Cholesterol meds might end your hiking.

[Wise Old Owl]

Well this is from the heart - LITERALLY... I have tried to reason with this and I have had an epiphany. My various prescriptions have screwed my knees for life. I have a few ideas to partially solve this but my specialist really sucks....

I am now on my fourth or fifth drug to lower my pressure. They did not work out as they all have side affects. Yes they did lower the pressure - individully they horribly affect the ability to hike...

There is something called fuzzy arthritis. Caused by drugs. Check out your side affects and look for gout and pain in knees and stuff. Won't happen right away...

don't skimp on the meds but if your hiking drops from 15-30 to .5 miles.... yea there's your sign.

Why do I know this... Well I stopped for a week; my knee came back a little.... go figure.

I am not a doc - but there is something clearly there.

Consult your doc.

[rocketsocks]

For a few years now I've been walking every day,usually 2-5 miles.I have been vigilant and keeping track of miles in my day timer and only occasionally have I missed some days do to whatever.Last week was one of those times,and when I started up again it was an 8 mile trek for a coffee and some book reading.Next day couldn't move,and that lasted for 4 days now,and only today have I gone for a walk.What gives here?I cannot figure it out.Maybe there is some validity here.Been on B/P meds for about as long as these symptoms have been around.Very strange indeed my fine feathered friend.Is it true that some B/P meds are a derivative of rattle snake venom?

[Feral Bill]

WOO,
It sounds like time to find a better, or at least different, doctor. Maybe there are drugs in another class that would work, or maybe walking would be better overall for your health than keeping your BP low and disabling you with drugs. I'm sure we are all pulling for you.

[Kookork]

WOO, I understand you and I am sure with your wisdom and curiosity you will fin a medication that works best for you. You said and I quote:
High Blood Pressure Pills will end your Hiking.

I say: And stopping them might end your life.

We call Untreated high bloop pressure a silent killer for a reason. Lower your weight and salt intake, take the life easier my dear friend and you need less medications.

[Wise Old Owl]

Well I appreciate the sentiment ... and the posts... I have to find another answer and I am open to all suggestions.

[Capt Nat]

8 months ago I was prescribed 10mg lisinipril. I felt like I had been run over by a truck... Got it reduced to 5 and I'm more functional. I'm back to working out at the fitness center, but don't feel 100%. Hope you get on top of this. I hate to think I couldn't stay active anymore but your life is more important than hiking. Maybe a second opinion???

[Shutterbug]

Well this is from the heart - LITERALLY... I have tried to reason with this and I have had an epiphany. My various prescriptions have screwed my knees for life. I have a few ideas to partially solve this but my specialist really sucks....

I am now on my fourth or fifth drug to lower my pressure. They did not work out as they all have side affects. Yes they did lower the pressure - individully they horribly affect the ability to hike...

There is something called fuzzy arthritis. Caused by drugs. Check out your side affects and look for gout and pain in knees and stuff. Won't happen right away...

don't skimp on the meds but if your hiking drops from 15-30 to .5 miles.... yea there's your sign.

Why do I know this... Well I stopped for a week; my knee came back a little.... go figure.

I am not a doc - but there is something clearly there.

Consult your doc.

I have been taking blood pressure medication (Norvasc and Lotrel) for at least 20 years. As far as I can tell, it hasn't had any negative impact on my hiking. I suggest that you get a 2nd opinion.

[mkmangold]

Well I appreciate the sentiment ... and the posts... I have to find another answer and I am open to all suggestions.

There are several classes of anti-hypertensives. If you develop side-effects to a medication in a particular class, move on to a different class. Have you tried Catapres-TTS patches? Very convenient for hikers since you apply a patch once a week.

[moytoy]

I've been taking lisinipril 10mg for three years. I walk 6 miles nonstop 5 times every week and have been on this walking regiment for several years. I didn't notice any change in my soreness when I started the BP meds. Actually I am less sore now from walking than I was five years ago but that is due to a light weight training program that I started about a year ago. It seems BP meds effects people in different ways.

[TD55]

Beatable problem.

[kayak karl]

will 4MG doxazosin mesylate a just got put on have these side effects ??

[xokie]

After a triple bypass I spent a couple of years taking the poisons prescribed by MDs. My blood pressure numbers improved into the range of very high normal and just above that. I read about the drugs. I quit taking the drugs and I quit adding salt to anything and started eating foods hight in magnesium and now my BP averages in the low to mid normal range. Bananas, Avocados, unsalted peanut butter, oatmeal, celery, cold water fish, kiwi, chard, squash, yams and lots and lots of garlic.

[moytoy]

WOO..Do you have any references on fuzzy arthritis? I've never heard of it and can't find any reference to it. I fully agree that taking more pills is not always the answer but when a regimen of excercise and healthy food do not work meds may be the only answer. Long term HBP will surely cause strokes and that for sure will curtail your hiking.

[BrianLe]

I think the human body is so complicated, it's easy to generalize any one experience that in fact doesn't apply at all well to someone else. So who knows. For my part, I've taken Lisinipril throughout all of my long distance trips, I'm up to 40mg now, and have no side effects that I know of. Or if I do, they're not easily distinguishable from various "symptoms" of being in my mid-fifties! :-)

Best of luck to you.

[canman]

I've been on B/P meds for years. I'm a full time fireman,run 5-10 miles every day I'm off and hike with no problems aside from being an old man. Time for a second opinion. Kayak karl,doxazosin gave me back pain. My MD didn't replace it we just discontinued alpha blockers. Hope it works for you because alpha's can have other benifits aside from B/P control. WOO tell your doc what's going on they have alot of arrows when it comes to B/P. Good luck.

[Tinker]

I might as well drop this in here now: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...pril&highlight=

I've been off Lisinopril for three months. My BP averages 130/80. Diet seems to be helping. I need to get more potassium, or so I'm told. I ate a few times at McDonalds last week and BP is up a little - no surprise. It's back to salads and peanut butter and celery.

WOO - have you been checked for Lyme disease? Sometimes the knees just wear out, too.
I'd have to agree with others that you might want to talk to a physician who is in tune with natural treatments. I've been taking black cherry concentrate in capsule form (the juice has too much sugar), and it seems to have helped my gout symptoms. The fact that I've been on a fairly strict low sodium, fat, and carb diet is surely a positive contribution to my slow recovery from a winter full of ailments due to inactivity.
I went on a 12 mile hike last week on the North-South Trail here in RI and my knee (injured a few hikes ago) is only slightly sore and stiff. I feel like I'm on the mend. The tree work that I did for a friend yesterday was tough on the knee, though, and the pain is back today.

[lemon b]

My experience with BP meds is that weight loss works better then medicine.
40 pounds later I went from 3 scripts to 1. The doctor said the numbers don't lie.
On the knee thing. My experience is age, pack weight and downhills and not using poles for years.
Poles are a PIA at first but they, along with the newer lighter equipment help and my mileage is way up.

[greenmtnboy]

After a triple bypass I spent a couple of years taking the poisons prescribed by MDs. My blood pressure numbers improved into the range of very high normal and just above that. I read about the drugs. I quit taking the drugs and I quit adding salt to anything and started eating foods hight in magnesium and now my BP averages in the low to mid normal range. Bananas, Avocados, unsalted peanut butter, oatmeal, celery, cold water fish, kiwi, chard, squash, yams and lots and lots of garlic.

I heartily concur on the natural approach. Get a copy of the PDR and find out all you can on the side effects of various meds; Public Citizen has a site on Best Meds/Worst meds that may help get the straight dope on these issues.

Pineapple, freshly cut is also great for joint issues and digestion. We are what we eat--look for the original cause and you will find there a good solution if you can remedy the causation.

Juicing vegetables like carrots and celery, organic if available, can help.

[skinewmexico]

Never had any trouble with my Benacar. Had some knee pain in one knee last week in Moab, but I think that had more to do with riding my bike 180 miles in 4 days with no rest.

[Wise Old Owl]

WOO..Do you have any references on fuzzy arthritis? I've never heard of it and can't find any reference to it. I fully agree that taking more pills is not always the answer but when a regimen of excercise and healthy food do not work meds may be the only answer. Long term HBP will surely cause strokes and that for sure will curtail your hiking.

I actually forget how I came across it.... it was an intense gout education search I was working on.... stop meds and the pain stops ....well let me think more on this and I will get back to you.

Beatable problem.

I hope so....