Dear wise ones, I have another newbie question (or two) for
you.

My primary physician has me on 75 of
hydrochlorothiazde/triamterene for my high BP and my body's
Super Sponge Like water-retaining capacities. This wasn't
getting me below 120/80 however, so my endo added 10 mg of
Lisinopril.

I had to cut the Lisinopril down to half a dose because I was
reeling around all lightheaded whenever I changed positions.
(We also tried cutting out the hydrochlo/triamtere first, but
some of you may remember my first alarmed posts about swelling
up like a water balloon--12 pounds in just a few days.)

My question is, does this damned cough ever go away? I read
that it's one of the side effects of Lisinopril, but it's
certainly a tough one. Can I look forward to getting past the
cough some day or do I just have to suck it up?

Also, I plan to ask my endo to put me on a low dose of
Metformin XR until and if I get better BG numbers, and I
suspect she or my primary will also want to put me on Lipitor
or something for my godawful trigylceride numbers (344 (H) in
October) unless they are waaay down when I go back into be
tested in a few weeks. So my question is, what side effects do
I have to look forward to with the Lipitor or similar med? I'm
already braced for the metfartin' and have warned my DH.

Thanks in advance to all you wonderful folks for your
helpful posts.

Cheers,

Ricavito

"RicaVito" <ricavito~frontiernet.net> wrote in message
news:f68515a2.0411151842.271e2986~posting.google.com...
  > Dear wise ones, I have another newbie question (or two)
  > for you.
  >
  > My primary physician has me on 75 of
  > hydrochlorothiazde/triamterene for my high BP and my body's
  > Super Sponge Like water-retaining capacities. This wasn't
  > getting me below 120/80 however, so my endo added 10 mg of
  > Lisinopril.
  >
  > I had to cut the Lisinopril down to half a dose because I
  > was reeling around all lightheaded whenever I changed
  > positions. (We also tried cutting out the
  > hydrochlo/triamtere first, but some of you may remember my
  > first alarmed posts about swelling up like a water
  > balloon--12 pounds in just a few days.)
  >
  > My question is, does this damned cough ever go away? I read
  > that it's one of the side effects of Lisinopril, but it's
  > certainly a tough one. Can I look forward to getting past
  > the cough some day or do I just have to suck it up?

If the cough is indeed related to the Lisinopril, then you
need to be switched to a different med. There is a class of BP
meds called ARBs and I do not think they have the cough side
effect. I take Lisinopril with *knock wood* no problems. I
also take Triamterene and learned after running out of it and
not being able to get a prescription refill right away that I
swell up badly if I don't take it.
  >
  > Also, I plan to ask my endo to put me on a low dose of
  > Metformin XR until and if I get better BG numbers, and I
  > suspect she or my primary will also want to put me on
  > Lipitor or something for my godawful trigylceride numbers
  > (344 (H) in October) unless they are waaay down when I go
  > back into be tested in a few weeks. So my question is, what
  > side effects do I have to look forward to with the Lipitor
  > or similar med? I'm already braced for the metfartin' and
  > have warned my DH.

You may not have problems with Metformin. I haven't. You might
also find that once your BG gets down where it should be, your
triglycerides will come down. Or, like me, they might just
keep climbing higher and higher.

<snip>

--
See my webpage: http://mysite.verizon.net/juliebove/index.htm

Sometimes a different ACE inhibitor will work (different from
whichever one you are trying out but coughing from...).
Sometimes an ACE just won't work for you. Sometimes the cough
goes away but I don't know how common that is. I believe an
ARB can be used then or at least given a try. I haven't had
any coughing problems from either of the ACE's I've used. bj

"RicaVito" <ricavito~frontiernet.net> wrote in message
news:f68515a2.0411151842.271e2986~posting.google.com...
  >
  >Lisinopril
  >
  > My question is, does this damned cough ever go away? I read
  > that it's one of the side effects of Lisinopril, but it's
  > certainly a tough one. Can I look forward to getting past
  > the cough some day or do I just have to suck it up?

RicaVito wrote in message ...
  >Dear wise ones, I have another newbie question (or two) for
  >you.
  >
  >My primary physician has me on 75 of
  >hydrochlorothiazde/triamterene for my high BP and my body's
  >Super Sponge Like water-retaining capacities. This wasn't
  >getting me below 120/80 however, so my endo added 10 mg of
  >Lisinopril.
  >
  >I had to cut the Lisinopril down to half a dose because I
  >was reeling around all lightheaded whenever I changed
  >positions. (We also tried cutting out the
  >hydrochlo/triamtere first, but some of you may remember my
  >first alarmed posts about swelling up like a water
  >balloon--12 pounds in just a few days.)
  >
  >My question is, does this damned cough ever go away? I read
  >that it's one of the side effects of Lisinopril, but it's
  >certainly a tough one. Can I look forward to getting past the
  >cough some day or do I just have to suck it up?
  >
  >Also, I plan to ask my endo to put me on a low dose of
  >Metformin XR until and if I get better BG numbers, and I
  >suspect she or my primary will also want to put me on Lipitor
  >or something for my godawful trigylceride numbers (344 (H) in
  >October) unless they are waaay down when I go back into be
  >tested in a few weeks. So my question is, what side effects
  >do I have to look forward to with the Lipitor or similar med?
  >I'm already braced for the metfartin' and have warned my DH.
  >
  >Thanks in advance to all you wonderful folks for your
  >helpful posts.
  >
  >Cheers,
  >
  >Ricavito

I fought the ACE cough for a year before I gave up. The doc
switched me to an ARB and that worked fine.

Despite all the jokes about metfartin, the G.I. problems are
actually a crap shoot. Some folks have problems, some don't.
Ironically, metformin didn't give me any problems at all but I
stopped taking it when they figured out that I was a T1.

Metformin does a good job on triglycerides though the most
reliable clinical maintenance dose is 1500 mg/day. OTC
time-release niacin also works well at 1000 mg/day.

High triglycerides are a sign of high Insulin Resistance. You
fight them with the standard anti-Insulin Resistance
techniques:

a. Lose weight
b. Gain muscle
c. Exercise every day
d. Use metformin and (Actos or Avandia)

Also, since triglycerides are formed from carbs (carb
->glucose -> triglycerides),

e . Limit your carb intake

There are no jokes about statin side effects.

If you get the muscle pain or liver enzyme statin side
effects, you stop taking the med immediately. Fortunately,
they aren't that common.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=AN00587

Regards
Old Al

"RicaVito" <ricavito~frontiernet.net> wrote in message
news:f68515a2.0411151842.271e2986~posting.google.com...
  > Dear wise ones, I have another newbie question (or two)
  > for you.
  >
  > My primary physician has me on 75 of
  > hydrochlorothiazde/triamterene for my high BP and my body's
  > Super Sponge Like water-retaining capacities. This wasn't
  > getting me below 120/80 however, so my endo added 10 mg of
  > Lisinopril.
  >
  > I had to cut the Lisinopril down to half a dose because I
  > was reeling around all lightheaded whenever I changed
  > positions. (We also tried cutting out the
  > hydrochlo/triamtere first, but some of you may remember my
  > first alarmed posts about swelling up like a water
  > balloon--12 pounds in just a few days.)
  >
  > My question is, does this damned cough ever go away? I read
  > that it's one of the side effects of Lisinopril, but it's
  > certainly a tough one. Can I look forward to getting past
  > the cough some day or do I just have to suck it up?
  >
  > Also, I plan to ask my endo to put me on a low dose of
  > Metformin XR until and if I get better BG numbers, and I
  > suspect she or my primary will also want to put me on
  > Lipitor or something for my godawful trigylceride numbers
  > (344 (H) in October) unless they are waaay down when I go
  > back into be tested in a few weeks. So my question is, what
  > side effects do I have to look forward to with the Lipitor
  > or similar med? I'm already braced for the metfartin' and
  > have warned my DH.
  >
  > Thanks in advance to all you wonderful folks for your
  > helpful posts.
  >
  > Cheers,
  >
  > Ricavito

I had the same type problem with Lisinopril and that's what
the VA has. Since I am medically retired because of diabetes I
had the VA doctor write me a prescription to go back to the
Air Base and get Lotensin which doesn't make me dizzy. I
believe they are both Ace Inhibitors. Or in the same category.
I take 40 units plus two other types which I get at the VA. I
have what they call the "white coat syndrome" My BP is at
least 140 when the VA checks it, it is 120/60 or less when I
check. Speaking of lipitor my minimal dose of 10 units of
Zocor was upped to 40mg because my LDL went up, I didn't even
know it was related to cholesterol.

Charlie T-1 since 71 and I have made it to 65 today. Now I can
get a free fishing license. "Of all the things I've lost, I
miss my mind the most."