Wellness

[Tinkrbl44]

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@Theresa1121 wrote:

Of course I am going back to my doctor. This was more or less a vent about how I feel about medications. I truly believe none of them are good for us. I voiced my opinion to my doctor last week about the reputation of this medication and he said "stop reading". I will never stop reading, sorry. I cringe when I go to the drug store and see the sea of white bags in the racks. Sure some conditions are life threatening and meds are absolutely necessary but I just feel as if I am poisining myself with this stuff. My bp was under control but is is causing an array of other problems that make me feel unwell 24 hours a day. I have been on at least 6 now and some only tolerated for a day or two. I am hyper sensitive to medications it seems as lucky I have not needed them much in my life. 

Thank you for listening and for your concern. Hopefully he will listen to me and get me off this stuff. Losing weight is my goad with going to the gym 3 or  times a week, walk, watch what I eat, and this medication is packing on the weight. I feel like a stuffed sausage in my clothes.

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@Theresa1121

Sorry you're struggling with this .... I have been down that road and know how frustrating this can be.   I once had a doc referred and he prescribed a med that literally made me sick.  His solution to my complaint?  Take a higher dose of that same med!   Go figure ....

First, you need to realize that BP meds are the lesser of two evils.  You can modify BP rates over time with diet and exercise, but right now you must find a med you can live with.   It can be adjusted later.

Second, finding the right med for you is a trial and error process. Have patience and if one doesn't work, then try another .... and another .... until you find the right one for your system.  Please make peace with this process.

Third, IMO, you need a different doctor.   I found an Internist that specializes in Cardiology, and she really knew her stuff!   I don't know what you have in the way of medical centers and hospitals, but you need to be getting referrals from current doctors, friends, whatever ...  and reviewing ratings until you find the right doc.

YES, you want to lose weight, and modify your diet to work with cholesterol reduction, but one step at a time.

Good luck .... and please don't get discouraged during this process ....  it takes time.

[hckynut]

DP! Why? Beats me.

hckynut

[hckynut]

Though my maternal side relatives all suffered with high BP, which leaves me genetically predisposed. The only time I have high high BP was in the early 1950's, when I was the "fat kid" in late grade school and early high school. Lost weight, lost the high BP.

After my 1st heart attack in July of 2003, I was put on 25mg X 2, per day. My Cardiologist wanted my BP as low as I could tolerate it and still function at my normal activity levels, which were/are far from sedentary. I med was Lopressor and later the generic, Metropolol.

This turned out to be too high a dosage and my Diastolic levels were im the low 50's-high 40's. Doctor reduced the dosage to 25mg per day, taking half twice a day. That kept my BP mostly at 90/60, sometimes the Diastolic running in the mid to lower 50's, where I had to rise slower etc.

Stayed on the same dosage, along with other heart meds and my Coumadin for 2 bouts of PE in 2002. After my 2nd heart attack in September of 2007, I was also put on Altace(Ramapri) and Plavix. My BP was pretty consistant at 90/60 so stayed on same dosage of  Metropolol.

I talked with my Cardiologist and over the years quit taking Coumadin (Warfarin)/Plavix, and in mid 2017, Metropolol. I never suffered 1 single side effect from and of the meds but Warfarin, where had I not been close to the hospital, I would have "Bled-Out". Not sure the cause, but was fortunate to be at the right place at the right time.

Really don't have and suggestions for the OP other than what several others have mentioned, "see your prescribing doctor". One thing I know from my own experiences, and that of countless heart patient I met in my many weeks on the Heart Floor of the hospital and my 72 Cardiac Rehab Classes? Regardless of what one weighs, losing 5-10lbs more might be the answer. Look thin? I do, but that is where I felt/feel my best.

My interests are not cosmetic and I could not care less who thinks I am "too thin". At the present I am as healthy and physically fit(at certain ages of course) as I have been in my life, including my competitive running and ice skating days. Plan on staying thin and very active for as long as my health allows me to do so.

Sorry so many have this many problems with some ACE Inhibitors and Beta Blockers. I took both along with Statins/Blood Thinners and several Psych Meds, but am no longer on any meds for BP(still runs about 90/60) or Blood Thinners. No Plavix/Ramapril/Coumadih or Metropolol.

Wanted to add my experiences with these meds, along with that of probably at least 100 patients I have met since my 1st PE event in 2002.

hckynut

[CAMOGIRL]

TELL YOUR DOCTOR! There are so many various drugs out there, there HAS got to be one that will help with your condition(s) and not leave you with all these negative side effects.

OMG - bitch, moan and complain until they find you a med or meds that work for YOU!!  I know I would!!! Let them know exactly what is going on and tell them to do something about it!! You are worth it, so make them do their ****** job!!

[CelticCrafter]

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@Theresa1121 wrote:

Of course I am going back to my doctor. This was more or less a vent about how I feel about medications. I truly believe none of them are good for us. I voiced my opinion to my doctor last week about the reputation of this medication and he said "stop reading". I will never stop reading, sorry. I cringe when I go to the drug store and see the sea of white bags in the racks. Sure some conditions are life threatening and meds are absolutely necessary but I just feel as if I am poisining myself with this stuff. My bp was under control but is is causing an array of other problems that make me feel unwell 24 hours a day. I have been on at least 6 now and some only tolerated for a day or two. I am hyper sensitive to medications it seems as lucky I have not needed them much in my life. 

Thank you for listening and for your concern. Hopefully he will listen to me and get me off this stuff. Losing weight is my goad with going to the gym 3 or  times a week, walk, watch what I eat, and this medication is packing on the weight. I feel like a stuffed sausage in my clothes.

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I know it's easy for me to say this while I'm sitting at my computer but that's when I would have been done and left...

[Theresa1121]

Update: I made an appointment and am switching to a female doctor who was recommended and I go next Friday. In the meantime, I was feeling so bad I decided to experiment and start weaning off this medication to get a head start. I am cutting the 20 mg. tablet in half, so taking 10 and my blood pressure is still good! I am also on a water pill so I was right and was over medicated.

No kidding that at work this week, a coworker asked me if I was "on something". I said what do you mean by that and he said you must be taking Zanax or something as you seem so happy go lucky. (I know him well so not offended). I said absolutely not, you know I hate taking meds and told him I cut back on my bp med and feel like a new person!

I will continue to monitor it and maybe that was all I needed to do. No more aches, short of breath, severe fatique, pain in ears and hot flashes.

We must be our own advocates.

[ID2]

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@Theresa1121 wrote:

Update: I made an appointment and am switching to a female doctor who was recommended and I go next Friday. In the meantime, I was feeling so bad I decided to experiment and start weaning off this medication to get a head start. I am cutting the 20 mg. tablet in half, so taking 10 and my blood pressure is still good! I am also on a water pill so I was right and was over medicated.

No kidding that at work this week, a coworker asked me if I was "on something". I said what do you mean by that and he said you must be taking Zanax or something as you seem so happy go lucky. (I know him well so not offended). I said absolutely not, you know I hate taking meds and told him I cut back on my bp med and feel like a new person!

I will continue to monitor it and maybe that was all I needed to do. No more aches, short of breath, severe fatique, pain in ears and hot flashes.

We must be our own advocates.

Wow, you are being your own doctor?? Really? It sounds to me you are making matters worse. So you are going to keep switching doctors until you find one that says what you want him to say? Silly. You say that you will try a new med for 2 days then complain? Umm not near enough time to let it work. Your symptoms don't really sound like they are from taking meds. But good luck in your search for a doctor that goes against his ethics and prescribes you something you are happy with. 

[Theresa1121]

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@ID2 wrote:

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@Theresa1121 wrote:

Update: I made an appointment and am switching to a female doctor who was recommended and I go next Friday. In the meantime, I was feeling so bad I decided to experiment and start weaning off this medication to get a head start. I am cutting the 20 mg. tablet in half, so taking 10 and my blood pressure is still good! I am also on a water pill so I was right and was over medicated.

No kidding that at work this week, a coworker asked me if I was "on something". I said what do you mean by that and he said you must be taking Zanax or something as you seem so happy go lucky. (I know him well so not offended). I said absolutely not, you know I hate taking meds and told him I cut back on my bp med and feel like a new person!

I will continue to monitor it and maybe that was all I needed to do. No more aches, short of breath, severe fatique, pain in ears and hot flashes.

We must be our own advocates.

Wow, you are being your own doctor?? Really? It sounds to me you are making matters worse. So you are going to keep switching doctors until you find one that says what you want him to say? Silly. You say that you will try a new med for 2 days then complain? Umm not near enough time to let it work. Your symptoms don't really sound like they are from taking meds. But good luck in your search for a doctor that goes against his ethics and prescribes you something you are happy with. 

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I may not have conveyed correctly that I was put on this medication in April and was fine at first and felt progressively worse. I called the doctor to let him know and he didn't even speak with me or suggest and appointment and told the nurse to tell me to stay on it. It was making me sick. I am sensitive to most medications.

Common sense told me not to stop it completely until I saw a doctor and I made an appointment, but feeling so bad on this stuff I reduced the dosage and responsibly take my blood pressure. I feel sooooo much better which tells me yes, the dosage was too much for my system. The doctor was new and took over for my previous MD who moved. I tried this new doc out and I didn't like that he wouldn't listen to me.

My wish is that the new doctor will be more understanding to my personal beliefs and take my medication sensitity into consideration. We all deserve to feel well and not swallow a medication that we know is causing us to feel unwell.

[Theresa1121]

Another update:

Saw the new doctor recommended by a friend. I waited 45 minutes in an empty waiting room and when I was finally seen she seemed very rushed while sitting at a laptop typing quickly as we talked about my personal history,  blood pressure and trials and sensitivity with all the meds.

I told her I had cut the medication in half, feel a little better with side effects and showed her my readings from the unit. She had me take my bp there with it and it did match up so assured it is accurate.

She didn't make too many comments but the one I didn't want to hear of course was that I may be on this the rest of my life.  Poof, there goes my hope of having a doctor that will listen to my concerns that I have a sensitivity to most meds, I am willing to lose weight, I am very active and my goal is to be medication free or at least be on something more tolerable. It is discouraging.

So for now I am still on 1/2 the dose, now endorsed by an MD, plus a water pill and she is sending me for a stress test and echocardiogram. Ugh. I am 62 so probably a good idea but my take is the billions of dollars spent prescribing meds on a trial and error basis and the billions more spent on more pills to correct the issues caused by the pills.

[151949]

@ID2  Many people doctor shop until they find one who will do exactly what they want no matter if it is good for them or not. I've run into them often as patients. Please note - I was a critical care nurse - so this behavior ended up with a stint in ICU. However, we get them stable and their meds etc adjusted , and they go home and do the same behavior that got them in ICU the first time. 

Sadly, these doctors are generally popular among patients who recomend them to all their friends.People love docs who instead of telling you what is right for you , allow you to tell them.