Not sure how this works… I was recently diagnosed with Type 1 and my body was really out of whack. Just went in for my first A1C post-diagnosis and it came back much lower! Happy about that, but my microalbuminuria level’s still kind of high. So… my doc is prescribing lisinopril. I haven’t gotten to talk to her (she’s not high touch) and don’t know if this is a forever thing and what’s going on with having more protein than I should.
I’m looking for anyone who’s on this or has been on it or knows anything about it.
I’ve taken it for a while and don’t even notice it. A non-D guy I worked with took it and complained about it quite a bit. I wasn’t quite sure what his big deal was.
I take Lisinopril. It’s an ACE inhibitor, a blood pressure med. Although I do not have high BP, I am Rx Lisinopril to lower the BP of my kidneys. That’s the rationale anyway.
It is supposed to be a forever thing, but some choose to go off of it if their BP gets too low or if they do not tolerate the med well.
I was given Lisinopril when first diagnosed because “all diabetics need to take it.” It bothered me a lot, I could barely function because my BP was way too low (70/45).
Judith - how do you test your blood pressure at home to know what range you’re in? and how often are you testing? Going low is my big worry since my BP now is totally fine, but I’m really active and don’t want to get low while exercising. Seems like an insulin and BP low are a bad combo. thanks for the advice and perspective on your situation!
I’ve been on Lisinopril for four years. I am used to it, so I don’t really notice any side effects. I tend to feel more out of sorts if I forget to take it. That being said, I am considering getting off of it since I don’t like the idea of my liver processing another medication, one that I may not really need.
I used to be very good about following the recommendations of my doctors, but I am very cynical these days and question everything. I just don’t fully trust doctors like I did once upon a time.
Hear, hear about doctors – even the most well-intentioned and thoughtful can still make decisions that don’t work for your body. When I first was diagnosed I just wanted to be told: do this, do that. Now, I’m being more skeptical as they add more meds and my body gets more normal. If you decide to go off it, I’d be interested in hearing if/how things change for you. Really appreciate the perspective!
I have been taking lisinopril at least since 2007. My microalbuminuria is always high because I only have one kidney(birth defect). I also take allopurinol too protect my kidney. With all I take 14 prescribed Meds I very seldom notice side effects.
Hello, I am Type 1 also and about 7 years ago my then Endo also put me on Lisinopril. All my labs were great but he told me that when his diabetics hit age 30 he automatically puts them on it for extra protection. So, for about 4 years I took it. It does have a side effect that I wasn’t aware of at the time. It almost feels like you have a really bad allergy and you always want to cough to the point of tears streaming down. Sleeping at night was tough because the coughing sensation is worse when you lay down. Anyway my sister was also on it because she has high blood pressure and researched the side effects and that was it. When I switched insurance and had a new endo they took me off and said I didn’t need it. Just a heads up.
Good luck, Take care of yourself everyday and see how you do on it.
I second acidrock. I had the cough for about a week and then it went away.
If you get the cough there are other options that still protect the kidneys. The drug named Losartan is in a similar class of meds as lisinopril and will give you the kidney protection without the cough. Losartan also just recently went generic so the cost shouldn’t be too crazy either. There are other meds in the Losartan class but none of them are generic.
In the situation of high microalbumin I would certainly at least try it to see if you can tolerate it. If it drops your blood pressure too low then oh well at least you tried. For the most part you should feel the drops in BP when you are standing up so be a little careful when you first start taking it. My experience with Lisinopril is in the lower doses it did not have much of an effect on my BP but I know many others who have stories of how their BP dropped even on the absolute lowest dose.
I was on Lisinopril for a few months for microalbumin, and I didn’t have a problem with spilling protein while on it. My microalbumin ratio went from very high to practically zero. Usually, there’s a period of time where they have to adjust the dosage accordingly. and your doc should be monitoring your potassium levels because lisinopril can elevate blood potassium.
I developed the cough after a few months on a very low dose, so my doc switched me over to losartan.
No side effects so far after a few months. My last microalbumn ratios have been safely in the low normal range, but consistently slightly higher than when I was on Lisinopril.
The main difference between the two is that Lisinopril blocks the releae of angiotensin II (ACE inhibitor) which lowers BP and secondarily protects the kidneys, while losartan blocks the angiotensin II receptors (ARB), essentially having the same effects.
I take a low dose of Lisinopril for my kidneys as well since I had some low levels of microalbuminuria. My endo made it sound like it was a precautionary thing more than anything to prevent extensive microalbuminuria should you slip in your diabetic control. I haven’t experienced any side effects, but I also take a small dosage. It’s really not that big a hassle, small pill, once a day. Hope this helps!
Appreciate this perspective. The cough wasn’t something I’d read about before this discussion so I’ll be on the look-out if it starts happening to me. My hope is that as my body regulates I’ll get down to the low normal range and won’t need it in the future. The potassium factor is something I’m going back to ask the doc about. Thanks, FHS.
I was on Lisinopril for years with no problems. One morning, I night before bed, my tongue began to swell–pretty scary stuff. I went to the ER (first time I had been there in 45 years) and they put me on steroids and lots of other stuff, and hospitalized me.
The first thing I was asked when I checked in at the ER was “Are you taking lisinopril?” The tongue swelling seems to happen to some who take it. I am now on Diovan.
The idea is what everyone has said. The Ace Inhibitor protects your kidneys. If it lowers you BP too much, ask for another strength.
I have been on lisinopril since 2000. I had normal to low BP (110/70) to start with and I am on a low dose. I have not noticed any drops in BP. No real side effects to mention. I recently came off it since I am trying to get pregnant and it is not allowed during pregnancy.
