Side effects from medication....

[Lucky5]

Hi. 5 weeks ago I had a heart attack. the angiogram showed 10% blockage in LAD. Total shock to me as I'm still in denial, even after a week in hospital. I am a female age 54 and thought I was reasonably healthy. Im now on 8 pills a day and have a dry cough from Perindopril. Can anyone give me advice on this side effect and whether I should change these pills. TIA.

[Chappychap]

It took about four or five months before the dry, sickly cough I had from Ramipril subsided.

[Lucky5 in reply to Chappychap]

Thanks. did you see a doctor for advice and he said stick with it ?

[Chappychap in reply to Lucky5]

Most GP's are very willing to switch your medication, they understand that many patients will simply stop taking the medication if there are side effects. But in some ways GP's may be too accommodating, it's interesting that doctors with heart disease tend to take one of these ACE Inhibitors themselves and put up with the side effects, I guess they must know something that persuades them to tough it out!

[Lucky5 in reply to Chappychap]

ok thanks again.

[Nathan53]

Hello Lucky5 - I have attached some information on Perindopril which mentions troublesome cough. If this persists and is difficult for you to cope with you could ask to try an alternative medication. Have you had an invite to join cardio rehab yet as this can be great source of support and help in coming to terms with what has happened. Given time and attention to diet and exercise etc I am sure you will feel better.

[Lucky5 in reply to Nathan53]

Thanks Nathan. Rehab starts this Thursday so hopefully I will start feeling more positive because every twinge I feel I imagine it has to do with my heart.

[Nathan53]

Forgot to attach the link nhs.uk/medicines/perindopril/

[Plum53]

Hi , can I just ask you was the blockage only 10% in LAD that they think was reason for H.A . I have an 80% so that is worrying to me. Glad your ok and on the mend X

[Lucky5 in reply to Plum53]

apparently it was 10% plus a small clot. BP was being monitored as it was slightly high. didnt really have any pain but my troponin levels went from 200 to 400. ECG was ok.

[Plum53 in reply to Lucky5]

Thank you for your reply it just goes to show even small blockages can cause problems . Glad you are ok and best wishes going forward x

[Lucky5 in reply to Plum53]

no worries. i think I'm still in denial. crazy times...

[niddrieboy]

Doctor.....why ask anyone else.

[Peepal]

Doctors often switch patients from ace inhibitors like perindopril to ARBS LIKE Losartan or Candesartan if they get cough or oedema. I was switched to Candesartan. Talk to your doctor.

[Lucky5 in reply to Peepal]

Hi spoke to the Health Centre pharmacist today and she said try to stick with it for a couple of months before changing meds.

[sos007]

I understand your concerns.

I had a triple bypass and 4 stents in 2015. I was on a cocktail of pills, probably the same ones you're on.

I radically changed my diet and lifestyle, lost 40 lbs and normalized all of my blood biomarkers. I stopped all medications in October 2016. Today I have optimal health.

Only by addressing the cause of the disease can you resolve it. Medications only serve as a band-aid solution.

In the meantime, medication adjustments should be discussed with your doctor.

Best of luck.

[Lucky5]

thanks for your advice. gives me hope as they previously said that I will be on meds for life.

[Maisie2014]

Hi Lucky5. I was on Ramipril for a couple of months. The first without a cough. When the cardiac team told me to see GP about the cough I started with his response was that it was a Ramipril cough! He said it doesn’t start straight away. He changed me to Losartan and cough went.