Lisinopril for protein in urine

Type 1 and LADA
#1

So i went to the ER today because my home blood pressure test came in pretty high. 154/83 on one arm and 174/93 on the other. I’ve been having a lot of congestion and a weird pulsing in my temple.
By the time i got to the hospital, it was 131/83 and when i left a couple of hours later it was 125/76. I was spilling a small amount of protein in my urine during the visit (my bloodsugar was also 290) No other weird stuff showed up in the blood, chest xray or EKG, So they wrote a prescription for 5 mg of lisinopril and told me to watch my sodium intake and get my bloodsugars down (which i’ve struggled to do for years now.)

Has anyone else been placed on this medicine?
Are the side effects scary?
Will this help?

I have no idea how to fit all these pieces together.
I am scared for my life and scared of my kidneys failing and my heart failing and strokes and all that.
I already have some retinopathy and neuropathy in my feet.

Can I recover?

#2

Yep been on it for a long time, its a reasonably good BP medicine and it can help protect the kidneys from further damage (from both the high blood pressure and a known effect of that particular medication…)… It has one known affect that can be bothersome… It can cause a nagging cough in some people but other than that I havent had much of a side effect…

As always with any BP med, you do have to adjust to it a bit… the standing up thing from sitting/laying down might bother you for a few days. but it goes away…

Best of luck

#3

I’ve been on lisinopril for a few months, and haven’t had any bad side effects. Like John mentioned, I do get a “tickle” in my throat from time to time, but nothing major. My blood pressure is normal to begin with, so I did notice I felt a bit dizzier when standing, etc. (I’m just on the medication to protect my kidneys…and my protein levels went down significantly after being on it for only a couple of months). In my experience, this medication has been very safe an effective. Good luck!

#4

I’ve been on lisinopril for 5 years now, and have experienced no side effects. I have a 24 hr urine test and some blood work done once a year, and my numbers have stayed the same, can’t remember exact figures but I’m .01 over whatever the “normal” is for creatinine. I’ve been fortunate, my only complications so far is the kidney function, and its so miniscule most docs wouldn’t have bothered with it. My nephrologist wanted to keep my full function as long as possible, hence the lisinopril. I also had high blood pressure during my 3 pregnancies, which may or may not have contributed to my issues now.

Give some thought to a pump, it could help with your numbers.

Good luck and I’d try not to worry too much about the lisinopril, it will help you.

#5

I have been on Lisinopril for about 10 years now only to protect my kidneys. I have not experienced any side effects. And my kidneys are still doing thier job. T1 for 38 years! Good Luck!

#6

lisinopril was first recommended to me by my brother (an ER nurse) when he noticed a trend of young insulin dependent diabetics coming through the hospital emergency department. i asked a cardiologist at a diabetes conference and he definitely recommended low doses of lisinopril for diabetes management as it is intended to prevent the long term effects that extreme highs and lows have on vessels. finally, i consulted with my endocrinologist and she too was on board. so here i am two years later… side effects? an occassional cough (dry…more annoying to others and less noticable to me). maybe a slight drop in libido? who can really say though? good luck!

#7

I also take lisinopril- and I have that fantastic nagging cough and tickle. I did notice when I first started taking it, for about 2 weeks, I had a little dizziness and sometimes felt like my heart was pounding, but that has since gone away.

#8

I also take that medication and haven’t noticed any side effects. Before taking Lisinopril I was taking Enaopril. I’ve been on medication for my bp for quite a few years. Being on meds is better then not taking anything. What should concern you more is getting your bs within better control. Since you are now spilling proteins it means that your kidneys having scaring from uncontrolled D. Working on managing your bs is important to keep from further damage to your kidneys. I’ve been Type 1 for 51 years.

#9

I am on an ace inhibitor, but not that particular one, to protect my kidneys.

I did have a cough at the beginning but that went away. I increased my dosage to 10mg a day, because I had slightly elevated microalbumin in my urine, but since then it has returned to normal range.

I do not have high blood pressure.

#10

The ACE inhibitors protect your kidneys from the effects of high blood sugar. They also lower your blood pressure and a few other good things. The concerns with them are coughing, whcih you should tell your doctor if you develop. Sometimes hyperkalemia…

Take the medicine as prescribed and follow-up with your docotr in a couple of weeks for eval… ‘’

The most important thing is to control yopur blood sugar. Hyperglycemia causes vascular disease that leads to strokes, nephropathy and retinopathy not the medicines.

#11

Been on it for many years for kidney. Blood pressure was always good and I have had issues with dizziness even before lisinopril but I really don’t notice a big difference.

#12

Lisinopril made my hands and feet swell up so I was taken off it.

#13

I’ve been taking a very low dosage of lisinopril for a number of years. This is one (it happens to be a generic, so it’s very inexpensive) of a number of ACE inhibitors that have shown that they can preserve kidney function. One of the benefits of lisinopril is that it only needs to be taken once a day (some other generic ACE inhibitors must be taken more frequently). Some people may have a dry cough, but I think it really depends on the dosage (# mg in each tablet) because I never had any problems with coughing. If you have any adverse effects, you can ask your doctor about trying another ACE inhibitor instead; everyone has a different experience and what works for one person might not be the best option for you.

#14

So true Scott what works well for one might not work as well for another. I have been on ACE for years can’t remember name of first one I took over 20 years ago but it helped. I use to have a cough with the old ACE but no more and I take it twice a day.

#15

One thing I wanted to mention about lisinopril and other ACE inhibitors is that they are not safe during pregnancy, so for those women considering pregnancy (or where there’s any chance you could become pregnant), definitely keep this in mind.

#16

I’ve heard this as well, but wasn’t sure when to stop taking them. Do you know what is recommended–stopping when you start trying to conceive, or earlier? Thanks!

#17

I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to stop once you start trying to conceive. I believe it is actually most dangerous in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. I don’t think it stays in your system very long so I wouldn’t stop until you’re ready.

#18

I was on it b/c of kidney fuction…something about high BP would damage my kidney but had to go off it b/c my BP kept falling so low that it was really sad. My husband who’s had 3 heartattacks takes it too and the only thing I can say was that it did cause me to cough and him too! GOOD LUCK!!!

#19

I’ve been on an ACE, specifically Lisinopril, for many, many years now. I was first dxed GDM during my first pregnancy (after some pretty tough complications to my daughter), and of course, then developed toxemia, and spilled so much protein in my urine with my 2nd pregnancy, I had some pretty significant kidney damage during my 2nd pregnancy. Ever since then, I’ve been on it. Went off during my 3rd pregnancy, and back on when my youngest was 4-5. I had the cough at first, but not since, and since my bp was 150/90 normally, I don’t experience any dizziness. Now, my bp regularly is anywhere from 110/70 to 130/80 depending on if I’m stressed, but it doesn’t go much higher than an occasional 140/90. I’m very happy to be on it. It was one of the first meds I was on, even before oral meds for my T2!

#20

I will asking my doctor for Lisinopril when I see him next month. Sounds like a good thing.