On several occasions, I was switched to generic blood pressure medicine by my insurance company and retirement fund. This led me to be hospitalized on a few occasions as the generic does not work for me. I politely wrote to them and explained my situation and enclosed letters to confirm this from my doctor. Health insurance is included in my retirement package, but I do have to pay for this, of course it is not the same as the working individual, but I do pay. Anyway, if I want and need the name brand, I have to pay the larger amount of the coverage, which is 80% not the 20% working people do. This puts a strain on what I have saved for and to live with from my retirement benefits. Since the FDA approved all these generic drugs, mine one of them, it is getting so that the insurance companies and retirement programs have a say-so in your health, not your doctor. I would like to know who gave them that right. Also, I now get my medicine from Canada simply because it is still cheaper for me to get the name brand from them than it is here. That's another thing I would like to know: Why is it cheaper there than here? Come on people, we ship it there then we have to buy it from them cheaper? There is something terribly wrong with this picture. Retired In Florida

I developed hypertension when pregnant with my son 13 years ago. It never went away after the birth. I have taken a number of drugs to control it. I have been on 50mg of Metoprolol XL and 20 mg of Lisinopril for a while now. Although there now is a national shortage of Metoprolol XL, so my doctor had to change me to 25 mg of Atenolol twice a day until Metoprolol is available again. All the changes of drugs have been made because of insurance formulary restrictions. As a pharmacist myself, this is very detrimental to staying compliant on one's drug therapy! I wish we had nationalized health care.

I have high blood pressure, and I am now taking three pills a day for it. Well, I was on two, but it was going up quite a bit to like 170/100, so my doctor put me on a third pill, which causes my ankles to swell all the time. And, I am trying to quit smoking and so far I am doing well with. I want people to know, if you are dizzy a lot, at times have red cheeks, feel tried a lot, your heart feels like it races at times, please get your blood pressure checked, these were my signs, but everyone is different. My doctors told me that with my blood pressure going up and up, my heart would like explode…matter of speech. We must control our blood pressure because it can lead to worse health problems.

I was diagnosed with myocardial infection. I was not admitted in the hospital was just checked and given some drugs. I thought I was OK and continued my life. When I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and on a CT scan it showed my heart was enlarged. The doctors said that I was not properly taken care of that was what led to this situation. They said I should have been taking blood pressure drugs since then and it wouldn't have gotten this way. They advised me that I take my drugs religiously and that the situation will improve. I am presently on 5mg Lisinopril everyday and 12.5mg Esidrix every other day. My BP is average on 128/76 mm/HG and I pray it stays that way.

I have high blood pressure for over 20 years and high cholesterol for five years. High blood pressure was brought under control initially with beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, then ace inhibitors and others. Now in the month of May I had hypotension (very low blood pressure) 73/53 collapsed and admitted in emergency and recovered in a few hours with a blood pressure of 130/90 with normal saline infusion for over 18 hours. I had to stay in the hospital for 6 hours in the emergency and two days in the general ward. This happened because of concomitant intake of 20 mg Olemesartan, 450mg of Lithium, 300mg of Seroquel (Quetiapine), 500mg of Sodium Valproate (Valpro) this was due to shock and hypotension secondary to medications and interactions. Doctors told me not to take any antihypertensive yet his assistant doctor left a note to revise and take proper antihypertensive. I came to know I can take minimal dose of Lasik I need more appropriate information in this matter.