OT: BP meds changed this week. Feeling like crap

[JD Seller]

Two weeks ago I went in and had my DOT physical. I have to have the annual one now because I have had a recorded "high" number on my BP. It was a 130/90, the 90 is what they gigged me on. I have been on BP meds for years.

This time during the physical my BP was 110/71. My Doc asked if I sometimes got light headed as this BP was low. I told her that only if I was bent over an stood up fast. I have lost 30 lbs. in the last six months. She thought with the weight loss and the lower BP that we would try lowering my BP med dosage. So we cut it in half.

I felt great while taking the 1/2 rate. Went an helped Supper 99 and felt better than I have in years. Even was doing projects around here like no tomorrow.

Went back to the Doc last Monday. BP was too high again. This time the top number was up for the first time ever, 147/72. She wanted more numbers So I used the wife's BP machine and took readings every 3-4 hours for two days. Went back to the Doc. She changed my meds around. Different pills and different rates.

Since I began taking the "new" meds I have felt terrible. MY BP is correct 125/75 but I have zero energy and just generally feel like crap.

It has been hot and humid too. My question to any of you taking BP meds, is my feeling odd the meds or just the hot weather??? It really has not been that hot but something is kicking my butt.

During chores this morning I had to stop and lay down for awhile to be able to finish them. Having sleep trouble too.

Doc says it can take several weeks for me to adjust to the new meds. I am not going to put up with feeling like this for weeks. I will go back on my old meds first. I can live with the occasional light head over this feeling like crap.

Getting old is just fun at times. LOL

 

[Greg1959]

JD- Yup, it's the meds. I went through the same things you are experiencing. Try to get the Doc to go back to your old meds and adjust them accordingly.

 

[john in la]

I have always been border line with my BP for years. I even blamed it on the nurse.
It finally caught up with me and the DOT doc told me to go get some meds from my normal doctor.

They had to try several to find the correct dose/pill.
While one gave me great BP it made me so light headed I passed out twice while in the trailer unloading.
Strange part was I was only light headed in the heat of the summer and when in an enclosed space with no wind or draft.
Made it real hard for them to figure out it was the BP pills doing to me. BP was in range and only happened under specific conditions.
; but ever since I changed pills I have been great.

Talk to your doc and voice your concerns because the pills can do many different thinks to different people.
You pretty much have to do what the doc says cause she is the one writing the prescription.

 

[MSD]

Wife has had the same problem with hers. Even going to the generic version caused her problems so she watches real close what they refill with. Mine runs as low as 105 over 56 sometimes. Pulse of 50-60. The last week with the humidity has been a little tough to get motivated.

 

[Dick2]

Med types and dosaqes are based on generalizations that may not fit individuals.

Animal nutritionist when I was in college that the expensive animal nutrition tests that they ran only applied to that specific animal. The next animal in the same test may respond entirely differently.

 

[retired farmer]

Probably nothing wrong with you, I feel like that everyday, especially today. Supposed to be 79 degrees out, I am sweating like a hog, no energy and can't get enough water to drink and dog tired.

 

[old harv]

I have been on BP meds for years to. I was on one called metoprolol (sp?) which is a Beta Blocker for about 5 years. It worked for a while, but then my BP went up so they gave me more of it. That happened a few times. A Beta Blocker works by slowing down your heart so you don't have a heart attack. Slowing down your heart also slows down your brain so you feel like crap. By the end I was so stunned that it took me a long time to figure out how bad I was and that I needed to do something about it. The new doctor weaned me off slowly over about 8 months because going off quickly would have killed me. It is worth Googling Rxlist.com. and checking out what kind of drug they have given you and what the side effects are. Some BP drugs stop the white blood cells that give you your immune system, among other things.

 

[Larry NEIL]

Glad you posted this. I am the same way. They gave me corvidol for my heart and I had also been on BP meds. o tired sometimes I can barely get my legs to move. Hard to get motivated when you feel like that.
I think another to the cardiologist is in order.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I'm going to yell BS on "adjusting" to the new meds. It never happened for me and I changed doctors over it. I changed to different new meds that have worked well for twenty years.

You need a good pharmacist and a good cardiologist and they need to work together.

 

[RBnSC]

I also have the same problems but have rib cramps as well. Does anyone else suffer with that?
Ron

 

[KenL]

I know what you're going through. I have felt that way for a couple years and it keeps getting worse. Get up in the morning feeling great. By the time I get dressed, I feel like I should go back to bed. No ambition to do anything or go anywhere. Used to be in the shop restoring tractors constantly. Haven't worked on one since last summer and don't any abition to go out and work on the one I started on. Handful of pills morning and night. Starting to think it ain't worth it.

 

[waltdavies]

I have a run down wornout heart that has a bad habit of going to 400 BPM and I pass out so they put me on Amiodarone it keeps me in sink and no fast heart beat. The pill has so many side effects that they won't fit on the same page. The first one is this medicine will cause death. The doctor told me 10 out of 100 people can take this med I'm one of the lucky ones it works great for me. After my last heart attack I have had trouble with fluid on the lungs and I'm having trouble getting any strength up to just walk to the kitchen boy it's no fun.
I can't take any of batablockers because they cause my BP rate to go below 50. I have a huge number of meds on my No, No list
Walt

 

[jm.]

72 now and have been on bp med for 15 + years. Take 4 kinds now twice a day. I think for one thing your body get sued to the medicine and then the results drop off. I have a struggle to stay where they want the bp and still not have that light head and tired feeling. 110/60 sucks for me but 120 /65 and I am fine.

 

[Spook]

You need to see a specialist, a cardiologist. I went thru a lot of crap with my doc, ended up with a cardio guy, he fixed me up real quick.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I suggest you get a second opinion on your meds from a competent cardiologist. Life does not have to be that way.

 

[TGIN]

I have been on the same BP meds for years and had got run down till I had to make myself do anything . They run a bunch of test and said my kidney nos. were way off . My BP med had a water pill in it so they took it out and in a weeks time I feel alot better and have some energy .

 

[David G]

I took a beta blocker (Toprol) first, was very tired, doctor switched me to ace inhibitor (lisinopryl) and I have much more energy. I would get tired doing anything physical.