I will check with my doctor on my check up. I hate the side effects and thank goodness I only take it when my bp spikes. I could not stand to be on it if I had to be on it full time. I have to leave work when my bp spikes and I have to take it. I still would like to know what causes it to spike for no reason. I will just be going into my 5th week of bp meds starting Monday. The first medicine I took (exforge) for the first two weeks was terrible, I had severe side effects from it. I am on Avapro now with Metaprolol. I am only to take the other med with my bp gets 150 and above because my bp shoots up to over 190 within minutes and the doctor said it is dangerous for it to be that high.

I was having severe hot flashes when when I started with the first bp meds. The gyno said that the hormone pills was not doing it job because so much of the meds go through the liver then the pb meds were wiping out what was left so we went with the patch. I was having the spikes all along. My dr. changed my bp meds so with that along with the patch the hot flashes are gone. The spikes stayed however. Today, my dr. increased my avapro from 150 to 300. My spikes were happing a couple of times a week and at all different times, not set time or day. I take my meds early morning and had a spike 2 1/2 hours after taking them. Hope the increase helps me. I need to get better and get back to my old self.