Is There a "Best Time" to Take BP Meds?

[Rush20]

My Cardio has me on a combined Altace/Toprol XL to help control my BP. He indicated it was OK for me to combine the meds with my coumadin and vitamin intake. I have been taking the meds together around 6PM each day over the past year. Lately, I got a little lazy and have taken the meds later in the evening around 9PM. I have noticed that I've experienced various levels of insomnia as a result. I lie in bed and cannot turn my brain off.

Obviously, this is not a good thing because lack of sleep and rest leads to higher BP creating a viscious circle.

Originally, I had been taking the Toprol XL prior the Altace to help control palps and heal the heart post operation. After feeling drowsy throughout the day, my original cardio suggested I take my Toprol XL late evening to help offset the fatigue.

My questions....Has anyone else experienced insomnia or restless thoughts as a result of their BP meds and if so, any suggestions? I know I can potentially try another med, however with the exception of the occassional insomnia, I tolerate the Altace well plus it's an Ace Inhibitor which provides other benefits.

My idea is to potentially take my Altace/Coumadin and Vitamins in the morning and then take by Toprol XL late evening. I would rather do it all at once like I'm doing now, however I need to fix the insomnia issue. I know if I change times, I need to do it gradually, perhpas moving up the dosage 3 hours over a few days so I don't over medicate within 24 hours.

Any experience or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Bina]

Many people like to take most of their meds in "one shot" and be done with it.
That doesn't work for me.
My metoprolol is better on an empty stomach, aspirin and coumadin are better with food. (Aspirin with lunch, coumadin with dinner.)
I take the higher dose of my BP meds earlier in the day, then I taper off until evening. I am sleeping MUCH better.
Since you are on the Top XL you can't spread it out, perhaps lower the dose.

 

[Susan BAV]

Any experience or suggestions?

Any experience or suggestions?

This is just a wild idea based on a funny experience I had... I used to take a calcium supplement before bed and the one I took somehow contributed to a really deep night's sleep. I ran out of those and bought another brand which had the opposite effect--rather badly keeping me awake. It took me several days to realize that it was the new bottle of calcium that was suddenly causing the sleep problem. (The second bottle was a fancier brand, in gelitan-style capsules, and I wondered if the actual pill packaging had something in it that my body didn't like.)

Anyway, is it possible that something other than one of the bp meds is causing the sleep problem?

I'm on a bp med called Micardis, which is something like a next generation ace inhibitor, and I take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, before I start guzzling my morning coffee. Then I take my aspirin with my breakfast.

Oh, also many years ago I was on a bp med that seemed to disturb my sleep; I think it was Zestril. Then there was a certain ace inhibitor I once took that made me cough and that disturbed my sleep too.

 

[Turkey Hunter]

I've never had insomnia from my meds.
I currently take the same meds as you and I take my Toprol in the AM and my Altace in the PM.
I had read somewhere that your blood pressure will be the highest just before you awake in the morning (if you are on a set schedule of waking each day).
I discussed this with my cardio and he agreed that this would be a good idea to split them.

Just my thoughts. Hope it helps.

 

[hensylee]

we discussed this one years ago about splitting them up. My dear Joe had a stroke and I had studied up on strokes, finding that the majority of strokes occurred in the mornings and when the patient was at rest. That was completely opposite to what I had thought and I think other VR members, too. At any rate, I began taking one in a.m. and the other in p.m. so I'd be covered when waking up next morning. Somewhere along the way I forgot or got meds changed or something, but now since Ben reminded us, I'm changing to Benicar in the morning and Altace at night. The only med that seems to affect sleeping for me is atenolol with bizarre dreams and tiredness. I do take that one at night.