My endocrinologist gave me a script for lisinopril, traditionally for hypertension. My blood pressure was 105/60. He said that any type 1 should be on it to help with lining arteries, thus helping the kidneys. Has anyone else been told to take this simply to help protect the kidneys?
Yes, some of us have been given a prescription for high blood pressure whether
we have high blood pressure or not. It was my GP who gave me the prescription for
Altace not my Endo. My bp was usually in the normal to low side even 94/62 when I was given some RA infusions. I did take the Altace but I couldn't eat much due to lack of appetite. I lost 20 pounds which I didn't want to lose. I was also dizzy every other day and nearly passed out a few times. I went off of the Altace.
In theory, it's a good idea to take an ACE inhibitor for the sake of heart and kidneys especially if a Person has high blood pressure, Diabetes, etc. The side effects were dangerous for me however. We all have to make our own decision about taking any medication, after weighing the pros and cons. I may end up taking it in the future, if needed.
Yup! Me too. Been taking it for 3 years now. No problems. I've been told it can extend the life of our kidneys a few years. No blood pressure problems here as well. No side effects with generic lisinopril.
Watch out for side effects of ACE inhibitors! About 5-10% of people can develop a dry cough.
I do have elevated BP and was put on lisinopril. Although the side effects of cough are actually well documented, nobody told me about them and I put up with a chronic cough for about a year. Normally this will go away when you stop taking them. In my case they didn't and I have been left with a chronic dry cough for the past 10 years.
I have seen one of the UK's top cough specialists. Apparently a high proportion of people with "unexplained" coughs have other autoimmune conditions, notably T1D and Crohn's disease. There is some suggestion that there is a link. In my case the lisinopril probably triggered an underlying condition.
So be careful about taking this medication if you do not have either high BP or kidney problems. If you DO need to take them, consider an ARB (e.g. telmisartan) as an alternative. These do the same as an ACE inhibitor but without the side effects. They are often prescribed as a 2nd choice to ACE inhibitors because they are more expensive.
Joel
A single reading is not really a good measure of your BP. That being said there may be reasons to push back at your doctor about BP medication. Studies suggest that the general diabetic population which is mildly hypertensive benefits by reducing kidney problem when taking a BP medication. But if you already have low BP taking BP medication may expose you to side effects which in the long-term are more dangerous, including passing out as Terrie suggests.
My general feeling is that someone who already has normal or low BP will see no benefit from BP lowering medication. As always, talk with your doctor and don't hesitate to question him and make your feelings known.
I used to take Lisinopril for the kidneys, etc, but stopped a few years ago. My BP a few weeks ago was 98/67. I quit taking lisinopril as I believed it was making me a little light-headed
I take lotensin for kidney protection. For blood pressure I take hydroclorothiaside but I’m not taking it now while I work in the desert in 100+F degree temperature and water retention is key to survival. I had side effect of sleepiness from a cholesterol medicine so my doctor asked me to try taking it every second day, every other day.
Thanks for the replies. I consider myself very active in both my profession and recreation. I understand that the kidneys are one of the main long term problems for diabetics, but I definitely don't want to deal with problems in the short term. I would rather be on less medication, especially if it is just a "preventative."
I take losartan daily to prevent kidney damage. I have
good Bp. I believe we are getting damage even with good Bp from
fluctuations of Bg and other reasons unknown which can build up
over time. I don’t have major side effects so far from losartan.
I started on Lisinopril, got the cough, was switched to Losartan. No noticeable side effects. I was spilling microalbumin before going on the ACE inhibitor five or so years ago, haven't been since, even after switching to the ARB.
Lisiniprol helps kidney funtion!
I take Lisinopril because some other drugs I take are causing kidney damage, I would not go a day without it. Lisinopril is safe and cheep, your most likely on a very small dose and as long as your resting Hart Rate stays above 60 your not going to pass out from low BP. If your resting HR is below 60 you may need to ask for a lower your dose......JMHO
I take 10mg every morning...
An ACE inhibitor like Lisinopril seems like a good idea to me. I'm on it.
Lowering blood pressure slightly, just in itself, also reduces risks for retinopathy, kidney disease, and many other microvascular complications of diabetes.
yes. it seems par for the course.
John G…many Drs do advise it. My VA Endo has had me on it for years.
I'm one who had the cough, Jim & Benjamin. It was horrible. Because I have severe "white coat hypertension", I was determined to give it a fair trial and stuck with it for 6 weeks of little sleep and having to exit my grandson's performance in a big show every 30". That was the final straw, needless to say.
It can take time to sort out what meds of any kind work. On the third try, my Doc and I settled on Losartan which helps and for 2 years has not given me any bad side effects (fingers and toes crossed because as our bodies evolve, so does our interaction with meds!).
In general, though, I don't go along with any prescription that says you should be on it ONLY because all diabetics should be on it (like statins).
Many of us may indeed need these meds and be helped by them, but we are all different. Research. Research. Research. Listen to your body. Make lots of notes so you can tell your Doc all about how a specific drug works for you.....
Blessings. Keep us posted on how it goes!.....Judith in Portland
I agree, Brian. My A1c is better than my non-diabetic husband's. His blood pressure is often dangerously low. I bought a home BP cuff so I know that my BP at home is okay. But I have also read studies that say severe White Coat Hypertension like I have over many years can be bad. Plus, the eclampsia that caused the stillbirth of my son in 1972 set me up for high BP.....But this is what I meant in above response about how diabolically whimsical our Common Scourge is from person to person!.....Blessings!
My husband takes Lisinopril daily with no problem. For me it caused that horrible cough that meant I slept for no more that an hour at a time for 6 weeks. I think I was certifiably insane due to lack of sleep after trying to stick with it, hoping desperately that the cough would pass.
"If you want to write a book about managing diabetes, you need to write a different book for every diabetic."....Blessings
I had the same side effect on the lisiniprol but it was 5 years before anyone connected my cough and the lisiniprol and it has been 3 years since I stopped and it has not gone aaway, I switched to another drug that is not an ACE inhibitor. Since my pressure was never high I found the drugs do make me alittle dizzy sometimes but that is it.
I too have had multiple doctors, nurses, and educators tell me a BP is standard for type 1 and prevents kidney disease. My retinopathy eye dr even told me if my endo didn't have me on one he would recommend I switch endos.