I am 52 years old patientold, female. I have gained significant weight in the last3 years, and especially in the last 9 months. I am overweight at 200 pounds, and am 5 feet 4 inches tall.

I was diagnosed with high blood pressure about a month ago. I think I started having high blood pressure about 3 years old patientago, but for some reason, birth control pills seem to fix the pounding heart beats I was getting at night.

I am trying to find the right blood pressure medication, with the least side effects. I tried atenolol, and found that for about 3 hours after taking it, I experience internal pain (internal jolts of pain), including what feels like pain in my heart area. I tried Lisinopril for 2 weeks, that was working, but then started making me feeling bad for an extended period of time, like 10 hours a day (feels like internal chest stress). I can't imagine being on either drug long term. I have had heart palpitations and heart pangs, but only when the high blood pressure was not treated, or right after taking one of these medications.

I am also taking Hormone replacements (gel form estrogen and a progesterone pill).

My goal is to find blood pressure pill I can stay on,and one that does not interfere with exercise.

My doses of these medications are:1/2 tab Atenolol (25 mg pill), or 1/2 tab lisinopril (5 mg)
And divigel 1 mg plus 100 mg progesterone.

What are the least impactful alternatives? By the way, both drugs control my blood pressure.