Q: How long can a person stay on the same medication? i.e. I been on aqupril since 1998 starting with 80mg now 40mg.
A: You can stay on a blood pressure medicine as long as it controls your blood pressure without serious side effects or other problems. There is no need to change medication as long as it is working. Non-medical reasons to change a drug include cost and convenience of dosing.
Well, it’s the “without serious side effects” that is debatable. For example, because of the serious side effects of beta blockers, Britain has removed them from first-tier treatement for hypertension. All of these drugs have side effects. If you can figure out how to control your hypertension naturally, which at times is not easy, you will be much better off than taking any “medications”. At least that has been my experience with my own health. All the best!
You are right. All external drugs have side effects, big or small.
Dear sir
I am 68,
BMI 20,
Eat healthily,
Exercise sensibly
Low cholesterol
And yet have hypertension…. And, no, it is genuine and not white coat syndrome!
(UK) doctors have tried me on diuretics, ACA inhibitors, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers. None seemed to work and all have had horrific side-effects.
I have stopped taking all medication and am in permanent war with my doctors because of this.
I have tried Resperate, also no benefit and am in dispair.
Have you any advice for me?
Can you attribute it to genetics? Did a parent have the problem?
A plant based diet may be the answer. I had similar issues. My cholesterol is so low I’ll never have heart disease according to my docs, tried Resperate and didn’t see much change, meds gave me bad side effects, but the real magic happened when I went plant based. My BP normalized. It’s a bit of a mystery as to why but it works. My latest thought is that you change the biochemistry making your system less acidic. I consume no meat, dairy or oils of any kind.
Look into the MAP at optimalwellnesslabs.com
But how does one know if one’s BP medication is still working unles one goes off it for a week or more and monitors ones BP every day or so to see if it goes up. Is that an experiment we want to try on ourselves?
I have discontinued medication myself due to debilitating side effects and without telling my doctor. This is very RISKY and I would not advise anybody to do this. BP can spike when discontinuing most BP medications and this can become life-threatening. I was so depressed with suffering from medication related side-effects that I did not care anymore one way or another. I just wanted the side-effects to stop.
My advice to you is to talk to your doctor.
DO NOT GO OFF MEDICATION WITHOUT TELLING HIM/HER.
I had went through this experiment last year when I started a plant based diet. I was on 20mg of Lisinopril and 5mg Norvasc at the time. Within a few weeks for dropping meat, dairy and oil my BP dropped noticeably and I went off my meds in a few months. The gradual discontinuation of medication represents the reversal of atherosclerosis.
Can you link the study for this, D?
I have been on 1 aspirin a day HCTZ and ramipril since 2006 when I went to the Doctor and my bp was 170/100 I took other medication before the HCTZ etc it had me feeling upset so I came off it stayed without taking any medication and my bp was 150/100 I was really agitated. I also become agitated when I have to go the doctor I feel it was since I started goimg through menopause my bp went up I never suffered from it before up to now I am still struggling to come to terms with it what can yu advise do I have to take these meds all the days of my life I am 5ft 7ins tall 220 lbs
Agnes, Lose weight. You are 70 lbs overweight. What makes me mad about doctors is they don’t work with you as you try to lose weight and stop eating fatty foods. I have lost 20 lbs, was 170, (I”m 5’7′ also. I drink soy milk, almond milk, no fatty meat ever, chicken and fish mostly and take fish oil and vitamins. Eat more fruit and vegitables, less meat, noodles and speghetti type food. Also walk at least a mile 3 times a week. The more the better! Breathing excerises help too! You might want to get into a rehab program because of your weight.
I’m thinking of selling my RESPERATE as it is essentially worthless for me, otherwise I might decide to use it a boat anchor in the summer months on the water.