Gout

[Steve OK]

I started having gout attacks apprx. 4 months after starting benicar hct. 40/25. The attacks are severe and slow to clear up. I've greatly modified my protein intake,increased my water consumption, begun traditional gout meds, but i've had very poor results. Are their any similar stories? Thanks.

[peg wells]

my husband has been complaining of aching feet for the last month. he's been on this med for several months now.

[Jim S]

I've been on this med several months now and have severe and painful gout in one of my feet. The doc added a BP med called Indapamide (Lozol) which has made it worse. So many of these doctors become resentful and scornful too if you even bring up even possibility of the two being connected.

[barbara]

peg wells wrote:

my husband has been complaining of aching feet for the last month. he's been on this med for several months now.

I too have started to have aching feet. This is a new side effect for me. I have been on Benicar HCT for about two months and so far this is the only side effect, other than a dry throat and sinus congestion. What other side effects are you having?

[Michael]

The HCT in BenicarHCT represents Hydrochlorathiazide - a diuretic. Hydrochlorothiazide is a known medicinal contributor to gout.

[Everett]

I have been taking Benicar 10 mg /day for the past 3 years. I know that it keeps my pressure down to usually at 128/86 . I can say for certain that since I have been on this med I sometimes will get dizzy if I am bending over and get up too quickly, I get dry throat often, so in turn I will drink more water, my sex-drive is nill since being on Benicar ( I'm 40 years old.) I have abdominal pain at times (not severe), so these side-effects aren't too bad after considering the alternative stroke, heart attack, taht could come with high blood pressure. But I do want to try dieretics and get off these if possible.

[barbara]

Everett wrote:

I have been taking Benicar 10 mg /day for the past 3 years. I know that it keeps my pressure down to usually at 128/86 . I can say for certain that since I have been on this med I sometimes will get dizzy if I am bending over and get up too quickly, I get dry throat often, so in turn I will drink more water, my sex-drive is nill since being on Benicar ( I'm 40 years old.) I have abdominal pain at times (not severe), so these side-effects aren't too bad after considering the alternative stroke, heart attack, taht could come with high blood pressure. But I do want to try dieretics and get off these if possible.

I don't get dizzy, just lightheaded. I did have a episode when I was working on my computer and got up fast. Almost passed out. Pharmacist said that was postural hypotension and that Benicar could cause a sudden drop in blood pressure. I agree that keeping the pressure down is important, but these side effects lead you to believe that there is something else going on medically???? Would you agree with that?

[Everett]

barbara wrote:

<quoted text>I don't get dizzy, just lightheaded. I did have a episode when I was working on my computer and got up fast. Almost passed out. Pharmacist said that was postural hypotension and that Benicar could cause a sudden drop in blood pressure. I agree that keeping the pressure down is important, but these side effects lead you to believe that there is something else going on medically???? Would you agree with that?

Ya I would agree with this. Medically something is going on or we wouldn't have to take this medicine in the first place, though. I ended up switching doctors, because it seemed as though my dr. of 18 years was more interested in drug dealing than my best health interest. If he had it his way I would be on 3 or 4 different meds. But look at us, every time we have an ache or pain , sore throat, or just about anything that we feel is out of the ordinary, who do we run to. I say (and I know first hand how difficult it can be at times) that IF we would just take better care of ourselves , watching what, where, when , how much, we eat and put into our bodies, then most of us could live better lives. Most, not all , because I understand that genitically some things are passed down to us from parents or grandparents. But you have to admit there are alot of problems we bring on ourselves, just because we don't take the stand to bite things in the bud, and we get weak and go with the flow.

[dove]

wow.....
I just started this benicar BP medicine last night .
Dr. told me if I loose weight, I could get off of
BP medicine. Gave me free samples, so I'm not aware of any side effects. But the emphasis was on
weightloss and exercise.

[Connie Bennett]

Oh my goodness, I'm reading all of these side effects and it scares me. my Dr. gave me BenicarHCT , 20/12.5 last week (samples), I am also taking Toprol XL 100for past year I was taking HCTZ 25 mg and he took me off of that since the Benicar has 12.5 mg of it I hate taking this I gained 30 lbs in 1 year I have not changed my life style at all very active, eat a very healthy diet but I guess the pills contributed to it, I have had all sorts of test run they can't explain it, has anyone else gained on BP medicine?/ Boy this really sucks they give you medication for one thing and it causes another health problem, I hate taking drugs. Good luck to all of you out there My BP is actually higher now so I guess he'll be cahnging my meds again 147/86-91 before on only ToporlXL was 136-146/ 80

[paulwa]

I think you need to go to www.marshallprotocal.com and read about what benicar is really good for.It is more powerful for reversing the effects of many bad conditions and diseases.Keep an open mind and read the whole thing.Now to address the gout directly:Go to www.brownwoodacres.com and buy the tart cherry juice.It has helped everyone that I know who had gout. One more thing,get your doctor to change your prescription to just plain benicar.The HCI is a diauretic and isn't required to lower your bp and the HCI has been linked to kidney stones as well.

Steve OK wrote:

I started having gout attacks apprx. 4 months after starting benicar hct. 40/25. The attacks are severe and slow to clear up. I've greatly modified my protein intake,increased my water consumption, begun traditional gout meds, but i've had very poor results. Are their any similar stories? Thanks.

[Connie Bennett]

dove wrote:

wow.....
I just started this benicar BP medicine last night .
Dr. told me if I loose weight, I could get off of
BP medicine. Gave me free samples, so I'm not aware of any side effects. But the emphasis was on
weightloss and exercise.

Hello Dove, I was given BenicarHCT,for blood pressure, I alos take ToprolXL I have gained so much weight taking this I went to the Benicar website and it says some patients report weight gain of 5-10lbs per month, I am exercising eating totally Calif/low carb diet but keep gaining so much for the lose weight and blood pressure will go down it makes me feel as if the " drug Lords" who push the drugs to the Drs. to push to us want us all depended on them I'm going to Dr. today to see if I can be weened off, and try with just diet and exercise, and then if that won't work try some sort of other drug that does'nt have the weight gain side effect.. I was born in Pgh, but have lived most for my life in Caif. and totally live that type of lifestyle, I was very thin when I was first put on medicine, and my B/P was 140/90 now on med its between 149-170/80-92 so i don't feel its helped that much at all except now i look like a meatball...Good luck to all..

[Weldon Papineau]

i'v been taking benicar 2 years keeps my blood pressure down... but since being on this my body is retaining water so they put me on furosemide 20mg twice a day want to know if anyone else is affected by this

[nyche]

I recently switched from diovan to benicar because diovan has lost it's effectiveness after several years of use. my doctor placed me on 40mg which is the highest dosage. after a couple of days my heart started to ache. I was a bit alarmed but stuck with it. eventually my blood pressure did come down but I have noticed a slight dizziness after bending over. I also notice the smell but am not offended by it.I recently have had problems with my feet (bad arches) but one foot started to really ache on top. I couldn't figure out why until reading these comments. It was so painful yesterday, I could barely walk. I've also noticed dry throat and some sinus problems but thought they could be from my environment(dusty, lots of building going on) I do feel better becuse my pressure had gone up a bit but I'm not on benicar all the way. I'm weening from one to the other and if I go on all the way and my side effects continue, I don't think I will continue especially if weight gain becomes an issue.

[Kim]

Connie Bennett wrote:

<quoted text> Hello Dove, I was given BenicarHCT,for blood pressure, I alos take ToprolXL I have gained so much weight taking this I went to the Benicar website and it says some patients report weight gain of 5-10lbs per month, I am exercising eating totally Calif/low carb diet but keep gaining so much for the lose weight and blood pressure will go down it makes me feel as if the " drug Lords" who push the drugs to the Drs. to push to us want us all depended on them I'm going to Dr. today to see if I can be weened off, and try with just diet and exercise, and then if that won't work try some sort of other drug that does'nt have the weight gain side effect.. I was born in Pgh, but have lived most for my life in Caif. and totally live that type of lifestyle, I was very thin when I was first put on medicine, and my B/P was 140/90 now on med its between 149-170/80-92 so i don't feel its helped that much at all except now i look like a meatball...Good luck to all..

Connie, Everything you said is exactly whats been happening to me. I used to be thin and now I am like I could go into a pot of speghetti and be your meatball twin!:O) I feel terrible since being on this benicar and I have been on it for a couple years now. I go to the Dr. in a couple weeks for my yearly "checkup" I am going to let him know I have seen all of these posts and ask him for another BP/water pill or I think I may just go to a weight clinic. If they have them any more??? I believe at times they (dr.s) WANT to keep us the way we are. Think about it; if we were all getting well, they would'nt have any more business...as my Dad would always say, Its a conspiracy! I did get the new books on "What they don't tell you" or somthing like that... by Kevin Tredeau...I believe thats how he spells his name... I want to lose weight now/ and if you think about it thats how our blood pressure stays down too diet and exercise.... so I guess I'll do it the old fashion way..... GOOD LUCK TO YOU! and all of you here on the post board... any suggestins please post me!:O)

[Kim]

Steve OK wrote:

I started having gout attacks apprx. 4 months after starting benicar hct. 40/25. The attacks are severe and slow to clear up. I've greatly modified my protein intake,increased my water consumption, begun traditional gout meds, but i've had very poor results. Are their any similar stories? Thanks.

Have your Dr. check your potassium next time you are there. I had the cramps in my legs and feet and long story short my potassium was WAY down and THAT is NOT healthy! or SAFE! Eat bananas (things with potassium benefits... But after Dr. prescribed me potassium pills twice a day... my leg cramps and feet cramps have pretty well vanished. GOOD LUCK!

[cherie]

I am amazed that benicar hct could be related to gout. I have been on it for four months and am currently having the third gout attack. I can't wait to talk to my doctor tommorrow, And you are right, I didn't have any symptoms when I was on the plain benicar, the doctor switched me to the hct because he wasn't satisfied with the fluctuation in my pressure at first with the plain. Thanks for all your posts and info

[mike]

i have been on benicar hct 40/12.5 for 9 months now and just had a case of gout so severe that it required surgery. will be speaking with my doctor very soon as well after reading all this..have also had prolonged upset stomach since i had been switched to this but very mild weight gain, also suffered the sinus problems as well

[Paul Z]

I have been on Benicar 20 mg for 2 months and woke up with my first attack of gout two nights ago. I am questioning should I keep taking benicar or stop. My BP has come down to an acceptable level and his is the first of four different meds to achieve this. Not sure what to do.

[benicar]

i was on beicar for a year, suffred 3gout attacts,and the dry throat got so bad
i developed a goiter (enlarged) tyiriod.
now im screwd, thanks benicar!