Wellness

[Moonchilde]

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@debcakes wrote:

I had the same problem. My doctor prescribed the medicine and then a few days later I got the worst cold and cough of my life. The cold lasted so long but even after the cold was gone, the cough persisted. I kept thinking it was related to the cold, but as soon as I mentioned it to my Dr she changed my prescription. I also had a bp med that gave me really frightful, dark dreams. I kept waking up in fear and felt ghost it would be difficult to even go to work. Through research, I discovered that the medication could do that. Now, I am on a combination of two with no problems. 

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Beta blockers *may* cause sleep disturbance/odd dreams, waking nightmares, etc. When I was first prescribed them (for multiple reasons, not just BP) I had this issue. After reading up, I stuck with it, and after about a week it all stopped once my body got used to the medication. I've never had any problem since, and have been taking a beta blocker as one of my medications since I was in my 20s.

[Suziepeach]

I too had the Lisinopril cough, we thought it was my allergies the symptoms were so strange.  Once I stopped taking it,  it all stopped. 

[Stormygirl]

Is the beta affects of the drug that cause the coughing. Sometimes the meds can affect Beta-2 receptors which are in the smoooth muscle of the bronchi, thus coughing. Was a respiratory therapist for 30 years. Am working on getting this pain pump out but after that will be on no medication made by big pharma companies. Is my experiement but am going back to the "natural organic" plants, ingrediants used by my ancestors long ago along with Chinese cures. I know Docs used to get "perks" and golf vacations for prescribing certain drugs. Tsk Tsk. Good internet site which is eye opening to find out if your doc receives alarming money from certain companies is called Dollars for Docs" and you can look up your doc. One of mine was getting over 40 grand in perks by Medtronics for just implanting spinal cord stimulators in as many patients as possible. Other docs in same field were getting maybe 2 grand in same time span...ALARMING!

[Happiness Is Inside JOB]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. 

Many asked, why didn't you say the name of the medication in your original posting. 

I find on the Q boards, you are dammed if you do, and dammed if you don't. 

If I had put the name, surely someone would have blasted back......Just cause you had symptions I don't, bla, bla, bla.

Then when I don't list the name, WHY didn't you list the name.

 I did not want to list the name but focus on MY Experience and not get anyone alarmed or worried if they were taking the same medicine. 

The story is too long, then if I had put a blurb, you did not explain well enough what happened. It is a catch 22 on the Q.

[Ditzydori]

You are correct, Happiness. I have noticed that also while reading the boards. 

And It is beyond me why some people nit pick so much. Don't let it get to you.  Mostly everyone gave you such nice responses. 

I take a beta blocker for my HPB. No cough, but sometimes I feel tired after I take it, so I started taking it at nite. I, too, experienced vivid dreams, but not so much any more. 

[phoenixbrd]

Lisinopril placed me in the emergency room regularly until a pharmacist alerted me to the side effects that I was regularly experiencing.  Went on a quest of a natural rememdy and eventually found Carditone....saved my life.  Hundreds of reviews stating the same.  Herbal ancient aryuvedic remedy with no side effects for me....so grateful.  

[Q4u]

I was coughing so badly on Lisinopril that my good friend thought I had somelthing horrid going on with me!  No one warned me, I eventually found out on my own and titrated down on this medicine myself.  Interestingly, my blood pressure did not go up.  I am only on .25 of Hydrochlor and a small amount of Atenolol now, blood pressure good.

Now I research everything before I commit to it.  I am a Diabetic (over 9 years) and my doctor wanted to change me from (successful) Metformin and Glipiside to one of the newest drugs (forget the name) that goes through the kidneys.  I found research from UCLA's Medical School that this class of drugs are esponsible for the development of the type of tumors that turns into cancer.  I would not take the drug.....

Yes, research every single drug they give you.  Many doctors have vested interests in the mass sales of certain drugs .... and that explains why some doctors push certain medications.  

My old meds cost me roughly $5.80 for both my old medications for 3 months..

The new meds were $120 (my cost) for 3 months.....

[Happiness Is Inside JOB]

YOU are so right about checking medications before you commit. Now when I am given a RX, I allow the doctor to send it to the pharmacy, then I do not fill it until i research, I have wasted money filling the RX right away to later find out, NO !!! this product is not for me.

[Tinkrbl44]

Not being a smart aleck here, but who DOESN'T look into any new meds the doctor prescribes?    IMO, I thought this was a pretty common sense step to take before taking any new medication.   We're not idiots!

I've also told my docs that I don't want them prescribing anything for me that hasn't been on the market for at least 5-6 years.   No exceptions!

How many times have we seen some new drug advertised on TV .... the greatest thing since sliced bread, they say.  

Fast Forward two years and then you see the faces of very concerned attorneys saying if you took this drug, and your left arm fell off, call us at 1-800-Ambulance Chaser and we'll work for you.

Yeah, right.   Nope, no new drugs for me ... only the tried and true that have been on the market long enough to work the bugs out .... so to speak.    

[Moonchilde]

I don't assume doctors don't have my interests at heart until I have good evidence otherwise. Unless someone is over 65, doctors don't know what is/is not covered, and at what price, for all their patients; the patients don't know in advance either.

My doctor wanted me to take a statin; I didn't want to take one. We compromised - I asked him for the one his patients had the least complaints about, and he prescribed the lowest dose. I have had no meaningful side effects, but the generic is a Tier 2 drug for me and 20% more co-pay than all but one of my other drugs. I *could* ask him for a cheaper drug, but would it be worth it? He did as I asked, I have no issues with the drug, and it's not some amount in the $100s.

I automatically ask my doctors to prescribe generics, and we would have a discussion if they don't, as to why not, and that money is a factor for me. If it's for something critical, and not permanent/chronic, I'd listen, at least. I do tell my doctors I'd rather not take such-and-such because of this or that serious (to me) side effect, and we come up with a compromise.

For my cataract surgery the surgeon insisted on an antibiotic that cost $100+ per (tiny) bottle of drops. I balked, and he was snotty about it, asking if I wanted less than optimal treatment for my eyes. But - it was a one-time thing, it was my EYES, and sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. I'm sure the antibiotic wasn't vastly superior to others, that the doctor was being rewarded, and that he had control issues(I had ample further evidence of that). But he was temporary in my medical experience.

There has only been one time, and one medication, where I refused a drug. In that particular instance, I had strong evidence the doctor was getting kick-backs, and I knew he had no patient interests at heart. This was corroborated by someone I knew who had the same experience with him. Creepy.

Research, I do after I have begun taking a drug, IF I notice anything different after I've been taking it a couple of days. There is too much human nature involved, for anyone to read before they ever take something and not imagine they have one of the side effects.

But as a disclaimer, I will state that being aware of (especially new) drugs and their potential side effects was a major part of my working life for almost 50 years, so I "just know" what many need to look up.