Comments on: Do we need Tekturna (aliskiren)?

By: Nancy

Nancy — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 05:49:50 +0000

Ever since I have been on Norvasc (generic) I have a tremendous appetitie. Gained 12 pounds over the past year. Have tremendous craving for carbs. anyone know of BP med that doesn't cause food cravings or pain in feet and legs?

By: gloria

gloria — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:33:49 +0000

Waistline and weight gain are almost out of control. Are there possibly correlational side effects between blood types and BP medications? Doctors never mention that possibility.
Comment by Gloria-6 February, 2010

By: Donna

Donna — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:41:53 +0000

@Rick Bradley

I'm late to your post but want to confirm rapid weight gain around middle of body and bloating on 300mg of Tekturna HCT. Other side effects are tiredness. Tekturna not as bad as Micardis, Diovan and Benicar for side effects, for me (did NOT have bloating with them) but did have a cough on all.

I dislike going off Tekturna but the weight gain is something my ego has a hard time tolerating.
My two cents. (65 yrs old with thyroid issues)

By: maddy

maddy — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:49:33 +0000

Ha, well Im back! Im still taking the sular, and decided to really watch my diet (fats) and Im down to 2 dr peppers a day. I drank way to many a day. Im down to 3 packs of cigerettes in 7 days instead of a pack a day. Im trying really hard to do what he told me to do. My head still feels weird most all the time, but am drinking more water, and started taking a multivitamin.
Hope everyone else is doing better. You know I loved my doctor till recently… when I go see him now, it's almost like he tunes me out. When I went earlier this month, the first time since december 2008, he had JUST gotten a brand new corvette that morning
So I was the last of his thoughts… Why do doctors do that??
Take Care
Maddy

By: Judy

Judy — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:52:37 +0000

Maddie—I feel sooooooo badly for you and know exactly what you're going through. Right now, I'm fairly well controlled taking 20mg. benazepril (generic for Lotensin) plus 1.25mg Indapamide (generic for Lozol). I have to be careful when getting up because I'm often light-headed but I've kind of learned to deal with that by exhaling really hard immediately when I feel that. I'm not happy about taking these two drugs but I'd be more unhappy without having my BP sort of controlled. I checked out Tenex online and while it doesn't sound "miraculous" to me (actually, after taking so many drugs probably nothing would) I can't see why your doctor wouldn't at least let you try it. Getting off a BP med is difficult. I did it several times and just sort of gradually weaned myself down over about a two week period. I hope you'll find a med or a combination of meds that works for you. (I'm already accumulating a list of alternative drugs that I'd want to try as soon as the combination that I'm on stops working. The first one I'd replace would be the Indapamide—and I have two other things that I already would consider taking instead of it.) Good luck and let me know how you do.

Judy

By: maddy

maddy — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:32:18 +0000

Oh I also have high cholestrol,,, that was exciting, and its hereditary in my family, my genes suck! He keeps telling me low fat diet, and if i eat any less of low fat, i wont eat at all. He also said try statins, but statins are dangerous for women.
Any suggestions?? By the way, I can't swallow capsules, have to have tablets. Another funky thing with me, lol
Maddy

By: maddy

maddy — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:25:27 +0000

Anyone ever heard of "Tenex" I was reading about it today. Its a bp med. Im still on sular,,, went to doc, he wasn't all that interested the day I went to see him. He told me we had tried so many medications and nothing worked. My bp was still high but not as high, but the vertigo I have is awful, sudden and scares the hell out of me when it happens.
If I get up to fast, I almost fall on my face… I hate this,, anyone hear of anything new coming out lately? I hate the high bp, but I hate the meds worse!
And Sular extended is a extended release tablet calicium channel blocker, so afer almost a year, you dont just STOP taking it, im bewildered as to what to do?
Thanks Maddy

By: Noel

Noel — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:18:43 +0000

I am on tekturna and started having horrible stomach cramping, distended belly, acid reflux, pain in lower and upper abdomen, vomiting. I started to suspect it was the Tekturna but after reading this site I am convinced. I was also light-headed and real fatigued. I called my doctor today and told him I was getting off of it and would try something new next time I came in. Like my pharmacist said, when your quality of living goes way down due to the side effects of the meds that are supposed to be helping you, it is time to call the doctor and try a new med.

By: maddy

maddy — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:34:24 +0000

Thanks Judy
Guess I just needed to vent. I've been on 7 different meds since last May. Gave each one my best shot, even the ones with horrible side effects, and the ones with no side effects, but didn't do squat for my blood pressure.

My doctor seems amazed as he says, that I can tell immediately when my bp goes up high. He informed me most people have NO effect of high bp at all. So I don 't know if that's a compliment or not? LOL

Ive gained some weight on the Sular, but basically Ive gained back what I should weigh anyway. I printed out the side effects of Sular and circled the ones Im having, because I don't want him telling me it's not the medicine causing the symptoms your having.
In December through February, I felt great!! Like my old self again, and then slowly I started experiencing the side effects slowly. And Now i have become a bitch, can't seem to get anything done, and when I do something, My bp goes sky high.
So, I will try once again!!! Thanks for your responding:)

By: Judy Lewis

Judy Lewis — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:11:52 +0000

Maddy–I literally have to reread everyone of your posts because I think I'M THE ONE WHO'S WRITTEN THEM!!! It's scary how similar we are! I've tried so many different kinds of BP meds and when I hear the name of a new one all I think of is side effects and will it even work. I'm barely 100 lbs. and the majority of the doctors I've seen have attempted to treat me with doses of meds that are appropriate for an overweight if not obese male!! I've talked about everything you've written many, many times. I was on benazepril 10mg for a while—it sort of worked, not great but better than many other things I've taken. Then, I went to the doc who wanted to "tweak" my BP by adding the Catapres patch. Well, that worked for about a week and a half—my BP was so low I was barely functioning. So, I called the doctor, told to take off the patch and increase the benazepril to 20mg. That didn't work–my BP was really, really high. So, I called the doc again, after trying the 20 mg. for 2 weeks and was told to double the 20 mg. to 40 mg. I don't get it—if 20 doesn't work how does it make sense to double it to 40mg. Anyway, stupid me, I tried it. Bad move—I don't want to go into all the details but an overdose of benazapril is not a pleasant experience. Now I'm on my third day of 20 mg. of benazapril plus 1.25mg of Lozol, a diuretic. I've tried all the other types of diuretics and have had horrible reactions to them. I'm hoping this combination works and I can tolerate it. Keep us posted on what happens with you. Good luck. Judy

By: maddy

maddy — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:10:55 +0000

You know what?? To be honest,, I don't think doctors know how to treat women with high bp!
women's bodies are different, function differently to everything, enviroment, stress, etc. Why aren't studies being done specifically for women and blood pressure. I read reviews of these medicines, and if they are male,, most do good on bp meds after one or two tries.. But women,, HELL NO,, we go through med after med after med….And doctors pat us on the head, and want to give us anti depressents to go along with our bp meds,,, Im sorry but it pisses me off!!!!
I know there are women doctors out there, but SOME of them need to specialize in Women's bp problems….
All I know is that something isn't being done, that could be done, if the Physican community weren't made up of almost entirely MEN!!!!!

By: maddy

maddy — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:42:06 +0000

Okay, im going to the doctor tomorrow… Ive been doing some research, Im going to ask him about taking a diuretic separate from another bp medication.
I cannot take and ACE With HCTZ in it,,, to many side effects. But maybe something else with maybe chlortalidone (diuretic) separately?
Im having bp spike on the new sular extended release… and I don't think that's good for a person….

By: maddy

maddy — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:13:07 +0000

Okay, Ive given Sular 8.5 8months to work . It did help for awhile but yesterday, I had been cleaning and painting a rent house and got overheated,, my bp went up to 176/83 and I felt like I was going to pass out. Since I started taking Sular, my left foot has hurt and just gets worse.. Ive had a little swelling in my feet (side effect) but not bad. I haven't seen my doctor since december. Ive been very bad about NOT taking my bp regularly,because If I start, It becomes an obsession.
So, Im between a rock and a hard place. I know he will ask me how my bp has been running, and All I have is yesterdays numbers.
I have put on some weight, which is guess is good, but I don't want to put on anymore. I turned 60 in June and I feel 80!
That's just not like me… I don't sleep well at night, since I started taking this crap. But the ACI inhibitors were like candy to my system, did nothing!! And the ones with HCT make me deathly ill.
So, Im wondering what my doc will decide? I just want to feel like ME again, and Ive almost forgotten what that feels like… Maddy

By: ANGIE

ANGIE — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:53:35 +0000

Judy,

I was told the same thing about hormones adding to my BP issues. With that in mind, I found these women doctors who specialize in different woman issues and deficiencies. In the past, I was having anxiety attacks and generally not feeling well. I am now on vitamin program especially for women with hormonal issues and I feel 100% Better. All my symptons went away and I was able to get off the xanax as well. I do take Tekturna 150% and my BP has stabilized. The online site is: www. Women to Women.com . Just look into it and see if perhaps they can be helpful. My hair was falling out and that ceased as well. You don't have to buy anything and it is definitely worth looking into. I hope you are feeling better.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:24:42 +0000

Patty,

Why does your Dr hate cataperes? ( I am on the patch and know of the rebound) . Also can any dr do a food allergy test with blood? I have not heard the connection to allergies and food. I know already I am lactose intolerant which emcopasses a lot of things… but can't say my blood pressure lessens when I avoid lactose only that I feel better. My Dr connects my hormonal fluctations to BP problems.
I too was told to take D which I do. I take a potent multi vitamin daily with added D, fish oil and glucosamine ( hip issues).

Debbie

By: Judy

Judy — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:29:44 +0000

Good luck Patty!!! I'm hoping it works for you!! That would be so exciting.
Judy

By: Patty

Patty — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:35:40 +0000

I'm excited to try it too. So much hypertension is caused by "unknown" causes and I'm very hopeful. I'm seeing a doctor who practices Integrative Medicine.
He is board certified in Family Practice and will write a prescription if he has to but he focuses more on nutrition, thyroid, and hormonal issues. Have you heard of Dr Andrew Weil? He started the whole movement years ago. My doc tested me for over 100 type of allergies with just a blood test. I'll be your test balloon and let you know how it goes. He also told me to stop using regular salt and use sea salt only.

By: Judy

Judy — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:29:52 +0000

Wow, Patty! That whole allergy aspect to HBP is very interesting!!! What type of doctor are you seeing? What sorts of allergy tests did you have? So, if I'm understanding what you're saying if you determine what you're allergic to and eliminate it from your diet, then your BP should come down to reasonable levels? That would be the most incredible thing ever!!! I'd be so willing to try that!!! Sign me up!!!

Good luck and keep us posted.
Judy

By: Patty

Patty — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:30:00 +0000

Its been a while since i last posted and I've read through the last few months of postings to catch up. My doctor did a food allergy test and i found that I have a reaction to many foods. He said that in the old days doctors would test for food allergies by taking blood pressures. If it spiked then they knew a person was allergic to that substance. I'm going to go through treatment for this soon and hope that it helps my blood pressure issues. I'm currently on Lisinopril 20mg and 0.5 of Catapres twice a day. He hates Catapres but I've been having a hard time getting off of it because of rebound hypertension. I've been cutting the 0.1mg in half to try and taper off.
FYI: As far as vitamin D goes, it has lowered my cholesterol and triglycerides over a hundred points each. I've been on 50,000 IUs three times a week for months now and not changed my eating habits.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:14:57 +0000

Judy,

I have to echo everything Angie said- find the person who can help and don't give up. I totally understand what you are saying- not wanting to keep talking about it, being scared, frustrated and on top of it feeling terible. I can imagine your frustration after trying things ( running, low sodium etc.) hoping they work and then they don't etc. I hope today brings some long needed help. Let us know! You are not alone. It took me almost 2 years.. 3 emergency visits and I lost count of DRs… I finally found the right combo for me. What I learned was simply that we are all so different. DRs really do NOT understand the BP issues many face… Try to stay hopeful and positive. Stress ( and This IS stressful) only adds to the problem as Angie said. I forgot where are you located again?

Angie, I too have a worrying nature and my life has had alot of stressful events…I was OK with BP all along but it worsened during the menopause which was when BP problems started. I found out this is common for women. Aside from Tekturna , I have found three things that I do consistently that has made a BIG difference for me. I am so much better. BUT it took time to learn. During the learning time my DR gave me xanax which I hate because I don't like the fuzzy feeling it gives me. I started first learning how to breathe slowly and deeply , then moved onto meditation. I also started accupuncture ( I was such a skeptic at 1st!) and I see a massage therapist to teach me how to relax my muscles and release tension. This combo has helped me.

Debbie