Hi Zoe -
I agree with Mick. I have been Type 1 since age 21 and am now 42 so I have been diabetic for 21 years and technically diagnosed as an adult. I did not start taking BP meds until about 4 years ago when I started leaking protein into my urine. My BP was sloly climbing but I like you,I ALWAYS had low blood pressure. Another sign I got was my feet would swell up at the end of the day. With you having low blood pressure now, I would ask a lot of questions. Some BP meds are really hard to adjust. I went through many and have finally found a doseage that does not cause dizzyness, morning headaches, fatigue, etc. Or maybe they are hard to get used to, I am nto sure. Hopefully, you will come to trust this docotor and you can build a good relationship with him. I am the same way as you are when it comes to docs. Good luck.
Wow Zoe, you sound so much like me! I go to the doc for my scripts, and that's about it. I live in a small town and the docs here don't know squat about type 1. My doc keeps pushing the blood pressure meds (my blood pressure is good!) and the cholesterol meds (my cholesterol is good!), but I just throw the prescriptions away. I figure, as long as my A1c (5.8) and all the rest of my tests are good - why take added meds? I'll stick with just my insulin and vitamins for now.
I didn't actually get that far, relentless - to see which med he wanted to prescribe. But I actually have thought it over, and taking everyone's responses in consideration too and have decided to go ahead and use it as long as there are no side effects. I'm seeing the doctor again on 1/3 so will let you know!
Thanks Putertech (and everyone). My blood pressure actually used to be high and my cholesterol too. But I lost 40 pounds on diagnosis (one of the ways I figured out I was type 1, not type 2) and my blood pressure started going very low on the meds I was taking then, so we lowered and then eliminated them. I still take the statin because I'd rather not mess with that as I have heart disease in my family and am 63. So I would be taking the med for kidney damage prevention not bp.
Hey Zoe, I have been on Accupril for many years. I was 80 Lbs heavier at one time and had borderline HBP. I insisted with my previous physician that he put me on an ACE (he was terrible!) and consented. Now that I have lost weight, my dosage has been reduced to the lowest available. Needless to say, the doctor was fired!
Relentless, what is the 5% club?
It's just people whose A1C's are in the 5's, Pat.
As a type 1, my endo suggested taking something to "protect" my kidneys, but she also admitted that the evidence as to whether this works is debatable. To me, it sounds like they THINK it will protect the kidneys, but they aren't entirely sure. Obviously, if you have high BP or bad kidney function numbers then, yes, these meds will help. But in the absence of those issues, it's just another drug with side effects. In the end, she said it was my choice. My recent kidney numbers were fine and I don't have high blood pressure. Also, as I am very active, I had concerns about dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that can occur with some of the BP meds.
Zoe, you sound a lot like me. I like it when docs let me call the shots. I know I get really angry and frustrated when I feel a doc is talking "down" to me or telling me what to do to "manage" my T1D. As my endo pointed out not long ago, I've been dealing with a busted pancreas longer than she has been an endo, so she HAS to listen to me sometimes :-)
Well I decided to go ahead and start the low dose med for kidney damage prevention and if it has bad side effects (seriously low bp) I can always stop it. The medication is Benazepril HCL 5mg which is the generic for lotensin which I don't think any of you mentioned. Ironically I recognized the name when I saw it because my cat is taking it (to slow her chronic kidney failure)!