About Charles Cusumano, FMP, PA-C Expertise I will answer questions about the different causes of Hypertension; the complications; the treatments and the drugs used.Hypertension is a silent, potentially deadly disease that`s completely treatable. Knowledge is power.
Experience Nationally Certified Physician Assistant/Family Medicine Practitioner.
I've been in practice since 1975.
Organizations I am currently serving as an expert in the Family, General and Internal Medicine site right here at AllExperts.com. You can visit my profile there. I was also honored as a Distinguished Fellow in the AAPA.
Awards and Honors Distinguished Fellow American Academy of Physician Assistants
Question I don't know where to start....I've been crying on and off all day and so upset.
Over Easter weekend I was rushed to emergency room for a bout of diverticulitis. It was then discovered that I had severe hypertension (237/128#.
I was kept overnight for observation and given 50 mil toporol along with 20 mil Lisinopril. Tests were run #mri cat scan, blood work# all showed heart function was ok.
I was released the next day with the instructions on toprol ans Lisinopril. I was extremely dizzy and nauseus feeling so my dr switched me to toporol and 160 mil Diovan. There was itching the first day but the dr had me cut the pill in half and take 2 times a day and that seemed to work. He had given me enough samples for 2 weeks to see if it would work. It did but my insurance company would not cover it because of cost, so the pharmacist gave me Avapro. The first day I took it was fine. The second day I started itching. By the fourth day #which is now)I was miserable. Constant itching and may I add it is not MILD!!! Anxious feeling to the point where I couldnt relax. Anyhow, I called my dr at 1pm and he didnt get back to me. His nurse did at 8pm. The message was to take it anyhow!! I told the nurse my mouth was burning and my lips and that I was itching badly. She told me to hang on and came back to the phone. She relayed that the dr said to stop it for a day to see if the itching stops, but at my own risk. Well, guess what? I took the last pill at 1:00 am
wednesday morning and here we are.1:00 am thursday morning and my itching has almost disappeared, the tingling in my feet and hands has stopped and no more anxious feeling.
My Question is this........I know I need to find a new dr, but is my bp going to sky rocket suddenly and put me at risk? I am still on the 50 mil toporol and as of 1:00 am thursday morning bp is 110/74.
Please help me. I am scared and so depressed.
Any advice or help you can give will be so appreciated.
Thank-you
Pamela Pederson
Answer Hi Pamela,
Sounds like you have an allergy to ARB drugs and should not be on them in the future. If your BP was 110/74, that is wonderful. Worrying will just push your pressure up. Your doctor will need to find other medicines to keep your pressure down if toprol isn‘t enough.
Don’t panic. That will not help and will worsen how you feel. If you are truly depressed then until you get settled down, a low dose antidepressant would be a great idea as well. If you are not happy with your doctor then change but do it because it is the necessary thing not just a knee jerk reaction to all this.
