Just Me?

[pat57]

I had low BP. >100 and >70. (always below) I was clocked @ 80/50 3 times in the Drs office. Now. its < 120 <70. (always above).

I have stopped water and salt loading.

Anybody else?

[Ernie]

Hi,

Mine is very labile. Never know what to expect.

[persephone]

me too

[flop]

My BP can be all over the place. My baseline used to be 100/70 but I often now get readings of 140/90 and am waiting to see my doctor to adjust my medications. I have reduced my midodrine dose myself as I know that causes my BP to rise. I think labile BP is all part and parcel of POTS.

Flop

[carinara]

My BP varies from 110 to 68 to 180 to 130, my baseline is around 140 to 90

[pat57]

Thanks for the replies but what I'm getting at is a consistent change. I used to be always low by definition. Below 100/70. Now it is always above. Normal by definition.

I used to salt and water load to increase it, but I don't need to increase it anymore.

Of course it would go low during an episode of NCS.

[flop]

Hi Pat,

I think I have had a similar rise in overall BP like you have. Sorry if I didn't explain clearly the first time. Before starting POTS treatments I usually had a BP of 100/70 (give or take a bit). A few years down the line and treatments including salt, water, fludrocortisone, beta-blocker and midodrine and my BP now is more likely to be about 140/90. I realised that running a high BP is probably not a good idea so I have reduced my midodrine and now only take it on certain days where I know I am going to have to stand up (I don't recommend that others change their meds without talking to their doctor, I am seeing my cardio next week and will discuss it with him but I haven't had an appointment with him since last summer). Without the midodrine I run between 110/70 and 120/75 when feeling well. The problem is that even if I let my BP run high it still plummets when I have one of my crazy POTS things and I black-out, also even with a high BP I don't feel well. Dysautonomia is sooooo confusing!!!

Flop

[Megan]

With medication, I'm usually 120/70. For a while I was much higher (med dose was too high, lowered meds, went back to normal). Other than that I don't experience many changes. Is there a chance your body is somehow 'fixing' itself? Or maybe you're just going through a good period. Take advantage of it!

Meg

[Megan]

Oh, and I don't know about you, but the water keeps me from being dehydrated; I still need saline IV's every month or so. So I would suggest that you don't go too low on water intake.

Meg

[pat57]

thanks again guys.

Meg ,I have finally arrived at Menopause. I think it could be that. Peri-menopause periods are ungodly heavy and frequent. I have not had a period since January and the timing is there. I did also start a new position at work with is a real workout in itself. I probably started that about January too. Its fast paced and a lot of heavy lifting. Twice a week.

Also, Meg,I think I get enough liquids, but I will take that reminder to heart. Thankyou.

Flop, if you or the Dr. come up with a reason for your changes- let me know- please.

[runningshoe]

Hi all!

I was treated for high bp for 8 years before pots. Now I am up, down and in between! Crazy....

[mindyandy420]

My BP has always stayed right aroung 120/70. I have never had it checked while standing so I dont know how it would react. I can tell you that I defeinately feel that changes.

[yogini]

My baseline BP for my whole life was 90/60. It's now more like 115/75, but I think that's because of the salt, fluids and meds I take. I am sure it would plop right back down if I stopped. I think it's hard for most of us to know what our "baseline" BP is when we are taking treatments.

Age is also a factor. My mom also had 90/60 all her life and is now 120/80 or 130/90.

But if your BP is higher than it used to be, it might make sense to touch base with your doc to find out if you should adjust what you're doing.

[ajw4790]

My baseline seems to be about the same.

[pat57]

So, I saw the MD and asked him this- he wondered if the Norpace may have done it but thought is was probably hypovolemia during perimenopause and now

with no period the BP has risen.

[dawson20]

Before meds my baseline was usually 70/30 now (with meds) my baseline is usually 110/50 - Ive only been off meds a handful of times since starting and every time my baseline is actually lower (60/palp or even unreadable) though, so my unmedicated baseline still stinks.

[carinara]

When i got a real bad POTS episode a few years ago (long before i got diagnosed) i went to a alterantive hospital trying to get my symptoms under control. Back then, the doctors just focused on my tachy and my higher BP. i was 30 years old back then and more on the skinny side. They focused on getting my changing BP under control. They assumed, that this would be te solution to all my problems. Well, i must say that out of all the doctors trying to help me in this matter, this professor helped me the most. Iam not sure if you heard of the : inner heart pressure syndrom (in german: herzinnendruck syndrom) The professor told me plus i read it in his book and on the internet. That many woman most of the time woman who go into menopause have problems with getting higher BP. When the period stops then they have more blood circulating around in their body. When you lay down on your back, the heart gets in stress because of the increasing blood flow to the heart (more work for the heart to do)He has got a volume ekg where the patient can see how the blood flow effects the heart whilest laying down flat) During the night, the heart gets into stress because of that. That increases the BP and so on. Well of course, iam far away from the menopause but at that time, i took some medication to stop my periode and therefore i was somehow in the same situation. What the professor recomments to his patients is to sleep in a uprighter position and to let a tiny amound blood every 4 weeks. (between 40 and 80 ml). Ever since then i stuck to that. After i got diagnosed with POTS last summer i thought about stopping the procedure of letting blood, but my doctor who stood by my side through many years of not knowing whats wrong with me, told me that we should stick to it. Because my Base BP gets really effected by this thing called bloodletting. I talked to many woman in this alternative hospital and this procedure has helped most of them. The hospital and the professor who treated me have been on many german health programms on TV and it seems like it works for many people. Iam not sure if there is some information about that available in english. But if somebody is interested i sure will look into it.

Like i said, this procedure only effects the BP side of things not POTS in general.

carinara

[pat57]

interesting. thanks.

[Rachel]

My baseline blood pressure has continued to go down over the years, despite treatment with salt, fluids, midodrine, and at times florinef. My blood pressure while lying down is usually between 80/40 and 90/60. It used to be 120/72 while lying down. I wish it still was!

Rachel

[pat57]

check this out its not about blood volume, but.....

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menopause...ressure/AN01463

Does menopause affect blood pressure?

- Susan / New York

Mayo Clinic breast-health specialist Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer

Yes. Blood pressure increases after menopause and so does the risk of high blood pressure.

There has been some debate about whether these changes in blood pressure are truly due to menopause or are a consequence of age and weight gain. But after taking these factors into account, researchers have found that postmenopausal women are at higher risk of high blood pressure than are premenopausal women. This suggests that estrogen may play a protective role in blood pressure.

Before menopause, women have slightly lower diastolic pressure and systolic pressure than men do. After menopause, systolic pressure in women increases by about 5 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

Menopause-related increases in blood pressure can be attributed in part to increased salt sensitivity and weight gain that are in turn associated with hormone changes during menopause. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause also may contribute to increases in blood pressure. Women older than age 50 who take HRT may have a small increase ? usually 1 to 2 mm Hg ? in systolic blood pressure. These women are also 25 percent more likely to have high blood pressure than are women who don't take HRT.

You can take steps to control high blood pressure after menopause. Lifestyle changes can help avoid, delay or reduce the need for medications. These include:

* Reducing sodium in your diet

* Increasing physical activity

* Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight on the DASH eating plan

* Limiting or avoiding alcohol

* Avoiding tobacco use

However, sometimes lifestyle changes aren't enough. In such cases, medications such as diuretics are very effective in reducing blood pressure. In addition, a European study published in June 2006 in the journal Hypertension suggests that a new hormone therapy ? which combines drospirenone (DRSP) and 17-beta-estradiol ? may reduce blood pressure in postmenopausal women who have high blood pressure. However, the dosages used in the study are not yet available in the United States.

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