GP’s and meds (Losartan and Lercanadipine) !!

[Doraflora]

I despair!

the surgery advised me on Monday that they thought the Losartan was causing a decrease in my sodium level (127). They suggested I try Lercanadipine instead. I took the first one this morning and my pulse rate went mad all morning and my BP dropped quite a bit.

I contacted the surgery & they said to go up there & they’d check me out. The nurse said all the readings were fine, but then she started to go right back through my records and she found that my sodium level had always fluctuated over the last 3 years and has only once been in the normal range! she was totally confused as to why the GP hadn’t noticed this before he made his assumption that this latest sodium result was attributed to the Losartan.

I guess they don’t have the time to totally digest a patient’s records.

I had no problem being on the Losartan and it had done a great job of controlling my BP. I did tell the nurse that if I felt the same tomorrow after taking the Lercanadipine then I would stop it.

Sorry for the long ramble, but all this just reinforces again that we all have to take total responsibility for our health.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Actually if you hadn't any symptoms of low sodium, why not just monitor things for a few weeks? But really - don't expect a GP to look at your history!!!!!!!

[Doraflora in reply to PMRpro]

I’ve been feeling absolutely fine - until trying the Lercanadipine this morning!

Think I’ll say I want to go back on the Losartan as I felt good with that. It was just the doctor who wanted the change of meds. We’re just treated as Guinea pigs some times….hey ho.

PS: thanks PMRpro. You’re always there….

[123mossie in reply to Doraflora]

You’re right, we have to take an active interest in our health now, and be our own advocates.

[Hidden]

yes I agree and the word general practitioner is our clue, we all have unusual, rare, under researched conditions that we know more about through this forum than our GP is likely to ever know. I just wish GPs accepted this as fact rather than writing us off as hysterical, menopausal and highly strung. Car mechanics listen when you tell them about a noise in the engine and what you’ve done about it so far, doctors should listen to patients in the same way!