Blood Pressure Medication

[vannin]

BINGO, I seem to have solved the mystery of the BP rocketing. The CUFF of the monitor, it is essential to use right size!!! First, about beta-blockers, Dita, I have heard something in a newspaper article, like your summary. I have never been put on beta blockers and should never be, because I take Thyroxine and the two should never meet!

But my initiation into ACE inhibitors made me uneasy, not just the feeling of 'Are these really needed?' The first side effect on low dose, the profuse sweats, were bad enough...but then when the BP diastole readings stayed high, my dose was doubled to 5 mg, and my lips broke out in Urticaria/angiodema. A sure allergy sign of the system rejecting something.

Seem to have solved it. Yesterday the GP was mystified as to the Diastole readings always being above 100, even on higher dosage Lisinopril. Surgery lent me a BP monitor, nothing was mentioned about cuff size. A small or medium size cuff incorrectly was with it, goes up to 30 centimetres. Large cuff is my size 40 cms (very fat arms ) He put me back on the 2.5 mgs dose, thank goodness.

This morning, OH brought home a new BP monitor (large size cuff with it) from Lloyds chemist. The GP enjoyed hearing of the special offer, Lloyds monitors reduced from £45 to £9.99, and said, regardless of Press warnings of monitor innaccuracy, he believed in them.

I have taken 'measurements' - both arms - with both monitors. The one borrowed from surgery showed a diastole (the lower one which worries the doctors) of 103. Systole is 131 which is fine. The new Lloyds monitor, with a correct LARGE cuff, shows 135/87!!!! This, I believe, is correct, and I question the procedure of the heavy prescribing on scary figures at the surgery, where maybe the wrong cuff (too small) has been wrongly used each time. On Monday I shall return their monitor and hopefully have a chat, to solve the (diastole) worries.

[Rowan]

Good thinking Viv. My monitor - bought around five years ago (at a horrific price from Boots) is exactly accurate with the surgery one. I also got a new one for my sister at Lloyds and it seems to be quite accurate too.

It is right that these things should be cheaper as more and more people are monitoring blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol etc.

[Anya]

Great news, Viv !!!!!! You must feel very relieved

Home spygmanometers (wanted to show off that I can spell it) are advertised on various catalogues and can be wildly inaccurate. My elderly auntie bought one for about 30 quid and it showed her blood pressure to be very high, all the time, yet at the surgery it was usually normal-ish.

She bought a 'professional' gauge from the medical shop (where they sell trusses and bedpans) and it was only a few quid more.

[twinsmum]

Viv I take Atenolol which is a beta-blocker and Thyroxine. The last time I had my blood pressure taken about 4 weeks ago the reading was fine.
I dont like the idea of a monitor at home, if my blood pressure went up I would panic and it would go up more

[vannin]

Well, this has only been one day so far, and it went down, thank goodness. This being a Saturday morning, I hadn't to prepare to rush for a bus into town and was delightfully relaxed. I had no concerns about mis-using the 'sphig' because I keep a little video handy on the computer!!

When Daisyb kindly gave us the link to Lloyds Pharmacies and I clicked on info about their special offer monitors, there is the link to this instruction video on using their monitor. Simplicity, yes! But being the first time, I might have been UNrelaxed fingers and thumbs without viewing that.

[vannin]

Barbara, I could be wrong but I always understood Beta-Blockers and thyroid could only combine if OVERactive thyroid was being treated or if too much Thyroxine had been administered for underactive.

(This link may not work)
http/:www.uihealthcare.com/topics/hormonaldisorders/horm4701.htm

[dita]

Last time I was at GP, my BP was the same on his monitor as on the one I bought from Lloyds. Think the point you have brought up Vannin on the cuff size is really interesting. They do say that you should take your BP at same time of day because BP fluctuates so much.

[Victors Mate]

My medication for high blood pressure consists of:-

1 2.5mg tablet Bendroflumethiazide.
1 10mg tablet Amlodipine besilate
1 8mg tablet Perindopril

Whether this is good, bad or indifferent I haven't got a clue but it appears to work for me.

Well the above medication kept my BP readings averaging
Systolic 165 Diastolic 75 Pulse Rate 75

My doctor has now added 2mg of Doxazosin Mesilate taken daily
The effect has been quite noticeable my BP readingd now averaging

Systolic 135 Diastolic 73 Pulse Rate 74

So far (touch wood) no side effects.

[Rowan]

I only take 8mg Doxazosin and 2.5mg of Bendrofluazide and my normal BP is 135/75.

[dita]

Hi Folks, dont know if you are missing me or not but have been out of action a month or so because of illness, have popped in from time to time but not active. Seems I got some kind of virus which I am finding hard to get rid of, am still on antibiotics and feel a bit like death warmed up. Thought I would share this because the Doc has just informed me that the ace inhibitors I was taking was not helping the problem. The side-effects of these pills as some of you will know is a dry tickly cough, nasel problems and probably throat irritation, I was suffering these and then the virus hit me, I have lost over a stone in weight, have no desire to eat because of the nausea from infection and persistant coughing. GP has taken me off the medication straight away and hopefully it and the virus effects will soon go because it has sure taken a toll on my health and if I can prevent it happening to anyone else, great. Just a warning. We do what we are told and is it always beneficial?

[dejavou]

Gosh, that's awful Dita, I hope now you're off the prescribed poisons, you pick up very quickly, you try to get some good fresh food into you, that should help things along nicely, I know it's difficult with the nausea, but it's a vicious circle, if you're hungry you feel sick too!!

Fingers crossed you make a speedy recovery

[Rowan]

My sister has been like that Dita after a virus in late December. She's only recently started to feel better. Hope yours doesn't go on too long.

[dita]

Thanks for the wishes, It has really taken the wind out of my sails, Rowan pleased to hear your sister is recovering, think it will be quite a long while for me too and it makes you feel so vulnerable, this you suddenly realise when you are incapable of being your usual active self. Actually managed to go round Tesco this week, first time for a month.

[Penny]

I was very interested to read of someone having an annoying cough and irritated throat. I have had the same problem.
I take 1.Bendroflumethiazide, 2.5 mg and 1 Rampril 10mg.
Until January I was taking the above plus 1 Ampladiph 5.mg but had to come off the last one as my cough was dreadful and my feet and ankles were very swollen.
I would be interested to hear if anyone takes the first two and has the same problem as I have at present. My cough is a lot better but still has moments and my throat gets ver irriated at times. The main problem I am trying to sort out is that whilst my ankles do not swell any more my left foot does, and it makes walking very difficult as shoes get tighter and tighter. I am constantly having to wear loose sandals and have had a couple of nasty trip-ups when out. Anyone any ideas.

cheers Penny.

[Victors Mate]

Penny I take 1 Bendroflumethiazide 2.5 mg among other tablets and have the same problems a constant dry cough and swelling ankles.

My full medication is as posted earlier.