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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Discontinuing Benicar for HBP
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Discontinuing Benicar for HBP
by Erik36, Mar 04, 2007 12:00AM
Dear Doctor:
I am a 38 year old male. I exercise and am healthy besides benign PVC's and one episode of A-Fib five years ago.
Several weeks ago I had three days of a severe headache on the back of my head that was throbbing and pulsating and I was literally crying. I went to ER. BP was 185/96. Morphine helped pain a little. CT, MRI and bloodwork all normal. Spinal tap normal. Dx as cluster migraines and given Hydrocodone/Ibu. Clonidine dropped BP to 100/50. Sent home. Saw neurologist few days later, he said I don't have migraines. Took pain meds for three weeks. BP was still high and my doctor added Benicar 40mg to my drug regimen of Toprol XL and Cardizem CD. Bp was 110/60.
Headaches didn't return. Quit Hydrocodone after three weeks of taking it. Had flu-like symptoms for two weeks and BP went up to 140's/80's. After flu Sx disappeared BP back down to 110/60. No more headaches. Doctor said to back off Benicar and discontinue. Down to 20mg of Benicar for one week. Questions:
1) Can I just stop Benicar after titrating down to 20mg for one week?
2) Any ideas on the headaches and high BP? Which caused which? No one can seem to give me answers or any possible explanations.
thank you! Erik
I am a 38 year old male. I exercise and am healthy besides benign PVC's and one episode of A-Fib five years ago.
Several weeks ago I had three days of a severe headache on the back of my head that was throbbing and pulsating and I was literally crying. I went to ER. BP was 185/96. Morphine helped pain a little. CT, MRI and bloodwork all normal. Spinal tap normal. Dx as cluster migraines and given Hydrocodone/Ibu. Clonidine dropped BP to 100/50. Sent home. Saw neurologist few days later, he said I don't have migraines. Took pain meds for three weeks. BP was still high and my doctor added Benicar 40mg to my drug regimen of Toprol XL and Cardizem CD. Bp was 110/60.
Headaches didn't return. Quit Hydrocodone after three weeks of taking it. Had flu-like symptoms for two weeks and BP went up to 140's/80's. After flu Sx disappeared BP back down to 110/60. No more headaches. Doctor said to back off Benicar and discontinue. Down to 20mg of Benicar for one week. Questions:
1) Can I just stop Benicar after titrating down to 20mg for one week?
2) Any ideas on the headaches and high BP? Which caused which? No one can seem to give me answers or any possible explanations.
thank you! Erik
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-M.D.-MM, Mar 04, 2007 12:00AM
Hi Erik,
1) Can I just stop Benicar after titrating down to 20mg for one week?
There shouldn't be any problems from that. Just follow your blood pressure trend long term to make sure that it doesn't creep back up on you.
2) Any ideas on the headaches and high BP?
Pain causes increased blood pressure and severe increased blood pressure can cause headaches. There is no way to say for sure at this point which caused which symptom. Cluster headaches and migraines are difficult to diagnose and often take repeated bouts to know for sure. You may know what caused the headaches in the future but you don't have enough information yet.
Thanks for posting.
1) Can I just stop Benicar after titrating down to 20mg for one week?
There shouldn't be any problems from that. Just follow your blood pressure trend long term to make sure that it doesn't creep back up on you.
2) Any ideas on the headaches and high BP?
Pain causes increased blood pressure and severe increased blood pressure can cause headaches. There is no way to say for sure at this point which caused which symptom. Cluster headaches and migraines are difficult to diagnose and often take repeated bouts to know for sure. You may know what caused the headaches in the future but you don't have enough information yet.
Thanks for posting.
