Question:
How do I get off the blood pressure medicine..........

.w/o aggravating the living daylights out of my PCP? I've been monitoring it by stopping in a local durg store every day. Seems like I feel worse when I take it than when I do not. I'm 5-1/2 months post op, down 72 lbs., about 70-75 to go. My surgeon told me to go ahead and stop the cholesterol meds and to cut the b.p. in half. Is it true you can't stop taking the b.p. med all at once? Why not? When I take it, I feel dizzy. Today I didn't take it, I felt fine. Stopped and had it monitored and it was fine. I am confused.    — blank first name B. (posted on April 19, 2002)

April 19, 2002
When I was in the hospital my blood pressure was actually pretty low so I took it upon myself to quit taking the medication. A couple of months later I had to start back taking it, but only one pill instead of two because my blood pressure was running a little high. I did not suffer any side effects from stopping it suddenly or anything. Hope this helps you in some way. Sharon Robinson
   — Sharon R.

April 19, 2002
The dizziness may or may not be because of blood pressure medicines. It is called the 'silent killer' because there aren't usually any physical symptoms of high blood pressure. However, I don't know of any reason not to just stop taking the meds. You could also drop by your PCP's office and have your blood pressure checked. You don't need an appointment to do that. Ask them to record it, or even write it down on a piece of paper you keep, so you have evidence the next time you see him that your bp is improving.
   — garw

April 19, 2002
I had surgery 17 weeks ago, and have lost 92 lbs. My PCP is watching my blood pressure. He checked it one month after surgery and decreased the Altace in half.The last few weeks before I went to him I would get dizzy when I bent over or stood up too fast. I went back the following month and he decreased the Altace in half again.My BP was 115/70. I go back in 4 weeks to get it checked again, hopefully he can eliminate it all together. It is important you don't stop the medicine on your own. The BP machines at grocery and at pharmacy may not be accurate. Your doctors office will have theirs checked out periodically. Untreated high blood pressure can cause a lot of organ damage that you will not be aware of. GOOD LUCK.
   — mc H.

April 19, 2002
The reason your PCP said not to discontinue the blood pressure medication all at once is because most hypertensive meds require a weaning period. If you were to discontinue them all together (cold turkey) you could experience a severe rebound case of hypertension. I had it happen to me and it is no fun. One doctor told me to d/c the drug.. and the other didn't know about it until I was rushed to the emergency room. I thought I was going to DIE! It was awful. Needless to say Doc #2 had very HARSH words for Doc #1 for telling a patient to d/c this sort of drug without his knowledge. I suggest you call your PCP and tell him that you are experiencing problems with the current dose. You might be hypotensive (meaning low blood pressure) now that you have lost weight. Don't do it without his/her supervision. The risks are too great. I had to spend two nights in ICU because I stopped taking the meds! I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Good luck!!!
   — KathieInHawaii

April 19, 2002
It is important not to try and treat bp by yourself. There are many different types of bp meds that act differently and some are not safe to stop suddenly. Please verify w/your physician and pharmacist the appropriateness/safety of stopping your meds and don't risk your well being trying to do this on your own.
   — jsuggs

April 20, 2002
before my open r.n.y. in november i was on verapamil 240 mg's a day, my blood pressure was through the roof, i weighed 425 pounds, i am also 5 months out, when i hit 100 pounds lost my dr, told me to quit taking it,then and since then it is normal, i did stop cold turkey with no side effects, at 140 pounds lost my sleep apnea is also going away,,good luck ,,
   — bruce M.

April 21, 2002
i was taking 3 different bp meds for 6 years as my bp was very high & unstable. the last time i took them was the day before surgery. in the hosp, immediately after surgery, my bp readings fluctuated from borderline high to borderline low over the 4 days i was there. the day i was discharged my bp was taken 3 different times & the readings were normal. my surgeon advised that i see my pcp before starting the meds again as it was possible that the 3 would have been too much. 1 week at home i saw my pcp & my bp was the same reading as the day of discharge. my pcp said no meds & see the cardiologist. 3 weeks post op (hubby was the patient not me) the cardiologist called me skinny lolol, hugged me & told me to throw the bp meds in the toilet. his nurse got the same bp reading as the pcp did. ;-) i had no ill affects from stopping the meds so abruptly but, u really need to take ur dr's advice. ask him if u can try 1/4 of ur normal dose & see how u feel. good luck!
   — sheryl titone