high blood pressure meds?

[rustyduck]

yes i diet and exercise. still i need high blood pressure meds. i take 3 different ones twice a day and my blood pressure averages 150/90(give or take a few points) every day.

all my other numbers are great. cholesterol, sugar, ect. finally my doctor started prescribing additional meds. the first was really bad and gave me rapid heart beat. the next one was much better with mild side effects that i could put up with but it isn't lowering my blood pressure much, if at all.

i don't have insurance so my doctor prescribes $4 wal mart meds. could this be the problem?

if you have high blood pressure and take meds that work, let me know the name and maybe i can tell my doctor. i know everyone is different, just looking for a place to start, something to suggest to my doctor.

 

[flamatrix99]

I take Lotrel 5/20 mg because I am fat. The doc explained that it is actually two meds in one. Amlod & Benazepril. When I was a thinner normal size Doug my BP was like 120/50 ish.

 

[MALIBU12]

I wish had the $4 pills .... I had a heartattack when they told me how much they cost $99.00 for 30 pills Benicar Htc.

 

[oleheat]

I wish had the $4 pills .... I had a heartattack when they told me how much they cost $99.00 for 30 pills Benicar Htc.

Heck- talk to your Doc and see if there are some options you could try....There's a whole laundry-list of HBP meds on that list at WM.....

 

[MRBULLRED]

I take Lotrel 5/20 mg because I am fat. The doc explained that it is actually two meds in one. Amlod & Benazepril. When I was a thinner normal size Doug my BP was like 120/50 ish.

I take Lotrel 5/10.. its works great but it is not on the 4 dollar list.. cost me $54 a month... but I'm scared to change it to a 4 dollar one that doesn't work..

 

[MRBULLRED]

....

 

[Magpie]

I take micardis. I have to pay $40 copay with insurance for 30 so its probably pretty expensive without. Have you considered or researched natural alternatives? I don't know anything except that they are supposed to work. Haven't tried any. GNC could be a place to try and find out.

 

[DumpsterJuice]

i have tried all the bp meds. i have discontinued most due to unpleasant sides which you can imagine. the only one that i can tolerate and doesnt produce any sides is Exforge. It's new and kinda expensive, but works like a charm for me. good luck

 

[melisa]

My dad takes the walmart $4 meds for his blood pressure so does my mom works great for both of them. My mom takes one. I think my dad take 2 but he had a heart attack. Get a second opinion from a different dr.

 

[JBP55]

Altace here.

 

[flamatrix99]

I take Lotrel 5/10.. its works great but it is not on the 4 dollar list.. cost me $54 a month... but I'm scared to change it to a 4 dollar one that doesn't work..

Luckily with my insurance I only pay $20/month.

 

[TomTerrific]

I take eight meds daily for a variety to reasons, mostly to stay alive, I guess.

Six of them I buy at SavOn in Albertson's for $11/90d supply, including Atenolol 50mg for BP, which is controlled in the 130/75 range. Been taking it for years.

The two that I don't get from SavOn are inhalers, one I get from the VA for $8 and one from SavOn for $30.

My VA doc suggested getting these specials as they are less expensive than the VA copays. The low price does not imply low quality. I've been taking the same two generic drugs for diabetes II for nine years and it is well controlled.

Don't self prescribe. It's a good way to die.

 

[tactical723]

Jumping off course a little, My Enbrel for RA costs the insurance company $3200 per month for a weekly injection. Thats $750 per shot, my co pay is $100 per month. Pharmacuetical Companies are a scam. You can go to Cananda or Mexico and pay cash at only 10% what they cost here.
My Rx's billed to the insurance company exceeded 50K in 2010

 

[Yrdawg]

I use some Lotrel Ms Dawg has left over sometimes but mostly for the last 5 years I have used Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar

If you read up on the Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar book I can tell you what I have tried of it works, I know others who use it also. Several have tried it and it worked but they say the smell is too bad or the taste and quit to use pills again.

 

[sraacke]

I take one 10MG tablet of Norvasc daily. Looking at the bag with the receipt on it, I'm paying $4.75 for 90 tabs. That's under the hospital employee insurance I get through Baton Rouge General.
I also have perscriptions for Acid Reflux and Cholesterol that I take once a day.

 

[senseiturtle]

$4 generics usually work "just as well" as their very expensive counterparts. I intentionally stay away from anything too expensive for my patients to afford.

The only ones I'd pay the extra dough for are the ones where no generics are available, such as some of the fancy diabetic meds.

 

[dantheman]

My dumbass sister in law went to Mexico and bought some medicine that she was taking for her Thyroid . That stuff almost put her in the hospital . Her Doctor told her that their quality control sucks . Don't trust the Mexican drugs . I don't know about the Canadian stuff .

 

[Roy]

I take two blood pressure meds and they are both generics. Generics are supposed to be just as good as the high priced stuff. I take a generic cholesterol med and my total cholesterol is 86. The lab ran the results twice because it was so low.

 

[SirIsaacNewton]

Let me preface this with I am not a MD. However Roy is right generics are just proven drugs whose patents have elapsed allowing them to be mass produced at cheaper cost. Most of the time you see a new drug on the market it will just be a stereoisomer of the same drug with the same effects but now the isomer is patentable and with good marketing people will pay extra for them.

However with that said some drugs aren't as effective (referring to a class of drugs for example High Blood Pressure is treated with anti-diuretics, Calcium Channel Blockers, Beta Blockers, etc) as others in certain individuals. So I think it is important to voice your concern to your physician and make sure to get your BP in a healthy range. Some individuals are genetically predisposed to high blood pressure and it will take medications as well as lifestyle changes to counterbalance your bad luck but since your already making the lifestyle changes there are drugs which will help you the rest of the way.

There are tons of studies that link High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol to a significant increase in morbidity and mortality so please don't take this lightly and do what is necessary to lower your blood pressure. Just make sure to voice your concerns to your physician and if he doesn't listen get another one because the physician is there to serve you. If you are doing your part with lifestyle modifications and taking your meds when supposed to he is doing you an injustice by not listening to your concerns and addressing them. THAT IS HIS JOB and if he isn't doing it right fire him....

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Bulldog87]

I take Diavan HCT with little side affects.