Regular medical check-up revealed hypertension and chronic kidney disease (ckd). I’m 68 and otherwise well.
GP is treating the hypertension (which he deems to be the root cause of the cdk) with Losartan and Atorvastatin. Both of these are long term treatments though I suppose ‘long term’is a relative term at 68🙂! I realise that there must be lots of people here taking statins for hypertension but I thought it might be helpful if I set out my findings to date.
Before treatment, I was managing between 5 to 8 km runs three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) at between 44 mins for the 8k and 28mins for 5k. I have run a few 10ks as well. I felt generally good after these runs and if I had a cold, or covid as over Christmas, I stopped completely for 10 days or so or alternatively, dropped the distance down to a timed run of 20 minutes.
My weight was pretty constant at 119 lbs (8.5 stones) and as my height is 5’7” my BMI was good.
However, since taking the medicines, I’ve felt a general muscle weakness as well as a lethargy and my weight has gone up to 122lbs. I’m persevering with the runs despite the weakness and the cold and so far have managed a few 6km runs and my usual 5km. It’s only 14 days since starting the medicines so I’ll see how it settles down. One of the side effects of both drugs is muscle pain. So far, I’ve been spared this but I suppose it may start later.
I have managed runs even in this very cold weather (-6°c ) on Monday and Wednesday so again, I may see how the medicines affect me in more normal weather. I was initially dispirited when I was given the diagnosis of hypertension and ckd but am pleased that it has not, so far, stopped me from running. In these mad times, it’s about the only comforting thing! 👍
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Vragtes
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Hi Vragtes. I am sure that lots of us are running with ailments and in some cases they been the drivers which moved people to lace up and get out there. I have no knowledge of the conditions you mention, but I certainly do know of cases where medical conditions have improved/disappeared through (or maybe despite!) running. My ARH has certainly dropped and my blood pressure is spot on; trouble is I didn’t really take any interest in the latter pre C25k. I check my ARH and heart rate “in run” regularly and my blood pressure occasionally, otherwise everything rests on my annual MOT (aka my annual check up). I agree that how you feel when running and post run is a key indicator. I hope that everything continues to go well.
Thanks Beachcomber66 for your reply. Not sure what ARH stands for but if it’s dropped and that’s a good thing as a result of your running and your BP’s spot on then I’m pleased for you. I certainly hope that my continuing to run will lower my BP. Time will tell, but thanks.
I take statins... Atorvastatin... no side effects for me though at all... husband takes Losartan for BP and the statin for cholesterol level...he has no side effects either... If the meds are not suiting you, do go back to yr GP, there are many alternatives, although your kidney condition may make that tricky.
You are doing so well, and getting out in these cold conditions too! Are you putting in any core strength work on some rest days...that could really help with the muscle pain?
Thank you again for your helpful reply. Really pleased that both you and Mr Oldfloss suffer no side effects from the medicines prescribed.
I do a lot of exercise (not in a gym) both on running days and rest days. These include press-ups and squat thrusts as well as abdominal strength exercises I used to do 55 years ago, when I was a good gymnast. Those exercises have given me really good stomach and abdominal muscles.
I shall bear in mind the possibility of switching meds should I start getting serious or unpleasant side effects. Off to Spain for two months next week in our motorhome so will enjoy running in the relative warmth.
There's a lot of talk about side effect from statins. The first one I took did have side effects, not muscular (I felt it was affecting my short term memory). It wasn't Atorvastatin by the way. I told the doctor and he changed me to a different one and I've taken them for years and years now without any problems.
Thankfully I've no experience of CKD or hypertension though I do have other issues.
Call 111 and tell them about your symptoms and see if they reckon you should go back to the GP now or give the medication regime a bit longer to settle.
Whatever you do, don't think you need to suffer in silence. Doctors, in my experience, are very concerned to get things right, especially when you start any long term medication.
Thank for your kind reply. Funny you should mention your short term memory-since starting the Losartan, I’ve had many short but vivid dreams nightly and the strange thing is that I can remember them in detail, when I wake.
I’ll give the meds a little more time to settle before discussing with the doctor. If pain starts, then this will happen sooner. Thanks again.
Good luck Vragtes . The first meds I was given made me cough a lot , so when I realised it was a possible Side effect I went back to GP. It was changed to something else, no problem. Thankfully after starting running at 60 I was taken off meds within 7 months. I’m now 66 and BP is still fine. It’s a great incentive to keep getting out there.
Thanks Dexy5. My wife is also taking statins and has a bad cough. When we get back from our next trip away, she’ll look to switch. But she has other issues.
Really pleased for you that your health improved enough to come off the meds. That would of course be my ideal! Thanks again.
Never had to take the meds, but running in the last year has definitely helped bring down my resting heart rate and made me "feel" healthier. Great that you are able to run through this. My times and distances are nowhere near so impressive!
Same here. Getting in a regular run has lowered my resting heart rate a lot.
Last night (just before waking) it went down as low as 49 bpm.
I've told this before…
A little over a year ago I was in for my six-monthly thyroid hormones blood test and I mentioned to the phlebo nurse that I'd taken up running recently (about 18 months previous) and would be interested in how that had affected my cholesterol levels. The LDL had been a little raised when I'd been tested some years before.
I was never given the results, but those test results triggered a summons to see the Practice Nurse who seemed most disappointed that her "computer says no" system had said I didn't need to be put on statins.
I have sinus tachycardia, so my RESTING heart rate before lockdown (and my getting Covid, then long Covid) was about 110. It's now somewhere in the 80s. The only difference is running.
Thanks for the reply. Good that you don’t need meds. I don’t aim for fast times or distance. Just to run for over 30 mins, getting up to an hour. The times and distance just follow. Good luck!
Hello Vragtes - I’m 64 year old male, I run 3 times a week as part of my fitness plan. I have been prescribed 10mg Atorvastatin because my GP now said due to my age my cholesterol risk deemed it worthy of consideration. My cholesterol was borderline high and now well within limits. I have had no noticeable side effects from the Atorvastatin, although I’m on the minimum dosage and maybe you’re on a higher dosage? I also take 10mg Ramapril for hypertension. Again no side effects from this and it keeps my BP on the low side of normal limits. As others have said, if you don’t get on with your medication then refer back to your GP and ask for an alternative. There are plenty of alternative medications for both cholesterol and hypertension so some experimentation is often necessary to find what works best for you. The best advice I have been given: you can‘t run off a bad diet. First thing to fix is nutrition and then everything else has a chance to work.
Hello Wazzok, thanks for sharing your experiences. I am also on the minimum dose of Atorvastatin (10mg) and haven’t yet had any noticeable side-effects (unless the vivd dreams) are side-effects.
I think the Losartan is the medication for hypertension and is preferred to other drugs like Ramipril where there is chronic kidney disease. But I’m not a doctor so no-one should take this as definitive. I note the frequently mentioned capacity to change medication to lessen effects of or remove side-effects. So far as nutrition is concerned, I think what I eat is very healthy. Little or no red meat, almost no meat (chicken occasionally) low salt, low sugar, low alcohol and high in vegetable, fibre, fruit, pulses, nuts and berries. And plenty of water too.
I'm not a medic, so please free free to ignore everything that follows. I am sympathetic, as I had a similar experience. It does sound like your ckd diagnosis hit you quite hard and you are going through a process of adjusting to this unwanted "imperfection" in your familiar healthy body. First off, I don't think you should be worrying about the new meds causing weight gain. 3 lb is mighty insignificant. Especially mid-winter, post-festive season. The fact that you mentioned it indicates you are monitoring your body very closely. I wondered if you have become a little bit hypervigilant? Perhaps overly suspicious of the new medications?
There are several factors that could be contributing to your muscle weakness and lethargy apart from your new meds. They are: 1. You had Covid over Christmas 2. Very cold spell of weather. 3. If you are worried about the ckd, or the meds, you might not be sleeping so well.
Despite having had Covid, you are out running again, in the freezing cold. Amazing! Clearly you are one very fit 68 year old. You mentioned some impressive before-treatment run times, but you didn't give a range. How do your post-treatment times compare to your average winter run times? Were running conditions easier pre-treatment? In other words, are your runs really slower now, or are you almost talking yourself into thinking they are (because of disappointment at your diagnosis and wariness of the meds)?
I do hope everything settles down for you soon Vragtes and you get back to feeling happy with your runs. You are so right! In these mad times, running is such a comfort.
Rolling Pea, thank you so much for your insightful and considered reply.
It is true to say that I have been shocked by the sudden diagnosis of both high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease. I did see my GP about a period of higher than acceptable blood pressure and this resulted in a blood test. I was advised to take amlodipine and statins.
I was resistant to start taking statins without more as the clinical case for lipid control for the prevention of a coronary event is less clear. I did however take amlodipine for a while and the follow up blood tests showed a low but stable eGFR (51-59) but consistently high serum creatinine levels.
So with the diagnosis of ckd, possibly being the cause of the hypertension, I decided on the med regime I’m now on. It’s all a bit new to me and there is a reluctance to concede to the possibility of having to take medication for the rest of my life. I am fairly fit, not overweight, non-smoking, almost teetotal and eat well. I am therefore disappointed that my hypertension and ckd can’t be managed by my lifestyle.
I am probably being hypercritical as I’ve not been on the meds long enough to know whether I need to seek alternative statins. The weight gain may well be insignificant given the factors you’ve mentioned and I shall monitor this over the next couple of months as I settle into the new year.
I had a look on my running app and my times now are pretty much the same as the same time last year, so you’re probably correct in your assertion that I may erroneously feel they’re slower as a result of the diagnosis and medication.
Tonight is very windy with storm Isha building up but the winds are due to die down by 7a.m. when I intend to go for my run tomorrow. I’m aiming for a gentle 40 mins: 20 mins out, 20 back plus 5 minutes warm up before and after followed by stretches.
I’ll post back in a few weeks time and let you know how it’s going,
Thank you for your interest and advice. Much appreciated.
Thought that I’d post a brief update now that some time has elapsed since the start of my new drug regime of Losartan and Lipitor (Atorvastatin).
I’m happy to report that I’ve suffered few side effects and certainly no muscle pain, which was my main concern. It’s been just over three weeks since I started taking the medicines. We are travelling in Spain in our motorhome having driven the length of France. I managed a couple of 6km runs en route to Denia where we are parked up for the next month.
I manage three 6.5km runs a week along the beautiful shoreline timing the runs to start just before sunrise. The runs take just over 35 minutes and I do my warm down stretches and exercises outside the motorhome in the newly risen sun.
Apart from some vivid ( but not frightening) dreams, all of which I can remember when awake, and increased frequency of peeing (too much info, I know) I can’t say I’ve suffered any other side effects. BP is lower though I believe that it should be lower than it is. Still, I’m due blood tests on my return to Blighty in March and we’ll see whether the medication has impacted on the creatinine levels. So all’s good and I hope you’re all getting out as much as you’d like.
Thanks, SueAppleRun. Yes, I’m aware just how lucky I am being able to spend the worst months of winter in warmer Spain. And to be able to run in such beautiful scenery is a real bonus.
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