I never had trouble with my stomach until I was put on high blood pressure medication. I would get a severe tightness and burning in my chest like no heartburn I have ever felt before. Then if I didn't catch it in time the pain would continue down my left arm (always my left arm). No matter how many rolaids I took it would only give me relief for a short period of time. This was on the smallest amount of High blood pressure meds. However it was not enough to reduce my blood pressure so all the agony I was going through was for nothing. They changed my meds at least 8 different times, the symptoms would only get worse. Eventually I felt like I was having a stroke just trying to take my meds. The entire left side of my body was in severe pain. It would always start the same, 1st the pressure in my chest then incredible burning then the pain down my left arm and eventually my left leg. That was when he started sending me for heart tests. I passed them all. The stress test and ekg, I even had an mri, all normal. My sister has an ulser and she takes zantac all the time. She gave me some and I tried it. That was when I realized it was something to do with my stomach rather than my heart that was making the meds so difficult for me to take. I take .1mg of catapress 6 times a day now and as long as I take a 150mg zantac every day, I'm fine no more pain, lower blood pressure, everyone is happy. I never realized that heartburn could get that sever I felt like I was having a stroke. I really feel like my doctor should have known more about how different medications react with each other. All along he kept telling me the symptoms I was describing are not listed as side effect of that particular medication. (It must be all in my head, right?) However, all of the high blood presure medications he gave me must of had something in common that did not agree with my stomach, thats for sure. I will probably never know. But I have to believe that I am not the only person that this has happened to. I just want to be sure that it's ok to take zantac everyday, because I could not take my other meds without it. Thanks you.
Hi Black3,
Thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear about all the troubles that you've had with your medications. I know it must be frustrating for you, but try to keep in mind that there are thousands of medications available, and your doctor can't possible know all the side effects of each one. As medical professionals, I don't think anyone claims to know everything. We do the best we can, and use the resources available to us to find more information when we don't know enough on our own. That being said, Zantac is approved for maintainance treatment, but I would highly recommend that you tell your doctor that you're taking it. Zantac has some drug interactions (including some antiobiotics and antifungals) that might influence how your doctor treats you if you should become ill. It also helps your doctor to keep your records accurate if he or she knows all the medications (both prescription and over the counter, including herbs and supplements) that you are taking.
Best of luck,
Casey
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While I appreicate the medical profession for the tremendous job they doing, I just wish more doctors were educated more on foods and nutrition,especilaly when it comes to nature and healing.
Too many doctors are too quick to write prescription, even though they know quite well the terrible side effects most of these drugs can cause.
There is a doctor by the name of George Pamplona Roger, that man desearves all the medals in the world, yet not many people know of him.
He is the author of several health publications, including Encyclopedia of Foods and their Healing Power, Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants, Encyclopedia of Health and Education for the Family and 250 Recipes for Healing and Prevention.
Please see these wonderful publications on Food and Nutrition at
http://healingfoodsandmedicinalplants.com
"Let your food be your medicine and your medicine your food"