Not seeing this in the forums so if there, please forgive the addition!
About 10 or 12 years ago, a primary care doctor suggested low dose (2mg) Lisinopril for kidney protection. I believe at the time, there was some protein spill found and the doctor added Lisinopril for protection and to see if we could reverse it. This did work exceptionally well and I have been on it ever since.
About 7 years ago, wound up in a fight with insulin, weight and general health which also resulted in an increase of Lisinopril (10mg). Making a long story short, 7 years later found answers to the problems and have resolved all of it. The question now is with all the changes, the Lisinopril needs to be reduced again (blood pressure so low, I was dizzy just changing positions - 92/55). I cut the dosage in half and now back in the saddle (so to speak).
My question to you all is first, are any of you also taking Lisinopril for kidney protection? If so, is it working? If so, what is your dosage and how did you find the right dose?
A bunch of articles on the 'net report various details like "the best maintenance dose for Diabetic Nephropathy is 40mg" but holy crap! If I were to take that much I would be a puddle on the ground.
I'm trying to find articles or research on low dose Lisinopril but so far, not so successful. Perhaps there are other options?
I have no experience with Lisinopril. What does your Endo say?
I take Altace (Ramipril) for kidney protection and for lowering diastolic blood pressure. I take 10mg per day. When I was on a diet, I would be dizzy when I stood up from a seated position;My diastolic readings were at or below 60. The dosage was reduced to 5mg. When I went off the diet, my diastolic readings also went up and the Endo increased the dosage back to 10mg. I do not have any side effects.
I was on lisinopril for years. Actually, I was one of the very early adopters of the "new" ACE inhibitors. I was on captopril, which is not used any more because you had to take it several times per day. I credit it with increasing the longevity of my already damaged kidneys. I had damage in the 70s, went on the ACE in the 80s when it became more often used, and eventually went on dialysis in 2001. While dialysis is not guaranteed for most nowadays, I already had some significant damage when I went on the ACE. I was always on a low dose because I didn't need it for bp reasons.
I haven't read the literature recently on the ACEs, but I know that for myself, the low dose did work well.
Thanks! Exactly what was happening with me.....under 65 and I start to get dizzy. My Endo has left it mostly up to me though I will run it by her again next time.
Thanks very much! Good to know the low dose is also proven and used successfully. Just kind of strange to not see that more ya know? Sorry to see it didn't prevent the need for dialysis though. I guess just how much damage makes the difference?
I have been on lisinopril for 5 years for blood pressure control but also for my kidneys as I began to have early signs of kidney disease. It has really helped and I learned that all people who have type 1 diabetes should be on a low dose pril. Barbara Bancroft has many seminars on the different types of diabetes and is up to date on all research. You should google her and try to get her dvds. Shes great.
I was put on Lisinopril when my microalbumin/creatinine ratio for my urinalysis came back abnormally high. I was on an extremely low dose but stills started having side effects (Lisinopril cough and headaches). I came off Lisinopril after 6 months and was put on a ARB (Losartan) instead.
I'm not really convinced that I ever really had any kidney damage since I had been working out pretty heavily before my spot urine exam that showed microalbumin, but regardless, it took a couple of weeks to schedule a 24 hour urinalysis to double-check the results of the spot urine exam, during which time I had started taking the Lisinopril. The 24 hour urinalysis, and every spot urinalysis since being on Losartan, have all come back completely normal with only trace levels,if any, of microalbumin showing up occasionally.
So, if my initial tests are to be taken at face value, the Lisinopril/Losartan have brought me back from Stage II kidney damage to completely normal.
Oh yes, I had had protein in my urine for about 10 years before the drugs were commonly used. Before that, there was absolutely nothing to be done. They didn't even tell you to cut back on salt in those days.
Wow okay thanks....personally, I don't have any side effects though the husband does have the cough now and then. He isn't Diabetic and takes 40mg for blood pressure. This is great info and nice to know there are other options. Did you have high blood pressure also?
I started 2.5 mg shortly after my diagnosis in 2008. The reasons were twofold. The second number was creeping up just a bit and it would serve to protect the kidneys. To date I haven't really experienced any of the side effects (or at least none of them have been persistent) nor have I had any issues with kidney damage.
I started on 50mg losartan(angiotensin receptor blocker) 3 weeks ago for the same thing. My cardiologist thinks it will prevent kidney damage. I'm hoping it will help my eyes also. It seems to have no effect on my bp fortunately because my bp is usually normal to low except when I'm at the doctor sometimes. I think the lisinopril may have a beneficial effect anyway even at a lower dose. Maybe you can ask your doc about losartan also?
I've been on Lisinopril for years, when my weight peaked, c. 2004, my BP oozed up to 150/100-110 so the BP reason was there. Since then, I've lost weight, etc. and my BG is more like 115/70 these days which I think would "pass" but I've kept the Lisinopril up as I have never had any kidney issues and would like to keep it that way, despite drinking uh, more than Dr. Bernstein recommends...
Unfortunately for me, losartan hasn't seemed to have much of an effect on my retinopathy. My last check-up was an improvement, most notably with a significant regression in my DME, but that's after a couple of years of sub 6.0 A1cs.
There are different ACE and ARB inhibitors out there that do good things in terms of preventing/delaying/minimizing nephropathy.
Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor that is particularly effective in lowering blood pressure but in your case maybe too effective. Often Lisinopril comes in combination with HCTZ, are you using just "straight Lisnopril" or "Lisnopril/HCTZ"? The version with HCTZ will lower your blood pressure more than just "straight Lisinopril" and the dehydration from HCTZ may be partially responsible for the postural hypotension symptoms you mention "dizzy just changing positions".
There are other ACE inhibitors out there that seem to have less of an effect on blood pressure but still the positive effect on delaying microvascular complications. "Altace" was a popular brand a few years ago and I think there are others now too.
Good to know! My script reads "Lisinopril Tabs" and nothing else. I have mail order so I usually get a 3 month supply and the script doesn't have any reference to HCTZ (I can check online). I appreciate you pointing that out! I will see what the actual bottle says and verify if there is any reference though I would assume I would see that in the script? Either way, that's great info and something to keep handy.
I don't have any kidney damage, no eyesight issues and no other health concerns. Low blood pressure runs in the family and although I did have to increase the Lisinopril due to the weight battle, today I'm back to 100lbs. and no issues anymore so perhaps it is time to switch it up.
