Masters Running

1

Hydrochlorothiazide ain't good for runners!!! (Read 44 times)

sunkid


    Sorry to have been a stranger over the past two weeks or so. My hamstring injury kept me from finishing my half marathon on 12/29 and from running altogether for a couple of weeks. Started PT this week in the hopes of finally completely healing it.

     

    Anywho, the topic is something else: hydrochlorothiazide. I took this diuretic drug as combination with Lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor. The combo is commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure. Not sure what, if any, experience y'all have with this, but mine was awful, so I thought I would share.

     

    I started taking the drug to treat slightly elevated blood pressure around 1/10 or so. Not running, everything seemed fine, except for maybe that dry cough that is the most common side effect of the ACE inhibitor. I had also read that some runners experienced problems with this prescription, so I was a little apprehensive going into my first easy 4 miler the third week of January. Sure enough, my heart rate climbed much faster than usual and after about 2 miles, I felt like I had hit the wall. I gave it two more tries (same distance, same easy pace) with the same, if not worse results. My heart rate almost hit max (174) at some point on a course that I usually do at a 30 second faster pace without reaching 160. On top, my muscles were burning and hurting for a day afterwards and it took me two days to recover. From an easy run!!!

     

    Needless to say, I went off the med, gave it five days to clear out, and went for another run. Same trail, slightly faster trail, exertion level back to normal and felt like running it again right after I had finished. What a difference! So now, I am back on just Lisinopril and feeling no major difference yet, except that pesky dry cough is back.

     

    Just thought I would put this out here... Of course, I am curious if anyone else had similar/entirely different experiences.

     

    MTA: Lisinopril/Hydrochlorothiazide is sold under the brand names Prinzide and Zestoretic. Hydrochlorothiazide is commonly referred to as HCTZ, HCT, or HZT.

    stumpy77


    Trails are hard!

      I've been taking it along with enalipril for high blood pressure from well before I started running.  Never had any problem like that when I started.  I had more problem with my HR going too low and feeling a little woozy when I stood up.  it turned out to be the third pill I was taking (that I can't remember at this point) and when I stopped taking that, it went away and my BP has stayed low.  I did have a little muscle soreness from the statin that I'm taking, but nothing serious.  just skip it a day before races or long runs.

      Need a fast half for late fall.  Then I need to actually train for it.

       


      King of PhotoShop

        Some years ago my PCP prescribed HCTZ to me as a mild BP reducer, and then one day during my physical he said, "I don't know why I put you on this. I know you are a runner.  I'm sorry about this.  The pill acts as a diuretic and that's the last thing you need."  I thought it was good of him to say this, given how happy everyone is to sue these days.

         

        I now take Lisinopril (10 mgs) and an odd thing happened to me a couple of years ago. I was running the Dallas Turkey Trot and going up a big hill at speed I got a bit lightheaded, had to stop for a few seconds to recover before resuming the race.  As I am a heart patient, this scared me, so I asked the dr. what happened. He told me this is not unusual and suggested I skip the dose the night before a race or long workout, which worked fine. Now I am accustomed to the drug and don't skip it any more.  My BP is just fine now.

         

        I hope all your meds are working okay for you now.  Thanks for posting this.  Spareribs

        stumpy77


        Trails are hard!

          Never thought about that, but I cycle enough water through me over the course of a day that I don't think it's a real problem.  Not running at your level  might have something to do with it too.

          Need a fast half for late fall.  Then I need to actually train for it.

           


          Latent Runner

            Some years ago my PCP prescribed HCTZ to me as a mild BP reducer, and then one day during my physical he said, "I don't know why I put you on this. I know you are a runner.  I'm sorry about this.  The pill acts as a diuretic and that's the last thing you need."  I thought it was good of him to say this, given how happy everyone is to sue these days.

             

            I now take Lisinopril (10 mgs) and an odd thing happened to me a couple of years ago. I was running the Dallas Turkey Trot and going up a big hill at speed I got a bit lightheaded, had to stop for a few seconds to recover before resuming the race.  As I am a heart patient, this scared me, so I asked the dr. what happened. He told me this is not unusual and suggested I skip the dose the night before a race or long workout, which worked fine. Now I am accustomed to the drug and don't skip it any more.  My BP is just fine now.

             

            I hope all your meds are working okay for you now.  Thanks for posting this.  Spareribs

             

            Seriously off topic here...

             

            I ran the 8-mile version of the Dallas Turkey Trot back in 2009, and I don't remember any hills; has the course changed since then or am I jaded because of all of the hills I run here in New Hampshire?

            Fat old man PRs:

            • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
            • 2-mile: 13:49
            • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
            • 5-Mile: 37:24
            • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
            • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
            • Half Marathon: 1:42:13


            King of PhotoShop

              Okay to be off-topic as long as we don't totally hijack this fine thread.

               

              Shipo you ran the old course in '09 and from about the 4 mile mark you ran steadily uphill to a hairpin turn for two miles, ran level after the turn, then ran uphill for about 3/4 of a mile on an overpass, then you finished on a 1/4 mile hill.  There is no doubt the hills in TX are not what you are accustomed to in New Hampshire (I know as I am from NY), but you definitely ran up three hills.  Spareribs

              sunkid


                Sounds like your PCP was fully on the ball, spareribs. Mine was clearly not even though we had just talked at length about my running. So much so, actually, that we didn't have enough time to discuss the hypertension treatment options. I have been seeing him for maybe 15 years now (probably a rarity in this day and age) but it may actually be time for me to switch. His take on my hamstring problem was to not run as much, which shouldn't be a big deal since I am not a professional athlete. 

                 

                It may well be that I should have given my body more time to adjust to the HCT combo. However, I also drink copious amounts of water a day and don't really feel like I need help flushing my kidneys.


                Latent Runner

                  Okay to be off-topic as long as we don't totally hijack this fine thread.

                   

                  Shipo you ran the old course in '09 and from about the 4 mile mark you ran steadily uphill to a hairpin turn for two miles, ran level after the turn, then ran uphill for about 3/4 of a mile on an overpass, then you finished on a 1/4 mile hill.  There is no doubt the hills in TX are not what you are accustomed to in New Hampshire (I know as I am from NY), but you definitely ran up three hills.  Spareribs

                   

                  Thanks Spareribs,

                   

                  So, when is a hill not a hill?  I guess when you're used to much BIGGER hills.

                   

                  Looking back on the various hills I've encountered during races, the Hayes Street Hill I climbed when I ran the Bay to Breakers in 1980 (the same weekend Mount Saint Helens blew its top) was the most challenging.  Smile

                  Fat old man PRs:

                  • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
                  • 2-mile: 13:49
                  • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
                  • 5-Mile: 37:24
                  • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
                  • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
                  • Half Marathon: 1:42:13