Q. High blood pressure drugs give my husband severe headaches and make his legs swell up. His eyes hurt and his vision is blurry.
He’s tried at least six different types of medicines, but has reacted badly to all of them. We understand he needs to treat the hypertension. Surely there is a treatment without terrible side effects. What do you advise?
A. Your husband should not have to suffer in order to control his hypertension. Although he has tried many medications, others may be less likely to cause complications.
To help him better understand his options so he can discuss this problem with his physician, we are sending you our Guide to Blood Pressure Treatment, with a discussion of the pros and cons of the medications and a number of non-drug alternatives.
Slow deep breathing, a diet rich in vegetables and fruits (the DASH diet), weight reduction, magnesium, calcium and potassium may all help. So can beet or pomegranate juice.
