position and see what they recommend, it certainly couldn’t hurt; good luck.

  • jane243
    jane243

    Posted

    Thank you all of you for your replies. I know and understand that I do need to see the dr about this before doing anything. She had wondered a year ago when she reduced the Losartan from 50mg to 25mg, as I was having averages then of the mid 120/70's, that with the reduction it might rise but in fact it stayed the same for a month or two then gradually came down until it is the level it is at the moment. 

    The health care worker who did the health check over 2 years ago just said "Well you are 70 now" as though I was only fit to be shoved off into an old folks home. I just told her I wasn't 70, just 29 because that is how I felt. The dr I was with at that time said I wouldn't control it without medication and reluctantly I obeyed him at the same time as losing weight [having been a constantly returning weight watcher for over 40 years i ditched them too and adopted the LCHF way of eating], cutting out salt and alcohol and walking 2> miles every day, briskly. On top of that we have a large garden which is my job. I'm on the go most of the day.

    I'm due a review shortly so will ask. I have never relaxed my regime of exercise, and watching my diet as losing weight was also a factor in dealing with osteo arthritis in the knee.  I had a BMI of 24 which is now <19 and have never felt better. i just wanted to see if i could do it alone  and was really cross at the original  drs attitude; as though taking tablets for life and continuing with all the old bad habits was acceptable. so watch this space !! and="" have="" never="" felt="" better.="" i="" just="" wanted="" to="" see="" if="" i="" could="" do="" it="" alone ="" and="" was="" really="" cross="" at="" the="" original=""  drs="" attitude;="" as="" though="" taking="" tablets="" for="" life="" and="" continuing="" with="" all="" the="" old="" bad="" habits="" was="" acceptable.="" so="" watch="" this="" space="">

    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo jane243

      Posted

      I would go back to Dr and ask if you can reduce your meds a little bit more and see what they say, my other halfs bp is about the same as yours but if he so much as stops for one day it rises again even though he's fit and not over weight so he knows his is a lifetime medication route for him, he doesn't have a problem with it though and it doesn't give him any side effects as he takes omezeraprol to stop the cough, one of those every other day see what they say.
    • jane243
      jane243 AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      I can't go any lower, I'm on the very lowest dose.  Very occasionally I have missed the odd tablet and it hasn't made a scrap of difference to the BP. 

      My husband has really low BP yet was put on a low dose of Atenolol ten years ago by a neurologist for what I think is known as 'essential shake' of the hands. He was frequently dizzy from standing up from sitting or from lying down. I'd been telling him Atenolol was for hypertension as well as other things and perhaps the low BP was responsible for the dizziness. He was very ill last Christmas - nothing related to this - and the GP took him off Atenolol since when he doesn't seem to have had any dizzy spells. I mention this because the GP said to take the tablet every other day before eventually dropping them completely.

  • helen_07568
    helen_07568 jane243

    Posted

    at the end of the day we are responsible for our own health try taking one every other day  jane
    • jane243
      jane243 helen_07568

      Posted

      That's a good idea Helen.Might do that  before the review which is due in August.
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