Intolerance to BP meds so far

[Clairec85]

Help please!!!!!!! I was on Perrindopril 8mg for 10 years with no significant side effects but changed by Dr in May as needed stronger meds to control BP. Have since tried Amplodine 5mg, Bisoprolol 2.5 and finally Candesartan 24mg.......but each one caused horrible side effects that I can't tolerate. Anyone else experience same intolerance and what drugs can I suggest I change to ?

[Celtic]

Claire, try Losartan Potassium. It is one of the very few BP drugs that my body seems to tolerate, and I have been tried on too many to list. Plus, a highly respected

pharmacist described it as the one about which he hears the least complaints from his patients. Another one that my body seems to tolerate reasonably well is Moxonidine. Good luck!

[Clairec85 in reply to Celtic]

Thank you so much for replying. I have noted your suggestions and will get Dr to prescribe new meds on Monday !!!! Claire

[Hidden]

I have similar reactions with almost all medications they feed me. My BP has been high for over 20 years and until recently I refused BP meds. I have succumbed to a persistent migraine in the same part of the brain each time. Stopped the meds 2 days ago and am now experiencing the migraine currently, getting ready to trial an alternative med. Here we go again!

Candesartan 8 mg is the limit of what I normally take, anymore and the side effects become intolerable, my Dr still thinks I'm taking 32 mg! Vertigo, memory lapses, blurred vision occasionally, nausea all the time and loss of my voice a times. But they are not all on the side effects list!

I have been on a concoction of all manner of meds over the years and found I do best without any. Interestingly when I have the severe migraine my BP is unchanged, but they are far less often now.

I usually get told they are not known side effects for a particular medication, but I can tell them, none the less it is real for me, now. My BP now averages around 150/100. I'm left with doing the best I can with the tools that work for me.

[Clairec85 in reply to Hidden]

That sounds awful....Good luck with trialing new meds, hope you finally get it sorted. My Dr has also been very dismissive about reaction to Candesartan but I will insist on changing as had enough now.

[Doorstepbaby in reply to Hidden]

My BP for 3 months has been averaging 180/110. I am not overweight, I am active and had taken max 40 mg Lisinapril for year's. Is suddenly stopped working a year or so ago and now nothing I've tried effects my numbers. I am now on 3 different calcium channel blockers and 2 water pills. I feel like crap and can hardly function. My high numbers haven't changed. I go back to the Dr today to see what's next.

[onadiet in reply to Doorstepbaby]

Ask about new med. for resistant bp.

[Heartproblemshope]

Not sure what side effects you have but I also find side effect horrible skin and stomach problems. I’m not sure what the answers are but your not alone.

[Clairec85 in reply to Heartproblemshope]

Thank you. My main issue is dizzinness and sinus pain, my Dr said it couldn't be meds causing it, so referred me to ENT. But after waiting 3 months and told I wouldn't get seen this year, in desperation I booked and paid to go Privately. Consultant checked throughly and confirmed dizziness and sinus pain isn't an inner ear issue and in his opinion its the meds!!!!

Good luck

[springcross in reply to Clairec85]

Hi Claire. I have just typed a long reply to you only to have it disappear before my very eyes. This happens such a lot on Healthunlocked forums for some reason. Anyway, this reply will be much shorter. Speaking from experience, I would not touch anything from the Sartan family. I was put on Losartan in the early 2000s and had nasty side effects from it with awful sinusitis and consequent chest infections three times in just over three months and each time laid me flat on my back, which turned out to be the Losartan side effects and my husband with Telmisartan several years ago which caused him to constantly be blowing his nose, sneezing, coughing and sounding like he had a very heavy cold with the most atrocious snoring I have ever heard for three years until the drug was withdrawn. He has been on Candesartan for about two years now which is much better but he still gets a runny nose and sneezing even now. I personally wouldn't entertain ever taking any of them again. I am now on Amlodipine and whilst it's not perfect, I have decided to persevere with even though it causes rashes on my lower legs and occasional swollen ankles. I hope you can find one that suits you well. All the best.

[Doorstepbaby in reply to Clairec85]

I have the weird sinus pain too. My sunuses will itch like crazy sometimes. The pain is between my eyes and frontal forehead. Also one temporal sinus pain. These started while taking calcium channel blockers

[Hidden]

Candesartan has the side effect of dizziness, your Dr needs to read the information fact sheet on it before offering an opinion!

The main problem is that medicine is not an exact science, we can all react differently to the chemical cocktail called medicine.

I have lost track of how many BP meds I have tried but at least my Dr keeps pushing to find an answer. It would be so easy to shrug her shoulders and give in and I really wouldn't blame her if she did. I can be a patient from hell at times.

I always question any new script and always give her feed back on each drug taken, regardless if it is or not a recognised side effect. I don't subscribe to the notion it isn't a known side effect when I'm clearly having issues.

[Clairec85 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Cheyne13 for taking time to reply... I am fully prepared now for conversation with doctor and can't wait to feel normal without the awful dizziness. Clairex

[Junglegirl]

I too have had very high blood pressure for over 20 years, trying several different types of medication which made me very ill with side effects. Following a recent weird chest like pressure, they put me on Amplodine, I’m a diabetic this immediately put my sugar levels up and gave me chronic stomach ache.

Switched to Candesartan but a very low dose 4mg at night time I haven’t gone higher and seriously don’t want to either. So have made small changes to my diet, in the hope to shed some weight. Fingers crossed.

The weird chest like pressure I think is GERD most heart tests are negative and I have refused any further as wasting resources.

My GP’s over the years have always been very very dismissive of me .....using the one box fits all scenario, so annoying.

Good luck and stick to your point.

[Sals100]

I was put on spironolactone for water retention by my cardiologist and that gave me sinus problems so i came off them, my doctor didn't seem to believe that it would cause sinus problems so i tried them again but it definitely affected my sinuses so i came off them for good. I have a few tablets that either affect my sinuses or give me a wheeze on my chest. unfortunately it seems to be quite hard to find the right tablets. Hope your doctor changes your tablet to one that suits you.

[Hidden]

I was curious why I had joint pain and muscle cramps since taking candesartan 8mg. After re checking the candesartan side effects on line all was explained. Seems the fact sheet I was given with the medication was a little light on the truth. No wonder I have trouble staying awake and a lot of other troubles including forgetfulness. I thought I was just getting old! Teach me for not doing my own research.

I was told by a locum some weeks ago that there wasn't a drug that didn't have some side effect. I'm starting to realise just how true that is for me.

I do know that there are people with high BP that can't be treated, starting to wonder if I should give up and join them. Maybe not, will have to give it some thought first and weigh the pros and cons. Damned if I do, damned if I don't, which is the lessor of the two evils!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Dr Livingood has some great advice on BP control. google him.

[Doorstepbaby]

Yes!!! I took Lisinopril for 10 yrs and did fine. Now since 2020 my BP will not respond to any BPMEDS. I am on Valsartan, Amiodpine, Hydralazine, Lozol and Lasix. My high numbers do not budge. I feel like crap. I always have been energetic but can barely function on all these meds. Is it because we get 80% of our prescription meds from China and India? I don't know but they sure aren't working any longer.

[DMHH in reply to Doorstepbaby]

Hi - Have you had any further help with your meds - I am in my fifth week of taking 10mg Amlodipine and 4mg Doxazosin and I feel so nauseous and lightheaded I can hardly function.

Has anyone had similar problems with this mix of meds? From what I’ve seen on line, I’m convinced it’s the Amlodipine but really interested to hear from anyone who has any insight.

Thank you