lisnopril/cozaar

[Reanne]

Does anyone know if lisinopril or cozaar are sulfa related drugs?  I have been sick a month after starting lisinopril and then changing it to cozaar.

[GeorgiaGirl]

Neither of those are sulfa-related that I know of, but if it has HCTZ (hydroclorothiazide, which is a diuretic) added to it, then you might have problems if you are allergic to sulfa.  Cozaar with HCTZ added is called Hyzaar (in the U.S.).  Maybe call your pharmacy to be sure.  They are used to questions like that.

Did you stop lisinopril due to cough or because it wasn't lowering your BP enough?  Generally Cozaar (and other medications in this class, like Diovan, Avapro, Benicar, etc.) are very well tolerated and have fewer side effects than most other BP medications.  Only reason I can spout that stuff out is because I "sold" BP meds with a pharma company a few years back.

[Reanne]

I stopped the Lisinopril because 2 days after starting it, I had a sore throat, LOTS of mucous/congestion, fever 102, cough, and major weakness.  I was negative for the flue. The doctor then changed it to cozaar pot because my symptoms persisted for 2 weeks.  Two days after starting cozaar, I had severe vomiting and diarrhea, plus still had a low grade fever, mucous, cough, and still the weakness.  I have been off about 10 days and the cough and mucous are getting better, but I am still very weak.  I feel like I have the flu.  The low grade fever is present sometimes, but not all the time now.  After a month of feeling this bad, I want to quit work because I just don't feel like being there.

[Reanne]

PS I forgot to add I have moderate blockage on both arteries to my kidneys.  The patient info said not to give it to patients with bilateral kidney stenosis.  Isn't that what I have?  Why does everything have to be so confusing??

[irish]

Reanne, Bilateral kidney stenosis---may refer to the narrowing of the ureters or the narrowing of the anrteries to the kidneys, etc. I don't know if there is a word that is left out of this phrase. Just know that something is narrow.

Man, what a reaction you have had. Sure hope that you are feeling better. If you are having stenosis of the ureters they can sometimes put a stent in to keep them patent or they can do surgery. My MIL had this done with success. Irish

[soycoffee]

Lisinopril is on my Allergies in RED section at the start of my medical information pages. I was home alone, took the second dose of Lisinopril, and  my windpipe snapped closed. I had my cell phone in my pocket, got it out, praying for time to call 911, fumbled a bit, and my windpipe snapped open again.

That reaction is anaphylaxis. I died of it once, from contrast dye, but that was in a hospital for a kidney x-ray, where they could give me epinephrin.  I really *hate* not breathing!

Soycoffee
PS The list and medical history goes with me to the ER.

[Reanne]

I didn't feel like my throat was closing (I have had that feeling before).  I just felt like I had severe allergies, sudden congestion, sneezing, coughing, etc.  Now that I am almost 2 weeks off the meds.  I feel better, except the extreme fatigue.  I have managed to make it to work everyday, taking off early some days.  I made it 8 hours today.  The doctor wants me to try the medicine again, but I am waiting until after Thanksgiving.  I don't want to be sick during the holidays.

[soycoffee]

I didn't feel like my throat was closing (I have had that feeling before).  I just felt like I had severe allergies, sudden congestion, sneezing, coughing, etc.  Now that I am almost 2 weeks off the meds.  I feel better, except the extreme fatigue.  I have managed to make it to work everyday, taking off early some days.  I made it 8 hours today.  The doctor wants me to try the medicine again, but I am waiting until after Thanksgiving.  I don't want to be sick during the holidays.
[/quote

It wasn't my throat closing -- that's scary ehough. It was my windpipe! It just clamped shut.

Can you suggest to your doctor that you want to get back to baseline? Extreme fatigue itself *is* a negative reaction, let along the other symptoms. Talk in terms of how many blocks you can walk now, compared to how many blocks you could walk before you took the medicine -- or whatever exercise you do fairly regularly, that is now compromised.

The information about your care will be more solid if you get back to baseline, take the medicine, and crash again. If you are only partly recovered, take the medicine, and get extreme fatigue again, or allergy symptoms, etc., it might just be the ups and downs of recovery. 

BUT, there are sometimes not many meds to try. Some doctors are more active than others.

Hoping you have a positive outcome on this,
Soycoffee

[irish]

I have to admit that if it was me I would not be to apt to want to try this drug again. Somehow it sounds like a sort of dangerous proposition. Are you going to be sitting in the docs office when you take it again in case you need medical intervention?

There are so many blood pressure medications out there that one would think there is another choice. HOpe you get this figured out soon. Good luck. Irish

[Reanne]

Thanks irish and soycoffee,

I am a little nervous about taking the medicine again. I would rather have high blood pressure than to feel like that again.  If I don't try the medicine again, I am not sure they will give me another blood pressure medicine.  We don't have a large selection of doctors here and I am lost as how to find a GP in a larger town.  The cardiologist's office told they don't manage blood pressure meds, they let the GP decide on meds.  The doctor ordered blood work which really seemed pretty good.  Basophils were a little high and ly # was a little low. 

[soycoffee]

Thanks irish and soycoffee,

I am a little nervous about taking the medicine again. I would rather have high blood pressure than to feel like that again.  If I don't try the medicine again, I am not sure they will give me another blood pressure medicine.  We don't have a large selection of doctors here and I am lost as how to find a GP in a larger town.  The cardiologist's office told they don't manage blood pressure meds, they let the GP decide on meds.  The doctor ordered blood work which really seemed pretty good.  Basophils were a little high and ly # was a little low.

Reanne, I think Irish puts this in a good frame, when she says "take the next dose in the doctor's office. That is what I would do, if the doctor insisted that I take it again. Your reaction is not as clearly anaphylaxis, an emergency allergic reaction to me (perhaps, though, to Irish).

If your doctor is far away, or you cannot schedule an appointment next week, and you can't get to the doctor's office to take the pill, the safest next thing that occurs to me is to go to the friendly neighborhood pharmacy -- I hope it's like mine. Tell them that you had a possible bad reaction to Lisinopril/Cozaar, and would like them to stand by while you test the reaction.

Also, all my prescriptions come with leaflets that outline correct use, and the possible side effects. The leaflets say, "Be sure to notify your doctor if any of the following occur." If that notice includes some or all of the symptoms you described to us, take the next dose in the pharmacy, and sit and wait for a little while (45 minutes at least) until you feel that *nothing* has changed. If, and only if, nothing has changed, feel free to go home, but tell someone at home that you have taken the drug, and to check on you periodically. Give them the 911 emergency number, and have them walk around with the phone for a day.

Seriously. Anaphylaxis is no joke.

Soycoffee

[irish]

The other thing I am wondering about is the fact that someone with kidney issues hasn't been referred to a nephrologist who could prescribe the correct med and dosage for the blood pressure. The kidney specialist are very educated in blood pressure and its relation to kidney issues, drug responses, etc.

I guess I really don't understand why your GP would not order you another med for the high blood pressure. High blood pressure is very dangerous to the kidneys and can cause damage to them as well as to the vessels in the heart. I hope that you can get this settled once and for all. Good luck. Irish