Anyone taking lisinopril to control BP after transplant?

Mike has had some crazy labs lately and some side effects to his BP meds.


His AST and ALT have begun to rise, which is worrisome. And his most recent Hep C Viral Load zoomed up to over 67,000,000...that's right MILLION! His Alk Phos is elevated and his most recent MRI shows "something" in the bile ducts....so...ummmm...


His BP is controlled -- after 5 changes --with metoprolol and lisinopril, but he thinks the lisinopril is causing dry cough that keeps him up nights! It has gotten bad enough that we've made an appointment with the cardiologist we saw before transplant who is following his other cardiac problems: Aortic stenosis, partially occluded carotid arteries and a partial block seen on most recent transthorasic echocardiogram. No surgery for those...but watchful waiting. Where have I heard that before?


We think maybe the lisinopril is the culprit and some other posts on Healing Well seem to indicate we are right. Cardio tomorrow.


So, Mike, the poster boy of transplant is having some glitches after 14 months.


In addition, something good/bad...Mike had to wait a year to be cleared to have a surgeon look at a shoulder injury he got playing golf in 2009. He was too sick in other ways to even consider doing anything. But last Friday he had his right shoulder repaired...2 tendons were reattached...the top connection of the biceps and the supraspinous (Connie, is that correct...the top one?....and 2 big tears in the rotator cuff muscles were sewn.


He has his arm in a sling positioned at a 45 degree angle from his body and then bent at the elbow also at a 45 degree angle...with a big firm pillow velcroed to the harness. It must be kept in place for 6 weeks, 24/7. He looks quite strange...he and Humpty go everywhere. I have cut a few tee shirts from waist to arm pit to cover him some and then he wears an XL button down shirt through the good arm and then over the shoulder...pinned half way down...so as to at least give the guy some privacy. He was in the hospital over night and did well. This morning we put a poncho over Humpty and gave him half a shower! With his incisional he is a bit of a freak at the moment. Poor Mike.


Anyone have similar experience with lisinopril? Or other Ace inhibitors? We should know the facts going into the appointment.


Thanks,


Carol

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 7/10/2012 6:26:20 PM (GMT-6)

Carol, the med is spelled lisinopril.,,no "c." I've corrected it in your posts. I also corrected supraspinous. I take only metoprolol, which has given me no problems. I'd been taking it for about 4 yrs. prior to transplant.

As far as the elevated liver enzymes, alk phos, etc., it's likely the hep C. That's what they've concluded in my case, after biopsy. It could also be from rejection, but biopsy will determine which is the case.

I have no cardiac issues other than a rapid heart rate at times, though metoprolol takes care of that.

I don't know how Mike can tolerate that contraption for 6 wks., but you do what you have to do...I know that.

Hopefully, someone here will have something to share about lisinopril.

Hugs,
Connie

Carol, that was odd with the computer language. It was there when I went in to correct spellings. I have now taken it out.

Hugs,
Connie

David, you have a way with words.

And yup yup yup...these bumps in the road are nothing compared to what was waiting for him in the summer of 2011...

Thanks for a dose of reality here!

"Humpty" and Mike getting ready to have their stitches out today.

Carol

Thanks for the update, Carol! I hope the new BP med works for him without difficult sides Welcome home!

Hugs,
Connie