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On Benicar HCT 40/12.5mg For High Bp. Started Loosing Erection. Could It Be A Side Effect Of Medicine?
Question: Hi, I'm 42 and was just prescribed Benicar HCT 40/12.5mg for high blood pressure. I was on the medication for 10 days and then, litterally overnight lost my ability to get an erection. I've never had that issue before and the only thing in my life that was new was the medication/ Could it be a side effect? If so how long does it last? I've stopped taking the medicine for the past 4 days because my wife and I are trying to have a baby, but still nothing.
Hi
HCT (Hydro ChlorThiazide) is a diuretic. It is well known to cause erectile dysfunction - in some people
Its half life is about half a day – so it must have been cleared from your body by now.
[Half life of one day means half the substance will be cleared by the body in one day – in other words only 50% will remain on second day. At this rate, the remainder on day 3 = 25% / Day 4 = 12.5% / day 5 = 6.25% / Day 6 = 3.125%.]
Benecar (Olmesartan) does not cause dysfunction. [Some say it may even do the opposite! Or it can rarely cause]
You have stopped for 4 days - you may be alright now! Because the episode happened first time, one is usually psychologically upset and that may prolong the problem. You sound intelligent; correctly convicted the cause. Don’t worry. Go ahead. If there is no contraindication (like history of heart disease etc), no harm to use sildenafil (in the short term) to boost - it boosts your morale too. Please get it prescribed from your physician.
Good luck
PS:
It is also very important to have the blood pressure controlled. Should you not be fit to take care and provide for the baby, when it comes? – hopefully, God will bless you with one soon. So, see your doctor and change to different class of drugs for BP control. Your same doctor may be better – he knows the situation.
All the best
HCT (Hydro ChlorThiazide) is a diuretic. It is well known to cause erectile dysfunction - in some people
Its half life is about half a day – so it must have been cleared from your body by now.
[Half life of one day means half the substance will be cleared by the body in one day – in other words only 50% will remain on second day. At this rate, the remainder on day 3 = 25% / Day 4 = 12.5% / day 5 = 6.25% / Day 6 = 3.125%.]
Benecar (Olmesartan) does not cause dysfunction. [Some say it may even do the opposite! Or it can rarely cause]
You have stopped for 4 days - you may be alright now! Because the episode happened first time, one is usually psychologically upset and that may prolong the problem. You sound intelligent; correctly convicted the cause. Don’t worry. Go ahead. If there is no contraindication (like history of heart disease etc), no harm to use sildenafil (in the short term) to boost - it boosts your morale too. Please get it prescribed from your physician.
Good luck
PS:
It is also very important to have the blood pressure controlled. Should you not be fit to take care and provide for the baby, when it comes? – hopefully, God will bless you with one soon. So, see your doctor and change to different class of drugs for BP control. Your same doctor may be better – he knows the situation.
All the best
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Aparna Kohli
Answered by
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