Q: I’ve been taking Diovan for some time now and I am about to switch to Lisinopril in order to see if my spasms are caused by the Diovan. My question is, do I need to be weaned off of the Diovan first or can I just switch instantly?
A: It is not smart to stop taking medicine prescribed for blood pressure without first talking to your doctor. It is likely your doctor will want to monitor your pressure while you switch from one drug to another. Sudden stopping of Diovan has not been associated with a rapid increase in blood pressure but your doctor show advise you on the best way for you to change drugs.
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That’s just it: What if you’re like my husband with NO health insurance. You go to one of those back-alley community-based subsidized substandard clinics that hire only P.A’s and *one* dr oversees the facility for thousands of patients. You have a dr. from when you were insured prescribe something like BP meds for you, only to have horrific side effects. Everything you read online says “consult your dr…” if the side-effects are unmanagable (as that’s the reason 70% of BP patients stop taking their meds in the first place) or you need to switch to something else b/c the meds aren’t even working that well, etc. HOW do you do any of this if your *limited access * to decent healthcare prevents you, or the very few dr’s you do have access to don’t want to help you, sayings it’s just stress, but dont’ want to do tests or any other diagnostic thing b/c they’re waiting on a thousand other people. WHAT DO YOU DO?????!!!!
CHANGE YOUR DIET TO THREE REGULAR MEALS A DAY..60% FRUITS AND VEGETABLES…20% PROTEIN (FISH, EGGS, TURKEY, CHICKEN,A LITTLE BEEF, AND 20% CARBS (OATMEAL, MILLET, BARLEY ETC. ALL WHOLEGRAINS. DRINK PURE VEGETABLE AND FRUIT JUICES (NO SOFT DRINKS OR SODAS OF ANY KIND and NO PROCESSED FUITS)AND ADD BRISK WALKING OF 30 MINUTES DAILY IN THE AM AND AGAIN AFTER LUNCH AND IN THE EVENING. THIS WILL LOWER AND CONTROL YOUR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE NATURALLY AND PROBABLY WITHOUT TAKING ANY DRUGS. THIS IS MY EXPERIENCE…TRY IT, YOU MAY GET TO LIKE IT AND FEEL A WHOLE LOT BETTER. GOD BLESS
This actually does work! I was on Lisinapril and Bystollic, terrible side effects from the Lisinapril. Changed my diet – No coffee (caffiene) or Sodas at all. Drink Herbal Tea, Green Tea, Pepermint Tea and Water, 64 oz. a day between the Tea and Water. It wasn’t possible for me to drink that much water in a day, and I didn’t. I started out with a 24 oz bottle a day, then I targeted for two 24 oz bottles in a 24 hr. period and it took about three weeks to get there. The only other thing I drink is either 100% Vegetable or 100% Fruit Juice(not from concentrate), but I limit it to a 6 to 8 oz. glass a day. Many of the juices have high sodium counts, so limit those to small amounts to avoid raising your blood pressure from the sodium. Foods, Vegetables and Fruit, all you want. Chicken and Fish a small serving the size of a deck of cards a day. Eggs one or two for protien on the days I don’t eat the Chicken or Fish. Walk each morning 3 miles. Blood pressure remains normal and I am off the perscription pills. Took 2 months to gradually get to where I am with the diet, exercise, water, and no perscription medication. I am not one to wait to patient to gradually do anything, but this was one thing that patience does bring on success. I feel GREAT! I haven’t felt great for several years, more than five… Totally worth the lifestyle change. Good luck!
Just out of curiosity, what side effects did you have with Lisinopril?
Lisinopril gave me a horrific cough, began coughing up blood in fact, and made me dizzy, but did lower my pressure better than stuff I’ve taken since – this bp meds game is getting pretty old, for the past year, I’ve been put on 3 separate bp pills in addition to the Lisinopril, and each one runs me between 300 and 520 for the prescription. I can’t wait till we figure out what works, my most recent *ExforgeHCT* is on my second day and thusfar doesn’t lower the numbers at all. Good luck to everyone else on this quest!
I wholeheartedly agree with the diet and exercise, and other suggestions here. There are many ways to lower blood pressure naturally. Dr. Sherri Rogers’ book, “The High Blood Pressure Hoax” is very helpful for alternative approaches.
Also, if you are going to get off the toxic drugs, consider tapering them off very slowly. All of these drugs have a rebound effect. Blood pressure will rise if you stop. That is part of big pharma’s plan to keep you on them. I tapered gradually over the course of 3 months while at the same time improving my health generally through diet, exercise, supplements, relaxation techniques, far infrared sauna, etc.
Good luck, and all the best!!
I’d like to add my voice to the others above, and to say it is possible to avoid or get off these ghastly drugs and be very healthy indeed.
I had the worst year of my life after having been diagnosed with high blood pressure, and being given one drug after another with nasty and/or dangerous side effects. Lisinopril was, in fact the worst of these, as I suffered all the symptoms of a heart attack and landed up in A&E and the coronary unit as a result.
The medics there told me I must continue to take my drugs and they would add more to them, despite giving me an absolutely clean bill of health after exhaustive testing, but luckily, a doctor friend dug a bit deeper and suggested that the problem might be the actual drug.
This proved to be the case, and I stopped taking it, or any others, and follow a regime of diet, exercise, meditation and breathing exercises, and my BP is now about 110/65.
It takes a bit more effort than just popping pills, but is infinitely worthwhile!
I STARTED TAKING DIOVAN A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AFTER COUGHING NON-STOP FOR OVER 6 MONTHS FROM LISINOPRIL, EVEN THOUGH THE DOCTOR SAID IT WAS NOT FROM THAT. I WEANED OFF IT MYSELF, AND THE COUGHING STOPPED. I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT, AFTER ALL THE SUFFERING I WENT THROUGH, COUGHING FOR 24/7 FOR THE 6 TO 8 MONTHS. I ACTUALLY CONSIDERED SUICIDE. NOW I’M VERY LEARY OF DOCTORS,AND NOW THAT I AM ON THE DIOVAN, I’M HAVING SEVERE CONSTIPATION, THAT I’VE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. COULD YOU TELL ME IF THE IS A SIDE EFFECT OF DIOVAN 160MG?
I was so heartened to read all your stories regarding side3 effect of BP drugs. I have been on 6 different tablets over the last 2 years, and my life has been terrible – all I wanted was to get back to “normal”. I began to think it was me and I was destined for these horrible side effects for life. I am going to give levodyn good diet and exercise a try – it certaianly can not be any worse than the last two years has been – thank you all for sharing your stories regarding these BP drugs as I thought I was alone and was becoming a hypocondriact(excuse the spelling) – I will let you know how I get on.
I was so happy to read the above comments – I have been through a terrible time over the last 2 years – trying this drug and that drug (6 so far) because of the side effects of the drugs. I began to think It was “me” and I would ne3ver get back to a normal life. I am going to try altering my diet, exercise and Levodyn. I thought I was alone with my side effects as my doctor seemed surprised everytime I went back and complained about the side efficts – I feel so much better knowing that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel and I can return to “normal”. – Than ks and God Bless you all
I have been on Diovan HCTZ(320/25) for a couple of years and I am not aware of any side effects. I am in the process of changing over from lisinopril (because of cough)to a relatively new drug called Tekturna. I think anytime you start on a new drug it takes your system a little while to adjust. When I quit taking the lisinopril my cough almost disappeared instantly but I did have some upset stomach for a few days when I started on the Tekturna.
Eliminating coffee has helped my BP. I try to only drink decaf. green tea (hot & cold)sweetened with stevia and eliminate as many sweets and carbs as possible. That, along with diet and exercise helps keep the BP at a managable level but with multiple medications.
have taken lisenpril for 15 years, just now devoled a cough. doc moved me to diovan and diltiaz. b/p is pretty constant at 120/67
I too was on Diovan until I came across a study in the Lancet which stated that patients on Diovan had a greater chance of contracting lung cancer.I told my doc that I wanted off the Diovan and he pooh-poohed the study until out of no where I had plural effusion (water in the lung space).My pulmonary doc told me that I had a 50-50 chance of having lung cancer.I’ve never smoked,nor was exposed to industrial toxins.I was prescribed lisinopril and subsequently developed the cough.I was taken off that med. and given a channel blocker.The doctor’s are totally dependent upon the drug companies-here try Avandia,Vioxx,and many other deadly drugs which were approved by the FDA…. It is incumbent upon every patient to research the meds they are given.Taking beta blockers? Other than causing erectile dysfunction,a recent study indicates it may cause Diabetes………..