BP medicine.

[lbzdually]

My blood pressure has been steadily rising the last few years. Here lately it has been hovering around 140/100. I am 6' and 190 lbs and 38 years old. I'm not a salt addict either. High BP runs in my family, but the ones with problems are overweight by quite a bit. I started Lisinopril yesterday and within about an hour I started feeling horrible. Dizzy as all get out, legs weak, kind of nauseous. I have standing hypotension, meaning every time I get up too fast, or squat then stand back up my BP drops and I nearly pass out. This BP meds has made this much worse. My BP is now 104/78 and feel like crud. How long it usually take for you to get used to the meds? I'm not taking it tonight, because I'm afraid my bp will drop too low and I will forget to get up slow in the middle of the night and end up passing out on the way to the bathroom.

 

[blakely]

It'll take a little while to get your dosage worked out but don't give up on the meds. I've been on BP meds for more than 10 years and still have to remember not to stand up too quickly. I don't necessarily pass out but I do get dizzy.

Work with your doc until you get the correct dosage. I'm 48 now but at 40, I'd had 3 stokes. I was on BP meds at the time I had them. Now, I'm on more than just BP meds.

 

[GoldDot40]

Try quadrupling your water intake. Even though you may not otherwise feel dehydrated, some of your symptoms are in line with it.

 

[EAGLE EYE 444]

lbzdually,

I remembered other members here (including myself) having problems taking Lisinopril back a few years ago.

It might help you to do a "search feature" on this website. That is what I did by typing in "Lisinopril" into the advanced search feature on the search bar right above the Forums listed here.

This thread link below was just ONE of several thread topics over the years here that discusses Blood Pressure medications so these threads might be helpful to you in possibly answering your questions. I once took lisinopril but changed it several years ago because of side effects.

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=831676&highlight=lisinopril&page=3

 

[Big7]

I have been taking Lisinopril since I was your age,
16 years ago.

It works well for me and mine has the "water pill" in it.

Just be careful standing up fast until you get used to it.
If I remember correctly, took me about a month.

The drug lowers your BP and the water pill makes you
pee out sodium a lot. That's what it's supposed to do.

It's cheap and effective as long as you don't need the heavy duty stuff.

When I had good insurance, I took a few of the high $$$
meds with about the same result. Your Dr. prescribed that to you for a reason.
Take it at the same time every day for best results.

Give it some time. It will work on most folks. If it don't, ask your Dr. to try something else.

BTW.. I'm 6 flat and 190 also. Works for me.

 

[snookdoctor]

There are many BP meds out there. Some ACE inhibitors work for individuals better than others, Talk to your doc and advise them of your effects. They can switch meds to see if your tolerance is better with another compound.

 

[Milkman]

Been taking lisinopril/hctz for years. It works for me.

Try splitting the pills a gradually work up to your dose over a period of days. The pressure you posted is a good number

Good luck and welcome to old age

 

[snookdoctor]

140/100 is a good number to indicate that you are in the stage 1 hypertension range.

Talk to your doc and let them know what is going on with your pressure and current BP meds. They can be changed and or adjusted in order to bring your pressure in to an acceptable controlled range.

 

[lbzdually]

I had to do a stress test yesterday morning , so I started the Lisinopril about 4:30. My wife is nurse and said since my normal has been high or a while, getting back to the actual normal range will make me horrible for a few days. One of the reasons I need bp medicine is migraines, but it just happens lisonipril causes headaches and a bad one hit yesterday about 2 hrs after taking meds. I'm going to start walking a few miles a day as soon as the Dr. says it's ok. The stress test revealed I have T-wave inversion. Cardiologist has to look it over and determine if I need to worry.

 

[Hooked On Quack]

Been taking lisinopril/hctz for years. It works for me.

Try splitting the pills a gradually work up to your dose over a period of days. The pressure you posted is a good number

Good luck and welcome to old age

That's what I do, half of one in the morning, other half at night, works for me.

 

[blakely]

Be careful about the headaches. I used to think I had a lot of sinus headaches. When I was put in the hospital for a stroke, the docs told me that I'd had 3 strokes, not just the one that I went into the hospital for. Honestly, if it hadn't been for the fact that I was having trouble remembering what I was trying to say, I wouldn't have gone to the doc when I did. I had the stroke one afternoon then went to the doc the next morning. Drove all over Dothan Al without realizing I was having a stroke. Just thought it was another bad headache.

 

[EAGLE EYE 444]

I had to do a stress test yesterday morning , so I started the Lisinopril about 4:30. My wife is nurse and said since my normal has been high or a while, getting back to the actual normal range will make me horrible for a few days. One of the reasons I need bp medicine is migraines, but it just happens lisonipril causes headaches and a bad one hit yesterday about 2 hrs after taking meds. I'm going to start walking a few miles a day as soon as the Dr. says it's ok. The stress test revealed I have T-wave inversion. Cardiologist has to look it over and determine if I need to worry.

Craig, you and I both were having stress tests yesterday morning. I had a heart attack back 10 1/2 years ago and had some stents implanted. My wife had died only 6 months prior after she had battled severe heart disease and diabetes including 3 major heart attacks and 3 bypass surgeries along with 8 cardiac arrests during a period of 6 1/2 years. I learned CPR the hard way as a 911 Operator taught it to me in the middle of the night and thankfully saved my wife and gave her another 5 1/2 more years of living. Her first heart attack occurred at 46 years old and she died at 52 years old. Her heart problems were hereditary from her Father as he suffered 5 heart attacks beginning at 38 years of age until he died at the age of 55, her brother at the age of 53 and then my wife at the age of 52.

We honestly spent a large portion of those 6 1/2 years in the hospital. My Cardiologist told me that the stress of all of those years finally caught up with me and created that heart attack. My Cardiologist was also my late wife's Cardiologist for those 6 1/2 years as well.

Thankfully, I have been doing decently for quite a while now but my Cardiologist wanted me to have this stress test done before my upcoming knee surgery so I didn't argue with him. I had to do the "Nuclear" Stress test because I am not able to get on the treadmill and walk normally now. This entire test actually took a total of 3 hours to complete yesterday.

I've got to have some lab work done Monday morning so I won't know the results of the stress test and the lab work details until next Wednesday when I meet with my Cardiologist. I have been fortunate for the past few years because my BP is normally close to the average range of 112/68 and I never feel dizzy because of it.

My doctors helped me to find new ways to relax and that is when I started to use trail cameras on my property year-round and that has been the most relaxing hobby ever for me. Even though it takes a tremendous amount of time in the process, I love every minute of it. The truth is...it has been very expensive BUT it has been worth every penny.

Try your best to relax and stay as calm as possible. I will also say that walking 2 1/2 miles each morning around 5 AM helped me a bunch but I do need to get back into that routine again.

Craig,I surely hope that all goes well for you. Keep us posted my friend.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I've been taking Lisinopril for a couple years, and luckily, never experienced any side effects. It has worked well for me.

 

[lbzdually]

Craig, you and I both were having stress tests yesterday morning. I had a heart attack back 10 1/2 years ago and had some stents implanted. My wife had died only 6 months prior after she had battled severe heart disease and diabetes including 3 major heart attacks and 3 bypass surgeries along with 8 cardiac arrests during a period of 6 1/2 years. I learned CPR the hard way as a 911 Operator taught it to me in the middle of the night and thankfully saved my wife and gave her another 5 1/2 more years of living. Her first heart attack occurred at 46 years old and she died at 52 years old. Her heart problems were hereditary from her Father as he suffered 5 heart attacks beginning at 38 years of age until he died at the age of 55, her brother at the age of 53 and then my wife at the age of 52.

We honestly spent a large portion of those 6 1/2 years in the hospital. My Cardiologist told me that the stress of all of those years finally caught up with me and created that heart attack. My Cardiologist was also my late wife's Cardiologist for those 6 1/2 years as well.

Thankfully, I have been doing decently for quite a while now but my Cardiologist wanted me to have this stress test done before my upcoming knee surgery so I didn't argue with him. I had to do the "Nuclear" Stress test because I am not able to get on the treadmill and walk normally now. This entire test actually took a total of 3 hours to complete yesterday.

I've got to have some lab work done Monday morning so I won't know the results of the stress test and the lab work details until next Wednesday when I meet with my Cardiologist. I have been fortunate for the past few years because my BP is normally close to the average range of 112/68 and I never feel dizzy because of it.

My doctors helped me to find new ways to relax and that is when I started to use trail cameras on my property year-round and that has been the most relaxing hobby ever for me. Even though it takes a tremendous amount of time in the process, I love every minute of it. The truth is...it has been very expensive BUT it has been worth every penny.

Try your best to relax and stay as calm as possible. I will also say that walking 2 1/2 miles each morning around 5 AM helped me a bunch but I do need to get back into that routine again.

Craig,I surely hope that all goes well for you. Keep us posted my friend.

Thanks Mike. They said I might have to do the nuclear also. I did it about 5 years ago and it was an awful feeling, like a super charged panic attack, like my head was about to come off. I used to like playing golf and hunting a lot more, then my shoulder started giving me issues that have gradually gotten worse.

 

[trents99]

Been on it for about 20 years, just turned 43. My bp, like yours has always hovered at the 140/80 mark. Curious what dosage they started you out on to begin with just to assess tolerances. I started on 5mg and eventually ended up at 20mg with the water pill before we got results.

Never noticed an side effects other than the dizziness on standing. Be careful here, I have passed out three times due to this. The last time I finally learned my lesson as I started to black out in the kitchen after lying upside down for a spell to do some work under the dash of my car. I remember taking one step to try to grab the counter and when I came two I was ten feet away under the kitchen table. No idea how my head missed the tile counter top or kitchen table but I was lucky.

Good luck with it.

 

[rayjay]

I have always had great BP but am on Atenolol for acute migraines. The main side effect I have is low heart rate. Hook me up to a heart monitor and let me start relaxing and the alarms go off when my HR gets to 45. Been this was for at least 10 years with no ill effects. The Atenolol definitely reduced the incidents of migraine. Nowadays mine are mostly caused by my gimpy pencil neck.

 

[Cook&Bro]

Lisinopril

I've been on Lisinopril for about 10 years. Same issue as yours initially, very lightheaded when I stood up quickly. Initial dosage was 20 mg. My PCP and I agreed to disagree on the issue. (I was a jogger until recently, knees agreed to disagree with my jogging.) Got an Omron BP unit and started tracking my BP. Finally took it with me to the Drs office. They took my BP, it was a little high. I took my BP with my unit, it agreed with theirs. At that point my Doc and I reviewed the BP history on my unit. He determined that I must have "white coat" syndrome. I'm now on 10 mg dosage. If your Doc is sure that your dosage is correct, do what others have suggested - split your dosage over the course of the day. It's a good med, but don't get me started on statins ...

 

[lbzdually]

They put me on 12.5. Thanks for all the input guys. I will revisit this after they tell what my stress test says. I have the standing hypotension for at least 20 years now, even when my BP was normal. I still forget sometimes and stand up too fast. Lucky for me, I have been close to something to lean against when everything goes black or I have tunnel vision.

 

[king killer delete]

Dosage . I have had mine changed several times but you need to take it. You will get it right and it will be no big deal. Im 65 and I started when I was your age.

 

[bloodiarrow68]

if you develop a cough more than likely that Medicine is responsible. I coughed for 10 months while taking that for my BP. Finally figured out what it was and switched meds.
Its not fun to cough 24/7.