Aa
newbie here, need some help
Hi all, I've been lurking around for a couple of weeks, and have decided to post. My husband was recently diagnosed with hep C and started a clinical trail 3 weeks ago. It's been a bumpy ride so far, for all of us! One trip via ambulance to the er on New Years Eve, and almost another last night. His blood pressure seems to be very low, and he was diagnosed in the er with low potassium. He is presently on meds for high blood pressure, which his regular dr. ( not clinical trail dr.) lowered the dosage last week. Does anyone have problems with low blood pressure and these meds?
Any advice and experiences would be greatly appreciated.
God Bless and a wishing you all a speedy recovery from this awful thing
Any advice and experiences would be greatly appreciated.
God Bless and a wishing you all a speedy recovery from this awful thing
oh, just to update further, he's on the boceprevir trial. Anyone have info that might be helpful with this drug?
thanks!
thanks!
hi everyone, went to doctor yesterday with my husband, they said he is doing great!
Blood pressure fine, after being off for 1 week. His number has dropped from somewhere in the millions, to 148,000. He's been on treatment for 5 weeks, and started his blue pills yesterday. So far, so good. will keep you all posted.
thanks again for your support
Crissy
Blood pressure fine, after being off for 1 week. His number has dropped from somewhere in the millions, to 148,000. He's been on treatment for 5 weeks, and started his blue pills yesterday. So far, so good. will keep you all posted.
thanks again for your support
Crissy
I have normal BP, but since tx I have had orthostatic hypotension. Basically, when I stand up, my BP drops sometimes as low as 85/60. That has only been since TX for over a year and with hemoglobin below 10.5. I have assumed the low hgb is the reason and that has been caused by TX drugs (Pegasys & Ribavirin).
Good luck!
Good luck!
Several forum members mentioned they had LOW pressure prior to treatment(tx) and then it fell further during tx.
Your husband, by contrast, was simultaneously taking three classes of high blood pressure medication.
This indicates a serious problem with HIGH pressure. People with moderately high pressure usually start out with one class and add a second if needed. Adding a third indicates inability to lower it, even with two classes.
My guess is his hypertension will return during tx. I would talk to the doc in his clinical trial, not your family doctor. It's very important if his pressure spikes, that it's under control.
Low potassium is a hazard of ace inhibitors, which is why routine testing for potassium is REQUIRED. Was his visit to ER possibly caused by low potassium? What were his other symptoms when he went to ER? Could he have accidentally double dosed his blood pressure meds or taken them more closely together than usual?
If he resumes his BP meds at some point, it may be better to not take them at the same time as his trial meds.
May I ask his age?
Your husband, by contrast, was simultaneously taking three classes of high blood pressure medication.
This indicates a serious problem with HIGH pressure. People with moderately high pressure usually start out with one class and add a second if needed. Adding a third indicates inability to lower it, even with two classes.
My guess is his hypertension will return during tx. I would talk to the doc in his clinical trial, not your family doctor. It's very important if his pressure spikes, that it's under control.
Low potassium is a hazard of ace inhibitors, which is why routine testing for potassium is REQUIRED. Was his visit to ER possibly caused by low potassium? What were his other symptoms when he went to ER? Could he have accidentally double dosed his blood pressure meds or taken them more closely together than usual?
If he resumes his BP meds at some point, it may be better to not take them at the same time as his trial meds.
May I ask his age?
My blood pressure was not very different than Marcia's story. I've always had an extremely low bp naturally and then the meds did not help one little bit...especially when I developed the anemia it really got very difficult. Have they been keeping a good eye on his hemoglobin? I'd imagine that they are but thought it worth mentioning.
At least, as you can see, it is a fairly common thing to happen so that should put your mind at ease a little bit.
What did your hubby have to go to the ER for? The blood pressure?
Good luck.
At least, as you can see, it is a fairly common thing to happen so that should put your mind at ease a little bit.
What did your hubby have to go to the ER for? The blood pressure?
Good luck.
I too had bouts of low BP when I was on treatment. I remember one time is was like 92/61 or something like that. That was one of the only days that I left work because I felt so bad. I never took any type of medication for it though. Just kept a close eye.
Best of luck!
Shari
Best of luck!
Shari
Some members have lower pressure on tx and some have higher. The situation can change. I hope you check his pressure at home regularly .
Did your doctor tell hubby to stop his BP medications cold turkey? I'm surprised because they're usually decreased gradually, if possible.
I know his blood pressure became dangerously low but now that he's stopping the meds, you need to watch out for re-bound high blood pressure, a serious hazard of sudden stopping.
He was on three classes of blood pressure meds, a diuretic, an ace inhibitor and a calcium channel blocker, the last two in combo form. If his pressure rebounds, he could try smaller doses or only two classes, depending on his risks.
When his pressure dropped, was he taking his meds at 10 AM and then going back to sleep or did he get up and stay relatively active? For most people, pressure is highest when active and lowest while sleeping. Taking the meds and going to sleep can lead to hypotension.
Please let me know what you think of Lotrel and if it was effective before he added his new HCV meds.
See:
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/news/20080401/lotrel-cuts-heart-stroke-death-risk
Port
Did your doctor tell hubby to stop his BP medications cold turkey? I'm surprised because they're usually decreased gradually, if possible.
I know his blood pressure became dangerously low but now that he's stopping the meds, you need to watch out for re-bound high blood pressure, a serious hazard of sudden stopping.
He was on three classes of blood pressure meds, a diuretic, an ace inhibitor and a calcium channel blocker, the last two in combo form. If his pressure rebounds, he could try smaller doses or only two classes, depending on his risks.
When his pressure dropped, was he taking his meds at 10 AM and then going back to sleep or did he get up and stay relatively active? For most people, pressure is highest when active and lowest while sleeping. Taking the meds and going to sleep can lead to hypotension.
Please let me know what you think of Lotrel and if it was effective before he added his new HCV meds.
See:
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/news/20080401/lotrel-cuts-heart-stroke-death-risk
Port
Do you know the name of the trial he is in? Do the names Teleprevir, Boceprevir, VX, R1728 ring any bells?
People who are on the same trial will be able to help you if you know the drug he'll be taking...
People who are on the same trial will be able to help you if you know the drug he'll be taking...
his tx is ribarvin and peg-intron injections. He will begin the next step any week now.
Whether it be the sugar pill, or the new drug.
His blood press meds are Lotrel/Hydrocholorthiazide. He was taken off the water pill last week, and as yesterday was told by his GP to stop the BP med's. I will begin to monitor his BP home.
And yes, he would take the BP med the same time as the ribavarin, at 10 am.
He seems to be doing much better, will inject tonight, keeping my fingers crossed!!
And I follow him around with ton's of water too!!
Thanks for your replys, and helping me understand this alittle better. I'm sure I will have many more questions in the future, hope you all don't mind.
Good luck to all with your recovery and god bless
Whether it be the sugar pill, or the new drug.
His blood press meds are Lotrel/Hydrocholorthiazide. He was taken off the water pill last week, and as yesterday was told by his GP to stop the BP med's. I will begin to monitor his BP home.
And yes, he would take the BP med the same time as the ribavarin, at 10 am.
He seems to be doing much better, will inject tonight, keeping my fingers crossed!!
And I follow him around with ton's of water too!!
Thanks for your replys, and helping me understand this alittle better. I'm sure I will have many more questions in the future, hope you all don't mind.
Good luck to all with your recovery and god bless
I have always had low bp. My usual blood pressure is around 105/60. During tx it has gone as low as 84 / 50. I am not on meds for it, but of course it added to the extreme fatigue and weakness.
I am feeling much much better now and my bp is up to almost 100/60 again.
In the past I have had bp all the way down to 70/40 and was on meds to bring it up. What I have experienced has worked the best for me in the past was acupuncture to bring up the blood pressure to normal and keep it there. (of course using clean disposable needles)
I am feeling much much better now and my bp is up to almost 100/60 again.
In the past I have had bp all the way down to 70/40 and was on meds to bring it up. What I have experienced has worked the best for me in the past was acupuncture to bring up the blood pressure to normal and keep it there. (of course using clean disposable needles)
I did SOC for 48 weeks. During that time we had to lower the dose of my bp med a couple of times. My bp got so low that we discontinued the bp med altogether. When I completed treatment early in August my blood pressure began to rise again and I have resumed the bp meds, although at a lower dose thus far. My GP expects that I will eventually require the same dose I was taking before Hep C treatment.
I don't really have any information to offer about your husband's potassium level.
Good luck to you both.
jd
I don't really have any information to offer about your husband's potassium level.
Good luck to you both.
jd
Which trial drugs and which hypertension drugs is he on? Is he on a combo for his pressure?
Low potassium can be due to diuretics. (High potassium can be due to ace inhibitors and is one reason they're commonly prescribed together.)
Where are his hypertension meds metabolized? In the liver?
Has he been taking his blood pressure medications at the exact same time as his trial drugs? And at what time of day relative to his sleeping pattern? Is he taking his blood pressure meds and then going back to sleep?
Low potassium can be due to diuretics. (High potassium can be due to ace inhibitors and is one reason they're commonly prescribed together.)
Where are his hypertension meds metabolized? In the liver?
Has he been taking his blood pressure medications at the exact same time as his trial drugs? And at what time of day relative to his sleeping pattern? Is he taking his blood pressure meds and then going back to sleep?
I had the opposite-my blood pressure was always low and got higher when I first started tx. Now that I am 24 weeks in....everything has settled down.
I would make very sure that all the docs are aware of all the meds he is taking. Maybe, since it is the weekend asking a pharmacist if any of the drugs are contraindicated-or check out this website:
http://www.drugdigest.org/wps/portal/ddigest
and click on Drug Interactions.
Hopefully someone will come on soon that has had the same problem. Good luck to you.
Isobella
I would make very sure that all the docs are aware of all the meds he is taking. Maybe, since it is the weekend asking a pharmacist if any of the drugs are contraindicated-or check out this website:
http://www.drugdigest.org/wps/portal/ddigest
and click on Drug Interactions.
Hopefully someone will come on soon that has had the same problem. Good luck to you.
Isobella
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