New to blood pressure medication - do not know if i should take it or not - any help appreciated.

[xeena]

I have just been given two lots of blood pressure tablets - but when i read the one called Lercanidipine hydrochloride it has me worried as i have an enlarged fatty liver and only one kidney that is at stage three disease and the others are Ranitidine which when i read the instructions for use it too mentions kidney problems and also any stomach cancer in the family which is yes. The GP gave me these as he said my blood pressure was high and i also keep going giddy/lightheaded and very sweaty with a very dry mouth - i am afraid to lay down - i told the doctor about all of this and he said i have to take them - but they interfere with stomach acid (i do not absorb as my stomach acid is very low) i already have diarrhoea and have lost loads of hair through thyroid deficiency and i have pernicious anemia and vitamin D none of which are being treated by this GP he will not give me anything for my gout either and it is so painful - i am also not getting my B12 injections i am really scared as to what to to - i am getting bruises on my arms and chest and i do not know why - i have been self isolating since the beginning of March and do not see any one and i live alone - i am fed up with being stuck indoors - like we all are -thank you for any help you can offer. Bless you all and keep safe.

[Celtic]

xeena, firstly, with just a sole kidney and stage 3 kidney disease(snap on both counts!), are you under a renal consultant? If not then you should be. A renal consultant is likely to be more aware of the most kidney-friendly medications for your blood pressure. High blood pressure can further aggravate kidney function so, yes, you do need to be on medication to lower it.

Secondly, you do have a few different things going on, all of which should be addressed. My renal consultant monitors my Vit D deficiency, with the advice to take a daily supplement for the 3 months of winter and then to boost my levels with natural sunlight during summer.

I have also experienced gout, which my renal consultant treated with a week of oral steroids. However, the best treatment I found was by a rheumatologist who gave me a steroid injection and a 3 week course of low dose oral steroids which solved the problem for me.

Why have your Vit B12 injections been stopped? If you need them, you need them.

As far as your bruising is concerned, that really needs investigating. In fact, if your Dr was my Dr I would be giving him short shift altogether and finding one who cares. If you feel you are not having the treatment you need (and pay for!), do either speak to the Practice Manager or find another Dr.

I think, like you, we are all getting fed up of being in lockdown, especially if you live alone, but it is the safest place to be at this time. Have you got friends and family who you can keep in touch with by telephone or online? I do hope so as this can help us not to feel too isolated.

[xeena in reply to Celtic]

Hi there - thank you for replying to me. This is a new GP - i was allocated this one at the end of March by NHS England - because my other GP who i had been with for 18 months decided to make me leave the surgery saying i was out of their area (not) they made me leave the 4th October 2019 so i have only been with this one for around eight weeks and i have only seen the GP once and that was because i had to call the paramedics out because i kept going dizzy and very sweaty and they tested my blood and said i had high blood pressure and that the GP had to come the next day to see me and sort me out - well i rang the surgery the next day and was made to wait just over a week for him to come and see me and when he did his blood pressure machine did not work - he has not been back since - just sent a script with the medication i mentioned and i will not take it - he also said that there is nothing wrong with my one kidney - i lost the other one over thirty years ago due to doctors neglect - i said for him to look at my medical notes and he would see all what is wrong with me - he said he has not got them - so i showed him my copy as i have all my medical notes going back to when i was a child - he was not very pleased with me - i asked about my B12 injections and my Vid D and also my hyperparathyroidism - he just scoffed and left - so i will not be using that surgery anymore - i am not under any consultants for anything anymore not even COPD and asthma - i am looking for another GP but there is none that are very close to me now - where i live they are all young and just do not talk to me - i have been here for three years now and i am not allowed access to the garden outside my window or grab rails in the bathroom - even worse they say no to a mobility scooter - or if i get one then it must be left in the car park (where it will get stolen) - oh sorry - i do go on - i hope you are keeping well and out of the way of this virus.Bless you for replying xx

[Celtic in reply to xeena]

What was your last eGFR (kidney function) blood test result?

[xeena in reply to Celtic]

Hi there - sorry for the late reply - i just felt so poorly yesterday. I do not know what my eGFR kidney function blood test result was - when i looked on patient access at my blood test results it said that all my results were abnormal and that my kidney test was not available - when i questioned this with the previous GP i got told that everything was okay and i said i was not happy with that and that i had seen my test results on patient access and they were all abnormal and my kidney test was not available - it was the day after this appointment that i got the letter to leave the surgery - so i could not get any more information from the GP who ordered the blood test - all i ever get told is that i am at stage 3 priority. Perhaps i will have to try and have a private blood test done again but just for my kidney. Thank you for you help - keep safe - bless you.

[seasider18 in reply to xeena]

Kidney units at major hospitals also have a blood pressure clinic. I don't have a kidney problem but go to the BP clinic at the Royal Sussex in Brighton. They have a BP clinic on Thursday afternoons.

[xeena in reply to seasider18]

Hi there - thank you for that information - i will see if any of the hospitals local to me have the same facility and if they will let me go and see them for a proper check on my kidney. Really appreciate your input - keep well. x

[seasider18 in reply to xeena]

They were very thorough. Over time I had both negative head and kidney MRI scans as well as other tests. One of his comments was cardiologists are very clever people and do things that I cannot do but the don't understand hypertension as I do.

I contacted them to ask if I was a suitable case for and then asked my GP to refer me.

[xeena in reply to seasider18]

Hi there - thank you for the reply. I am looking for a private GP now as i cannot get anywhere with the ordinary GP's and i do not think it wise for me to take the medication that i have been given - i cannot travel to Brighton and have been looking in my local area - but it seems all the blood testing is for in patients at the hospitals. I wish you good health and thank you so much for your input - gratefully received. Stay safe. x

[Latham51 in reply to xeena]

I have been on different meds for high BP for many years. I don't believe any doctor should tell you to suffer such serious side effects, in particular light-headedness. Any doctor I have seen would take me off those meds. Bruising is also serious.

I really sympathise with you. Personally, I would refuse to see such a doctor. We are entitled to see a decent doctor who actually listens to the patient.

Good luck.

[xeena in reply to Latham51]

Hi there and thank you for your input. I am not taking the medication and am waiting to hear back from the GP - but i do not know how long that will take. The bruises are gradually fading now but my left arm is very painful - i am just fed up with being ill (as we all are) and this is a new doctor. Keep well and thank you.

[Mrsmr]

Was so sorry to read your posts. You have been treated very badly. I do hope you managed to see a caring GP and get the care you so rightly deserve. Best wishes