HBP Meds

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in my right field of vision. Also, I have had one episode
of syncope which caused me to go to the emergency room due
to a bone fractured from falling to the ground. I take
about 75mg a day and would like to come off the meds. My
BP currently floats between 120/73 to 97/53 (for about 5
to 7 hours after long runs).

I would like to get back to running competitively, but the
BP meds seem to be hindering this. I have spoken with my
doctor who offered to change meds, but, at this point, I'm
leery - the devil I know as opposed to a whole new
problem.

I'm looking for insight and comments from others who may
be taking this medication. Should I stop taking the meds
and see what happens?

Glad to see you persist in the face of difficulty.

Cannot advise on meds, but you might want to kick a ball
around a grass field for your allotted exercise time. You
can keep running, control intensity, stop anytime to take a
drink, walk or get medical help. Grass is very forgiving on
the joints and soft if you fall. The constant change of pace
of this exercise makes it superior to running in some ways.

Chuck,

There is a very good yahoo group on blood pressure with a
resident expert physician. You could pose your questions
there. The emphasis is on life style changes to lower bp (if
possible). I've been reasonably successful. For me, weight
is an issue. (Even a 5 lb. increases has a significant
effect). The DASH diet has also been proven to be successful
in helping to lower blood pressure (sometimes enough to get
off meds). It's not a difficult diet to follow - emphasis is
on fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy, etc. And, of
course, reduce intake of salt. I would not just stop the
drugs without your doctor's advice although with a pressure
of 97/53 it sounds like you may be taking too high a dose. I
would definitely initiate some of the lifestyle changes and
see if you can reduce or eliminate your need for drugs. If
the symptoms you are experiencing are a result of the drugs
I would be looking for alternatives. Jane

"Chuck P" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

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Hello,

I have been running for about 10 years now. I was a
decent middle

distance

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runner (5K ~18-19min). About 5 years ago, I was diagnosed
and treated for an thyroid related auto-immune disorder.
The side effects of which I have been dealing with for the
past 5 years. About a year ago, I was diagnosed with high
blood pressure (HBP) and was put on meds to control it. I

started

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out with metoprolol and clonodine, but the side effects
were so severe, I ended up changing doctors and meds.
Getting off the clonodine was an experience I never want
to have again. Needless to say, it also shut down my
running completely for a while.

I am now on Avapro (Avapro is in a class of drugs called
angiotensin II receptor antagnoists) generic name -
irbesartan, and the side effects are much more tolerable.
However, as I am starting to get my running back, I notice
that my legs become extremely fatigued with any running -
even warming up. I have also started seeing "floaters" in
my right field of vision. Also, I have had one episode of
syncope which caused me to go to the emergency room due to
a bone fractured from falling to the ground. I take about
75mg a day and would like to come off the meds. My BP

currently

Quoted message said:

floats between 120/73 to 97/53 (for about 5 to 7 hours
after long runs).

I would like to get back to running competitively, but the
BP meds seem to be hindering this. I have spoken with my
doctor who offered to change

meds,

Quoted message said:

but, at this point, I'm leery - the devil I know as
opposed to a whole new problem.

I'm looking for insight and comments from others who may
be taking this medication. Should I stop taking the meds
and see what happens?

Thanks, Chuck

Yes. Stop the meds and see what happens. R.I.P.

Dear Chuck,

Glad you're motivated and ambitious enough to want to
get off meds. Please do not do so without your doctor's
supervision. Remember how that went with Clonidine?
Stopping Avapro would probably not be that bad, but the
bigger issue is that you don't want to be sneaking
around doing the opposite of what your doc advises
behind his/her back. Furthermore, if you and your doc
agree, then he can do followup BP checks to see how your
BP does off the medicine. Then both of you will have the
info to know whether to continue off this and other meds
or whether a medicine is really necessary.

I will point out that it might, repeat might, be
necessary. 20% of Americans are hypertensive in their
20's, and that portion rises to 60% of Americans by
their 60's. Most people require medicine to control
their blood pressure, and 2-3 medicines at that. I'm not
a med-pushy kind of doctor, just telling you the facts.
I do all I can not to put folks on meds, but most people
do wind up needing them.

However, another good message for you to know is that
high blood pressure (HTN) does not do the typical person
harm in days, weeks, or months. If ignored, HTN hurts
you over years-to-decades. I say this to point out that
you could go off meds with your doc's supervision for
months, seeing how it goes, trying exercise, diet,
voodoo, or whatever, and if nothing helps and your BP
runs high for several months, no big deal. That's why
you and your doc have time and flexibility to experiment
trying to find what you do or don't need. BP is not
urgent (unless 230/115 or so), but is very important to
longterm health and should not be ignored.

Hope these are motivating, encouraging ideas for you.
Best of luck.

-- Josh Steinberg MD, Syracuse