Have you come off BP medication?

[Maidenjourney]

I am on my third lot of BP medication because the first two gave me bad side effects. The one I am on now has been upped as it wasn't bringing my BP down enough. The trouble is i have felt really awful for months now, and now I think it's the medication. Every single day I feel terrible, and I just can't go on like this . Strange leg pains, headaches, a feeling like my head is going to explode. Pains in my feet and ankles. Feeling exhausted, sinus issues. Balance issues, weakness in my legs. The list is endless. I want to stop taking the medication for a week to see if I feel better.

The problem is none of the doctors I have seen at the practice are any use. None of them have anything to offer but drugs and don't know what the side effects of the drugs are unless they look them up on google. Literally sit there consulting their phones. I feel it's pointless to ask the doctor, any doctor for help. The stress of all this is making me feel much more unwell and not helping my BP.

Has anyone found a solution to this? I am on Candestartan at the moment.

I didnt want to read and run but it definitely sounds as though you are experiencing side effects of high BP too. Can you get a second opinion or simply go to a&e for advice?

I take Amlodipine and don't have side effects - not sure if that is one you have tried / Drs have suggested. DH did some mild side effects and so he has a mix of two.

The symptoms you describe I would say are not normal for BP medication so , sorry if you have a not very good GP but I would go back again . A decent Gp ought to have more options to offer.

I'm sorry you are feeling like this. I wish I had a magic answer , but I think in the first instance you should go back to the GP. Also try , with their help , to differentiate those symptoms . They don't all sound like side effects of BP medication to me ( BUT but but - I am not a doctor )

I do wish you well though. 💐

(Edit spelling)

Hi op. I have Ramipril which I am fine with.Did have Candestartan yonks ago ( but not for long) as side effects were awful.

Also agree with @BasiliskStare back to Gp. Maybe write it all down so you can go through it. Perhaps they can take all bloods available to humanity to rule things in/ out, if they haven't already done so. Also what are you bp readings? Are you taking it once/ twice a day as new med?

There are so many different types of bp medication; there are many more to try. Hopefully you'll find one effective and tolerable.

Untreated high blood pressure is not a good thing at all. I know from experience. People don't take it seriously enough.

Are you on a high dose? That can increase the risk of side effects. My GP told me the most effective way of controlling BP is to add a new medication rather than increase the dose as there are a few ways that BP becomes high and the drugs all work in different ways. I take ramipril, lercanidipine and bisoprolol, all the lowest dose and my BP is fine and I don't get side effects. Does your GP practice have a pharmacist? They are probably the best person to speak to. I used to be on Amlodipine but it made my ankles swell. I asked the pharmacist for an alternative and she suggested lercanidipine. The GP hadn't heard of it!

Amilodipine made my ankles swell. I have had numerous drugs. I have been having issues for 20 years. You need to find something you can live with. Try and talk to the pharmacist. Have a look at your lifestyle. Diet , stress etc. Take you own readings. Mine shoot up as soon as I get in the Drs so I do my own over a few days and give them to the surgery.

Amlodipine on its own gave me aching legs and very swollen ankles so I was also put on Ramipril as well. I was told it can take a while to get the mix right or the dose so definitely go back. I was also told by my gp that you rarely come off them once on as it’s hard to tell what your blood pressure would be like now you have been on them without them so don’t come off them on your own.
Can you change gp?

I think before going on pills really you need to find out why you have high BP. Drs are quick to put you on pills but really they need to look into underlying issues. Could be a family history, or being overweight or your kidneys, stress, lots of salt in your diet. Maybe do some research.

Enalapril made me feel very ill and very swollen, so did Amlodipine at first but I stuck with it and it’s now OK. I think you just have to keep trying until you find what works for you, and give everything a fair chance.

I am now on WLI, I’ve lost nearly 3st, and hoping once I get closer to a healthy BMI my blood pressure might come down, but I’m trying not to get my hopes up. I didn’t have blood pressure issues before I had pre eclampsia but they’ve stuck with me since.

Well done on your weight loss. Has your BP improved?. Do you do your own readings?

That’s interesting. What were the side effects?

I was about to start the lm but chickened out. I would like to know what your experiences were.

I tried 2 different medications before finding Perindopril ok. Other 2 my ankles and legs were so swollen. My DH is on Ramipril and Bisoprolol, no side effects.

Thank you! I have a lot to lose so I haven’t started doing home readings again yet but might in a month or two. I’m afraid to get my hopes up it might have improved!

I tend to be asymptotic with high blood pressure but very very symptomatic with low blood pressure so if it was too low I think I’d know.