Has anyone successfully resisted hypertension meds?

I'm on Dilatrend (Carvedilol) to reverse the cardiac remodelling from my formerly enlarged heart, Coversyl (Perindopril) which looks after the BP, Crestor to keep the cholesterol down to a nice number (under 3 is recommended for heart patients), and Co-Plavix which is a blood thinner / conditioner which reduces the risk of clotting on the stent in one of my coronary arteries. Chances are if I'd made some sensible lifestyle choices twenty years ago I wouldn't be needing any of them.

No, I didn't buy ACE inhibitors off the internet. I don't know why you think I'm taking the proverbial, as you put it.

Why do you need to take all of those different drugs? They aren't all for hypertension are they?

I was talking about high blood pressure expatmaggie Hypotensive drugs lower the BP. I take a beta blocker, a calcium antagonist, an ACE inhibitor and a statin. These drugs can effect the liver and kidney and sometimes the pancreas so doctor does blood tests to check before damage is done. When on blood thinning drugs the doctor tests the clotting time so that dosage of anticoagulant can be adjusted.
My sister lives in Hamburg and is on (German equivalent) of Warfarin because she developed irregular heart rhythm and he said she was at risk of a stroke. My sister got a shock because she was not aware of her heartbeat and it was picked up at a routine ECG, unheard of in England (regular ECG checks)
I would not worry if your doctor only checks your blood every two years, you may be on superior drugs that do not cause problems.
My GP is actually German and I like his approach to medicine and prescribing, he was the one who prescribed peppermint oil capsules instead of chemicals and boy did they work.

A question. harrigan did you mean low BP or high? I have high inherited hypertension and my blood which is always 100% is only checked in Germany every two years apart from if I have other symptoms. I thought such monitoring was for blood thinning drugs.

A sound piece of medical advice for all things is ' first choose your parents'.

I think time in the doctor's surgery is a factor. Here in France we never get less than 20 minutes, sometimes 40 with our GP, (though there is a bit of eye-rolling in the waiting room sometimes). He chats about all sorts of things and takes BP after you have had time to relax. He also takes time to know you and you get the impression he is looking at the whole picture, rather than a collection of symptoms.
While high-salt intake clearly isn't good, I thought the evidence showed that inherited factors were far more important. When we were in the UK OH was discovered to have very high BP and it was clear that nothing would work except medication. His BP is very well-controlled now.

sorry that should have read angiotensin-converting enzyme, fingers faster than my brain.

alchemillamollis I hope you have not bought ace inhibitors off the internet. ACE stands for angio-converting enzyme and dosage needs careful monitoring. Are you aware that those of us taking hypotensive drugs have 6 monthly blood tests to check liver and kidney function ?
I have the feeling you are taking the proverbial

Thanks for all your comments. Plenty to think about!

I agree Popparob. Hgypertension is one of the most researched areas and doctors and nurses follow well researched and monitored protocols when treating it. A few things I would like to say;-
1) A single blood pressure reading is indicative of nothing much - proper investigations which may include a 24hour reading are used to make a diagnosis.
2) Hypertension and high cholesterol do not necessarily go hand in hand
3) It is wasteful and irresponsible to visit a GP take a prescription get it made up and not take it and you should be sent a bill for it whoever it was who said that.
4) Meditation, exercise, and low salt diets will not have any effect on some peoples' hypertension but weight loss is usually beneficial.

So there just what Dr Martin might have said!

As much as I agree there's no one size fits all solution I think we can always find the atypical case where either a bad or hurried doctor failed to investigate thoroughly, or a patient had an adverse reaction to a medication, but as a believer in evidence based medicine I tend to pull my head in and follow the doctor's suggestions.

I think there is a bit of a tendency towards the "one size fits all" – not least because GPs have such limited time with each patient nowadays. Mr absent had a mild stroke a little over three years ago from which he has pretty much recovered. He does take tablets daily to control his blood pressure, which he checks regularly himself, and it remains at a healthy level. He was put straight on to statins without anyone checking his blood cholesterol. He suffered from very unpleasant side effects and just abandoned them all together. About a year later, he did have a check on his blood cholesterol level, which proved to be perfectly healthy although he wasn't taking medication for it and his GP agreed that he didn't need statins.

The hospital automatically ticked the box on his chart saying that he was overweight. He weighs about 8 stone, is about 5 foot 7 inches and a tin-ribs. They also gave him instructions about reducing salt in his diet and spoke to me about the foods I served him, making assumptions about ready meals – which I never buy. While he was still in hospital, he was discovered to have dangerously low sodium levels and put on a restricted intake of liquids. This problem has cropped up a few times since. Reducing salt, taking statins, etc. may be useful for some people, but this kind of blanket instruction is not always helpful for everyone.

Thanks. One of the docs said I wouldn't be prescribed statins for hypertension anyway. They are keen on something that makes you gain weight.

Work with your Dr; if you don't agree with what one says see another for a second opinion and make a list of your concerns. Try any remedies of your own for a while and then go back for a check to see if they have worked. You only hear people talk of adverse reactions to medication. Statins don't suit a lot of people and any muscle pain should be reported immediately.

I've just ordered some of this. I saw it advertised on the back of a mag.

Should be worth ago - inhibits ACE, whatever that is.

Wow, thanks for all these responses. I have to confess I left the thread, and indeed Gransnet, after Jess' rude response, but I am heartened to see others offering advice.

I can see most people here are not into trying yoga, meditation, vitamins, etc, but, Jess, you are wrong to say that I won't bother to try them. I will. And cutting out salt seems an easy solution, although I will clearly have to eat at more expensive restaurants now.

I'm interested to hear that people have no side effects with their meds. Friends of mine have had problems.

I was horrified a few years back when chemists started marketing statins as the new elixir of youth and seemed to be selling them to anyone and everyone. Not cheap either; as I said at the time why pay that much when you can either get it free or for @£7 on prescription [with the proper monitoring as well]. Thankfully the chemists seem to have stopped selling them now [I think].

I have to say again that usually hypertension has no symptoms, headaches are not usually caused by high blood pressure and strokes sometimes are facial weakness and limb weakness not a headache. Notice I say usually, there is bound to be somebody who will know otherwise so can not generalise.

Acheron I am astounded. That is quite a confession. You pick up the prescription and then chuck it away?! What exactly is the logic behind that? Do you think the doctor will check up on you to see if you have collected it? Apart from anything else why are you incurring this cost (on you or the NHS or both) in this way? Yes I do think you are foolish to frame it as "taking pills for the rest of your life".

Faye the type of hypertension your GS is at risk of is different to older persons hypertension. Sometimes heart patients develop Pulmonary hypertension, too long winded for me to explain suggest you research on the web. My friend's son has PH, he has Down's syndrome and sadly was not operated on as a child to correct his heart defect. The condition is sometimes referred to by doctors as Eisenmengers syndrome.

DH's blood pressure is normal as long as he takes his meds. He has regular appointments with the Hypertensive Nurse and followed her advice to keep his weight down and cut out salt.

OTOH I have LOW blood pressure, which is not really a problem except that I have a tendency to fainting. However when I mentioned to my GP, during a routine appointment, that I had been experiencing more dizziness and faintness than usual, expecting her to say 'it is your age' - she, instead rechecked my blood pressure, declared it very low and knowing about my DH's HIGH BP asked if I was following my DH's diet. Which, of course, I was! No salt in cooking, no salt on the table, no crisps, tinned soup, ready made sauces or stock cubes. So I have been prescribed the odd pack of sea salt crisps, a little sprinkle on potatoes, salads, soup, etc.

As an aside, although back on topic, I/we have a really good family GP. She is my DD1 and DGC1 and DGC3's doctor too and sometimes sees DH. She does listen very carefully to MY opinions about MY health then explains her suggestions in detail. If people do not trust their GPs then I suggest that they need to find a better one. OK to see any Doctor in the practice in a sudden emergency but best to wait for an appointment with your own GP for on-going long term problems.

The doctor has tried to put me on BP meds (for 145/90ish). I pick up the prescription and don't take them. If it stays around about that figure then I'm happy. I have cut down on salt drastically, get plenty of fresh air and exercise and eat a balance diet. I don't like the thought of being tied to taking pills for the rest of my life. Just as I refused to take painkillers for joint pains and sought alternative therapy.
Do I think I'm foolish? Probably but it's my choice.

I was diagnosed with high BP at the age of 33 after the birth of my second child exactly like my mother was after my birth. She was not treated and died of a stroke at 64. I take my pills and have already outlived all my family (agewise)

Most BP pills are well tried and as for beta blockers, there are thousands of 'heart cases' walking about that would have died long ago without them. Its a pity that GPs have to bully patients into taking necessary medication, it must make their working day that bit harder.

DH has just been prescribed with medication for high blood pressure. I have to confess to being mildly annoyed that the doc didn't say "try and bring it down naturally and if that doesn't work, we'll put you on meds" but I have now come to the conclusion that medication was the wake up call he needed and therefore a good thing. He always had to be physically restrained from putting huge amounts of salt on his food (I do not salt food when I cook it), and he does like a drop of Scotch or a glass of beer. He has cut down drastically on the salt and now only has a drink a couple of times a week. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information about blood pressure levels though; when mine seemed to be quite high (in the 145+ range) the doctor didn't seem to be concerned about it and neither did our local chemist when I went to buy a blood pressure monitor. I am now doing what I can to bring it down myself. I do agree, though, that salt is the major culprit - just cutting down a bit can make a lot of difference.

Agree susieb that if a med is prescribed, there is a fair chance that you will benefit from it although it's always right to ask questions and get all the facts. My daughter's MiL was a friend long before she was MiL and we've disagreed over this. She has been on hypertension med's for years and her BP is still on the high side and monitored. I think she uses vast amounts of salt in cooking -to the extent that sometimes I can't eat what she cooks. Her husband has had heart problems too. She thinks it's all nonsense about some foods and additives being unhealthy - rubbished the idea of my daughter not eating pate or unpasteurised cheese when pregnant! On the other hand I use very little salt at all - my blood pressure was recently described as 'perfect' by practice nurse. Coincidence?