Another attempt. Again.

About 3 weeks ago, I had an “incident” and said I was going to change my blood pressure medication. That was a bit cheeky, since I hadn't yet said anything to my GP. It's now official, and, as per my request, I'll be changing to a different drug at my next prescription renewal, in a couple weeks. This is, in fact, the first time I've ever asked to change BP drugs.

The new drug is called Losartan, and is an “angiotensin II receptor antagonist”. Like (nearly?) all medications used to treat hypertension, this one has other uses, too. It’s often used for people who can’t tolerate ACE inhibitors, and both my current drug and the discontinued one before that are that type.

I could've predicted that my GP would be sceptical that the current BP medication is causing my ongoing (but not constant), excessive, tiredness, because doctors are always sceptical whenever I suggest a problem with a medication—even when it turned out I was right. I'm used to it. Still, if I report that I don’t feel right, it’s worth trying other options.

This will be the third BP medication I've been on. The first two didn't seem to cause excessive tiredness, but when I was overly tired, they were combined with other drugs that could’ve had that effect, either alone or in combination, so, maybe they did? I was on the second drug from when I got my stent, and only changed because it was discontinued. The tiredness is definitely greater now than it was under my previous drug, though I was tired then, too.

Obviously, I can’t know if this change will help or not, or whether I’ll experience any side effects. Honestly, though, even a small improvement would mean a big improvement in the quality of my life. I’ve learned how to ration my energy, after all, and if there’s more energy to ration, then I’ll be able to get a lot more done, and that, in turn, will help me get moving—in every sense.

If this doesn’t help, then I’ll just have to keep pushing until a solution is found. It could well turn out that there is no good solution, just one that’s less bad than others. Pushing and trying is the only way I’ll ever know, or have a chance to move forward again.

Important note: This is about my own personal health journey. My experiences are my own, and shouldn’t be taken as indicative for anyone else. Similarly, other people may have completely different reactions to the same medications I take—better or worse. I share my experiences because others may have the same or similar experiences, and I want them to know that they’re not alone. But, as always, discuss your situation and how you’re feeling openly, honestly, and clearly with your own doctor, and always feel free to seek a second opinion from another doctor.