Mine was about 150 over 90 when my dr. put me on Altace (Ramipril)--at age 40.

Have been taking the med for over 20 years. No ill effects, and my blood pressure is consistantly in the 120-125 over 70-75 range now.

If your dr. recommends BP medication, and you can afford it, why not take something that may extend your life and increase the quality of it? I can't see any reason NOT to take them.

One thing to remember, though--if you do get on the meds, take them regularly. If you go off them suddenly, your BP can spike and cause a stroke.

I was in my 30s, BP ran about 180/90. At first, my doctor started me on just HCTZ, which didn't work by itself, then she added atenolol which I thought was making my hair fall out (possibly not true but it seemed so to me), so she switched me to lisinopril, which controls my BP very well, runs 120/70 now. Lisinopril made me dizzy when taking a full tablet, so my doctor cut me down to a half tab which works very well for me. It made me cough a tiny bit at first, but that stopped after a while, no problem now.

No negatives whatsoever for the last 20 years or so. It's great not having to worry about high blood pressure. Hope yours works out as well.

This post was edited by oldgardener_2009 on Fri, Nov 30, 12 at 14:53

Thanks to you both. I thought that every med had *some* downside! I'm kind of all over the place on the systolic (127 to a rare 151), but the diastolic is rising (77 to even 96).

When I was 159/109 before my colonoscopy yesterday, I began to re-visit this issue. Of course then I was both dehydrated and scared. Today I'm 137/81 -- but still upset trying to arrange the recommended appendectomy *by appointment* with a recommended surgeon, not via the ER!

I was in my late 20's having spikes up and down plus PVC so was put on atenolol/tenormin a beta blocker which controls the PVC pretty well and has been keeping my BP fairly normal. But I test very different in each arm, they are now recommending that if your doctor is not checking both arms you should request it. I always do and have both noted in the chart.

My husband has been keeping a daily journal of his because the cardiologist said he might want him to start meds, he wanted to confirm that with our family doctor and show him the journal. I don't think he needs to be on meds at this point. He has always been high when at the doctors office, and I think that is what is happening.

I have had high BP for years and each Dr/medical group approached it different. kaiser in ca kept changing my meds but it still ran high and I mean HIGH. Then here the Dr changed everything and still high and he kept saying it was normal for me. He left on a mission trip, new Dr. put me on 3 ones, 2 different and boom!!! came down and it has been down for 2 years. No one can explain it except they keep coming out with new meds and I guess the right combination works. But it runs in the family. I truly believe that stress kept mine high and if I had worked on that, it would have come down sooner.

DH has taken Altace since he was about 30 & still takes it. His BP was pretty stable for several years & he doesn't have any real side effects from the Altace. Over the last couple of years, his BP started going up & his doc was having a hard time controlling it. He tried several meds & combos. I remember him calling me to tell me that it was like 180/100. I was so worried. Finally his doc sent him to a specialist, who put him on spironolactone, which has worked miracles for him. The main side effect of this is that it increases potassium retention, so DH has to stay away from foods high in potassium.

Most medications have downsides/side effects for SOME people.

DH and I both have high blood pressure - he's been controlled well with Lisinopril for many years. Not a single side effect.

When I was diagnosed last year, the doc put me on the lowest dose of Lisinopril. OMG, the coughing - dry, hacking, intolerable. It was incessant. So now I'm on Benicar, with absolutely no side effects at all.

So some people have side effects with some medications. Read the literature, be aware, be cognizant, complain about side effects if you have them, but take the meds - they are life savers.

Atenolol, for 15 years. Started in my early fifties. Lethargic for a week until the body gets used to it. It's a good feeling to know BP is under control.

Two points to consider when the nurse measures your bolld pressure:

1. Do not talk. Conversation can raise your blood pressure by 5 points. When you speak to another person, your inhibitor/on-guard reflex kicks in and guards what you might say. This inhibition is a mild stress and affects blood pressure.

2. Do not cross your legs even at the ankles. Keep your feet flat on the floor and the chair you sit in should not put undue pressure on the backs of your thighs.

These 2 items can raise your blood pressure by 5 to 10 points and mask the true reading.

The cardiologist may have your blood pressure measured in both the right and left arms. The readings will differ and the amount of difference is diagnostic.

The coughing is absolutely the worst of the side effects I have had when they tried me on others. Atenolol works with no coughing so I will stay with it. My mom is the same way coughing with everything except the atenolol.
So many people don't know what a horrible cough blood pressure meds can cause. If you are on them and coughing you are more than likely experiencing a side effect.

I've been taking Lisinopril too and it is a good HBP medicine. My doctor upped my dose to 20 mgs daily recently and I picked up the Lisinopril cough so she gave me a new one. I haven't started it yet but she said it will take the cough a couple of months to subside...

Side effects are bad if you are sensitive, but work with your doctor to try other things. HCTZ gives me hives (and most folks who are sensitive to -mycin antibiotics will also react). Benecar can cause kidney failure over time---my husband was in the hospital for 8 days. ACE inhibitors are not a good choice for people with asthma due to the cough.

Ben there, done that. If you have side effects, call you doctor ASAP and do not proceed with the medication, since some of these side effects are serious.

HCZT and Lisonopril now, before that it was Zestril. No side effects and like others have said good to know blood pressure is under control.

Wow! What happened to people before there were these meds? I have to presume the mortality/disability rates have decreased tremendously.

My late father was given BP meds and developed kidney failure as a result. He was on dialysis for ten years before his death in his early 80's -- but that was 20 years ago.

My maternal grandmother had heart problems most of her senior years -- was disabled because of that. Perhaps her life would have been much better!

I'll ask about coughing as a side effect. I have asthma and just moved into the COPD category. Thanks for the warnings!

I take lisinapril even though, normally, I have low bp. My family has a history of strokes and due to that fact, my specialist in Boston suggested I take the treatment. I'm so happy he did because daily my bp is low but those scary times when it would jump were awful. It's been 3 years and my bp is always a steady 110/70 and no jumping up. What a relief. I had a slight cough maybe six times a day in the beginning but nothing after a few months.

I take triamterine (Dyrenium) which is simply a potassium sparing diuretic. It has worked for me for about eight years. I can[t remember my BP when I started taking it but for a long while it was way down. Now the last couple times I had it measured it was higher. I am overdue for a trip to the doctor. I need to get it checked. I hate taking any medication as it all seems to knock me for a loop.

I take my BP every morning, and if it's high, I take as small dose of Lisinopril. I have a problem with my BP dropping too low (sodium problem, been getting dizzy and passing out for years), that it has had DRs puzzled for years.
So, since my Dr has agreed to my solution, and it is working(I haven't passed out for over a year), I only take the drug if BP is low.

Hmmm...yes, I've had spells of excedingly low BP too. Maybe that's why my MD has been hesitant to address the high BP readings.

I had a high reading at at physical the end of August, a week after stopping all vitamins and supplements (as instructed) before a blood draw. The blood test showed I was low in vitamin D-3. Once I resumed the 1000 units of D-3 my BP returned to normal range...until now, which I'm increasingly believing is due to stress!

Not all BP meds cause a cough, it's generally ACE inhibitors like lisinopril that do. Beta blockers and calcium channel blockers don't cause a cough.

Ace inhibitors are a good choice as initial drugs for women

I started out on an ACE and got hives, so switched to hydrochlorothiazide and potassium.

I was 53 and it was mild HTN. If I would lose 30 lbs I doubt I would need even this.

I also watch my sodium intake.

gyn put me on a drug used by pg women, but has worked just fine..i take it 2x daily...(not sure of the spelling but metheldopa is close)

oldgardener unfortunately that is definitely not an absolute, I and my mother experience the severe coughing with every type, some are rated as lower chance of causing it but any can cause it. Even the atenolol will cause me to cough when I have tried a stronger dose.
I am not the norm, my doctors reached that conclusion pretty quickly, but they do try when new ones come out that are not a high coughing risk, I give it a try but so far no luck. Which will be bad if I ever had to stop the atenolol.

So far medicine hasn't been mentioned. Mine will sometimes be up some.
Speaking of talking before bp is taken, I'm kind of a germ-a-phobic and the last time I was in, the nurse taking my bp was telling me about the cases of flu they had in the office that day. ugh BP was up. :)

Toprol and lisinopril. Toprol 50 mg. 2xd, lisinopril 10mg.1xd.