Flue-like symptoms with blood pressure medication

[Pip27]

I wonder if I may take this opportunity to ask a question on this excellent forum site. I am an 84 year old male, who has been prescribed various blood pressure medications over the past 35 years. Presently I take one 25mg tablet of Losartan for blood pressure, and one 20 mg Citalopram for anxiety. Each evening after our evening meal I get to feel flue-like symptoms, I retire to bed, where after about half an hour or so the feeling leaves me and I am feeling fine once more. I have read on the Losartan leaflet that this is one side effect that some patients can experience. I just wondered if followers of this forum have ever experienced this feeling, and if so did they change their medication? I did have some concerns about heart problems a few months ago, caused by chest tightness. My GP thought I may have angina, but then after a number of ECG's a chest X ray, plus a telephone conversation with a hospital heart consultant, who asked me about my daily activities, I was made to feel that all was OK and that he did not want to see me, and telling me to stop the extra medications that had been prescribed for me when it was thought I had angina. So sorry to take up time here, but this daily feeling, which is not at all pleasant, coupled with my feelings of anxiety for a whole range of topics, I am beginning to become a recluse. Thank you so much for any replies.

[Pip27]

Having just read some of the heart health postings on this site I do feel that mine does not even rank consideration, so sorry, may I send my best wishes to all, and thank goodness for our wonderful National Health service. Pip

[ChoochSiesta in reply to Pip27]

Crikey, no need to be sorry at all. I'm on 7 different meds every day. I am not aware of any side effects though. Inform your doctor, get it sorted!

[Pip27 in reply to Pip27]

Thank you one and all for your replies, something worth noting in each of them, take care all. Pip

[Heather1957 in reply to Pip27]

I try and respond to most posts if I can offer something, sadly I can't relate to your situation or medication, hopefully others can help.

[Pip27 in reply to Heather1957]

Thank you Heather, I am beginning to think that my particular side effect with Losartan is rare, but I do feel certain that it is the Losartan that is causing it, for as soon as I reduce the tablet to half it's size the problem stops. I have been told that I will have to have this prescription reviewed as it is no longer on my repeats anyway, so that I will do, Thank you again, you are such lovely people here, my best wishes to you.

[Visitingcat]

Hi PipAs it’s after your evening meal could it be anything to do with what you are eating or drinking?

I start sneezing and blocking up when I have anything with sulphates in ( and they can be quite hard to avoid) if it could be this affecting you maybe do a quick search on them?

Red wine is full of them and I used to have a glass of blackcurrant cordial after my tea and had to stop using it when I checked the label and it had sulphates listed in capitals.

I didn’t always get this and it has eased off from how bad it used to be. So it could be a reaction which comes and goes.

On the other hand I take losartan and have done for ages so it could have been that ( or maybe losartan reacting with sulphates?) all along.

I take mine at around 4 ish in the afternoon (and lots of other pills at different times, I cannot take them all at once) when do you take yours?

Please feel free to ask your questions, if something is making you feel bad then it is and you are doing right by asking.

Best wishes

VC

[Pip27 in reply to Visitingcat]

Hi VisitingCat, I now take losartan at about 9 o'clock in the evening, and it seemed for a while that this stopped the flue-like symptoms, except that last evening it returned. As I may have mentioned the 'flue-like symptoms are listed on the losartan leaflet that comes with the tablets, it's just very frustrating when you take medication that you are told will improve your health, only to find that it comes with some very annoying side effect that can sometimes bring on new symptoms. Thanks again for your very detailed reply, stay safe, Pip

[Visitingcat in reply to Pip27]

It is frustrating Pip, I’ve had quite a few reactions to different drugs.One of them, flecainade gives me blurred vision in the mornings, I’ve checked it with my optician and he says as it’s only a couple of hours it’s ok, I don’t drive.

I was given a different brand of it once and it gave me reflux so badly my pills felt like they were sticking in my gullet and would not go down. Horrible feeling.

Back on my normal ones and it gradually eased off but took a long time to get back to normal.

I have to put a note on when I order them to not give me that brand.

If I’d been given that one first I would have said I could not take flecainade at all, good thing I wasn’t as it helps me a lot.

Try and have a word with your gp. I hope you can get something sorted please keep coming on the forum, it’s great and friendly and has helped me a huge amount since I developed Afib.🙂

[Pip27 in reply to Visitingcat]

Thanks again Visitingcat I am due to have a review of my medications, so we shall see what can be changed Pip

[DaveSpice]

Don't appologise for any posting, we are all friends here and don't become a recluse, go out and see friends and family. One of the advantages of getting old is being a pain in the ar*e to others. The anxiety you feel will add to your condition in not be the cause, what do you do to keep yourself busy and how is your food and exercise?

Aren't you a little young to in Great Expections, or was your mum a fan?

[Pip27 in reply to DaveSpice]

Hi Dave, many thanks for your reply, I did begin to feel that my problem did not really stand up against the many that are experienced by fellow members of the forum. I have now set myself to find a new hobby to fill the day, and we seem to be coming out of all these covid restrictions, let's hope better times are coming. I like walking, but either its wet or it's cold, so role on spring eh. stay safe, thanks again Pip