Re: ACE Inhibitors

September 22, 2004

,

I'm taking 10mg of monopril. I just had a four-month checkup with my neph

and he considered taking me off the bp meds because my protein spill has

disappeared and my bp is low, but then he said, " No, why don't you stay on them

because they seem to be working great with the proteinuria. " So I'll be on them

until my next checkup in a year. I don't have any side effects from them. Take

care.

Cheryl

September 22, 2004

I have also been on Lisinopril since April 04. I am waiting for a call from

my neph because the only side effect I notice is a lot of wet coughing at

night which wakes me up so I would like to see about changing to another ace

inhibitor. What web site were you referring to about other people's

experience with Lisinopril?

Deb

ACE Inhibitors

>

> I have been taking Lisinopril since April 2004. Although I have not

> been faithful to it day by day. I have been very streaky with it

> becasue of the way it has made me feel. I have noticed numerous side

> effects which seem to subside when I dont take the medicine on a

> daily basis. This is the only med I have been prescribed as I am in

> the process of looking for a new neph and my blood pressure has not

> been significantly reduced as I would like it to be.

>

> I have found a website where others have shared their experience with

> this ACE-I. My experience is not very different from the people who

> have posted on the site.

>

> My question are these: What ACE-I (if any) are people taking? What

> reason was it prescribed? (IE: to lower blood pressure or " protect

> kidneys or something different) Are these (or any) drugs really able

> to " protect the kidneys " ?

>

> I am looking for alternatives to suggest to my doc and

> educated/experience from this group would be greatly appreciated.

>

> Background:

> I was diagnosed with IgaN in July 2004. My prescription was intended

> to lower blood pressure (prior to my referral to a neph and biopsy.

> The neph I saw for the biopsy etc., has upped (5mg to 10mg) and

> extended that prescription. I am not happy with the side efects at

> all and have taken the drug for the last time today. I dont have my

> recent labs back yet, but I know my kidneys are at 40% function at

> disgnosis. Protein spillage is 1.5 in 24 hours with negative episodes

> of gross blood in my urine. Microscopic blood in my urine. The rest

> of the information is at home and I am typing this from work.

>

> Sorry for the long post. I appreciate this message board as it has

> been a great asset in helping me deal with my recent diagnosis.

>

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>

September 22, 2004

, I was just put on Lisinopril. My Neph put me on it to slow

the hyperfiltration of my kidneys. I wont know for a couple of

months weather it is working. Other than some slight dissiness the

first couple days I have not really had any side affects of the med.

My dad takes it for blood pressure and hasn't had any problems.

There are other brands of ACE-I. Have you asked your doctor about

switching brands to see if it helps the side affects. What kind of

side affects do you experience? I have only been taking it for two

weeks, and it has brought my blood pressure down, but my blood

pressure was only slightly high and I have to monitor it regularly

to make sure it doesn't go too low. I am not big on taking

medication. I am one of those who wont take tylenol for a headache.

It would be interesting if you can find some alternatives. - Shara

> I have been taking Lisinopril since April 2004. Although I have

not

> been faithful to it day by day. I have been very streaky with it

> becasue of the way it has made me feel. I have noticed numerous

side

> effects which seem to subside when I dont take the medicine on a

> daily basis. This is the only med I have been prescribed as I am

in

> the process of looking for a new neph and my blood pressure has

not

> been significantly reduced as I would like it to be.

>

> I have found a website where others have shared their experience

with

> this ACE-I. My experience is not very different from the people

who

> have posted on the site.

>

> My question are these: What ACE-I (if any) are people taking? What

> reason was it prescribed? (IE: to lower blood pressure or " protect

> kidneys or something different) Are these (or any) drugs really

able

> to " protect the kidneys " ?

>

> I am looking for alternatives to suggest to my doc and

> educated/experience from this group would be greatly appreciated.

>

> Background:

> I was diagnosed with IgaN in July 2004. My prescription was

intended

> to lower blood pressure (prior to my referral to a neph and

biopsy.

> The neph I saw for the biopsy etc., has upped (5mg to 10mg) and

> extended that prescription. I am not happy with the side efects at

> all and have taken the drug for the last time today. I dont have

my

> recent labs back yet, but I know my kidneys are at 40% function at

> disgnosis. Protein spillage is 1.5 in 24 hours with negative

episodes

> of gross blood in my urine. Microscopic blood in my urine. The

rest

> of the information is at home and I am typing this from work.

>

> Sorry for the long post. I appreciate this message board as it has

> been a great asset in helping me deal with my recent diagnosis.

>

September 22, 2004

,

Welcome to the group, I'm glad you found us. I'm sorry you are having

trouble with the lisinopril. What is your b/p running at without

medications?? There are other ACE inhibitors out there you could try. It

worries me that you aren't taking them on a regular basis though. Not

taking them daily can cause major problems in and of itself. You state that

your b/p isn't as low as it should be, without daily b/p medication it won't

be. b/p meds need to be taken daily in order to keep things properly under

control. You don't need to see a neph for this either, go to your regular

doctor and talk to them about alternatives to the lisinopril while you hunt

for another neph. Make a list of the side effects you were experiencing and

hopefully your GP can find a new drug that will work well for you. Keeping

our b/p under control is the one thing we can do to help slow the

progression of the disease as high b/p can damage your kidneys in and of

itself....not to mention putting you at greater risk for stroke or heat

attack. Please talk to your regular doctor about a new drug and try to get

things under control without the nasty side effects if you can.

I've been on lisinopril for over a year without major problems. While

on high doses of prednisone I had to be on 40mg Lisinopril combined with

180mg Cardizem LA for my blood pressure. Now that I am on lower prednisone

doses I'm down to 7.5mg of Lisinopril daily and nothing else to keep my b/p

down where we like it. However my prednisone dose was raised at my last

appointment and my b/p is starting to climb again because of it...so I'm

switching to 10mg Lisinopril today to see if it lowers it back down.

You have to also understand that dosing of b/p meds is not an absolute

science. It takes MONTHS to get your dosage tweaked to the proper one that

keeps your b/p down in the right range. This means raising or lowering the

dosages over the course of 4-6 months to get the proper dosage for you. And

then RE-TWEAKING at each visit. Yes it sucks to have to constantly monitor

this and to change dosages frequently at the start, but once things get in a

rhythm you might find the dose changes are further and further between.

Also as you lose function your b/p becomes harder to keep under control for

many people, this has nothing to do with you or your doctor and everything

to do with your kidneys and how well they are working. If you can accept

that you will have to change dosages or even medications as the months or

years go by you will be much better off for it. It's a constant game of

balance, balance, balance ...slip and fall...balance again.

Welcome again to the group and I hope you are able to find a medication that

doesn't cause you the problems that the Lisinopril has. Your life and your

health is important.

Amy G.