Good Hospital Tale (so you know the ending, but it takes a while)

If you drink the juice down in one go you don't taste it until the very end.

It's got a very earthy taste.

Hi, Vonny and Ishmaggoogle. I am supposing a lot of us have issues on all this as we age.

Too true! I've suffered from hypertension ever since my accident - had a lot of problems stabilising it until the past year or two. I take plant sterols in tablet form - that seems to have helped enormously.

Right now I'm dealing with a truly whacky drug, to which I can only say, Jesus! (not meant to offend): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midodrine

Even in the directions with the drug it says the equivalent of never give this to a friend. Also saying this drug is only appropriate for (some few) patients.

Not approved by the FDA yet? Do be careful - monitor yourself and your reaction to it, and do stop taking it if there are any problems.

Adds, Sturge and Roberta.

I do, thus my questioning the guy. I can be a belligerent patient.
Stay tuned.

Hah, now I know how to kill myself, should I wish.
Don't worry, that doesn't interest me.

Meantime, this might have been what happened, way back then, to Frank Apisa, just a guess.

I patiently read along and now I have to say, good read and I wish you well with the new med.

So, if I'm understanding correctly, your problem is low blood pressure (hypotension) and not elevated blood pressure (hypertension)--or, more accurately, you have sudden drops in your BP that cause you to faint? Have I got that right? And your new medication is supposed to keep your blood pressure elevated?

It sounds like they were pretty thorough in ruling out any other problems.

I certainly hope the medication does what it's supposed to do, so you don't have any more blackouts and falls. How is the gash on your head doing? Has it healed?

Did they suggest you do anything else to help prevent the blackouts, in terms of diet or lifestyle, or do they think the medication will be enough?

What an unexpected detour into the hospital world you just took. You captured it quite vividly with your narrative. I'm glad you gave us a "spoiler" so we knew the outcome would be good, because the suspense was getting nerve-wracking.

Stay well. I hope the medication will resolve the problem.

Yes, it is, but perhaps not permanently.

No. I have high blood pressure, but my drug to lower it caused me to have it go too low once in a while over the years. That doctor in the ER who wrote up the orders for my care had guessed wrong. My life style and diet are fine, as are my lab test chemistries.

The new drug works somehow to keep the pressure in normal range, very differently from lisinopril. I'm not yet clear on the 'how' of it. I've taken my pressure often, keeping a log, to see if there is a pattern to it.

The gash still has stitches but is essentially healed. The stitches will come out when I see my primary doctor on the 16th. I'm now sporting new bangs.

Diane just told Butrflynet about your illness. I'm glad you are OK.

BBB

Thank you!

Very glad you're ok and no major actions necessary. Interesting in that I take lisinopril. I do get light headed sometimes, not dizzy , I consider that spinning. I'll talk to my cardiologist. It certainly worked on my BP. As I said, very glad you're OK.

Vonny, my wife had a cough from Lisinopril. She switched to Diovan (soon to become the generic Valsartan). I switched to Metoprolol and Losartan Potassium very satisfactorily. Both of us now have well controlled bp. Years ago we would probably have died.

IRFrank, do take care. Life is good--but then so is its absence.

That's interesting. I'd had a cough for a long time, but hadn't connected it to Lisinopril until a chance remark from a stranger about the subject. I looked it up online and saw that it was a fairly common side effect. When I queried it with my doctor, he confirmed it, and switched me to Losartan Potassium earlier this year - the cough has now almost disappeared.

Thanks, yes,everyday is a gift.