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High blood pressureArrow
Male Over 60
Interview 15  

Interview 15

Age at Interview: 61
Sex: Male
Age at Diagnosis: 51
Background:

Brief outline:Discovered after taking blood pressure at an exhibition.


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Discusses experience of selecting and using Alpha Blockers, and their side effects.

 



There came a time about three years ago when even taking the tablets my blood pressure wasn't being controlled. So, what should I do? Because I was happy with these tablets, I had sort of reached an equilibrium where it was acceptable. So I had to reassess with my GP that this lot of tablets- the ACE inhibitors - weren't doing any good. I actually saw a different GP this time around, in the same group practice, who had slightly different opinions on the whole thing. This was somebody who was very expert on the computer and he brought up loads and loads and loads of alternatives. 

I was rather overwhelmed with the choice by this stage. 'My god do I really have to chose?' So we did discuss the alternatives and it ended up with him suggesting what is called an alpha blocker and I can't remember actually the trade name for it but I tried those and they had the most extraordinary effect on me. I mean I walked around in a daze for weeks. I had to go up to London to lecture and I suddenly found myself in Paddington station, I didn't recognise where I was almost. I mean I could just about if I really concentrated hard at feeling where I was. It wasn't the sort of thing that you wanted to lecture on very much.

Now I am very aware that there is huge variation between people and how they interact with medicines, so I wasn't totally surprised. Even with tablets for migraine I realise that some work and some don't work - that some work with some people and some work with others. And so when these alpha blockers had this effect on me I didn't really panic. I thought 'oh god that's one we'll put off the menu completely'.
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