I want to stop taking Lisinopril before becoming pregnant? -

I am 36 yrs old. I am being treated for hypertension due to a kidney disorder called quot;minimal change diseasequot;. I am taking 10mg of Lisinopril and 80mg of Diovan daily. My BP is usually 110/74 while on the meds. I have experienced SEVERE headaches whenever I forget my meds for several days, so I am afraid of discontinuing my medication. But I would like to conceive in the next few months (before the end of May), and my doctor s appt. isn t until the middle of May. I would like to try to discontinue the meds before I see the doctor, to find out if my BP is under control, since I have lost 20 lbs. and have increased my exercise and eating healthy. Any suggestions???

My main suggestion is DO NOT stop the meds! I am on lisinopril and another med, I have lost 85lbs in the last 8 months and my BP has not come down....so don t rely on weight loss alone. If you are to be taken off the lisinopril the chances are high that it will need to be replaced with another med. Don t attempt it without medical supervision, it could be dangerous. You will need guidance regarding pregnancy anyway and you need the right advice from the doctor, not here.

There is a problem with ACE inhibitors like lisinopril in pregnancy and 10 mg lisinopril is a low dose so maybe it can be stopped Use of more than one medication can increase risk of teratogenicity in pregnancy. The diovan can be increased to a higher dose if needed You need to have your own blood pressure machine to monitor your blood pressure daily Use less than 2 gram sodium in your diet per day Increase fruits and vegetables to 3-5 servings per day Go on folic acid as this decreases neural tube defects

Try talking to a pharmacist