iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Blood pressure meds and angioedema

Started by Don P, January 26, 2020, 09:29:48 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Don P

Right after Christmas I went in for a DOT physical and got busted for high blood pressure so my doc put me on lisinopril and wrote a 6 month waiver, no biggie.

This past week I bit my tongue during dinner, nothing major just your typical oops didn't even break the skin. As I got ready for bed I noticed it was swelling a bit but thought nothing of it. Then it ballooned up, within a very short while it was like I had a squirrel head in my mouth. I got up and looked in the bathroom mirror and couldn't even stick it out. My tongue was swollen up so big it filled my entire mouth. Couldn't talk, couldn't swallow, just able to drool and felt like I was about to drown and might lose the ability to breathe. I woke up Michelle and made her understand what was going on, go back to bed but be ready to roll. I spent the night up, afraid to fall asleep and by dawn it was going back down. By the time I needed to go to driving class it was back down to where my speech wasn't too bad and was back to normal by day's end. Luckily I got to practice backing on the school's range in the morning and drove first in the afternoon, which meant I could snooze in the back after that, I had been up for 40 hours.

This weekend our maid of honor, and one of our HS classmates, came for a visit, she's a PA, an old very experienced PA :D. To be honest since it didn't kill me I had almost forgotten about it but remembered this morning right before she left. "What new medications are you on?" I said the only thing I'm taking is the lisinopril, Bingo! She said that is a fairly common reaction with ACE inhibitors, to call the doc, tell him what happened and get it switched, the next event could be worse. Anyway, just a heads up in case it ever happens to you, I would have never figured it out to tell him.

doc henderson

It is common enough that when someone comes in with a swollen tongue, we ask about ACE inhibitors.  It is angioedema, but not a regular allergy so really does not respond to steroids, antihistamine, or epinephrine.. keeping head elevated and time help.  It is overall rare and they are good BP medicines.  all good medicines have serious side effects.  
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Al_Smith

Well without going into details there are some side effects of some BP medications .I know all about them .I experienced things like double vision,dizziness and matters affecting very private problems .I explained it to my doctor and he changed the BP meds but it took some time before all the effects went away. 
Working at that time before I retired as an electrician I had to work at heights at times and the one thing I could not chance was dizziness or double vision because my very life might depend on it .That didn't take long to go away .The other took longer ,over a year and half which is just fine now all things considered but with the help of another medication I get from Canada in generic form for just a tiny fraction of what the rip off artists in USA called big pharma gets for it .----I'll just leave it right there ---- ;)

doc henderson

In countries with socialized medicine, including the VA system here, you cannot (or will not) sue your Dr.  At the VA you primarily get the cheapest oldest drug.  new drugs are under patent so the company can recoup R&D cost and or get ready for the next big drug or law suit.  In Sweden you thank your Dr. for helping you be as healthy as you can be.  In the US, some patients (and their attorneys)  think Drs should be able to fix and therefore responsible for all medical problems. My young midlevel's want to CT everyone with any abdominal pain, and prescribe antibiotics for every sniffle.  I agree costs are unnecessarily high here.  glad you are doing better @Al_Smith 
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Al_Smith

On that as it is now it's a 5 mg "bystolic"  instead of a 50 Mg of the other stuff  which I threw away and can't remember the name of it .It comes as no surprise that  my insurance doesn't cover it and it also comes via Canada for pennies on the dollar .Just like the other med .It seems you just have to be your own advocate when it comes to these things .
I can't have any warm and fuzzy feelings for "big pharma " or the insurance companies who can buy the stuff also for pennies on the dollar while a person on their own accords has to pay inflated prices for . It's just not right .-----I better clam up on this subject before I have to  take another BP pill . :)

doc henderson

it is all good.  @Al_Smith   my wife is a pharmacist, and she is always trying to save folks money.  she sends people to other stores.  I think we should do a way with insurance and go back to chickens ect.  The government is always paying 200 bucks for a Monkey wrench.  insurance co. pay 30 cents on the dollars so prices are inflated in part to recover costs.  many hospital in small communities are at risk of shutting down due to inflated prices and more rules to comply with to get paid.  Lots of non medical people employed to help us comply.  they tell me what to order and what dx. to use.  
Timber king 2000, 277c track loader, PJ 32 foot gooseneck, 1976 F700 state dump truck, JD 850 tractor.  2007 Chevy 3500HD dually, home built log splitter 18 horse 28 gpm with 5 inch cylinder and 32 inch split range with conveyor powered by a 12 volt tarp motor

Banjo picker

I just checked an the one Don P was taking is the one I am on...
It works good for me.  No Robles yet, but I will be watching.  Banjo
Never explain, your friends don't need it, and your enemies won't believe you any way.

WV Sawmiller

   I worked all over the world and the hardest place I ever tried to get medication and such was Norway on a project I was on for 2 years there. Medicine was socialized and you had to go see the doctor to get what is over the counter here. We had an exchange student from there and every time she comes over or we go visit we resupply her with Advil and such.

  When I was working or vacationing in remote areas of Africa, the Mid-East or South America I could go into a hole in the wall pharmacy and pantomime or otherwise communicate my medical issue to the pharmacist and he would give me something that promptly knocked it out whether a sore throat or dysentery or whatever. I will say you had to read the contra-indications as they never asked if you were allergic to anything so you had to check that yourself. Fortunately I don't have any that I know of and could take everything they ever offered. I used to bring a suitcase full of ventylin inhalers and Zantac 150 and such back for family and friends. V. inhalers were about $4 each in Saudi and $25 here in the USA and Zantac required a prescription here. We backed into some great meds over in other parts of the world not available here  - at least they worked for me. I am sure many had not received the equivalent of USDA approval yet and may never get one. You did not have to see the doctor to get them either. I'm not saying that is the best system but the meds were much cheaper and easier to get.
Howard Green
WM LT35HDG25(2015) , 2011 4WD F150 Ford Lariat PU, Kawasaki 650 ATV, Stihl 440 Chainsaw, homemade logging arch (w/custom built rear log dolly), JD 750 w/4' wide Bushhog brand FEL

Dad always said "You can shear a sheep a bunch of times but you can only skin him once

Al_Smith

My youngest sister was a Dr of pharmacy and was the head of delivered scripts for a fairly large local hospital .Retired now she told me of the zillion methods of billing which is certainly not universal .In  my little pea  mind it's more about accounting practices and politics than medicine  and certainly does not favor anybody who doesn't have good insurance .
As I said before you have to be your own advocate .The one place covered by my insurance for scripts tried to put the wammy on me and evidently had no idea who they were trying to pull the wool over the eyes of  like I was a moron  ..I'm only one of many but I don't roll over . 
Funny part about the insurance who  like most use the generic form for number of scripts .Which is exactly what I have for pennies on the dollar to boot .--
Told ya I shouldn't have gotten started --- ;)

trapper

I have found good rx has saved me money on meds my wife and I use that are not covered by insurance. Doctors prescription meds by the way.
stihl ms241cm ms261cm  echo 310 400 suzuki  log arch made by stepson several logrite tools woodmizer LT30

Thank You Sponsors!