Why would I not be prescribed Atenolol?

sue42907...I'm not surprised the Rampiril gave you a horrible cough. I bet it was a dry, hacking cough...very persistent. Rampiril is an ACE Inhibitor, & ACE Inhibitors are very well known to cause this sort of nagging cough. It's one of the most common side effects of ACE Inhibitors. Not everyone experiences this though. Like anything else, people are different. I take an ACE (Coversyl), or better known as Perindopril, & do not have the cough. Of 4 friends of mine who were taking an ACE, 2 developed the bad cough, & had to get back to their Dr. to get a different med. The average is 1 in 4 persons developing the cough.

On the contrary Sue.. to completely trust your doctor is a mistake, they get very little training when it comes to drugs, they know what drugs are supposed to do but they don't understand in detail.. the best person to ask is the pharmacist ....

ann c.04098. I agree with you! When it comes to the drugs, it's the PHARMACISTS who are the professionals. They know the different types of drugs, how they react in the system, & what should not be taken with other meds. My very own Dr. whom I trust implicity asked me to start weaning off a med. He said take 50mg one day, then 25mg the next...etc, then stop. I devised my own plan..take 3/4 tab for 1 week, then 1/2 tab for a week, then 1/4 tab for a week, then 1/4 tab every other day, then stop. The Pharmacist thought my idea was very good. 

Going from 50mg down to 25mg to start weaning is equal to taking just 1/2 the med..which could cause problems. 

Yes, ann c..one size does not fit all. It's the same with Amlodipine.

Drs are prescribing that as though it was the 'flavour of the day",& a lot of people have adverse reactions to it. While it may be a successful drug, it still doesn't suit everyone. Some people can get along just fine with a generic (Amlodipine) while others need the brand name (Norvasc). A lot of people will argue that the generic brand has excactly the same ingredients, there are a lot of people out there who disagree with that statement. The fillers cause some problems. 

It never ceases to amaze me Sue that these doctors tell patients that these side effects are in their heads and they are nothing.. meanwhile many people like yourself have swollen ankles and some can't get their shoes on.. I dispise the whole lot of these doctors... the sign of a good doctor is how many people they can get off of medication as opposed to how many people they put on medications... I hope your doc can change those meds for you and bring you some peace and comfort...

ann c.04098...I'll take your compliment about "a sign of a good doctor is how many people they can get off medication". "How many" doesn't apply to me, but my doctor is having me wean off a medication because he suspects it is the culprit to my problem. Although I was reluctant to do this, I trust him implicitly, & will do as he asks. He did say 'we can try it, & if it works..great!". Of course, the onus is on me to monitor things, & let him know what's going on. If this doesn't work, then I'm sure he'll suggest something else. 

sue42907 when I was prescribed 10mgs of the Amlodipine (from the Doctor I had at that time, I have since left his practise thank goodness) my feet & legs swelled. A retired nurse in my music group checked my legs for me & said one leg was worse than the other although I couldn't see it with my eyes. Of course, her experience would dictate she knows what she's talking about.She asked if the feet/legs go down when I was resting, & the answer was 'yes'..but of course they ballooned back up again when I got up in the morning,& took the next dose of the Amlodipine. She suggested I see my Dr., which I did...& he took me off the Amlodipine. Obviously he knew about this very common side-effect.

Amlodipine is not for everyone, as we read on this forum, but it works very well for some others. 

If you find a good doctor which you seem to have done just that.. treasure him Mike.. I'm glad for you and am also glad people are participating more in their own healthcare.. that's a plus

Hi again ann c.04098...Yes, I have a great Dr. I was his patient for years until I moved to where I am now. The Dr I had here is young, just got his license 4yrs ago. I was never comfortable in his presence, he was on the computer 99% of the time when talking to me, giving me the impression he wasn't listening, in fact I KNEW it at times because he didn't answer. He gave me the impression that he was very cocky, & a 'know-it-all'. I was nervous going to the office, nervous waiting my turn, & nervous in his presence. I also was very uncomfortable with some of the things he prescribed, or didn't prescribe. It was like pulling hens' teeth to get a referral to a specialist. All things combined, & I was miserable, an advocate made a call to my previous Dr., explained the situation, & we were advised that it may take a week or so for him to get back to us. He did...& said that he'd be willing to take me back..just to make an appt with his receptionist. Everything then fell into place...I went back to his practise. While it's over an hr drive, at least I'm seeing a Dr. in whom I have total faith, comfortable speaking with him, comfortable in his presence, etc.etc. He does not rush you, constantly looking at his watch, he does not interrupt you by saying.."we only have time for 1 symptom" (which is a common thing these days). If I have to wait any length of time, it's because he's taking his time with another patient, so he does this with me, therefore I am patient when there's someone else in his office. 

While there are a lot of young doctors out there with fresh ideas, that doesn't mean they're better than a far more experienced doctor. Please don't get the wrong idea. My Dr. has been licensed since 1980..yes just over 35yrs experience..probably more experience than a lot of Drs have lived. My outlook is much better since returning to his practise. I now have faith that I at least have a fighting chance of feeling better, getting to the bottom of my problems. While it may take time, I'm sure we can come up with a solution.

Anyone out there who is not happy with their Doctor, I would strongly suggest you try to find someone who is willing to take on new patients.

I understand this is very difficult these days, but if you can do it...go ahead, especially if you no longer have faith or trust your current doctor.

Don't be bullied..they are YOUR employee, not the other way around. Without you, they wouldn't have a job. 

Mike I'm so glad you are back with the doctor that you trust.....

I have had similar experiences with this "new breed" of doctors and for the most part I do not like these self rightious pissants... the only thing that I can come up with for their terrible bedside behavior is that they were not raised by human beings... they are a product of technology and do NOT know how to interact with people...sad but true and this extends across the board into other professions as well.. By well Mike and good health to you...

Thanks ann c.04098...Yes, I most certainliy DO trust my "older" Dr.

He has asked me to wean off a med..thinking that particular med is what's making me feel lightheaded at times. I don't agree with his thought because of what's going on in my neck. I do believe the muscle in the back of my neck is spasming, because of a moderately narrowed neural foramen opening in the neck. I have begun doing as he asks...

& will monitor things..but I truly don't feel it's the meds. I'll have to monitor my bp of course..more than usual because of withdrawing the meds, & hopefully stopping them without too many withdrawal symptoms, but I really don't want to deal with having to go back on them because that was not the culprit. I feel I'm between a rock & a hard place here, but again; will do as my Dr. asks. 

I agree with what you say...the new Drs these days are raised on technology. They don't know how to properly speak to people. Well, a lot of them don't anyway. They come across as "know-it-alls"., "I'm so qualified", etc.etc. One has to practically beg to see a specialist & the wait time is months down the road..which means of course what we're experiencing certainly has that much more time to worsten. 

I have wonderful friends with whom I can talk to, but I certainly don't want to be a burden to them. I feel I'm fighting on my own...but with this Dr I've gone back to, I don't feel so alone with it all.

Good health to you as well!!!!