I’m having a lot of trouble finding a blood pressure medication that doesn’t cause me serious side effects.
Can anyone suggest a resource that lists the various classes of drugs and the common side effects, or any other resource that might help?
(Specialist is not much help. Has no ideas unless I propose something. No option for seeing a different specialist.)
I have tried CCBs, ACE inhibitors and ARBs so far. Main problems have been insomnia and reduced urine output.
Each time, I start on a low dose and all seems well, but, when I move to a therapeutic dose, the side effects arrive.
(Diuretics and beta-blockers are not suitable for my situation.)
Edited to add extra info.
I am on Bisoprolol but have also had procoralan with which I had no side effects..Procoralan is better for patients suffering from any respiratory disease like asthma..
I’m glad you have found something that helps. I’m lucky not to have asthma to factor in, but I do seem to be sensitive to side effects. I will keep trying!
Try this nhs.uk/conditions/high-bloo...
Thank you.
Hello
I to have had trouble managing my blood pressure in the past. Your tablets will come with a leaflet informing you of all the possible side effects of your medication. All the best.
It helps to hear that I’m not the only one. So far insomnia and low urine output have been my main problems. I will study all the medication info carefully, thanks for the tip.
if you were living in the UK, your GP practice will probably have joined other local ones in employing a pharmacist so you might have this resource where you live. Pharmacists know far more about medication than docs.
the charity Blood Pressure UK has a lot of resources and you might find what you want from their website.
I’m in Australia, so we don’t have that arrangement. My pharmacist is great once things are prescribed but I don’t think he can give prospective advice.
It sounds like a good idea. Are people finding it helpful?
I had a look at Blood Pressure UK and found some good leads. Thank you!
I’ve found it very helpful to talk to a pharmacist who has full access to my medical records, personally. Before we had “in-house” pharmacists (in my area) our local high street pharmacy would give a certain amount of advice and prepared a report for the doctor - which was acted upon.
I will give it a try – our pharmacist is very good, but I’m not sure they can do that here (Australia). Sounds very helpful.
I posted the same problem last week and got good advice..After my posting I started reading good information on Blood Pressure UK site, it's easy and comprehensive to follow. Although as I already knew all medication has side effects.
I was changed to Atenalol by my GP pharmacist last week because of the side effects I'd experienced from Ramapril, Candesartan and Amlodipine. I took the Atenalol on Saturday morning and after an hour had really bad dizziness and nausea to the point I had to go to bed all day till it passed.
Since then I've been monitoring my blood pressure and now it's low to normal. I was so concerned last night I rang NHS 111 because I'd also had a fluttering sensation in my chest since taking the Atenalol. I hadn't taken one since Saturday because my blood pressure was and still is normal to low. The doctor I spoke with last night said not to take any further blood pressure medication and to monitor and record my blood pressure twice a day for a week, which I'm doing.
I would definitely head over to blood pressure UK and have a read.
Hope you find some help.
May I ask what meds keeps your BP low to normal?
The doctor I spoke with last night said my sudden readings of low to normal blood pressure could be due to exercise which I started doing light exercise some weeks ago and weight loss although I've only lost a kilo in weight in three months of changing my diet.I haven't taken any blood pressure medication since Saturday because of my readings and the doctor I spoke with last night said not to. I did explain to him I haven't had normal blood pressure for years and he said it can be reversed with diet and exercise, so I'm crossing my fingers. I'm still having a fluttering sensation in my chest which I'm trying to ignore.
I'm perplexed to be honest my heart medication is Clopidrogel and Atorvastatin for T wave ischemia, mild CAD and moderate LVH.
I (and my support person!) are having a good read of Blood Pressure UK. It is very helpful and comprehensive. I had no idea there were so many classes of anti-hypertensive medication.
I’m sorry you’ve been having trouble. I hope you find a good solution soon.
Unfortunately it appears that you are like me and (according to my GP) are a "nightmare to medicate". I have to try a particular medication to see whether it suits me. For example, considering CCBs, I am seriously affected by Amlodipine, but I have no issues with Nifedipine which I take for Raynauds Syndrome. My main BP medication is Losartan which I have never have had any issues with..
It has taken years to get the right balance in my medication. I am now fiercely protective of my medication and I have resisted all suggestions made at the annual review. My GP and practice pharmacist now don't do anything more than ask whether I am okay on my medication which suits me fine. 😀
I hope you find what suits you.
Gerald
Oh dear, it’s a slog, isn’t it? Once I get it right, I will get my specialist to write a special letter to keep on me saying it can’t be changed.
I have tried six so far. I will keep trying. I also had a reaction to amlodipine (severe insomnia). I will probably be trying nifedipine soon.
(I’m also taking it for a circulatory problem, a bit like Raynaud’s syndrome, only very obscure.)
I’m glad you have found something that works for you.
Sarah
Well with Amlodipine I lost a month of my life in a mental fog which my GP didn't seem concerned about, but it wasn't good as I was self-employed. I also had bad leg oedema and it was that side effect that got the medication changed to Losartan.
Sorry to hear that. Once we are out of the door, they can forget we exist.
Did you see that tv series in which a GP lived for a week with a sick patient? I remember one GP blenching and saying “This is terrible” as he heard his patient sobbing for hours in the bathroom each day with an untreated bowel complaint, and her husband comforting their kids as her cries travelled through the house. It really brought home to him that patients and their families could be suffering 24 hours a day!
I just remembered I had some oedema from amlodipine as well.
Yet my dad has been taking it for years with no trouble.
I hope one day researchers come up with a way to work out who is likely to get side effects from particular drugs beforehand.
I’m now six months into what I thought would be a simple process of finding a vasodilator. I don’t work due to my illness, but I’m keen to get back to life instead of sitting at home all day.
Nothing is simple in this life. Over the past two decades I've found that I am allergic to all PPIs, loop diuretics and thiazide diuretics, some anti-biotics, numerous blood pressure medications and, more recently, some over the counter flu/cold remedies... oh and hay fever / anti-histamine medications containing cetirizine. No doubt there will be more to add to the list in time. 😯
I was initially given Ramipril, side effects of that were awful so I looked askance at taking anything. However I was given Perindopril which worked very well. I was often asked why that one, by medical professionals, as apparently it's rarely prescribed. I react to lots of meds, and had zero side effects from that one.
Good to hear you found something that worked. I will keep trying! Maybe a more obscure one could work for me too.
Hi
I have found the BNF app very useful for finding out information about the side effects of medications. It is also possible to find out about interactions between medications. It’s free, and the link is shown below:
apps.apple.com/gb/app/bnf-p...
Hope it helps.
I would try to find the one that lowers your BP the most and take it for awhile and see if the insomnia and reduced urine output improves. Sometimes it takes a while for your body to get used to the medication. I have a touch of insomnia and I find reading before going to bed really helps....just make sure you are ready to drop into a comfortable position. 😊
My doctor seemed a bit concerned about the low urine output, so he lowered the dose, and I was back to normal in about 24 hours. (Not as in “Get to hospital” concerned but concerned enough that he didn’t want me to persevere with that symptom. Didn’t ask his reasons.)
We gave it a couple of weeks and tried again, but I stopped peeing again. To be honest it was great for sleeping!
The insomnia is definitely something I could potentially wait out. I may suggest we retry that one starting with a very low dose.
Thank you for the suggestions.
How is your blood pressure on the low dose drug? Is it not low enough for you to permanently be on low dose anti hypertensive?
Are your kidney function tests normal?
Hope you get some answers soon!
My blood pressure is a bit better on the lower doses, but not good enough unfortunately. Things are complicated by my having something similar to Raynaud’s, so I need vasodilation plus anti-hypertensive effects, and I can’t achieve the vasodilation side through lifestyle or diet changes.
I did have a kidney function test prior to starting medication for this and while on the lower dose, which were both normal. Didn’t have any tests while on the higher doses because my doctor wanted me to go back to the lower dose immediately and get things “flowing” again.
Thank you for your kind thoughts. I will keep trying!
I am taking only half a tablet of spironolactone, so 12.5 dose and low dose atenalol at night for my control of seriously high BP, but I have secondary hypertension caused by Conns syndrome. I find my urine output low especially in the morning but blood tests don't indicate a problem with the kidneys.
I hope you find a suitable drug for you.
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