Doc refuses to switch BP meds

[Barbarella]

Has anybody ever experienced something like this:  Our daughter in law who is 40 yrs old, otherwise healthy, but has high BP.  Doctor put her on Ramiripil (don't know if I spelled it right)  she is on this med for some time now and has big time side effects as in extreme fatigue and caugh.  The fatigue is so bad that its hard for her to function.  Her doctor REFUSES to switch her to anothr BP med, her doctor says "no way are these side effects from that med, this is the best BP med on the market and I will NOT switch you".  Our daughter in law informed her doctor that she knows other people who have had the same side effects and were switched and that she also read about the side effects on the net.  Doc still refuses to switch her.  There are over 100 different BP meds on the market.  My husband was switched 4 times before they found the right BP med for him with no or very little side effects, but this doctor wont switch our daughter in law to another BP med.

We urged our daughter in law to get another doctor.  Has anybody ever experienced a doctor like that??  Refusing to switch the patient to another med when patient tells of severe side effects??    I think this doctor is getting kick backs from this BP company and therefore refuses to switch the patient.

[Barbarella]

My husband was on Lisiniprol and too had severe reactions.  Every person reacts different to BP drugs and doctors should listen to the patient especially when the patient is not saying he/she wants to stop alltogether but "asking" to be switched.  If doctors are ill informed about side effects then they should call a pharmacist who are usually more informed about this issue.

[erijon]

Although I am not cynical when it comes to the medical profession, I know there are drugs of preference from doctor to doctor. I was on Benicar HCT for 4 years before moving and finding a new doctor. One of the first things he did was pull me off Benicar and put me on Lisinopril, a beta blocker. I had a terrible reaction to this drug, I couldn't workout and my heart rate stayed at 50 - 55 BPM. He fought changing me so I told him I was going to change doctors and he finally relented and but me back on Benicar. I love that drug, works great and no side affects for me. I'm fairly sure the doctors at my new health care provider gets some kind of incentive to prescribe other drugs than Benicar, but who knows, maybe that's how I got Benicar in the first place!

[mammo]

Thanks for your kind words.

[Barbarella]

Thanks for your input.  BTW, this doctor is a "she".  Our daughter in law promised us that she would switch doctors.  

I too have worked in the medical field and know all about the "kick backs" from pharmaceutical companies and I think this could be one of the reason why she does not want to switch our daughter in law to another med.  I also agree with the rest of your post.

I'm so sorry that you had to lose a son and grandson due to negligent doctors.

[mammo]

Your daughter needs to find a new doctor and kick this quack to the curb!  I suffered from a severe cough, had to take Nyquil to get any sleep, for almost a year.  Then while at my doctors office about this, the nurse told me that it may be my blood pressure medication.  I asked the doctor, he didn't think it was but did switch me, and immediately the cough was gone!  My husband was so angry at this doctor for not knowing this!  He was his doctor also, so we immediately switched doctors.  Ask your daughter what they call the medical student who graduates at the bottom of his class?....
Doctor!  This doctor obviously does not have her best interest at heart, and he works for her! I have had so much experience with doctors like this, and have lost a son and grandson due to negligent doctors!  So, I'm a big advocate for second opinions.  I have worked in the medical field for many years and have seen a lot.  There are also a lot of doctors who have not passed their boards, but are still allowed to practice medicine. Please get her to switch doctors ASAP so she can start feeling normal again.  It's her BP now, what if something else comes along?  He will do as he pleases, and although she does have a say, he just doesn't care.  I wouldn't give him another dime with his lousy attitude.  I'm sorry, I got carried away.  I wish I'd done this with my son, he'd still be with us.  But it's difficult to accept that a doctor isn't doing all he can, and being young, I trusted too much.