Month off of proranolol and my BP is normal

[kalamazoo]

Over the last 6 months my BP was slowly increasing and was usually around 130/100 with the diastolic at least 90. I started increasing my propranolol dosage thinking it would help lower my BP. Was in the hospital once for a BP of 155/110. Very scary.

Well I've been off propranolol for a month now and my BP is almost ALWAYS normal. Just took it right now 118/78. Completely normal. And I feel better, less breathing issues as well.

I have hyper pots so my BP does get elevated when I'm active but now it's normal when resting and lower in general.

 

Thought I'd give an update!

[StayAtHomeMom]

I noticed my propanol was causing my breathing issues to worsen, are your breathing issues due to something besides POTS? I went off of it for a while and would only take as needed but I recently decided to try again thinking maybe before I was triggering my breathing symptoms to worsen because it had got so hot out.

[kalamazoo]

Well I saw a pulmonologist, and I don't have asthma or anything like that and my lungs function okay. I am being testing for MCAS though but yeah I think the propranolol made it way worse.

[StayAtHomeMom]

See I don't have asthma either. Did a full work up with an amazing pulmonogist and he said there was absolutely nothing wrong with my lungs. I have the issue where I feel "tigh-laced" and I can't get a deep breath. After taking my propranolol for a few weeks I noticed it getting worse, and I was fighting more to get the deep breath. The pharmacist asked if I had asthma when I filled it, because it can cause an asthma attack. Kinda makes me wonder if the breathing issue isn't something similar to asthma and maybe that is why it freaks. How did they figure out you have hyperpots, and what is making them test you for MCAS?

[kalamazoo]

I have elevated stuff in my blood, i don't remember the name, i have a urine test tomorrow to get it officially checked.  But yeah i feel like propranolo helped take the edge off aas far as panic attacks and stuff but my breathing was rough, my chest got tight a lot

[StayAtHomeMom]

Well good luck on your testing and hopefully they can find something else. I seen something about beta blockers sometimes paired with alpha blockers (or something like that). Maybe just tweaking the type of med with help.

[Weyland]

I agree , propranolol caused me to have breathing issues as well . How is your heart rate now being off the beta blocker ?

[kalamazoo]

My heart rate is almost the same i'd say to be honest, i mostly took propranolol to avoid panic attacks and spikes in my anxiety levels, so i feel a bit more anxious but it's an okay level

[Weyland]

So you don't have much tachycardia problems with your pots  ?

[kalamazoo]

Oh i have a lot its horrible with any physical exertion but the propranolol didnt help much to begin with

[SarahA33]

Kala - Happy to hear your having improvements off of propranolol!

Stayathomemom - here is the info on hyper pots taken from Dr. Raj's recent paper on POTS. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11910-015-0583-8#Sec3

Central Hyperadrenergic POTS

Although the elevated sympathetic tone in POTS is often secondary to another pathophysiological mechanism, such as neuropathy or hypovolemia, it can also be the primary underlying problem [19]. Furlan et al. reported increased sympathetic tone in patients with POTS [52]. Resting sympathetic nerve activity, measured by microneurography, is elevated. A spectral analysis index of sympathetic function and plasma norepinephrine are sometimes higher at supine rest and increase more with HUT in POTS [52, 53]. Plasma norepinephrine levels should be determined in patients with POTS while in steady state in the supine and upright positions (at least 10 min in each position). When measured during upright posture, norepinephrine is elevated in many patients with POTS (>3.55 nmol/L (600 pg/mL) and sometimes >5.91 nmol/L (1000 pg/mL)), consistent with the sympathetic neuronal activation elicited by standing in these patients [19]. This is sometimes used as a criterion for the “hyperadrenergic subtype” of POTS.

An exaggerated sympathetic vasoconstrictor response during the recovery and overshoot phases of the Valsalva maneuver may also reflect a hyperadrenergic state in patients with POTS [2, 19]. These patients may have orthostatic hypertension (increase in systolic blood pressure >10 mmHg on standing) and complain of tremor, anxiety, and cold, sweaty extremities

[haugr]

Very interesting kal, thank you for the update.

[Weyland]

So did you get tested for MCAS ?