Medicine Update

Well, my cardiologist's office finally called today and said, "Yes, the Lisinopril could definitely be causing the cough." I told the nurse what all I had tried asthma wise to deal with the cough, two steroid shots, another inhaler - Advair, a new prescription for Singulair, a nebulizer with two medications - Xopenex and Pulmicort. She asked me if it had helped and I said, "Not one bit!" She then said, "It is definitely the Lisinopril. Dr. Freisen wants to change you to Benicar and see how that works for you." She asked me if I would like to try samples first to see how it works before spending more money on more prescriptions that do not work. I said, "Yes, that would be good." I'm a little irritated that I have spent all that money on asthma medicine and did not really need it so I am glad to try samples first. After I got back from going out to the doctor's office to pick up the new meds, I was talking to Kevin and he said we should check out the side effects of Benicar BEFORE I take it. There was not that much on it and most were good, BUT there is always a chance of them all causing breathing difficulties and asthma. We then did a check on Zestril since that is one of the medicines he takes and you won't believe this, Zestril and Lisinopril are one in the same! Zestril is the name brand and Lisinipril is the generic. We both said, "Remember when you (I) tried the generic of Zestril and couldn't take it?" I guess I can't take it either. Hopefully this one will work and I will be back on track for losing some more weight and getting some restful sleep at night. I'll keep you posted.

Blood Pressure Medicine

Well, guess what? Yesterday while we were over at Christi's house for a little family fun, I was sitting talking to Lynn (Kelly's sister). She is fighting a battle with breast cancer at the moment. She has finished her chemotherapy and is getting ready to start her radiation therapy. Anyway, I had had several episodes of coughing fits and Lynn said, "I had to change my blood pressure medicine because it was causing me to have coughing fits like that." Tina and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows and Tina said, "Come to think of it your coughing started when you started taking blood pressure medicine." I really never would have thought of a connection and dismissed it for the moment. Finally later last night I got around to Googling the topic "high blood pressure medicine causes coughing" and sure enough there were lots of web pages dedicated to this topic. Most of the people commenting and asking questions described their symptoms and they sounded just like mine, unexplained violent coughing fits, so bad you finally gag or throw up, sinus drainage, unbearable tickle in your throat, coughing so violently you leak urine and especially bad at night resulting in NO sleep. I couldn't believe what I was reading and then went on to read that the blood pressure drug that causes these problems the most is lisinopril. I went to check the medicine cabinet to see what blood pressure medicine I was on and sure enough it is lisinopril! I called the doctor's office this morning but have yet to hear back from him. I did not take my pill this morning and probably will not take it again. It supposedly takes up to two weeks to get it all out of your system and for the coughing to stop. It is so irritating as I have spent a lot of money going to the allergist and getting a nebulizer with all the drugs for it to now find out it is not my asthma at all but the blood pressure medicine. I am glad to know though and so is Kevin. He said, "I knew it had to be caused by something recent." as the cough started in early April. I started taking lisinopril March 20th. I don't think that is a coincidence. I'll keep you posted about what happens. In the mean time, excuse me, I feel a coughing fit coming on. *hack-hack*