BP meds for parent - struggling
Discussion
I’m really hoping someone might have some ideas. Mum (74) has had a few issues in the past decade - stroke, breast cancer, and eventually a parathyroid adenoma.
She doesn’t have drastically high BP, but she does worry it goes up without the meds so coming off doesn’t seem to be an option. She’s been struggling with side effects on what they’ve given her so far - she’s been through losartan, Felopidine and now they’ve suggested indapamide. Losartan is the one which worked best for her for a few years but latterly the side effects on her digestion were leaving her pretty much housebound and exhausted. Felopidine then caused sort of similar issues but also swollen ankles etc and she generally felt dreadful.
She takes statins and aspirin daily (stopped the post BC letrozole after a discussion about risk of return as it too was making her feel terrible) has been recommended to stay on these. She takes vitamin d and magnesium supplements after the pth surgery as recommended.
She’s at the stage where she feels a bit broken I think - her digestion never seems to get chance to settle, she’s fed up with being knackered and out of breath despite trying to keep up the 3mile daily walks/using the exercise bike that sort of thing.
Since the stroke mobility isn’t a huge blocker but is definitely reduced, as is balance, severely frustrating her - despite this one GP suggested she take up jogging just to give an idea of what sort of advice she’s usually dealing with.
They’ve now left her with the impression they’re sort of out of options for her meds so I’m wondering if anyone has any pearls of wisdom? Thanks in advance.
She doesn’t have drastically high BP, but she does worry it goes up without the meds so coming off doesn’t seem to be an option. She’s been struggling with side effects on what they’ve given her so far - she’s been through losartan, Felopidine and now they’ve suggested indapamide. Losartan is the one which worked best for her for a few years but latterly the side effects on her digestion were leaving her pretty much housebound and exhausted. Felopidine then caused sort of similar issues but also swollen ankles etc and she generally felt dreadful.
She takes statins and aspirin daily (stopped the post BC letrozole after a discussion about risk of return as it too was making her feel terrible) has been recommended to stay on these. She takes vitamin d and magnesium supplements after the pth surgery as recommended.
She’s at the stage where she feels a bit broken I think - her digestion never seems to get chance to settle, she’s fed up with being knackered and out of breath despite trying to keep up the 3mile daily walks/using the exercise bike that sort of thing.
Since the stroke mobility isn’t a huge blocker but is definitely reduced, as is balance, severely frustrating her - despite this one GP suggested she take up jogging just to give an idea of what sort of advice she’s usually dealing with.
They’ve now left her with the impression they’re sort of out of options for her meds so I’m wondering if anyone has any pearls of wisdom? Thanks in advance.
Edited by guillemot on Thursday 18th April 15:44
Do you know what her off meds bp usually is?
It’s better to have a slighter higher bp as we get older and given the side effects of the meds, she may find the trade off between no antihypertensives and the resultant hypertension preferable to extended, but poorer, quality of life. Just a consideration.
It’s better to have a slighter higher bp as we get older and given the side effects of the meds, she may find the trade off between no antihypertensives and the resultant hypertension preferable to extended, but poorer, quality of life. Just a consideration.
Yes, and one I completely understand. It’s not one she’s on board with. The fear of another stroke I suspect, and she won’t entertain that she doesn’t need BP meds. Have a strong suspicion she doesn’t need the aspirin either but similar reasoning behind continuing with that.
I don’t actually know what it sits at ‘comfortably’ as it were as she won’t stay off anything long enough to know. After a few days without it starts to head north (whether that’s partly stress induced I don’t know) up towards 140s/90s possibly). It has been way higher but that was pre and directly post stroke, and also pre pth surgery when her blood calcium levels were over 3.
I don’t actually know what it sits at ‘comfortably’ as it were as she won’t stay off anything long enough to know. After a few days without it starts to head north (whether that’s partly stress induced I don’t know) up towards 140s/90s possibly). It has been way higher but that was pre and directly post stroke, and also pre pth surgery when her blood calcium levels were over 3.
Edited by guillemot on Thursday 18th April 15:59
Are you always seeing general practitioners and is it always just the one? Maybe she (and you) need to see a cardiologist? Not that it's specifically that the heart is the problem but they'll be a bit more specialised in the associated body functions and can give a good alternative opinion.
I'm on Amlodopine and Candesartan and I have gone down from 207/125(!!) to 115/76, and now, hovering around 121/83 since halving my Amlod dose to 5mg.
I halved it as I broke my ankle and the swelling was daft after the plaster was removed. I still get swelling but wear a compression sock which solves the issue 100% (until summer time!). Doc said the difference in BP between 5 and 10mg of Amlod was small - so perhaps suggest to her a) a lower dose of Amlod, b) compression socks.
I halved it as I broke my ankle and the swelling was daft after the plaster was removed. I still get swelling but wear a compression sock which solves the issue 100% (until summer time!). Doc said the difference in BP between 5 and 10mg of Amlod was small - so perhaps suggest to her a) a lower dose of Amlod, b) compression socks.
Jogging? Oh yeah, some ‘health professionals’ (I hate that terminology!) can be deadly serious on advice. Takes me back to just before lockdown, I’d just dropped my daughter off at work- I’m just at the work junction to get on the main road as a woman, very fat, jogs slowly past in front of me. Now clear I pull out onto the road and was only yards gone when I spot the large lady take a plummet downwards. I pull off the road onto the verge and go to her aid (as do a cyclist and another motorist. The cyclist if I recall called for an ambulance. I discover said lady was elderly and not only badly shaken and sobbing, but had a badly grazed face and hurt physically too, had only been following the advice of her ‘health professional’ ie: GP.
Indeed - age isn’t necessarily the barrier. Mum however has never jogged, and since the stroke has some mobility and definite balance issues. She exercises - pilates, exercise bike, walks distances, just prefers things where she’s less likely to fall over.
I think the frustration was that despite her telling them that though she pushed herself she was always breathless, palpitations and dizzy etc., they seemed to believe more exercise would somehow cure her of her ills, when at that time we were looking at chronically low vitamin d, massively high calcium levels and we now know super low magnesium, too.
Your point about two different bp meds - thanks for that, I hadn’t realised that was possible and it certainly hadn’t been suggested to her. Definitely one to look into.
Suggestions so far have all been helpful, thank you. For for thought, definitely.
I think the frustration was that despite her telling them that though she pushed herself she was always breathless, palpitations and dizzy etc., they seemed to believe more exercise would somehow cure her of her ills, when at that time we were looking at chronically low vitamin d, massively high calcium levels and we now know super low magnesium, too.
Your point about two different bp meds - thanks for that, I hadn’t realised that was possible and it certainly hadn’t been suggested to her. Definitely one to look into.
Suggestions so far have all been helpful, thank you. For for thought, definitely.
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