Help!! I need some advice. I'm 47 and have been diagnosed with H...

The most common side effect of lisinopril is cough and the most serious side effect is swelling of the body including the tongue. In rare cases, swelling of the tongue could obstruct breathing. While this condition is rare, it is known that people that have experienced swelling of the tongue in other situations have more risk than people that do not have this history.
Hypertension is a very common condition that over time can lead to increased risk of stroke or cardiovascular death. Lisinopril helps block the rise in blood pressure and it is hoped that this will decrease the risk of stroke or cardiovascular death. Lisinopril does not reverse the factors that lead to hypertension in the first place (nor does any other medication). As long as one has high blood one will need high blood pressure medication to prevent stroke or heart attack.
Diet and exercise are the only interventions that have been shown to reverse the factors that lead to high blood pressure. You should talk to your provider about diet and exercise to make sure it is safe for you to exercise and possibly to recommend treatments or nutritionists for example. Diet and exercise will not reverse high blood pressure in everyone and you should not stop high blood pressure medications without talking to your provider. There are several different types of blood pressure medication --they have different types of side effects and are used in different types of patients. If you have particular concerns about lisinopril it would be a good idea to talk to your provider about starting with a different medication.

Yes, once you start, you're on the medication for ever,,

As far as the doctor is concerned. There are several reasons:
1. There is no known cure for hbp, so that's it ,you have it and you're on the med for life.
2. Patient compliance is one of the biggest problems doctors and drug companies have. If you are taking the drug with reasonable compliance, the doctor will never suggest trying to get off it, and, even if you suggest it, they will strenously encourage you to stay the course, often even if you complain of side-effects.
3. These blood pressure medicines change your body chemistry. If you quit taking them, your bp will probably be higher than ever for a several weeks. If the doctor measures you during that time, they will tell you "see, I told you so".
4. These blood pressure medicines typically treat the symptom, while potentially aggrevating the underlying condition, or adding new underlying conditions that raise your bp. Some of them cause the body to flush necessary nutrition for lower bp - such as potassium & magnesium - that you are likely already low on, having some hbp issues. Other meds cause the body (in detoxifying the med & its byproducts) to burn up nutrition that is necessary for proper bp maintenance - such as zinc & selenium, and eventually you'll become low on those too. And yet other subtely poison us, which slowly raise bp.

All of this means that the course of action is regular increases in dosages and possible added meds. Yes, it is a lifetime of drugs - and nasty side-effects.

Best of luck!

why would you want to take a chance with all the horrible side effects? there are other natural way to bring you BP down. Diet and exercise for one. There are also natural pills to help lower the blood pressure. I am still having this severe hacking cough, and cherry enginomas, as well as hearing problems from this medicine. have your doctor read this web site. but again, doctors think they know everything.
Good luck.
maxine

Exercise is the key to all evil health problems! Your age is the being of the down hill spiral so to prolong it exercise. It will lower your blood pressure tremedously! Dring more water it will help lower the body temperture and bring in air to the body. But in all, blood pressure with your numbers is not as drastic as you think. Take the medicine and if you get your body under control then the medicine can be stopped also. It is possible and it is not forever... if your body changes due to you making a life change. I know that for a fact. I've done it and others in my family have come off and kept it down also. Testing ourselves ever day.

ALL THE RESEARCH THAT IM LOOKING ABOUT THIS DRUG IS TELLING ME EVERY SYMTOM THAT MY LATE WIFE HAD WAS CAUSED BY THIS DRUG THAT SHE HAS BEEN TAKING FOR AWHILE.ITS JUST AMAZING WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT WHAT THIS SHIT DOES. SHE WAS 48 AT THE END OF JUNE ,O8, WELL SHES GONE NOW ALL THE LITTLE THINGS THAT I KNOW NOW TURNED OUT TO REALLY BE SIGNS OF TROUBLE! EVEN HAD THE CRAP IN ER NO ONE LOOKED AT IT EVEN AFTER BEING TOLD, WELL TWO DAYS LATER THEY ASK TO START DIAYLISIS NOE IM READING WITH THAT CHANCES ARE GREAT FOR A REACTION DURING THE PROCEEDURE, GUESS THER WAS MY WIFE IS DEAD!

this is Ed n this is my second day on this med!?my bp reading were 170/142..142/112...138/110..last week wich scared the heck out of me im male, 43, 195lbs so i went to see the doc asap he gave me 20mg pills n told me to tk half a pill for a week or 2 , im taking it the whole pill so far i notice the first day that i took it that the veins of the back of my eyeballs were stretching? my heartbeat drop BIG TIME now runs SLOWER not like before like on high speed! and after sex my heart rate is like im at rest n before was like i was about to pass out!? thats a good benefit after reading all this complains about the drug i feel my hands are sweating a lil more???so far is what i feel n i wil keep posting later on and yes i do feel some itches around my big toe hary area , mild one?! i dont smoke so far thats is in 2 days of taking this med...

Healthy, active 37 year old male 5/10" 175lbs.. Ran a marathon in October, training for a triathalon next month. Always have been told at the doctors that my blood pressure is a little high noone has ever suggested I do something. I decided to do something and went to my doctor. Kept my blood pressure for a week and then started lisinpril. Highest measure before the meds was 177/112 which scared me pretty good. Especially given that on any normal night I would have tried to go out and run 4 - 7minute miles on a fairly hilly course. In the last week I have started the meds, reduced sodium intake and now obviously being on the meds no longer drink any alcohol. Am concerned with the postings on this page but not sure what I can do. My diet/exercise/weight are very good. I firmly beleive my condition is genetic, both parents have had heart attacks, feel like meds are the only solution at this point. I have been more irratible since i started meds, but I also gave up my morning cup of coffee so that could be confounding. We shall see.