Doxazosin: anybody experience of postural hypotension?

[Judithdalston]

Over the last 4 years I have had Long Covid, the most obvious symptoms being increased BP and HR, and breathlessness, and I was put on 6 different Hypertensive drugs, remaining on 5 simultaneously for over two years. Symptoms persisted including dizziness and fainting, and I had the usual ecgs, chest X-rays, echocardiogram with nothing sighted. Only this January did I have a tilt table test and found to have dramatic hypotension on standing after about 8 mins ( 60/40) and it was thought my increased HR(130+) was an attempt to counteract this, and not true PoTS. The low BP had never been picked up, even with my own NASA BP tests. The Falls consultant removed the Bisoprolol, and another BP drug was shifted from am to pm. I have compression garments. But that seems to be the only treatment, and I am still disabled.. So I have resorted to DIY research, and discovered doxazosin is notoriously regarded in the US as a cause of postural hypotension, particularly when combined with other hypertensives. Here the NHS rather implies you shouldn’t be prescribed it if existing hypotension, and its suggested dizziness etc can be a side effect for a few days on prescribing. Has anyone been given doxazosin ( I am on it 4 mcg am, 4 mcg pm though at one point on 8 mcg pm) and found unpleasant hypotension persisted? If so did they find another drug that replaced it, in the US they use another alpha blocker, Tamsulosin?

[bluemoon572]

Both my wife and I have taken doxazosin for years but have never taken more than 4 mgs at once or exceeded 6 mgs in a day. Are you not a candidate to take ACE inhibitor like lisinopril or an ARB like ibersartan or a calcium channel blocker like amplodine?. These provide a once a day longer acting dose while we titrate the doxazosin AM&PM and take either 2 mgs or 4 mgs depending upon our BP then. Our goal is 130/80. You may have some autonomic nervous system dysfunction to account for such severe orthostatic hypotension but it could be from too much doxazosin as well.

[Noodlesalad]

Hi JudithI was on Doxazosin lowest dose twice a day and Ramapril three times a day for high blood pressure, yes the Doxazosin made me very dizzy but after a couple of weeks because I was and still have AF not caused by the Doxazosin I was prescribed Verapamil three times a day and only one Doxazosin at night. It was a very long process of trying many different medications for my high blood pressure because of the side effects and how I tolerate them.

It was only with the help of bekind who used to be on the forum that I stuck with the side effects which did eventually wear off and now because I only take the Doxazosin at night it doesn't affect me at all.

I would definitely speak with your GP pharmacist about this mine was brilliant and really understood my bodies tolerance levels.

I hope that helps, there's lots of wonderful people in here who have experience and knowledge.

[Parsley56]

I was on Doxazosin to treat my BP, unsuccessfully. On admission to hospital I was promptly taken off it and it was replaced with Atenalol. Dox certainly did not help me.

[Judithdalston in reply to Parsley56]

I’m not 100% sure whether the doxazosin actually helps with lowering the BP, it’s difficult to tell when 6 BP drugs, and different strengths, have just been added on top of others. Few medics seem to realise how disabilitating the postural hypotension is, either due to the doxazosin by itself , or the combo of drugs? I will look into ‘alternatives’