horrendous muscle aches on Ramipril and Bisoprolol

[Fourwhitesheps]

hi was wondering if you could help me. I was referred to the rapid chest pain clinic as I had an episode witch I thought was just a bad case of acid reflux, a little chest pain but went quickly and a pain in my arm. I had my appointment a couple of weeks ago and my ecg was abnormal. The consultant said he thought I had had a heart attack and I am waiting on an angiogram. He put me on Bisoprolol 1.25 and Ramipril 2.5 as a precaution. I have had the most horrendous muscle pains everywhere. Low pulse and BP. A dry cough, bleeding gums and a pain under my left breast. I have been in contact with my surgery who have made me an appointment for the 28th of this month. I can’t go on likethis as I feel so I’ll but didn’t before I took these tablets. I have an under active thyroid and a week ago I got serotonin syndrome and ended up in A and E so the sertraline was stopped. I have stopped the ramipril and the chest pain has stopped. I feel as though I am on my own with this as rang the doctors back and have had a message back saying that I need to talk to the doctor about my symptoms on the 28th I will have run out of tablets by then anyway . Do I stop the Bisoprolol too. I am at a loss what to do. Thank you for reading my post and sorry for moaning.

[Hidden]

Hello

You are certainly going through a rough time and I would feel just like you but I would not stop either tablet without a Doctor agreeing first

I know you feel rough and I do feel for you but protecting your heart is the most important thing

They can give you alternatives to these medications but I can see your struggle trying to speak to a Doctor but I would phone again in the Morning and say I need an emergency phone call or appointment as I cannot wait

You could phone 111 and ask for advice as well as the BHF Nurses who are really good I will put their number on for you but be very careful stopping medications

I really hope you can be assertive and get a Doctor to talk to you and will let us know how you get on x

Heart Helpline team on 0300 330 3311 Mon-Fri 9-5pm

[mesally]

ramipril certainly can cause a dry hacking cough. I had one for months. GP was sending me for X-rays, scans etc and all along it was the pills! Came off ramipril and within a month cough was gone. Sorry I can't help with the other issues but you need to ask your GP for a review/change of medication. There are alternatives that may suit better, and stop you feeling so ill

[fishonabike]

i support what BeKind28 said and, like mesally i had a dry hacking cough with Ramipril, it is a know side effect and there are alternatives your GP can prescribe - is there any chance you could get an earlier phone consultation just to get that changed to an alternative medication?

also have you asked your pharmacist about the muscle pain - they are the experts on side effects

also i wonder if you should be asking to see an endocrinologist for a review and the endocrinologist and cardiologist should communicate over your treatment - thyroid issues can affect the heart in the long-term

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to fishonabike]

thank you no nothing earlier than the 28th I don’t think that it helps that the doctors haven’t received any notes from the heart and lung clinic yet.

[fishonabike in reply to Fourwhitesheps]

can you contact the rapid referral clinic? if your meds are causing you to feel this bad you probably need to get something done soon - they want you to take meds to help you until they can find out more - if the meds don't suit you then you are likely to stop and they don't want that - make sure you have your NHS number and/or hospital number when you contact them, and you might need to be persistent!

[linnielizzie]

Do not stop the Bisoprolol without a doctors say so.

[Hidden]

Sorry to hear of your problem. What sort of muscle ache is it? Sharp or dull. Just wondering as I get aches especially in the legs and thighs but iam on lisinopril. It is a pain that you take tablets to help one problem and they cause another. I do suffer from anxiety so that can cause weird feelings. Trouble is I learnt my lesson last year when I changed my fluoxetine and it all went weird and I done that without talking with my doctor. So iam reluctant to change again on my own so iam trying exercise. To build myself up again. Heart rehab at my gym.

[Fourwhitesheps in reply to Hidden]

dull aches all over apart from the one under left breast and that’s a stabbing pain. I hope you feel back to your old self soon

[Hidden in reply to Fourwhitesheps]

I think I may have shot myself in the foot. Forgot to re order my 20mg lisinopril. So trying to get some tomorrow. I think that yes it is my fault, but boy once the weekends come we are alone. That is one issue I have with surgeries and the medical profession. Weekends are horrendous if you need anything. But there you go another school day. Yes I think the gym is helping But I do get aches and pains. In chest, back and legs, but feels more muscular. It is a pain all this as I have to try and be sensible as I have always had weird aches and pains which are more down to anxiety and stress, with muscle tension. I can do muscle relaxing and end up falling asleep. Not very good at meditation as yet. But I do think that blood pressure tablets can cause chemical changes which can heighten anxiety. But I have no proof of this. But I will keep taking the tablets as I have weigh up the pros and cons and except some issues if they are helping my heart.

[Chappychap]

Some people struggle with medication more than others. However, the atherosclerosis/heart disease that many of us have is both incurable and progressive. That means that we've got it for life and left to its own devices it will just keep getting worse. Surgical initiatives like stents or bypass operations don't actually provide a cure, they just buy us some more time to make changes. And there's only two changes open to us, life style changes and medication.

I guess what I'm saying is don't be too quick to abandon one of the only two weapons in your armoury. Persevere to see if you can acclimatise yourself (it took me a year before the tickly Ramipril cough subsided to manageable levels) and if all else fails see what alternatives your GP has to offer.

On a separate post there's a discussion about the growing delays in ambulance and A&E response times. The sensible course of action in these circumstances is to do everything in our power to avoid having a heart attack or stroke in the first place, and alongside life style changes that means being meticulous about our medication.

Good luck!