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343006 tn?1314446471

I hate b.p meds !

just a simple question please - does anyone know -how to ween off b.p medications -like verapamil 240mg -sr
iv have been on this stinker for about 8 months - had nothing but problems with it.. and now im getting allergic
reactions to it !  I got dropped kicked out of work so waiting on cobra forms.  so a doctor is out of the question now.

I am trying a new natural medication from oceanic - res q 1250 company.  and have another back up if that dont work
out well.   but im so-so sick from these fricken chemical medications ,I cant take anymore abuse from the meds.

and for the life of me- I cant understand why any Doctor would give these drugs ,to anyone!!  without first testing them to be sure they can tollerate it , or take it without any problems.  

its bad care and bad meds !   that I paid thousands of dollars for years -to get good safe care ,and got abused !
with stupid drugs that do more harm then good.   so there !!  lol ..
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343006 tn?1314446471
I can really understand your feelings and belive iv been rung and dryed out !  
Iv taken diovan for about 3years before, It worked well lowering b.p down ,but caused alot of bad side effects (vision blurring was one)  in fact it wrecked my vision as it was never blurred before I took that drug!  but remember it works diffrent on most people.
one thing iv learned after being on medications for h.b.p since the early 80s.  they all mess us up one way or the other !  alot of them cause nervious system problems and others cause pannic attacks and depression to happen. I have white coat syndrome
I go to a dr's office and if I sit there more than 5mins ,my b.p goes high on me and I get the shakes! cant help it !!  I have walked out of meny dr's offices - and when outside in the air , Im fine !!   my doctor thinks im nuts ? maybe I am .. so what ?
lol.. I had the same deal happen with the cuff  b.p units I have a new omron hem -711
it works fine and checked it with my doctor when it was new.  his cuff was high too ?
went to the Er and and it matched the Er cuff by 2 points lower.   so its on the mark !
I think some doctors set there cuffs up high ,so they can push more drugs upon us
make more money $$..

Here are a few things you might try to stop some of the problems you have..
these have worked for a lot of people with h.b.p. and problems. of side effects !

try Natural Calm powder drink - you can buy it at any healthfood store or vitamin shop
its all natural and really calms me down good.. stops pannic attacks and nerviousness.. plus you can drink it anytime you want.   I drink it like tea..

then I take Res Q  1250 fish oil pills - daily for cholesterol   its by oceanic company
and its real good and works wonders..  I freeze the pills - then take them frozen
so fish taste at all. . it takes about 2 to 4 months and cholesterol will go to normal
in most people.
I hope these things will help you out .. and can somehow help you with side effects.

alot of problems we get , are from the medications we take - even if the doctors say
diffrent !    

a funny thing happend to me , I had a foot operation in sept 08  was in the hospital
for 4days - the recovery at home for 6months - that turned into 9months .
my blood pressure while resting  went to normal readings.. and below normal
my surgeon cutt my b.p meds in half .. then to 1/4 dose per day.  I did so well.

however upon return to work -and back to the old dirty world - my pressure went sky high again , and upped the dose . thus waight gain happend -and depression and
other things I hate..  

im now working on going backwords and finding a way to keep the pressure down
natural and safe.   without drugs.   but so far,,, notta !!

keep faith and keep in touch .. thanks for your posting and reply to me
take care and well wishes   Ed  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I totally understand what you are going through.  I am beside myself with worry about my bp as well.  My cardio did a 24 hr bp test last January and the numbers were low.  I was standing with my arm down and it was taking readings as well as sitting and laying down and sleeping (a rare thing for me; i average about 3-5 hrs per night).  My OMRON hem-780 kept giving me consistently higher readings than the manual 24 hr cuff.  I recorded those and gave them to the dr with the 24 hr monitor readings.  He believed the 24 hr monitor.  When I saw my bp was 158/102, I ran to the cardiologist office. He was on vacation so one of the 8 dr's in that practice saw me.  His reading was 130/100 in the office and I had my 1 yr old Omron bp kit with me - it read 162/104.  It was way off, and I get a 12 point difference in the readings of each arm!  So he and his nurse both got 130/100. He prescribed diovan hct and my chart was right in front of him - I am severely allergic to sulfa drugs.  Of course hct should not be taken by anyone with sulfa allergies.  My own cardiologist was on vacation, and he called me which was very nice. He suggested just plain diovan (when I thought I had high blood pressure in the winter, he was going to prescribe toprol 25mg and then toprol succinate if I had an arrythmia), but since the 24 hr bp monitor said my bp was low, I didn't have to take it. What boggles me is that I'm HIS patient, and he went with the drug his partner prescribed (which the partner happened to have 18 sample bottles of and gave them to me!).  So it made me feel like if he had had another sample, that would have been the medicine of choice.  At any rate, this dr told me to toss the omron out as it was completely wrong. I paid $100 and after 1 yr, that was disappointing. I ran to my pharmacist, and he said the model I had was a great choice, and he gave me a new one to try for a couple of days with no risk and I could return it if I was unhappy.  What happened? It gave the exact same readings as the old one!  So then I believed the machine and not the dr!

I ran to the ER and who knows how high my bp was as I could feel how fast my heart was racing.  The kicker is that they always tell you to sit calmly for 10 mins before taking your bp and NOT TO TALK. These nurses kept asking me question after question and I wouldn't answer - That in itself made me more anxious.  They said why didn't you answer? I said because you're not supposed to talk when your bp is being taken! They didn't tell me what it was, but it couldn't have been too bad as they had me wait in the waiting room for another 2 hours.  This is a big hospital specializing in strokes and heart disease - #1 in our state and 3 in the country.

Finally I went in, and I insisted I must have an infection as only 5 months ago, my bp was normal.  They took it and I was shaking and freezing and it was very high....178/112.  My 14 yr old daughter was with me and she climbed on to the gurney to try and calm me.  When I layed down it reduced to 154/96 and it lowered to 145/94...lying down always lowers the bp (at least for me).  But when I sat up, it got high again (it's always highest for me sitting down). STanding is also lower for me.

So I told them the dr wanted me on the diovan and that is what the ER dr prescribed and he is the one who told me everyone is on these pills....and to just take them and he laughed about it and said "you're not going to have a stroke. last week someone came in with a pressure of 228/200; that's a stroke waiting to happen." Needless to say, my daughter didn't like his snide comment.  My problem is that during the school year, I am up at 5:30 am (going to sleep around 1-2am sometimes later) to drive my daughter to school and then return home.  I spend 4 hours a day driving and can't be fatigued (I'm tired enough around midday as it is).  I know this is hormonal as menopause wreaks havoc on the body....

I think I will make one last ditch effort and have my hormones checked and see if they are out of whack - as my cholesterol was up last time too....I never had any issues before menopause and it stinks getting old!  I too have tons of allergies to meds, so I won't  know if I'm having a side effect or an allergic reaction. My cardiologist wants me to sit in his office and take the pill; however, what if I'm on the road and then suddenly my pressure drops too low?  My pulse NEVER gets above 66 if I'm lucky - it is usually 57-62....and I'm scared it will drop my pulse if it drops my pressure.....could that happen?

I HATE HYPERTENSION!!!!  

Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I know drives me insane also!!!! Im a bit weighty though so i guess that shoves it up!!! I'm on prendapil its seem sok but i hate having to take something!!!!!!!!!
343006 tn?1314446471
I think in todays wacky world of drugs and meds.. most of the newbee Doctors out there
are missing a few points. and are run by big Insurance companys and Pharm companys.
they dont seem to get the picture, we---We!  are paying them for help or service or care.
and its our Life ,they are dealing with. in most cases, Doctors only treat the symptoms
we again are forced or shall I say asked, to take some long named medication, as we are basic Ginny Pigs! in most cases!!  testing out a new drug, they just got in stock.
iv been lied to by Doctors, and hung up on ! and kicked out of offices.  just for standing my ground, I think Doctors today, should listen to the people with the problems and maybe they can learn something about that person?  duhhh -but todays Doctors dont take the time to deal with those problems.  its Money $$$$$
your rushed in and rushed out -they more less guess what to give you.  
and most screw up the dose they give.   by the common guessing your waight and size trick.  that does not always work !  and could be a big reason for side effects.

Another interesting fact is,  the Pharm companys, are into making money and money
they dont care about side effects - but you and Me and others well know ! these companys have billions of dollars and have access to anything they want !  you know
they could make a drug without side effects !  it could happen !! but its Money again
and now they can treat a new side effect with a diffrent medication.  ahh more $$$$

and as well were stuck taking meds, now made in China ,and other countrys -that
dont have to be inspected as well or much.  and our FDA is weak , and not helping
us normal people..  who get side effects.  

also one more word - any doctor that tells me,  its in my head and its not the drug.
causeing side effects..  is a idiot and doctor I wouldnt bother to see again.
A QUACK !    

but what can you expect from a country ,where the pharm companys own the doctors
and control training schools. and meds.   its one big happy family of killers.    
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I understand what you are saying about doctors.  Our daughter in law has bad side effects from Ramipiril, I think that is the name of the BP med, and her doctor flat out refuses to switch her, flat out tells her that in no way its the BP med because its the best on the market.

We finally convinced her to see another doctor.  She is one of these people who not dare talk back to a doctor, but rather suffers instead.  It drove us up the wall.  

Hopefully the next doctor will switch her.  That med she is now taking makes her so fatigue she can hardly function and this poor excuse of a doctor tells her flat out "no way is that a side effect of this drug", yet when you look up the side effects fatigue is listed among them.

I bet if this doctor had these side effects she (its a female doctor) would switch meds in a heartbeat.
Helpful - 0
343006 tn?1314446471
thanks for the kind input on this matter
im still on the normal b.p medications , slowly weening down - Im taking a new natural
med called orosine today along with the normal meds.  so havent stopped them
I know all the risk factors - but have a big problem as im very allergic to most meds.
or become allergic within 15 to 30 days.  

another big problem iv seen is, out of 8 doctors iv had in 2years, none have gone out of circle of drugs they give.  -mostly handing out the cheap normal drugs for b.p
verapamil -procardia- atenolol- corgard- toprol - zestril - diovan  so on .. not one has
gone out and tryed something totaly diffrent by name or brand .
even though im willing to pay extra to have it or try it out !   they just dont do it .

and when im sick, they guess at me as what is wrong, I tell them its the drugs
they laugh and say no way, your just sick and pound down more pills ..

I understand your feelings and what maybe you went thru before.  
iv been in the ER  4 times already due to palpations  and high blood pressure.
all being due to side effects and allergic reactions to the meds.  quickly overlooked
and untested by doctors !  iv only had one doctor in emergancy room tell me , im allergic to atenolol .. yet my stupid doctor tryed to put me back on it.
I have to try something diffrent - yet be safe ..

so maybe when I get cobra working and get somekind of insurnance again
will see a diffrent type of doctor ,that can help me out .. and find something with a bit
of testing - and trail runs .. as im sure there is something out there ,that might work
for me .. with little or no side effects.  

for now I suffer - and keep trying to find a way .. thanks again


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Avatar universal
mammo is absolutely right.  

The "natural" stuff I took hoping my BP would go down, and refusing to take BP meds sent me to the ER at one time, and it took them 4 hrs to get my BP down.  

DO NOT take high BP lightly.  Yes, certain BP meds can have side effects in certain people, but a stroke or a heart attack is one side effect you do NOT want to have due to refusing BP meds.

There are over 100 BP meds on the market.  My husband was switched 4 times until he found one that wont give him side effects.  I'm on BP meds for the last 6 yrs and never had one side effect.

I'd never, ever refuse BP meds again, and yes, our BP in most people creeps up as we get older.  I exercise and have exercised throughout my adult life, eat healthy, am not overweighed, and have no other medical problems but my BP got high as I got older.  Same for my husband.  He always had low BP and all of a sudden it creeped up, no life style changes, no weight gain, no nothing.  

Aside from strokes and heart attacks high BP also can damage your kidneys.

It took me quite awhile and quite some time of research until I found out that the "natural" stuff I was taking for high BP actually does raise BP in some people and I was one of them.  It also gave me intense PVC's.  I suffer from PVC's off and on since I was a Teenager but this "natural" stuff caused them to get 3 times as bad.  I finally after lot of research found out that what I was taking (natural stuff) also can cause PVC's or an increase in PVC's.

Healthfood stores will not tell you that and frankly the employees there get little over minimum wage and they are NOT informed about side effects, at least that is what I experienced with several different Healthfood stores.  They have to get a book and read up on it and tell you everything is fine when in reality it does have side effects.  

I finally found my answers from a well known Clinic which I will not mention since this is competition.

I also suffer from "white coat hypertension" but my BP also creeped up at home and stayed up.  I was in a hell hole for several yrs.  Due to my white coat hypertension my BP of course shut up at the doctor's office, they wanted to put me on BP meds, I refused, I got to the point where I stopped going to doctors because I was scared to death of "side effects" from BP meds, and was tired of doctors jumping on my case how bad I needed BP meds.  I took my BP at home and could tell it was slowly creeping up, and all it takes is one incident either anxiety or anger etc to go over the top since its already elevated.

Do not take high BP lightly!  I was in your shoes at one time and understand how you feel, don't be afraid of BP meds.  There will be one which will not give you side effects or maybe you'll be as lucky as me and never have a side effect.  

I understand your fear what meds can do to your body, but if high BP is untreated it can and most likely will eventually enlarge your heart and damage your blood vessels or your kidneys.    
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Avatar universal
Don't be fooled by so called "natural" remedies.  All of our drugs originate from a lot of "natural" sources.  People assume because it says "natural" that it is okay to use....WRONG!  The FDA does not monitor "natural" remedies and they can be very dangerous, so be careful.  Also, when taking any of the natural remedies, always let your doctor know if you have to have any surgical procedure with anesthesia.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I couldn't agree with you more!  I have high blood pressure but don't want to go on these toxins either.  I wound up in the ER last night because it got to 178/112! I was petrified.  They want me to go on diovan, and when I said it is probably from menopause, the ER doctor said "please!"....you're lucky you haven't been on them before - most people today start bp meds in their 30's.  Well, I don't want to be one of them!

I am trying acupuncture for the bp right now - had my first treatment today.  I also believe menopause is the cause of this, at least for me, as I was fine and had low bp before it.  There is also a treatment called the atlas adjustment which a qualified chiropractor can do - whereby they adjust the C-1 vertebra.  A chiropractor in Chicago invented the treatment and has had great success with it.  I can't remember his name, but if you google the above, you will find it and I believe he has links to qualified chiros around the country. Unfortunately, there is no one in my area.  

If you go on askapatient.com, you will find so many people with lists of complaints about any given drug. That is what scared me when I started googling about the drug side effects. I wouldn't give these drugs to anyone except a terrorist!

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