Stopped taking HCTZ 2 weeks ago but BP went back up so went on it for a couple days to test if it was the cause and looks like it was. So back on it plus Quincy added Valsartan since my bottom number is still high. New med is a Valsartan/HCTZ combo. Said we'll start with low dose. May have GI tract issues at the beginning but should stay with it for a month unless I start developing swelling of tongue and lips, in which case stop immediately.
Valsartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). It works by blocking a substance in the body that causes blood vessels to tighten. Valsartan relaxes the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. A lower blood pressure will increase the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart. Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy.
Valsartan (Diovan) side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
little or no urination; or
high potassium level--nausea, weakness, tingly feeling, chest pain, irregular heartbeats, loss of movement.
ARBs also cause your body’s potassium levels to increase, which can lead to aching bones and muscles that keep you awake.
When taking valsartan, your healthcare provider will order blood tests to determine how well the kidneys are working. The most important tests are blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. High BUN or creatinine levels often indicate the kidneys are failing. Potassium levels will also need monitoring.
Lab results:
Everything "Normal", no problems with my adrenal glands (hormones). Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium all normal.
Asking to prescribe at-home sleep study kit to test for sleep apnea. One of last reasons left for medicine unresponsive high blood pressure.
Go see a cardiologist. Last EKG showed enlarged heart. Cardiologist may request different tests or change med. Would like to see if I can do sleep study first.
Quincy leaving in 2 weeks. He may end up at the Do Doctors in Hemet. https://www.thedodoctors.com Considering switching over if they take Aetna and if I still don't have a solution after seeing cardiologist.
UPDATE 4.21.22:
BP doing better. Average of last 20 readings are 116/84. Not sure if its the meds or me drinking more water. Or a combo of both. When the medication switch first happened, was having to go poop first thing in morning and it was soft and felt like I couldn't fully empty. Wasn't sure if it was the meds or drinking more water. Dr. Woods had said the magnesium might of had a part, part drinking more water. Stopped taking magnesium to see the poop situation would get better and it has a little. Still need to poop in the morning but not always first thing anymore. Sometimes it would be after Roscoe's walk or about an hour after waking up. For the most part it still is soft and most days feel like I need to sit on the toilet again within the next hour or two. I guess I should still go see the cardiologist, tho things seem to be doing better. Will wait on the sleep study till maybe the end of the year when my deductible will be met. One thing that I want to get checked out is if I have a deviated septum. Lately it seems like snoring is thru my nose with may suggest one side is "clogged" which is something I've noticed. That my right side seems stuffy and hard to breathe thru. Deviated septum can leave to nose snoring and dryness in the other side (the side I get the nose bleeds.) So rather than sleep apnea, I may have deviated septum? I find that I can breathe better thru my nose when I wear the nose strip, and also when I sleep on the wedge, I wake up less tired than usual and often times wake up before the alarm. It's like I'm sleeping better. Sleeping with the nose strip gives me an itch I can't scratch, and also the last couple times I somehow pull it off during sleep. I am going to start doing the sinus rinse when I remember. Hoping that will help. The thing with the deviated septum is that every now and then I can breathe clearly out of my right nose. So if I did have a problem, would I always have a hard time breathing out of the right nostril? Hmmm... Still much to try to figure out...
