Fibromyalgia pain: Let's connect

@gingerw How I like that mental image of the meds not playing well together. Thank you for the evening chuckle. I will pass this on to the primary. I only used the eye drops once today and allowing my body to try and figure out what to do with most recent invasion of alien life forms. I try hard not to cross into the panic zone and do need a shoulder at times. It helps. Thank you.

I don't even know what is what. Just know bp medication Lisinopril has stolen 3 days of my life. I keep doing as I am told.

Lisinopril was a nightmare for me. If really damaged my kidneys and with fibro, that's a hard enough thing to keep healthy.

This ACE inhibitor has me so messed up. So discouraged as I was doing better. This happened before w/ those stupid 6 month check-ups designed to enable quality health. Designed to line corporate pockets!! Started this on on Monday. Let my body adapt I am told. What about my mind that is so frightened now because the body cannot obey instructions?? I cannot even hold a pencil!! I am ready stop this med and risk a stroke which may come about because this med has me scared. Anyone else experience something like this? This is scary for me. Thing is my BP is not that high and fluctuates. This feels awful and too much like those awful psyche meds. Maybe that is why I am so frightened.

Hi @parus
I'm sorry to hear that you are still struggling with the meds. I don't believe you ever mentioned the dosage of Lisinopril. Do you know what it is? Can you ask your doctor about cutting it in half (if it is a tablet) and trying that for a week or two?

It might be worth a phone call. ACE Inhibitors are some of the safer BP drugs because they don't result in kidney damage like many of the others do.

@hopeful33250 sad state of affairs when I can get support from online Mayo folks and cannot reach anyone at large office of medical group. Only taking 10 mg. What is scary is not being able to get enough air in or feeling like that. I called yesterday quite scared and was asked if I see a therapist. Well, I hung up before I said something I would regret. It is hard when someone does not fit inside there little boxes and I understand because they are under a lot of pressure from corporate to get patients in and out quickly. Maybe I will try a local DVM nearby...😶. Hope yet as I still have a spark of humor. Thanks as you have helped me find thus.

I wish you ease of body and mind today, @parus! Try some deep breathing exercises, it can't hurt you and it might help.

@hopeful33250 I was trying deep breathing and the relaxation techniques. I got scared because I could not get enough air in. I am not taking it again as the muscle weakness concerns me. Ought not to be. Maybe this is why others I know on BP meds are so placid and blasé complaining of fatigue. I don’t want to live like this if I can help it. I was a veggie for 8 years with no quality of life because of psych meds. I don’t want to go there again.
This is just me and I know that medications can be helpful. I am more concerned about thyroid levels than BP right now. This hurry-up world of get it all done now is quite overwhelming which has nothing to do with fibro even though this new med has the pain level worse. Fibro meds messed with my head and I don’t want that to happen again ☹️

ACE Inhibitors are relaxing, @parus. This is a quote from the Mayo Clinic website,

"Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors help relax blood vessels. ACE inhibitors prevent an enzyme in your body from producing angiotensin II, a substance in your body that narrows your blood vessels and releases hormones that can raise your blood pressure. This narrowing can cause high blood pressure and force your heart to work harder."

I take it at night - sleep like a baby and I'm not thinking about how I'm feeling every moment. (I'm also helping my heart to relax as a bonus.)

Do you have ny heart valve problems or diastolic dysfunction?

Well, if on lisinopril, for example, someone who is on too high a dose will manifest fatigue and flat affect. When I was in the midst of some awful anxiety inducing traumas, I was put on the higher doseof bllod pressure med. Once my life settled down and I dealt with the trauma, my doctor noticed I seemed fatigued, cut my dose in half. And I perked up!
RE: deep breathing, maybe doing it in a group would feel safer. I too feared it at first because noticing my breathing just enhanced my anxiety. It took practice, but now I am grateful to be able to do deep breathing in any setting--like the dentist's chair!--and I do experience oxygen going through my body and calming me down. Just another tool in my toolbox so I can manage living in a stressful world without meds. (Been there, done that, no more psych meds for me...)