I have high blood pressure and so far I have tried -
Amlopidine which did nothing
Losartan which worked but terrible coughing fits on it
Indapamide- excessive urination at night even though taking in morning
Doc is now trying bisoprolol which I start tomorrow. Has anyone else taken a long journey to get correct medicine? Can they all be taken one after the other? I had ecg and doc sending me for echocardiogram next due in couple of weeks as she suspects thickened heart wall which sounds scary.
Any advice appreciated as not sure what’s going on with myself!
I'm the same as you. Tried a lot of BP meds and have now settled on Losartan 100mg and Bisoprolol 7.5mg (although I was given the bisoprolol initially to stop my palpation attacks). Who can say if I am having side effects with them? I have put on a lot of weight, but my GP says he didn't think it was the meds! I get visual disturbances and dizzy spells, plus thinning hair, all of which I have read are side effects, but as the GP 'doesn't think so' I just live with it.
Hi Ladycrow i can only comment on my experience with meds. I am still on the journey of finding the right mix of meds, and i think it may still take a while. It has been 3 months now, and i am still getting there. The positive is that you do get there, the learning for me is if you are concerned keep asking questions until you get the answers. I didnt want to bother people, such as GP etc, and it has been me that has suffered, when seeking answers. Good luck. Judi
Hello
There is nothing worse than when you do not know what is going of and then something is suggested that it could be but wait first before you let your mind get carried away till you see the Consultant
Sometimes it can take a few tries before you find the right medication for you as frustrating as it is but there is always one that will suit you and do the job
Does it say on the boxes the meds come in when to take them it usually does
If they all say in a Morning or whatever I would say it is fine to take them at the same time
I take quite a cocktail of meds in a Morning and then a few in an evening but that is what it says to do on the box
You could always phone the Chemist up and ask they will tell you if you still feel unsure
Dual therapies are getting quite popular in treating high, particularly stubborn BP. Currently I am on the minimum dose of Bisoprolol and a low dose of Lisinopril (an ACE Inhibitor). Also with the typically lower doses a side effect from any one drug is less likely.
I tried 4 before finding one which worked and my body tolerated. You’ll get there but do remember that it sometimes takes a fee weeks before your body settles down.
Interested to hear about coughing fits in Losartan. My GP changed me from Perindopril as I had been having constant coughing for 3 months amongst trying other solutions. Since being on it I have a cough mainly in the mornings bringing up mucus and wonder about going back on Perindopril. Also noticed I need to urinate more frequently especially at night.
Surprised they tried amlopidine as I was put on it to try to keep me out of atrial fibrillation and when it didnt work I was taken off it ASAP. First drug was bendroflumethiaside which gave me a distressing cough, have been through a variety and am now on indapamide which seems OK. Bisoprolol is a beta blocker and makes me feel terribly tired.
So sorry to hear Ladycrow, my experience is that it can take a while for my body to get used to new meds and also that we should report side effects to the Dr as they know when it means we need to change. so for example I was put on amlopidine but my ankles swelled slightly - the Dr changed me immediately as they knew it would have got worse. if they put you onto beta blockers (I take bisoprolol) check out side effects coming off as you normally have to decrease very slow. Good luck with it all, we're all different and different things work for us all
Thanks all for your comments - have started bisoloprol today - will see how long it takes till the first side effect hits me 😂
Hi Ladycrow. Sorry to hear about your BP issues, I know from experience getting the balance right for effective BP meds can be tricky. I have suffered from high BP for 20 years. When I first began taking meds it took over 6 months of, essentially, trial and error until the GP found an effective treatment. Since then my treatment regime has changed over the years from taking an a multitude of drugs on a daily basis (ace inhibitor, a calcium channel blocker and a water tablet daily) to just an ace inhibitor. Am sure you will eventually find a treatment regime that works for you.
I have high b/p & heart failure & l am on losartan but on low dose as l am very sensitive to medication , also on low dose of bisoprolol fume rate. My GP is monitoring me as l can’t see a cardiologist for some reason maybe due to Covid . Recently had echocardiogram & ecg & currently waiting for appointment as I need to have more medication apparently blood thinners.I am 83 & have other health conditions
Just like to say that it sometimes takes a while to get medication to suit you so keep a record of your symptoms & blood pressure & keep in touch with your doctor
The echo & ecg are painless
Wish you well
Ladycrow. I have been put on lisinopril and spironolactone. To aid my blood pressure. I was on losartan but they soon moved me to lisinopril. I think they have more research when it comes to lisinopril. I had a 24hr blood pressure check and my losinopril was put up from 20mg to 25mg. The average blood pressure is coming down nicely. Do i get reaction to the medication. Hard to say as i have only been on them for about 3 to 4 months. However i do agree with one comment dont stand up too quick. But we are all different and the medication is used to assist your individual problem. The spironolactone is a diuretics and i have this to remove any water build around heart and lungs. Mainly to help gas transfer. But it also help blood pressure. I take mine in the evenings to reduce any effects. But it is something iam trying, i did ask gp and cardiac nurses if this is ok. That then frees me up to take my anti depressant in the morning. But the one thing i have learnt is that blood pressure does need to be controlled as it can have all sort of effects on the body and heart. Unfortunately blood pressure can go up with age, stress, lack of exercise and diet. But mine seseems to have gone up as i have got older.
I have taken, Ramipril, Propranolol and Amlodipine for many years which controlled BP but started getting swollen ankles and gums so taken off Amlodipine, since have had Alpha Blocker and Diuretic, never worked and sent BP even higher, Diuretic gave me awful headache plus neck and shoulder pain. Have started taking Amlodipine again to lower BP and will have to live with swollen ankles. Anxiety from not being able to find right medication doesn't help BP either.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Blood pressure. Medication 
High blood pressure query.
High blood pressure 
Best medication for high blood pressure 
high blood pressure 
