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Registered: ‎03-11-2010

This topic is very current for me. I have had glaucoma for years and have taken many different medication drops. The beta blocker drops are the most effective drop to control glaucoma even with the newer drops like Xalatan (once a day). I take both Xalatan (is most effective taken just before bedtime) and Dorzolamide HCI-Timolol (twice a day) which is a combo beta blocker. I've asked and have been told by 2 eye docs that beta blockers are still the first line med for glaucoma even with the newer formulations. You need to know how to take the drops and how to pinch the bridge of your nose to keep the medicines from slipping past the eyeball and into your system. You wouldn't think that the drops would act systemically but they do and can drop your BP and pulse too low. It happened to me.

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On 11/16/2014 Disneydiva said:

This topic is very current for me. I have had glaucoma for years and have taken many different medication drops. The beta blocker drops are the most effective drop to control glaucoma even with the newer drops like Xalatan (once a day). I take both Xalatan (is most effective taken just before bedtime) and Dorzolamide HCI-Timolol (twice a day) which is a combo beta blocker. I've asked and have been told by 2 eye docs that beta blockers are still the first line med for glaucoma even with the newer formulations. You need to know how to take the drops and how to pinch the bridge of your nose to keep the medicines from slipping past the eyeball and into your system. You wouldn't think that the drops would act systemically but they do and can drop your BP and pulse too low. It happened to me.

Thank you. You would think that people would not post information that is incorrect but they do anyway.

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Posts: 2,614
Registered: ‎03-12-2010
On 11/16/2014 Disneydiva said:

This topic is very current for me. I have had glaucoma for years and have taken many different medication drops. The beta blocker drops are the most effective drop to control glaucoma even with the newer drops like Xalatan (once a day). I take both Xalatan (is most effective taken just before bedtime) and Dorzolamide HCI-Timolol (twice a day) which is a combo beta blocker. I've asked and have been told by 2 eye docs that beta blockers are still the first line med for glaucoma even with the newer formulations. You need to know how to take the drops and how to pinch the bridge of your nose to keep the medicines from slipping past the eyeball and into your system. You wouldn't think that the drops would act systemically but they do and can drop your BP and pulse too low. It happened to me.

You are totally incorrect about beta blockers being used as a first line defense for glaucoma. This is why people should always check with their own ophthalmologist before believing anything posted here.
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On 11/16/2014 happy housewife said:
On 11/16/2014 Disneydiva said:

This topic is very current for me. I have had glaucoma for years and have taken many different medication drops. The beta blocker drops are the most effective drop to control glaucoma even with the newer drops like Xalatan (once a day). I take both Xalatan (is most effective taken just before bedtime) and Dorzolamide HCI-Timolol (twice a day) which is a combo beta blocker. I've asked and have been told by 2 eye docs that beta blockers are still the first line med for glaucoma even with the newer formulations. You need to know how to take the drops and how to pinch the bridge of your nose to keep the medicines from slipping past the eyeball and into your system. You wouldn't think that the drops would act systemically but they do and can drop your BP and pulse too low. It happened to me.

Thank you. You would think that people would not post information that is incorrect but they do anyway.

oh my

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On 11/15/2014 Tissyanne said: Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.
Exactly and considering the OP claims to be a nurse, she should know that no one is qualified to take her husband off blood pressure medications but the prescribing physician. The results of such could have dire consequences.
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On 11/16/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
On 11/15/2014 Tissyanne said: Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.
Exactly and considering the OP claims to be a nurse, she should know that no one is qualified to take her husband off blood pressure medications but the prescribing physician. The results of such could have dire consequences.

In this case, happy housewife is right on point and I know exactly what she means when she states she told her husband not to take the medication. It doesn't mean to totally cease the medication, but you don't take it at that time because the BP is low enough that taking the med can cause some problems.

This is very common and used all across the country in hospitals, nursing homes, and rehab facilities. Nurses are quite used to withholding a dose of an anti-hypertensive if the systolic BP is below a certain point.

So she isn't talking about taking her husband totally off of his BP medication at all. And it was a good call on her part to tell him to skip that dose with his BP already down and probably another round of eye drops coming later in the day.


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On 11/16/2014 pitdakota said:
On 11/16/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
On 11/15/2014 Tissyanne said: Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.
Exactly and considering the OP claims to be a nurse, she should know that no one is qualified to take her husband off blood pressure medications but the prescribing physician. The results of such could have dire consequences.

In this case, happy housewife is right on point and I know exactly what she means when she states she told her husband not to take the medication. It doesn't mean to totally cease the medication, but you don't take it at that time because the BP is low enough that taking the med can cause some problems.

This is very common and used all across the country in hospitals, nursing homes, and rehab facilities. Nurses are quite used to withholding a dose of an anti-hypertensive if the systolic BP is below a certain point.

So she isn't talking about taking her husband totally off of his BP medication at all. And it was a good call on her part to tell him to skip that dose with his BP already down and probably another round of eye drops coming later in the day.

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Posts: 2,614
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On 11/16/2014 pitdakota said:
On 11/16/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
On 11/15/2014 Tissyanne said: Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.
Exactly and considering the OP claims to be a nurse, she should know that no one is qualified to take her husband off blood pressure medications but the prescribing physician. The results of such could have dire consequences.

In this case, happy housewife is right on point and I know exactly what she means when she states she told her husband not to take the medication. It doesn't mean to totally cease the medication, but you don't take it at that time because the BP is low enough that taking the med can cause some problems.

This is very common and used all across the country in hospitals, nursing homes, and rehab facilities. Nurses are quite used to withholding a dose of an anti-hypertensive if the systolic BP is below a certain point.

So she isn't talking about taking her husband totally off of his BP medication at all. And it was a good call on her part to tell him to skip that dose with his BP already down and probably another round of eye drops coming later in the day.

I respectfully disagree.

The only person qualified to adjust someone's medications are the prescribing physicians. The ones with an MD after their name.

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Registered: ‎12-07-2012
On 11/16/2014 pitdakota said:
On 11/16/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
On 11/15/2014 Tissyanne said: Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.
Exactly and considering the OP claims to be a nurse, she should know that no one is qualified to take her husband off blood pressure medications but the prescribing physician. The results of such could have dire consequences.

In this case, happy housewife is right on point and I know exactly what she means when she states she told her husband not to take the medication. It doesn't mean to totally cease the medication, but you don't take it at that time because the BP is low enough that taking the med can cause some problems.

This is very common and used all across the country in hospitals, nursing homes, and rehab facilities. Nurses are quite used to withholding a dose of an anti-hypertensive if the systolic BP is below a certain point.

So she isn't talking about taking her husband totally off of his BP medication at all. And it was a good call on her part to tell him to skip that dose with his BP already down and probably another round of eye drops coming later in the day.

I also respectfully disagree.