is my blood pressure medication giving me extra dry skin. Can I reduce my dose.

[Rezzar]

I am currantly taking 5mg Felodopine and 1.25 mg Ramipril in the evening and 125mg levothyroxine in the morning. I think my thyroid levels are good and I feel well. However, since taking my blood pressure tablets my dry skin has got even drier and more wrinkled, my hair is dry and brittle and my nails are ridged and split very easily (I have to file them extremely short.)

I took my b/p this evening and it was: 119/76. (75 pulse). Shall I ask my doctor if I can reduce my medication? I eat a good diet and have regular moderate exercise, I am 5’5” tall, medium build and weigh 57kg.

[Happyrosie]

we’ll done for keeping your bp under control. Before you check with your doc, just have a look at Blood Pressure UK website to see if there’s anything else you could be doing to keep it so (I’m thinking amount of vegetables, hydration, exercise and salt intake for example).

Whilst there are lots of bp medications your doc has chosen the combination you take carefully, I imagine, because of your family history.

My nails and hair are brittle (more age than anything I think) and I take a supplement for this.

[Rezzar in reply to Happyrosie]

thank you so much Happyrosie for your advice, I shall look at that website. Out of interest what supplement do you use for your brittle nails and hair?

[Happyrosie in reply to Rezzar]

I get it in the post from a company in Guernesey. I don’t think we are supposed to mention brands on this site, but I think there’s only one major company there that does supplements. Company name begins Hea. I’ve been using them for many years so it’s not one of those advertised on FB etc that you cannot trust.

I took two tabs three times a week and one tab four times a week for two weeks. Then one a day. Now it’s all settled I take one every other day. It’s called Hair & Nails, strangely enough!

[Rezzar]

Thank you Happyrosie.

[Jaybird19]

i have same problem but on losartan fo BP .

is it the BP that is causing dry skin and hair wtih ridged nails too

[Rezzar in reply to Jaybird19]

Thank you for your message Jaybird 19.

I have always been prone to dry skin for as as I can remember. My hair, up to the age of about 60, has been relatively dry but very thick. My nails, up to.about my age of about 50, seemed normal to me. However, for the last 5 years (I am now 65) my hair has gone extremely dry and much thinner, my nails are ridged and brittle (especially my thumbs and 4th fingers) and my skin is very wrinkly (especially my hands and face). These conditions seem to have come on since taking Felodopine and Ramipril medication for high blood pressure, could there be a link here?

I have never smoked, I drink very little alcohol (only about 1 or 2 drinks 4 or 5 times a year) and I eat mainly vegetarian diet (I eat meat or fish about twice a week). I walk my dog everyday and run 5-10 kilometres about 3 times a week. I am generally a very healthy person.

[Happyrosie in reply to Rezzar]

my mother-in-law would have said “it’s your age dear”.

[Rezzar in reply to Happyrosie]

very true 😂

[Dovedale4]

Hi Rezzar,

I don't take the same medications as you but do take a calcium channel blocker (amlodipine as opposed to felodipine) and an ARB (losartan). I have been taking these now for almost three years. For the first year I had no issues with dry skin and brittle hair whatsoever but I have had issues since my first Covid vaccine and have attributed mine to the vaccine since my issues began in March/April 2021.

I hope this helps.

[Rezzar in reply to Dovedale4]

Thank you Dovedale4. That is very interesting. My starting of blood pressure medication and having covid vaccinations would be very close to each other. I wonder if it is connected to dry skin, hair and nails?

[Jojobeanz]

Morning Rezzar, I had extremely dry skin before taking BP med. Since starting out with Ramipril (bad side effects coughing) and changed to candesartan (much better), my dry skin has improved. I would recommend getting a blood test to check your kidney function too. My doctor picked up on my low functioning kidney to pick up on my high BP. Think there might be a connection.Hope this helps.

[Rezzar in reply to Jojobeanz]

thank you Jojobeanz, I shall give that some thought.