Topic: A thought for all

[Antares]

It start getting weird when they fight the side effects of one pill with another one

When I first started taking blood pressure medicine, the doctor I had, put me on Lisinopril. Of course he never discussed possible side effects of the drug.

After I started coughing repeatedly, I googled Lisinopril side effects and sure enough, there it was. In 25% of the people who took it, they developed a dry, incessant cough.

So I go back to the doctor and he tries to prescribe me another pill to quell the coughing. I told him no thanks, and found myself a new doctor.

Here's an interesting fact I found out about this drug. Lisinopril is a synthetic drug created to mimic a South American snake venom that lowers blood pressure when the snake bites its quarry.

[hal9g]

Antares,

It's amazing how closely our histories on this align.

I've been donating blood since I went into the service at age 20.  After I got out, I started donating to the Red Cross, and they notified me that I was a rare donor because my blood was suitable for premees (O+).  They put me on a strict 8 week schedule for donations, which I did for years (probably 10+).  I've donated so often that I have scar tissue where the blood is taken that reminds me of a junkie's arm.   

Then suddenly, I caught "the virus" which caused my red blood cells to enlarge, and my blood could no longer be used for premees.  They still wanted me to donate, but I was somewhat bummed out, and my donations became fewer and further between.  I still donate two or three times a year, but nothing like I used to.

About 10 years ago I developed acid reflux disease, and had the beginnings of Barrett's Esophagus.  I was placed on Prevacid (40 mg) which to me is a miracle drug.  My reflux cleared up after the very first dose and I haven't  had a bit of trouble with it since.  They've since switched me Lansoprazole since Prevacid is now OTC.

Last year I was put on medication for early stage hypertension (140/90).  The BP medication has had no effect on the reflux problem, which is still fully controlled by the Lansoprazole.

I am now somewhat concerned about these meds, and will be having blood work done to see if I have any of the problems you refer to.  I have been feeling more tired lately than usual, but I was chalking it up to the normal aging process.  Maybe not!

[Antares]

I've donated so often that I have scar tissue where the blood is taken that reminds me of a junkie's arm.   

Me too 

[Blair]

My mistake concerning meds was being too trusting. Just after graduation highschool, I started having my first grand mal seizures since I was 2 years old. (In actuality, I had been having petit mal seizures from time to time since sixth grade but never knew that's what they were... they were just a weird feeling that may happen once every six months.)

My doctor started me on Dilantin (one of a set of trial-and-error meds for me) never telling me or my parents about any possible side effects. When you don't feel anything, you tend to forget about other possibilities. The Internet was still young and I as new to it anyway, so I didn't know about searching for data. I also didn't realize that you could get that little fact sheet which tells about all possible side effects.

Long story short(er), I eventually moved here, got a new neurologist, and she too never mentioned side effects (she actually wasn't helpful at all; she'd just agree what whatever I wanted to do with no real discussion). It wasn't until talking with my neurosurgeon after his first surgery on me in 2007 that I leaned Dilantin has a history of causing bone loss. Twelve years and no one ever mentioned this to me! So, at 30 years old I had my first bone density scan done, and quoting my neurosurgeon viewing the results, "You have the bones of a 60 year old woman." Viewing the results myself, my bones looked like Swiss cheese.

So, just as Kathy says, don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't just assume they will tell you what you don't know because they aren't always sure what information you do and do not have.

[Dragonfire]

When I first started taking blood pressure medicine, the doctor I had, put me on Lisinopril. Of course he never discussed possible side effects of the drug.

After I started coughing repeatedly, I googled Lisinopril side effects and sure enough, there it was. In 25% of the people who took it, they developed a dry, incessant cough.

So I go back to the doctor and he tries to prescribe me another pill to quell the coughing. I told him no thanks, and found myself a new doctor.

Here's an interesting fact I found out about this drug. Lisinopril is a synthetic drug created to mimic a South American snake venom that lowers blood pressure when the snake bites its quarry.

My mom, step dad and a woman I work with all were put on Lisinopril when they first started taking blood pressure medicine.  They all developed the cough that didn't go away until they were put on different blood pressure medicine.  My mom said she was told - I think it was by her doctor - that the Lisinopril is cheap and most insurance companies insist on people taking that one first because of the cost.  They will only pay for a more expensive blood pressure medicine if side effects develop for the Lisinopril.  At least when my mom and step dad went back to the doctor about the coughing, he changed their blood pressure medicine instead of trying to give them something else just for the cough.

I mentioned to them today about blood pressure medicine causing acid reflux.  Neither of them had heard that before.  My step dad said that only started for him after he had been taking the blood pressure medicine.

[Antares]

I just got back from the blood center and my hematocrit level has jumped 4 percentage points in 12 days.

So I was able to donate. Just saved 3 babies. 

It will be interesting to see in 8 weeks if it's back to my normal 55%.

[hal9g]

Good news!

I'm sure the parents of those pre-mees are grateful!   

[Antares]

I have an appointment with my doctor just before Christmas, ironically to have my blood pressure checked and prescriptions refilled and I will definitely be asking some pointed questions! 

So KC, did you find out anything when you went?

[Antares]

Just saved 3 babies. 

Again

[Blair]

I've already given three times this month! ..... and Ith... febling.... a liiibble ..... dizzzzzzthyyyyy


(Of course I'm joking... I have been going up and down with meds lately, so I've been waiting until my system is settled just in case so that I don't cause myself harm. Hopefully I will before the month is out.)

[KinkyCyborg]

I have an appointment with my doctor just before Christmas, ironically to have my blood pressure checked and prescriptions refilled and I will definitely be asking some pointed questions! 

So KC, did you find out anything when you went?

Sorry for the late response. Been a hectic week and I haven't been online much.

What did I find out? That doctors don't like being second guessed by patients and get easily offended if you mention that you might like a second opinion.    The doctor I was seeing supposedly specializes in 'internal medicine' and he refused to refer to me a more precise specialist, telling me to go back to my general practitioner if I want a referral. Nice! I am thoroughly convinced that my area is where doctors who just don't give a shit any more come to practice and play out their string.  It really is pathetic. I go back to my family doctor on the 28th of this month. I did take myself off the omeprezale for a time but didn't see any marked improvement with my energy levels but after about 5 days my stomach started acting up again. I toughed it out for almost a week without the pills and then put myself back on them. So it's very much back to the drawing board. I learned something else about doctors as well. They all despise the internet and start hissing like mean cats when you mention something you might have looked up on the WWW... 

KC

[Dragonfire]

Oh I understand about doctors getting pissy if you mentioning looking something up yourself. 
Several years ago my mom was having an allergic reaction.  This was a year or 2 before she finally was able to get the knee replacement she needed.  She tried this newer orthopedic surgeon here in town and he was an ass..saying that he didn't know what she expected him to do.  She had arthritis and the knee was going to hurt.  This is from one of the orthopedic doctors in town who does knee replacements.  He gave her a shot of cortisone.  Late that night she started getting hives and stuff.  I looked up stuff online at WebMD and found out that some people are allergic to whatever is mixed with the cortisone.  Different things can be used..believe to act like a preservative or something like that.  There was also something mentioned...sort of a caution that people with some problem - I can't remember what it was now - shouldn't get those shots. 

Well she went to the ER at like 2 am or something..she was starting to have trouble breathing.  I went with her.  When I mentioned looking stuff up that doctor about ripped my head off...going on about people not knowing enough to understand what they are reading or some such thing..and he basically said that there is no good medical information on the internet.  It's all wrong and all it does it get people to diagnose themselves with the wrong thing..blah blah..stuff like that.  He was a condescending ass. 
A few hours later they decided it was an allergic reaction to whatever was with the cortisone in that shot...after some blood work or something I think.  I can't remember for sure now.  Then he asked me what website I used...at that point he was nicer.  He even relented and said that WebMD had good information.
Jerk.

[Antares]

Six babies today...my hematocrit was 43% and that allowed me to do an R2 donation. Don't go back for 16 weeks now.

[Antares]

I have had an Epiphany!!!  

Four weeks ago I stepped on the scale at home and much to my chagrin, noticed that I had reached the highest weight my body has ever attained...180 lbs. I'm 5'7" and my ideal weight is around 160-65 lbs., so you can understand that I was a little upset about this. For about two to three weeks prior to this day, my wife had switched me from diet sodas and diet drinks in general to Koolaid (She thought that the carbonation was adding to my GERD). Now I thought that she had switched me to artificially sweetened Koolaid, but when I asked her, she told me that it was made with added sugar. Now coming from a family that has a history of Diabetes, this wasn't what I wanted to here. Especially when I was consuming as much as I was when I was drinking the diet drinks. Now I understood where the added weight had come from.

I decided that from that point on, I wasn't going to drink anything with either added sugar or artificial sweeteners in it. I've been primarily drinking water with lemon or the occasional glass of milk instead. I also watched a documentary called Fathead, which is a rebuttal piece made against Morgan Spurlock's propaganda smear Super Size Me. I always felt that Spurlock had skewed his experiment to weigh heavily (no pun intended) against fast food and McDonalds. In this rebuttal doc, he does the same as Spurlock, but within specific parameters. He too would eat only fast food for thirty days, but he would limit his caloric intake to just 2,000 calories and the calories had to be from non-carbohydrate sources. He knew that he couldn't completely eliminate carbohydrates eating at these places, so he limited the amount he would eat on a daily basis. He also would exercise at least once a day for at least 45 minutes. At the end of the thirty days, he went back to his doctor and had all kinds of tests done, including cholesterol, tri-glycerides, blood pressure and Body Mass Index and the results were astonishing. He had lost about 6 six pounds, his Hdl cholesterol had risen, while his Ldl cholesterol and tri-glycerides had dropped. His blood pressure had dropped also and he was sleeping better with lots of energy during the day.

So I decided to change my eating habits to something similar. I would only allow myself no more than 80 grams of carbohydrates per day (the equivalent of 3 pieces of bread or a small bowl of pasta or rice), I increased my consumption of animal proteins (meats and cheeses) and started cooking with animal fats as opposed to vegetable oils. I also increased my daily intake of fruits and vegetables to coincide with the abrupt increase of saturated fat in my diet. My caloric intake would not exceed 2,000 calories per day too. And most importantly, no refined sugar!!!!

And guess what happened?...

In the four weeks since I've been doing this, I've lost 8 lbs. I'm sleeping only about 4-5 hours per day, as opposed to about 8-10 hours per day on my old low fat diet. I have increased my exercise levels threefold. I've gone from riding a bike barely 10 miles with exhaustion to 30+ miles in one ride, three times a week. I'm hiking over ten miles again, which I haven't been able to do for about three years. My mind is becoming sharp again and I'm not spending as much time lying around the house anymore. My wife cannot believe the about face I've done in these four weeks.

But here's the best part...

In the last four weeks, I've been able to take myself off of my blood pressure medicine. My blood pressure is now back to the level it was over 5 years ago...122/79. It turns out that the artificial sweeteners that I was consuming was causing the spike in my BP, which is a side effect of Aspartame. It would have been nice 5 years ago if my doctor (who prescribed the BP meds) had first asked me about what I was consuming, instead of just brushing it off as hereditary and prescribing pills.

[Achim]

So I decided to change my eating habits to something similar. I would only allow myself no more than 80 grams of carbohydrates per day (the equivalent of 3 pieces of bread or a small bowl of pasta or rice), I increased my consumption of animal proteins (meats and cheeses) and started cooking with animal fats as opposed to vegetable oils. I also increased my daily intake of fruits and vegetables to coincide with the abrupt increase of saturated fat in my diet. My caloric intake would not exceed 2,000 calories per day too. And most importantly, no refined sugar!!!!

I do like me my carbs, but I guess I could reduce them a little. Other than that this looks like something I could roughly try myself. I wouldn't even mind if I'd loos my pounds slower than you yours.

Thanks for these tips.