26th April 2007
Appalbarry's post is an old one but it was a godsend because I reported these same symptoms to my doctor this morning and he more or less denied my reality--seems he has no other patients with similar side effects. Barry's old post reminded me that I am not crazy...
I am responding to "Barry" with the hope that someone else is an a similar situation right now and will benefit by the information we offer.
[QUOTE]Been taking Avalide since being diagnosed ten years ago. Of late I'd swear it's messing up my brain.
I can't concentrate, make all sorts of small errors with numbers and dates, can't focus on tasks, forget things.
Yes, I understand this quite well--I had a similar experience over a period of about 2 years--actually got "fired" from a "temp job" because I didn't have the concentration to address 25 envelopes properly----and I graduated with honors from college and I "Aced" graduate school! Other concentration problems I became aware of had to do with driving through FAMILIAR stop signs, and near misses on the road despite never having been in an accident and no previous moving traffic violations.
[QUOTE] Occasional dizziness, sometimes nearing blackouts. Vision issues. Really it's impacting me pretty significantly.
Yes, I experienced these symptoms as well. I changed my eyeglass prescriptions three times over 3 years (blamed the poor old eye doc on this) only to return to my "old" eyeglasses after changing bp meds. You're not crazy!! I've since learned that diuretics can change the pressure in the eye and this is a side effect that my gp, optometrist, nor my ophthalmogist were aware of...
[QUOTE]Finally, after my latest doctor had nothing to offer, I went so far as to take half pills for few days.
Bang! I was clear as bell and got more quality work done in a week than in the last month. Obviously this is not an ideal solution.
Now as I look back I'd swear that I can see a steady deterioration over at least a couple years. Nothing you could really pin down, just a lessening in my capacity to function. It's only recently when it seemed to be genuinely debilitating that I began to put the pieces together.
Yes, this is understandable and explainable. But reducing the dosage may be the solution (if it keeps your bp down). I began to put the puzzle together in bits and pieces after I'd forgotten a dose of medication--it wasn't until months afterward when the "brain fog" had lifted that I began to see the whole picture and began finding documentation that supported my experiences (brain fog, vision problems, etc).
As we get older, the fat, water, and muscle composition of our bodies changes. Also our liver function normally decreases (sometimes as much as 50 percent!). These are factors that impact the way we metabolize or break down our medications. As a result, the older we get the more likely it is that we need LESS of a med!! Not all doctors are aware of this but geriatric practitioners are (you don't have to be "old" for this to happen, it's just these doctors know more about it!). Oh, and for the record, the "real" drug problem in our country is in the older adult population and this is one of many reasons for that.
[QUOTE]I have dropped from 200 lbs to 170 in the last few years, and am working out regularly.
Again, fat and muscle content can impact the amount of medication that is needed depending on how the drug is metabolized in the body.
[QUOTE]I'm feeling that it's not entirely my imagination.
It's definitely not, definitely not your imagination! I know...my doctor doesn't believe me either, but I know, I know, I know. I experienced this for over 2 years while taking hydrochlorothiazide!
Barry, Lenin offers some helpful advice but I'll put in my 2 cents worth. I know I had concentration and vision problems while taking hydrochlorothiazide. I had many other problems as well (shoulder and back pain, EXHAUSTION, etc) but you only mention the concentration and vision so I would suspect the hctz.
Although I feel badly that you are going through this, your post offers me such comfort because it reinforces my belief that I am not crazy.
Bless you for sharing.
Bsheba
