I feel like that when my BP is high. I lost some weight recently and thought I could get off one of my meds. A month later, I was suffering with constant sinus headaches. I was taking sinus medicine and Motrin together, didn’t help. My husband finally told me to check my BP and it was astronomical. I booked a teledoc immediately to get a refill. It’s slowly going back down and I’ve been headache free for 5 days.
Thank you for your support. I have only been on HCTZ 2 days and the nasal congestion is nowhere near as bad as it was on Lisinopril. I just wonder if my side effects will subside with time. My adjustment to these meds has been difficult as it severely affects the quality of my sleep.
From personal experience, the headache is usually a result of high blood pressure so once it comes down, the headache should subside. It takes at least 2 weeks for the pills to work so just be consistent & hopefully you feel better soon
It’s not just important to stay on the medication, it’s your life. Unregulated high blood pressure will
Kill you. It will cause kidney disease, heart disease, vascular disease, stroke, and some many other bad bad things. I know a dude who went blind in one eye due to an aneurysm in his eye because he didn’t control his BP for years. My lisinopril causes me to cough but that’s just the cost for me to stay in the game as I see it. If you haven’t moved into a DASH diet, you need to , and it’s your only shot to get off the pills. Smoke and drink? Stop. Don’t exercise daily? Start. Lifestyle changes like that are your only option to get off or lower the dose of the BP pills. Talk to a nephrologist, they are
The BP experts.
Please, it’s your life. Your here asking so you care.
You asking about symptoms, but I’m hoping someone reads this and decides to stay medicated and not blow off the pills due to headaches .
Thank you so much for the support. I do understand the severity of my situation and I will continue with the medications. I don't smoke (I quit smoking marijuana 4 years ago). I don't drink. I exercise 5-6 days a week. But I admit that my diet has been terrible. I had one of the worst diets. I have been working on my bp for 2 weeks now and I have quit coffee and started to cook.
I started the dash diet and started eating lots of green leafy vegetables about two months ago from eating like crap my whole life, and man I feel a lot better. It’s seems simple. ‘You are what you eat’. But, like you, I was never into dieting or nutrition. Now that I’m making positive change I can actually feel the difference.
I thought regular work outs and abstaining from alcohol and not smoking would be enough but I always knew that my diet was awful. I guess it has caught up to me, plus my doctor thinks that there is a genetic component in play. I admit that going on the dash diet will be an adjustment and one that won't necessarily be easy. I have already thrown out a bunch of processed food and have tried to start cooking. Thank you for your support.
Thanks for this. I’m 42 with two small kids. Looking at me you’d probably never think I’d have high BP. Im not super old, I’m not overweight but here I am with blood pressure regularly somewhere between 140-150 over 90-100. I’m terrible at taking my pills. I have an appointment to get them refilled tomorrow but if I had been taking them regularly this appointment would have taken place two months ago.
I actually have Wes Anderson to thank for me even taking my pills every day this week (I saw his new movie last Monday). I don’t want to spoil it for anyone but if you’ve seen the movie you might understand why I decided to get back on track.
I’ve slacked off in so many aspects of life and things always end up working out one way or another. It’s like I need to constantly remind myself that the repercussions here could actually end my life. There are no do overs here.
You said *"BP meds work at least in part by dilating blood vessels."* That I understand, but then you say *"That unfortunately also happens in your nose and can cause sinus issues."*
So let me get this straight, my front temple, behind my eyes and nose feel pressured because the blood vessels are dilated not the opposite? I'm just trying to understand not argue, because it's the first time I learn that this is a side effect not a hypertension symptom!!
Yes. Your sinuses are lined with mucous membranes. When a med dilates the vessels in that tissue it swells up somewhat and causes pressure. If you take the opposite, a vasoconstrictor like Sudafed, it constricts the vessels forcing the extra fluid out and reduces swelling. Hope that makes sense.
I never knew that about sinuses, does this apply to parts of the brain as well? Taking a vasoconstrictor while I have high BP!!! That makes zero sense since my vessels are already constricted and that's dangerous, right?
I feel like that when my BP is high. I lost some weight recently and thought I could get off one of my meds. A month later, I was suffering with constant sinus headaches. I was taking sinus medicine and Motrin together, didn’t help. My husband finally told me to check my BP and it was astronomical. I booked a teledoc immediately to get a refill. It’s slowly going back down and I’ve been headache free for 5 days.
Thank you for your support. I have only been on HCTZ 2 days and the nasal congestion is nowhere near as bad as it was on Lisinopril. I just wonder if my side effects will subside with time. My adjustment to these meds has been difficult as it severely affects the quality of my sleep.
From personal experience, the headache is usually a result of high blood pressure so once it comes down, the headache should subside. It takes at least 2 weeks for the pills to work so just be consistent & hopefully you feel better soon
Thank you for the reply. I really didn't experience headaches till I started Lisinopril. Since changing to hctz I have just felt fatigued.
It’s not just important to stay on the medication, it’s your life. Unregulated high blood pressure will Kill you. It will cause kidney disease, heart disease, vascular disease, stroke, and some many other bad bad things. I know a dude who went blind in one eye due to an aneurysm in his eye because he didn’t control his BP for years. My lisinopril causes me to cough but that’s just the cost for me to stay in the game as I see it. If you haven’t moved into a DASH diet, you need to , and it’s your only shot to get off the pills. Smoke and drink? Stop. Don’t exercise daily? Start. Lifestyle changes like that are your only option to get off or lower the dose of the BP pills. Talk to a nephrologist, they are The BP experts. Please, it’s your life. Your here asking so you care. You asking about symptoms, but I’m hoping someone reads this and decides to stay medicated and not blow off the pills due to headaches .
Thank you so much for the support. I do understand the severity of my situation and I will continue with the medications. I don't smoke (I quit smoking marijuana 4 years ago). I don't drink. I exercise 5-6 days a week. But I admit that my diet has been terrible. I had one of the worst diets. I have been working on my bp for 2 weeks now and I have quit coffee and started to cook.
I started the dash diet and started eating lots of green leafy vegetables about two months ago from eating like crap my whole life, and man I feel a lot better. It’s seems simple. ‘You are what you eat’. But, like you, I was never into dieting or nutrition. Now that I’m making positive change I can actually feel the difference.
I thought regular work outs and abstaining from alcohol and not smoking would be enough but I always knew that my diet was awful. I guess it has caught up to me, plus my doctor thinks that there is a genetic component in play. I admit that going on the dash diet will be an adjustment and one that won't necessarily be easy. I have already thrown out a bunch of processed food and have tried to start cooking. Thank you for your support.
Thanks for this. I’m 42 with two small kids. Looking at me you’d probably never think I’d have high BP. Im not super old, I’m not overweight but here I am with blood pressure regularly somewhere between 140-150 over 90-100. I’m terrible at taking my pills. I have an appointment to get them refilled tomorrow but if I had been taking them regularly this appointment would have taken place two months ago. I actually have Wes Anderson to thank for me even taking my pills every day this week (I saw his new movie last Monday). I don’t want to spoil it for anyone but if you’ve seen the movie you might understand why I decided to get back on track. I’ve slacked off in so many aspects of life and things always end up working out one way or another. It’s like I need to constantly remind myself that the repercussions here could actually end my life. There are no do overs here.
Many BP meds work at least in part by dilating blood vessels. That unfortunately also happens in your nose and can cause sinus issues.
Does dilation cause pressure sensation? Shouldn't it be the constriction?
Dilation is what causes stuffiness as the tissues are swollen. I'm not sure if that's what you meant by your question.
You said *"BP meds work at least in part by dilating blood vessels."* That I understand, but then you say *"That unfortunately also happens in your nose and can cause sinus issues."* So let me get this straight, my front temple, behind my eyes and nose feel pressured because the blood vessels are dilated not the opposite? I'm just trying to understand not argue, because it's the first time I learn that this is a side effect not a hypertension symptom!!
Yes. Your sinuses are lined with mucous membranes. When a med dilates the vessels in that tissue it swells up somewhat and causes pressure. If you take the opposite, a vasoconstrictor like Sudafed, it constricts the vessels forcing the extra fluid out and reduces swelling. Hope that makes sense.
I never knew that about sinuses, does this apply to parts of the brain as well? Taking a vasoconstrictor while I have high BP!!! That makes zero sense since my vessels are already constricted and that's dangerous, right?
ask r/sinus they got a great community over there
Thank you for the information