New BP medication... but anxious about starting it.

[NotSure94]

I had been on Rampril for around 9 months but had been suffering from horrible restless legs and muscle spasms and my BP hadn't even come down dramatically... so I phone the doctor last week and he's prescribed me Losartan instead.

Since that conversation last week I just ditched the Rampiril and as I hadn't had a chance to get to the pharmacy I've been med free for just over a week. It might be my imagination but I am sleeping so much better with hardly any muscle spasms and only a bit of hypersensitivity in my calves. It's bliss.

I'm worried that the new meds will just start the whole thing up again and so can't bring myself to open the packet.

Can someone give me a kick up the bum to take the blooming meds and tell me nice stories about Lorsartan (if you have them) - or if you had anything similar I'd be interested to hear your stories.

I am getting far more exercise than I did and have cut out caffeine etc so am not neglecting my health in other respects - just like I say anxious.

No experience of it here but happy to give you a kick up the bum.

Clears throat *Until you get a medical degree and the experience go practice as a doctor, I suggest you follow instructions from your GP. He won't be prescribing those tablets for fun, you obviously need them.

I take Losartan and I haven't had any noticeable side effects. I know that one person's experience doesn't offer much reassurance, but it certainly went better than the meds I tried previously.

@NotSure94 Please try them at least, if you have side effects get in touch with your GP, but don’t just stop taking bp medication, as your bp could rise dramatically. I speak from experience.

I stopped Ramipril due to coughing and now on Losartan with no side effects.

Thank you all - and especially for the kick up the bum @MilduraS

Have you tried changing your diet? What is your bp? Did you know many many people get off their BP medications, reverse heart disease and diabetes with a whole foods plant based diet. Check out forks over knives website. If you do this diet you can bring your BP down to normal levels within days or two weeks. Try it. See how you feel. I’ve managed my BP like this and with exercise. Basically a day of my food looks like this

Whole oats cooked in water w mashed banana, two spoons of flax meal (apparently this helps lower BP) walnuts and blueberries

Brown rice, beans, sweet potatoes and steams green veggies

Banana, berries and water mixed into a smooth.

Brown pasta with a veggie sauce or a veggie soup with potatoes. Or huge salad with potatoes and veggies.

And I was on BP medication a few months, but got off it by doing this diet and under guidance from my GP.

She didn’t know about this diet and how it can lower BP naturally. Most doctors don’t.

I've gone from 160/122 (and a hypertensive crisis) to 140/90 on ramipril plus no caffeine and watching what I eat, I am healthy BMI 10 stone 7 at 5 foot 7 and I run 2k three times a week. That's still not a healthy BP though.

It's still not low enough. I do love red meat and cheese and butter so I can see how further dietary change might help.

But yes I will start taking the new tabs tomorrow at breakfast.

@NotSure94, I think a good step in getting control of this is to get your own BP monitor at home and to keep a note of readings before and after medication, as well as improving and noting diet.

I find it interesting how my BP is over the day at home, over the medium-term.

Definitely a yes to increasing plant foods. Pickles are good too.