Irbesartan

[Jelbea]

I was with my GP to-day and he wants me to start on anti-hypertensive treatment. He has given me a prescription for irbesartan and I am to start low at 75 mg. daily.

Is anyone on the site here on this drug treatment and if so does it affect RLS or have other marked side effects?

[SueJohnson]

I haven't been able to find anything that says it makes RLS worse. Fingerandus is or was on it, you might want to message him.

[Jelbea in reply to SueJohnson]

Thank you Sue. This member has never posted so I did not try to contact him.

[SueJohnson in reply to Jelbea]

He has made a number of replies. I would message him. He mentioned on this post that he takes irbesartan healthunlocked.com/rlsuk/po...

[Fingerandus in reply to SueJohnson]

i am fingerandus i am a 80 yr old female i am on irbesartan for high B/P i dont think it affects my RLS [ ive had them at least 20yrs] 11yrs on sifrol ...my father also had RLS as do some of my 6 sisters

[Jelbea in reply to Fingerandus]

Thank you so much for contacting Sue J. I am just one year older than you and GP started me on irbesartan on Friday but unfortunately it dropped my diastolic pressure much too low so I shall have to speak to GP again tomorrow to see what to do. I am glad you can take it satisfactorily and I send good wishes

[Fingerandus in reply to Jelbea]

hi thank you for your message i am in Australia and just preparing for another nite of misery .my bp while taking Irbesatan is 126 /67 with 67 pulse doc seems to think that is wonderful. its a mixed dose 300/25 irbesartan /hydrochlorothiazide i dont really know if it affects or causes RLS i cant think of a time when i didnt have jumping legs as we called them in my younger days. i remember my poor gran sat alone and up all night with her restless legs gran also had pernicious anemia and was told she would probably die before she was twenty she ate raw liver on bread she was born in 1877 tho and god bless her lived to be 97 years old. i have small vein vasculitis i suppose genes all add up to our hereditory illnesses and we are in the hands of our doctors ...

[Jelbea in reply to Fingerandus]

Lovely to hear from you and I know so well the misery of long lonely walks round and round the house during the night. It is good that the irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide is keeping your blood pressure at a very good level. The only thing I would say is that the hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic and can cause or make restless legs worse. However, with the good BP readings it may be worth it. Your Gran sounds amazing and lived to a great age. My Mum also had RLS and suffered a great deal with it. I can stand it in the summer months with the warmer nights but just hate doing the nightly walk in the cold of the winter.

It was very good of you to get in touch and I thank you and wish you well

[Fingerandus in reply to Jelbea]

hi i understand i dislike winter but we must have rain and as we dont see much in summer must get it in winter keep safe roll on warm xxx

[ChrisColumbus]

Irbesartan is an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB): I'm on another ARB, 50mg of losartan (started on 25mg) which doesn't trigger my fairly mild RLS, although I believe SueJohnson has seen some adverse comments about losartan. But we're all different, so I'd give irbesartan a try and make your own judgement.

[Jelbea in reply to ChrisColumbus]

Thank you for your advice. Unfortunately after I took my first irbesartan tablet last night my diastolic pressure was dangerously low this morning so I won't be taking any more until I consult GP again.

[Allyp69]

I have high blood pressure and have been prescribed 5mg Amlodopine daily. Not affected my RLS at all...still have it some days but no worse. Hope it will not affect you adversely.

[Jelbea in reply to Allyp69]

Hi Ally, I am glad you can take your treatment without side effect. Unfortunately I took my first tablet last night and to-day have very low diastolic (in danger zone) so back to the drawing board with GP on Monday.

[DicCarlson]

There are plenty of non-drug therapies to lower your blood pressure.

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/20...

[Jelbea in reply to DicCarlson]

Hello DicCarlson, Thank you for your suggestions. I follow most of the details mentioned by Mayo Clinic but need to control my weight which I know would help.

I took my first tablet last night and this morning had diastolic pressure in low (danger) zone so I shall not be taking any more until I speak to GP again.