Diovan / Cough?

[Carol]

Cathy wrote:

Wow! I just discovered this blog yesterday, sure wish I had seen it before. Except for the rash on the legs, I could have written the letter from PPF, Connecticut. I have been taking Diovan 80 for 6 years. In 2005 I had a choking gagging cough which last 3 months, ended up in the emergency. After several antibiotics I was told I had the 100 day whooping cough. In 2006 same thing, lasted over a month, ended up in Emergency again. I was sick on two occasions in 2007. This past Christmas Eve I was the sickest, started as flu like, coughing until vomiting, nauseated. The nausea went away but I am still coughing after three months. Had to cancell two trips, tried several antibiotics, inhalers, prescription cough medicines. It starts about 5:00 a.m., wake up coughing, wheezing. Chest xray and blood tests negative. I wondered if I had asthma. Last week I had a Pulmonary Function Test - didn't get results as yet.Had to wait several months to see a throat specialist. Yesterday I told my family physician something was terribly wrong, I am normally a healthy person who works out, but I have been out of puff for a few months. I was hoarse yesterday, he said that there was a slight possibility that it might be the Diovan - after three years he is telling mr this. Effective today I am OFF the Diovan - and after reading all the postings here I am cautiously optimistic. I will let you know what happens.

Hi Cathy...just curious about the hoarseness you described. I have seen four different ENT doctors and have had every test you could think of for my voice, PH Probe, three different scopes and blood tests..nothing appears to be the problem and now the ENT wants me to go to a Speech Therapist! They all agree the vocal cords are swollen and that is making me hoarse but none will say it is because of the Diovan yet it was within a month after taking the Diovan I noticed I was losing voice range while singing now it is effecting my talking voice also. I am getting disgusted with doctors who don't seem to know what the heck is going on with me and then want to treat the symptoms and not the cause! I am so frustrated but too afraid just to stop the Diovan because my BP is controlled with it..so I feel like I'm in a catch 22 position.:(

[lily Marie]

Carol wrote:

<quoted text>
Hi Cathy...just curious about the hoarseness you described. I have seen four different ENT doctors and have had every test you could think of for my voice, PH Probe, three different scopes and blood tests..nothing appears to be the problem and now the ENT wants me to go to a Speech Therapist! They all agree the vocal cords are swollen and that is making me hoarse but none will say it is because of the Diovan yet it was within a month after taking the Diovan I noticed I was losing voice range while singing now it is effecting my talking voice also. I am getting disgusted with doctors who don't seem to know what the heck is going on with me and then want to treat the symptoms and not the cause! I am so frustrated but too afraid just to stop the Diovan because my BP is controlled with it..so I feel like I'm in a catch 22 position.:(

I too have been on Diovan/HCT. i have a chronic cough. it created a prolapse. watch every medicine that you take and be very aware of any side effects.I have been off of the Diovan for about 1 week and have noticed only a slight improvement in the cough, but it is a start. i am now on norvace but my BP is not controlled. i am not exactly sure how long for the cough to completely disappear.
I too went through all of the tests and was told that it was not the Diovan that was causing the cough. If you think it is the Diovan please insist that your Dr. change the meds. it is worth the chance. i was told that only 1% of people who take Diovan get a cough. but remember that you could be in the 1%. good luck.
I am just going to go each day and maybe my cough will get a little better every day . i hope that it will not take 6 weeks.

[Arlene Chase]

So what does one do? My BP was off the wall when I was put on Diovan 320 about 2 months ago. The cough I have is horrendous. But do I take a chance of having a stroke with the spiking BP? Very scary. I talked with the pharmacist and she told me all but two BP meds have a cough as I side effect. The side effects of those two scare me as well! One was Norvasc, the side effects are very bad, and I can't remember the other. I am not obese, maybe could lose ten pounds.

[lily Marie]

Arlene Chase wrote:

So what does one do? My BP was off the wall when I was put on Diovan 320 about 2 months ago. The cough I have is horrendous. But do I take a chance of having a stroke with the spiking BP? Very scary. I talked with the pharmacist and she told me all but two BP meds have a cough as I side effect. The side effects of those two scare me as well! One was Norvasc, the side effects are very bad, and I can't remember the other. I am not obese, maybe could lose ten pounds.

my Doctor has put me on Norvasc.. now my blood pressure is spiking and my pulse is extremely high. i have been on my current medicine only 2 weeks. the Diovan cough has only slightly slowed down. but i think the years of my lungs being irritated with the cough it may take a little time. i feel that i do not know what to do either, i do know all the damage that Diovan did i will not go back to it. i was thinking along the line of cozaar. not sure what that will do. there are bad side effects to every medicine so i will keep trying . until i find the right one for me. with the least side effects. i am having so many side effects to Norvasc. that i do not care to mention them( if i can have them i do.) it does not seem to be working for me. good luck finding a medicine that works. a ACE drug seems to cause more cough than some of the others.

[Arlene Chase]

Than you Lily, that is helpful. I'll keep trying. I'm like you. If there is a side effect to a drug, I'll get it. I was on Cipro for ten days and it made me so ill I lost 20 lbs because I couldn't eat, and couldn't not eat. I felt terrible for a year, and not good for the second year. I think it killed all the good bacteria and put my digestive out of commission. We have to be our own Doctors don't we!

[lily Marie]

Arlene Chase wrote:

Than you Lily, that is helpful. I'll keep trying. I'm like you. If there is a side effect to a drug, I'll get it. I was on Cipro for ten days and it made me so ill I lost 20 lbs because I couldn't eat, and couldn't not eat. I felt terrible for a year, and not good for the second year. I think it killed all the good bacteria and put my digestive out of commission. We have to be our own Doctors don't we!

I so agree with you Arlene. i told my Doctor a few weeks after i started the Diovan and he said it is not the Diovan and they diagnosed me with COPD. i just wonder if i have it or just the cough and inflammation from the BP meds. therefore i was on the Diovan for close to 6 years, til i finally coughed so much i got a prolapse. my GYN said it was probably the BP meds. i will see my Doctor tomorrow hopefully and get switched again. if i find something that works for me i will let you know. there has to be something that works!! not meaning the same will work for you but just keep working at it there has to be something out there.

[Arlene Chase]

I don't have to worry about getting a prolapse because I already have one! Ha. Since the Pharmacist said cough is a side effect of all but two BP meds, it amazes me that the Doctor's don't know this,then too, it's also listed on the literature that comes with it from the pharmacy. I'm afraid to change. I wonder if it continues to get worse and worse, or does it get better over time. Thanks for your input, Lily and I appreciate your keeping me posted!! Thanks

[lily Marie]

Arlene Chase wrote:

I don't have to worry about getting a prolapse because I already have one! Ha. Since the Pharmacist said cough is a side effect of all but two BP meds, it amazes me that the Doctor's don't know this,then too, it's also listed on the literature that comes with it from the pharmacy. I'm afraid to change. I wonder if it continues to get worse and worse, or does it get better over time. Thanks for your input, Lily and I appreciate your keeping me posted!! Thanks

I do not think just because a cough is a side effect of most of the BP meds that you will necessarily get a cough, i would think some may cause more of a cough than others. i could stand the cough if it was not a hacking cough 24/7. I believe the Doctors know this information, but like to say there is no cough associated with drugX. I also believe that very few know what will work for you. it seems to be a hit and miss sort of thing which is sad to say but i think it to be true.
Most Doctors really do not listen when you tell them something IMO. but i really believe every person knows their own body and when it is reacting differently to a drug than it should be. i am still on Norvase seems like my fast pulse rate is STRESS RELATED. which i am aware is from the new medicine. but he does not listen. and the thing is is we are paying them to do this. continued

[lily Marie]

Arlene Chase wrote:

I don't have to worry about getting a prolapse because I already have one! Ha. Since the Pharmacist said cough is a side effect of all but two BP meds, it amazes me that the Doctor's don't know this,then too, it's also listed on the literature that comes with it from the pharmacy. I'm afraid to change. I wonder if it continues to get worse and worse, or does it get better over time. Thanks for your input, Lily and I appreciate your keeping me posted!! Thanks

I am not sure if you are talking if the cough gets worse and worse or the prolapse. i think they can do something for the prolapse that is non surgical. if you do nothing it will get worse... i will speak for myself on the cough mine continued to get worse over time. i still have the cough but it has lessened somewhat, but i just did a trade off for rapid pulse, and a very high blood pressure. keep trying to make things better and make sure the Doctor is doing what you want, you are the one that hired him. keep that in mind when you go to the office . also bring your list of things. to ask or tell him

[Arlene Chase]

Thank you Lily, I was talking about the cough getting worse and worse. I just read the comment about trying the local honey which someone posted on this site. I will try that and see what happens. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one.

[Lily Marie]

Arlene Chase wrote:

Thank you Lily, I was talking about the cough getting worse and worse. I just read the comment about trying the local honey which someone posted on this site. I will try that and see what happens. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one.

Arlene, i wanted to get back to you . i am on Metoprolol ER. it seems to be working for me. i still have the Diovan cough but it is slowly getting less and less. i hope the Doctor has found something that will work for you. best of luck

Lily Marie

[Arlene Chase]

Thanks Lily. I haven't tried to change it yet, since they all seem to have the same side effect. But I wrote the name of the one you suggested down, and we'll see what happens. I so appreciate your input! I'll check it out!

[Lily Marie]

Arlene Chase wrote:

Thanks Lily. I haven't tried to change it yet, since they all seem to have the same side effect. But I wrote the name of the one you suggested down, and we'll see what happens. I so appreciate your input! I'll check it out!

Arlene, this is a generic Topral the ER stands for extended release .

[Arlene Chase]

That's helpful. Thanks again!!