Evening Folks,
Was wondering if anyone has any advice regarding the pros and cons of the various meds available for reducing high blood pressure.
Also, after bringing down high blood pressure (through meds) does one actually feel any different? If so, how?
Thanks in advance.
Stavrose
My advice is to get sound medical advice from a health care professional who knows you and your particular health circumstances, not random views from an internet forum…
The short answer is that they all have cons and all affect people differently.
I have been on them for over 20 years, and the current meds are much easier to tolerate. It also depends on your doctor’s views as traditional or progressive.
I didn’t cope with perindopril or anything similar as it makes me cough badly, but that is just an example.
The Doc probably has a starter med to begin and will check with you on a regularly.
Prescribing meds for blood pressure is hit and miss most the time.
They take long time - about 2 months - to become effective.
They also come with numerous side effects with some you wouldn’t expect.
I’ve been there after about 3 - 4 years of experimenting.
I can’t say I feel any different with lower blood pressure than before, except I have the reassurance that I no longer have an issue.
Agree with getting proper medical advice.
My own experience after five years on BP meds ( I am deliberately not naming the drugs; your medics are in charge here).
One of them caused my ankles and gums to swell very badly. This was recognised by the surgery, and the meds were changed completely.
The current lot are absolutely fine, with no side effects - of which I’m aware!
I’m also on statins, which, so I’m told, are working with no issues.
Amusingly, my wife is on the same BP meds that caused me the problems, but she has no issues. It seems that we’re all human……but different! 
I think that in general, I would agree with Craig:
What everyone else says: Listen to your doctor, not us.
FWIW, my high-blood pressure doesn’t make me feel bad, and the medications don’t make me feel better; my doctor tells me that it is now under control. BP is a sneaky bugger, which is why they call it the silent killer.
My story is that about five years ago, the company occy health dept. installed one of those “all-in-one” machines in our building. I was wandering up the corridor in the afternoon (probably with coffee cup in hand) when I was captured by Karen with “Hey Chris, we need a volunteer to try this new machine….you’re it!”
OK…….
“Right, here are are results: Ah you should probably have a word with your doctor.”
It was 171/110. I trolled off to the docs the following morning (on the way to work), showed the results to the receptionist……was booked in two hours later, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Was going to refer to the T&Cs here but they bring up a 404 error 
.
Why?
There are usually specific terms around not offering medical advice or opinion.
Hence my fairly explicit notes in my posts.
I tend to the view that offering your own experience is incredibly useful but effectively medical advice in this context. Either way, OP knows what they need to now do.
Then you are completely wrong. No advice is given or implied. It is completely anecdotal!
No, your view is that my view is wrong. Both are views.
I have been involved in consultation skill sessions as a patient educator with medical students for a decade or so and they are often reminded that using personal anecdote is advice by inference. I see no difference in respect of such things being written down on a forum.
“I won’t/can’t give you advice but…” is effectively always a weighted form of advice.
@stavrose start running today!
I have given no advice other than “ your medics are in charge”.
I have not forgotten that twenty years ago you told me in no uncertain terms that you were an “expert patient” and my eye surgeons were wrong.
Oh, I think you have forgotten. I was certainly not an expert patient 20 years ago. Nothing in my story really starts until 2010. Always helps to get really basic facts right.
my eye issues were early 2000s.
See previous post. Not in the habit of repeating myself. Definitely not 20 years ago or anything like.
See previous post.
But choose what you want. This is my final comment.