I been through many different BP medications. I started many years ago with Lisinopril, but got the classic cough. Moved to Amlodipine, then Candesartan, then Indapamide, back to Amlodipine, Lercanidipine and now back on Indapamide. Each worked to reduce my BP, but each had side effects I wasn't happy with. Most recently on Indapamide I started getting palpitations and an irregular heartbeat. My doctor did full blood tests for pretty much everything, an ECG, and a 24 hour ECG and also an echo cardiagram. There were no issues found. That was back in September 2022. Now, February 2023 and still on Indapamide and the irregular heartbeat and palpitations are getting worse and making me feel most uncomfortable. I briefly tried Lercanidipine but it didn't help.
Three days ago I stopped taking the Indapamide and already I am getting fewer and fewer palpitations and irregular heart beat episodes. Noticeably fewer to hardly any and it's getting better each day. I know it takes a while to come out of your system. I'm sleeping better and feeling better in myself. I started taking Atorvastatin back in September and I am not aware of any side effects with that. The heart issues are the worst side effect I've had from any BP medication and looking back I'd put up with any of the previous relatively minor side effects rather than what is happening now.
I'm a 65 year old male. Does anyone have any recommendations? I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow so would like to be armed with some information.
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I've done that. They go on about lifestyle changes. I've done all that - I lost a few stones in weight and I cycle 12-30 miles every day. My BP still needs medication to control it. The site doesn't mention medication at all!
I haven’t looked at the site for a few months but when I did it went through all the different types of medication and so on. They used to have a help desk too - don’t they now?
Hi there, I too had a variety of meds until I found the right one for me. Losartan seems to suit me very well with no side effects at all. Hope this helps.
after trying amlodopine and Indapamide I was put on Losartan. I’ve been ok with this, although my GP thinks my low sodium level might be a result of it. I’ve got to collect a prescription for lercanadipine. So FX
Hi I've been on Losartan for about a year. I had some mild dizzy episodes in the summer but now no noticeable side effects. I have had irregular heartbeat episodes but they usually subside in a day or 2 if I avoid alcohol,caffeine, and get good sleep. Hope this helps.
I can only give you my experiences with Ramipril and Amlodipine. I had to move off Amlodipine due to the leg aches, which were really bad. With Ramipril I’m getting itchy skin and I suspect the drug being causal in some headaches I’m getting. That said they aren’t crippling me so it’s less of the devil at the moment. Both drugs work at reducing my BP
I have really bad leg aches too which makes walking difficult. I have been taking Amlodipine for some time and and didn’t have this before starting the Amlodipine. I have been prescribed Losartan instead which I haven’t started yet, my GP says they also protect the kidneys. How long was it after stopping Amlodipine until the leg aches improved? Thanks.
I had my telephone appointment with the doctor this afternoon. I have been off Indapamide for around 5 days now and my BP reading this evening was 135/82. He wants me to submit two readings a day for the next week and he said if they're OK I might not need BP medication. If not he suggested Lorsartan might be a good option to try.
Hi there I haven’t posted for a time. The problems I had with lercanidipine was the terrible muscle cramp pain but a few meds give me those problems. I have now been on Losartan for more than three years. I don’t have a great record of tolerance for certain meds. I started off about 30 years ago on Cozaar which if I can remember is the candessrtan and Losartan group. They worked really well for years, until the NHS started buying the cheapest drugs they could find and it all went pear shaped.
Then after a TIA 6 years ago I too was given amlodipine and Clopidogrel, suffered with the swollen legs issue. Also blood thinner caused a lot of hair loss. Then a few more were added almost every other one known without great success which were all wrong for me. So Losartan and bendroflumethiazide and aspirin seem to be ok for me.
I have one concern I am in my 7th week of excruciating sciatica pain at the moment and read an article on Losartan survey having been done re cause of muscle, joint and sciatica pain and wondered if anyone had a similar problem, or is it just one of those things that happen with age as with any of these drugs they come with warnings of various upsets. May ask GP if he or she can give any update on this.
my time using Amlodipine was a total sum of 30 days...I started with 5 mg..then 12 days later cut the tabs in half...and then after some 15 days, went off that as well...that was about 3 months ago.....I had minor swelling of my feet...some heart beats that I started to hear in my ears ....at times minor lingering headaches...
I think exercise is actually very good for us all....walking an hour each day at a good pace helped me a lot more than bicycling....
My BP has stablised to 135/85...on wake up, I have had it as high as 155/95...but within 5 minutes of deep and slow breathing and relaxation have been able to bring that down to below 140/85 or so...
I drink no more than 2 cups of coffee /day..2 beers/wines each evening...add not so much salt in my cooking...eat meats, vegetables,butter, an egg a day, fruits and nuts daily...I try to stay away from restaurant foods, and all processed foods...
It is working for me so far......I am 79.. I try not to be too worried about spikes in BP...and carry on with life in a normal manner...
Life style changes ..and keeping a tight control on these, have definitely helped me...
Obviously some folk have medical conditions that I believe medications might be the only answer...
An update. I stopped taking my indapamide and my blood pressure remained normal for 10 days, then it started going up to 154/92 - fortunately I had a telephone appointment with my doctor booked for later that day and he agreed I needed to be on BP meds. We talked through options the last time I spoke and he said he'd put my on a low dose of Losartan - 25mg and has booked me for a blood test in two weeks time. This morning was day 3 of Losartan. I have had a muzzy head, but I know the side effects of most drugs should subside over time. I'm still getting palpitations, but 100mg CQ10 really helps with that. I'm on Atorvastatin too.
Hi , have you had a kidney function blood test to see what your sodium and potassium are doing? I dont mean to scare you but sometimes high blood pressure is caused by an adrenal tumour ,which makes the normal bp medication not work.
Yep, I have regular blood tests and kidney function is absolutely fine and mu low-dosage of Losartan seems to be working. I've had high blood pressure since it was noticed in 2009. I've just found my first BP record and it was scarily high back then, 170/110. Now it's pretty normal.
after having had side effects with both Amlodopine and Indapamide I was put on Losartan. That brought my BP down, but my serum sodium is quite a lotlower than the normal range of 133-146, which my GP attributes to the Losartan.
He has today prescribed Lercanadipine, which according to the HSE means an end to my nightly glass of wine?😢
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