Brief Answer:
Low grade headaches

Detailed Answer:
Good evening. Thank you for your question. If your headaches are different from what you're used to experiencing and if they've been present or started around the time you started taking Coversyl then, the most likely cause of your pain and discomfort is the medication. Coversyl comes from a class of medication known as ACE INHIBITORS and these are well known for causing side effects of HEADACHES and COUGH. I know you're not complaining of cough...but just in case you've got a bit of a new cough....it's not viral....it's not allergies.....and it's not the pollution in the air! It's likely the Coversyl.

Please speak with your physician and ask them whether they believe the headaches could be caused by the medication. And if there's that chance then, I would ask your doctor for a change to another CLASS OF MEDICATION.....different from ACE INHIBITORS. It doesn't even seem that the medication is helping your blood pressure from the numbers you are giving.

Here is a short list of common side effects from Coversyl. It is not an accident that HEADACHE is listed in 2nd place:

Cough, shortness of breath, discomfort on exertion.
Headache, dizziness, vertigo, pins and needles.
Changes in the rhythm or rate of the heart beat, fast or irregular heart beat.
Feeling tired, lethargic or weak. Tinnitus (persistent noise in the ears), vision disturbances. Hypotension, flushing, impaired peripheral circulation, vasculitis, nose bleeds. Nausea, vomiting, taste disturbances, indigestion, diarrhoea, constipation, stomach pain or discomfort. Muscle cramps. Rash, pruritus (itching).

Therefore, I would highly recommend you speak with your doctor and mention the fact that Coversyl has a high incidence rate of causing headaches (up to 10% users) and is truly not doing for your pressure what it's supposed to be doing. I believe a change should be entertained.

If I've satisfactorily addressed your question then, could you do me the kindest of favors by CLOSING THIS QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback and a 5 STAR rating to our transaction if you feel the response has helped you? Again, many thanks for posing your question.

Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.

This query has utilized a total of 25 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.

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Brief Answer:
My apologies

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your clarification. I must have missed where exactly you stated in your original question you had been taking Coversyl for FOUR years though you do mention a recent change in dosage to 5 mg. over the past week and the presence of these low grade headaches over the past 4-5 weeks. Nevertheless, it is true that a medication can cause side effects in some cases even if it has been taken for long periods of time. This is referred to as an IDIOSYNCRATIC REACTION but I would also agree that other causes for the onset of your headaches should be sought first before invoking this as the most likely explanation.

If the blood pressures of 150-170 (assuming these are your SYSTOLIC readings, TOP NUMBER) have only been ELEVATED for the past 4-5 weeks in conjunction with the start of the headaches and if previously the pressures were WELL CONTROLLED and much lower then, there is a possibility that the headaches can be correlated with the increased blood pressure. If the numbers 150-170 do not represent any MAJOR increase in your usual baseline numbers for which you had been taking the 2.5 mg. of Coversyl then, it is less likely the headaches are due to that phenomenon and something else as an explanation should be sought.

There are 2 potential interactions between Coversyl and Nurofen:

1. Either increases potential toxicity and side effects of the other. In particular this combination of drugs MAY result in compromised kidney function, particularly in elderly or volume depleted individuals.

2. Nurofen decreases effects of Coversyl which can allow blood pressures to rise. In general NSAIDs (such as Nurofen) decrease synthesis of certain chemical substances produced in the kidney which allow blood vessels to dilate thus controlling blood pressure. Thus, fluid imbalances may develop within the vascular system and cause a diminished antihypertensive effect.

The other problem with taking DAILY NUROFEN in the presence of newly developed headaches (even if taking them for headaches) is that if more than 15 doses are ingested on a monthly basis there is the possibility of something called MEDICATION OVERUSE HEADACHE which means that the NUROFEN itself may be causing the genesis of at least some of the headaches you are currently experiencing.

If you were a patient in my practice I would look to have you stop the regimen of the daily NUROFEN, try and determine a cause of your headaches, and if necessary change your antihypertensive medication to something different that does not have headache as such an important side effect by also using the smallest dose possible for control of your blood pressure.

I would also review any other medications you may be taking to see if there've been changes, check on things such as diet, nutrition, exercise, weight gains, or losses, and possibly check blood work for thyroid or electrolyte problems.

Thank you once again for your clarification of the initial question and my thanks also if you'd do me the kindest of favors by CLOSING THIS QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback and a 5 STAR rating to our transaction if you feel the response has helped you?

Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or updates having to do with this topic or others.

This query has utilized a total of 52 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.

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