feeling down

[Sixtychick]

This morning, my blood pressure spiked to over 180/90 again, and so I went back to the hospital. This time, I had to go to the GP assessment unit. My blood pressure came down to 152/85, so they let me go home, with a prescription for Ramipril 2.5gm to take, if my blood pressure stays at 180 or above for a day. I feel so down now, as I’ve never had high blood pressure before and now it’s happened twice, in as many weeks. Anyone taken Ramipril ? . I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to take just the one dose, to bring it down. My blood pressure comes down on it’s own usually.

[BenHall1]

Hiya Sixtychick,

You say 250gm dose of Ramipril. I sincerely hope that's a typo ! Do you mean 2.5mg ???

Anyways, I've been on 10mg of Ramipril since around 2007 (age 65 ) and I'm still on it, I'm now approaching 80 and I have been on it continuously over the intervening years. In fact I've had my BP meds increased with Felodopine 2.5mg. In addition also since 2007 I've been on a beta blocker too, initially 5 mg Bisoprolol, then after 13 years I was switched to Nebivolol and in April 2024 I had some cardiac issue but not AF and my Cardiac Consultant switched me to Sotalol. This has knocked me around alot but it has proven the most effective at controlling my heart rate and BP. Beta blockers usually are aimed at controlling heart rate but also have properties to help with blood pressure.

So, to answer your specific question ........ I have not experienced any side effects with Ramipril. None !

Please don't feel down about this ........ " just because you've not had blood pressure before ". Prolonged high blood pressure is widely recognised as the forerunner to many other cardiac issues. Have you been diagnosed with AF ?? Are you experiencing any/many personal emotional issues at all ... because that can be a cause of high blood pressure. Then so can the natural process of just getting older. with previous untreated BP.

Your BP figure of 180/90 is far too high and even the lesser figure of 152/85, while being acceptable ( depending on your age and general medical condition ) is OK but still high ... fer instance mine at the moment is around 127/80 ish with a heart rate of around 72. You don't say what your heart rate is ? 60 to 100 is with normal range but higher than 100 is a warning. Fer instance when I was diagnosed with AF my morning BP was around 136/80 by 4 pm that same day it dropped to 76/50 and my heart rate hit 156 bpm. I thought my BP monitor was gonna implode ! However, my current BP is only achieved with all these meds I mentioned ... other wise I dread to think what it would be !

Again I say don't fret or be uptight about this just accept you have to take this medication and be grateful all this has been identified now. If after a while the Ramipril seems not to work and you still have issues then see your GP about getting an Echocardiogram done or at least a referral to a Cardiac Consultant.

John

[Sixtychick in reply to BenHall1]

Thanks for replying. I’ve put it right. My blood pressure was back down, when I got back from the hospital. This morning it is 125/74 and heart rate is 83. I had an ablation in September last year. I only have to take the Ramipril, if my Systolic BP goes up to 180 and stays there for a day. When my heart spiked to 180 last time. I had to take my BP twice in the morning and evening for 7 days and then work out the average. The average was 131/67 and our GP said this was fine and I didn’t need tablets to lower it. There must be a reason why it just spikes like that. I’m wondering if it is to do with low blood sugar, as it has happened first thing in the morning both times , before I’d eaten any breakfast. I looked that up and it said low blood sugar can put your blood pressure up.

[Responsable]

If it will make you feel better, I live with "dangerously increased BP" for years (male, 72 yo, pressure in the span 160/75 to 180/80-90, without any medication). No problems at all, no headaches, no dizzy spells, no brain fog, active all day long. The limit value for BP of 120/80 is appropriate for young people, not for elderly. Before the marketing service of drug producers decided to increase the usage of BP drugs, the upper value of BP was allowed to be 100+age (172 in my case). Here a document with more precise data about BP in elderly:

careclinic.io/elderly-blood...

Hope it helps!

P.

[Sixtychick in reply to Responsable]

Thanks for replying. After the last time it spiked, I had to take my BP 4 times a day, for a week and work out the average, which came to 131/ 67, so the GP said I don’t need to take the tablets for it, unless the systolic goes to 180 and stays there all day. I have to take my blood pressure again, for the next 3 weeks and have another blood test for the electrolytes and urea levels, as the sodium level was too low. My report I was given when I came home, said I had mild hyponatraemia. Never heard of it, so looked it up and it said it was low sodium. It can be very harmful. Never new that. Thought it was high sodium that was bad for you.

[Responsable in reply to Sixtychick]

Never believe in numbers. The BP changes during the day, from low to high values, depending on activity, mood, body condition etc. If you feel well, never buy the story that you are sick! I remember that entirely sound people were told to be ill, without feeling ill and without any symptoms, simply because the "results" of PCR test were "positive".

[Sixtychick in reply to Responsable]

Thanks for your information.

[opal11uk]

My husband takes it every day to maintain a stable BP, he is 84 and doing well so I would suggest you take the advice of the medics by taking Rampril and I feel sure you will soon feel more confident and better in yourself. I would add that as we get older our overall health conditions will change and we have to deal with them one by one and roll with the punches, I always say that there are people out there far worse off than me!!!

[Sixtychick in reply to opal11uk]

Thanks.The hospital Dr said I only have to take them, if my systolic blood pressure goes to 180 and stays there for a day. I had to take my Blood Pressure readings for a week, last time it happened and work out the average, which was 131/67. The GP said this was fine, so I didn’t need blood pressure tablets for that.

[BrotherThomas]

I take 2.5mg Ramipril daily and have done so for about 3 years now. I've had no problems with it at all and my blood pressure is towards the bottom end of normal. No problems with side effects either. The leaflet in the box recommends taking it in the morning.

[Sixtychick in reply to BrotherThomas]

Thanks for the reassurance. I only have to take the Ramipril, if my systolic BP goes to 180 and stays there for a day and I have to monitor the BP again. Hopefully I won’t have to take it. I had to take BP readings 4 times a day, for a week after the first tome it happened and work out the average, which came to 131/ 67, which GP said is fine and I don’t need to take anything.

[pd63]

Bp needs monitoring over a period, I had bp checked whilst at gp for annual MOT, it was 165 over 85, monitored it for 2 weeks and it was normal so just a blip.A couple of high readings is not definitive.

[Sixtychick in reply to pd63]

Thanks. After my BP spiked last time, I had to take my blood pressure 4 times a day for a week and work out the average, which was 131/ 67, so I didn’t need to take any medication for it. I only have to take Ramipril if my systolic BP goes over 180 and stays there for a day.

[pusillanimous in reply to Sixtychick]

I find this protocol of taking your own blood pressure very interesting by virtue of the fact that your figures are accepted as accurate. Do you have your home BP machine calibrated against a highly accurate one at the doctor's office and do they call you in periodically to check you BP on their equipment?

[Sixtychick in reply to pusillanimous]

I only went to the GP the other week. When my blood pressure spiked, it was the same reading I got at home as when I got to the hospital and it came down on it’s own. I have been taking my own blood pressure for a long time and my monitor is fine.I was told BP can spike and then be ok. Obviously you are in America, as you called it a Drs Office. They are called surgeries here and the Drs are quite happy with patients taking their own blood pressure. GPs often get their patients to take their own blood pressure and they give you a chart to record it on for 7 days.

[pusillanimous in reply to Sixtychick]

Actually I am British but I now live in South Africa. Usually here, we refer to 'Doctor's Rooms', but I see 'Doctor's Offices' used universally, so used it instead of surgery. I know that you have telephone consultations these days, and one of my sisters in the UK told me she was having to take her own lood pressure and was not happy, she has AF, in our case it is familial, so she decided to consult practitioners privately and feels much more comfortable. My own GP here thought I was joking when I told her about these telephone consultations. I see her every six months for my prescription to be renewed (I see the Cardiologist annually for an echo and doppler -and general check) and if she is unhappy with your BP when she takes it, she does not rely on your own BP readings, but insists you come daily if necessary for one of the practice nurses to take your BP so she can monitor it. They usually take three readings, five minutes apart after you have first relaxed for 5 minutes.

[Sixtychick in reply to pusillanimous]

I think I’ve had more telephone appointments than face to face since Covid, which started all this. The Drs just decided to keep doing these telephone conversations.I do get to see a nurse every year, for a heart health check, when they check your heart, blood pressure etc and do a few blood tests.They only do the blood pressure once. I have to take my BP readings for the next 3 weeks and then talk to the GP and have another blood test for electrolytes.I just hope our new government does something about our NHS.

[pusillanimous in reply to Sixtychick]

Good luck, I hope you do not have to wait too long for your electrolytes, it's just a quick blood draw. I had one a few months ago and the doctor phoned me a couple of days later to tell me they were fine.The NHS certainly does not sound like the one I left years ago when I married and came to live here!

[Sixtychick in reply to pusillanimous]

Thanks. The NHS has gone downhill. The last Government did not do enough to help it.

[wischo]

Been on 5mg of ramipril for 12 years now and no side effects whatsoever, blood pressure fine.

[Sixtychick in reply to wischo]

Thanks. That’s good to know.

[Buffafly]

My GP says she prefers older patients to have slightly higher BP than the ideal for younger people (to avert falls). My BP (monitored at home for two weeks) was a bit too high. I was living through an ongoing stressful situation at the time. My GP prescribed Ramipril which gave me an irritating cough and affected my asthma so changed to Candesartan. All good but when the stress was over I began to have episodes of feeling faint, blurred vision and unsteadiness while walking. After a bit it dawned on me that my BP was now too low! So reduced and then stopped the Candesartan. I take 180mg of Diltiazem daily which reduces my HR and BP so I don’t take any extra meds.

Did you take your BP for a reason or as part of your daily regime? If you are going to keep an eye on your BP you should take it three times a day with at least two readings 10 minutes apart, resting in between. You probably know all that but might be useful info to someone else.

[Sixtychick in reply to Buffafly]

Thanks for your reply.I usually do it once a week, just to keep my eye on it . My heart was racing when I woke up and so I thought I’d take my blood pressure, which is how I found it had spiked to 185./ 90. I had to do my blood pressure 4 times a day for a week and work out the average, which was 131/67. G P said that was fine and I didn’t need tablets. I only need to take Ramipril, if it goes to 180 or over and stays there for a day.I need to clarify, if it’s just one dose I need. As my blood pressure is not high, I don’t want to take it all the time, as I don’t want the symptoms you said you had when your BP got too low.

[Qualipop in reply to Sixtychick]

I'm glad it was properly checked. It must be meant as a pill in the pocket ie just take when needed. Your average BP Is fine.

[Sixtychick in reply to Qualipop]

Thanks.I think that’s what the hospital Doctor meant.

[Qualipop]

Giving BP tablets after just one incident is not normally done. YOu need to see your G P and get your BP monitored at least 3 times a day for a full week. All kinds of things can raise your BP briefly; watching a scary movie, stress, anxiety so your GP will need proof that it's raised most of the time.

[Sixtychick in reply to Qualipop]

Thanks for replying. I had to take my BP readings 4 times a day for a week and work out the average, which was 131/67, so didn’t need the BP medication. I only need to take it, if my BP goes to 180 or over and stays there for a day. I’m sure the Dr said I only have to take the one dose. I’ll have to try and clarify that.

[TouchVeena]

I know this sounds crazy, but try eating about a cup of cherries a day. I did this just because some friends brought some over, and my blood pressure went down 20 points. I did some search online and discover there have been about 30 experiments in which eating cherries have been shown to drop blood pressure, as well as have many other health benefits. And they taste really good, so you've got nothing to lose.

[Sixtychick in reply to TouchVeena]

Thanks. If I see any in the shops, I might try it.

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

There is one I Think Betta Blocker and a modern new med that works on bringing dow systollic BP only.

My systolic got hight and was give Metoprolol which is now banned from my list then Bisoprolol.

But BBs do not bring dow my H/Rate Day. always low 47avge at Night.

I was diagnosed Stroke - Embollic, AF Rapid & Persistent and within 4 days Papillary Thyroid Cancer. But my Carotid Arteries were clean and clear.

A private Heart Specialist put me on CCB Diltiazem 180mg and within 2 hours H/Rate went 156 on Bisoprolol to 51.

Tweaked..

120mg AM Diltiazem controls my H/Rate

2.5mg PM Bisoprolol controls my BP especially Systolic.

Have a 24hr H/Monitor to prove what your meds are doing Day and night.

I had 3 x Monitors in 2021. Importantly exacting Day and Night.

cherio JOY. 75. (NZ)

[Sixtychick in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

You sound like you have a lot of things to contend with. I shouldn’t moan. Best wishes.