Ace inhibitor?
 

I have been on an ace inhibitor for 5 years, and my RSD started a little over one year ago, although I wasn't diagnosed until a few months ago. I read that a few studies have shown that ace inhibitors increase risk of RSD. Should I talk to my primary about it? The problem is that I have "treatment resistant" hypertension, and am also already on a diuretic and calcium channel blocker. I was on a beta blocker, but went off it recently - my primary thinks my blood pressure went down when my pain level decreased after three sympathetic blocks (yeah). So going off the ace inhibitor will mean either increase blood pressure (and headaches that causes me) or trying a less commonly used antihypertensive.

What I read said ace inhibitors increase risk of developing RSD. That doesn't necessarily mean they play a role in ongoing disease.

As anyone else been taken off their ace inhibitor because of RSD?

I would suggest you change from that ACE inhibitor ASAP.

I had a horrible crisis with my Lisinopril.... burning pain everywhere, swelling, fluid in my chest and neck/throat, GI swelling... I thought I'd die.

This is due to a buildup of bradykinin, which is a potent vasodilator.

I too was on 3 BP drugs at the same time (but I do not have RSD).... which didn't work. Cardizem, Lasix and lisinopril).... Now I use a magnesium lotion which is very effective in lowering blood pressure-- Morton's Epsom lotion--from WalMart.
And I now only take 25mg of atenolol... my BP has never been better! The stress from the bradykinin buildup was actually making my BP worse. I had been on that ACE drug for over a decade, and the changes were so slow my doctor thought I had other things going on....and it was the lisinopril all along!

The ACE inhibitors cause acquired angioedema, which strains your whole body, and cardiovascular system. Some people have a genetic weakness and this makes it worse.

I have been posting all this year all over these forums about this potential. If you have this angioedema, you can die from it.

Do a search for "angioedema" and you'll find my posts with more details. There is one on this forum in fact.

I had an item coming up for bid ending on Ebay and had to leave this post...now I am back... and I won my item too! ;)
Here is a link from a thread on RSD:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post970435-6.html

And another with more details...
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread180226.html
further down this thread is a discussion of HAE and acquired AE...