Racing Heart And High Bp

[DIXZELAND]

Hello all! My question is when one has the racing heart and high bp at the same time, will it eventually become lower on its own or only with medication? I get so overwhelmed when my heart is racing and my bp gets close to 200/130. I feel as if I am going to just fall apart. I sometimes have to take a "second" pill just to get it under control. I don't know how to deal with the situation when it occurs. I try to lie down but then I can't breathe.

Thanks!

[janiedelite]

My BP goes up upon standing (usually 130's/90's, but has gone as high as 180's/110's). I absolutely hate how I feel when my BP gets really high. I've been put on carvedilol/coreg which really has helped control the super high episodes as well as the chest pain. I also have nitro tablets in case of breakthrough chest pain. I think it's definitely a good idea to try seeing a specialist who's flexible and willing to do trial-and-error with a medication regimen. My cardiologist is NOT a POTS specialist, but was willing to be flexible and try whatever meds that he or my other docs felt would help me.

When you try a new BP med, always start on the lowest dose. I felt so good on low-dose carvedilol that I slowly titrated myself up to 3 or 4 times what I'm taking now, only to have more fatigue. Basically what I'm trying to say is that we all react differently and it takes time to find what helps you most.

[MomtoGiuliana]

Hello

What medications are you on, out of curiosity? Has a dr evaluated your blood pressure?

For many people with POTS we have episodes like this. they can resolve on their own. But many POTS patients take meds to abate such symptoms.

There are things you can do that do not involve medication that may help. Increasing fluids, wearing support hose, increasing salt (but talk to your dr first about salt).

I know these episodes are quite uncomfortable.

[DIXZELAND]

Hello

What medications are you on, out of curiosity? Has a dr evaluated your blood pressure?

For many people with POTS we have episodes like this. they can resolve on their own. But many POTS patients take meds to abate such symptoms.

There are things you can do that do not involve medication that may help. Increasing fluids, wearing support hose, increasing salt (but talk to your dr first about salt).

I know these episodes are quite uncomfortable.

I am on Metoprolol 25mg. I take 12.5 in the am and 12.5 in the pm. It use to be 12.5 just once a day then it became apparent that I needed to increase my dosage. I am on my 3rd cardiologist, hopefully he will figure it all out!

[comfortzone]

I hope you can stick with your current doctor or that they can stick with you - till you can get a grip on how to best handle your symptoms.... I too began with Metoprolol - 25mg...it was then upped to 50mg -- these are lowish doses for sure. It was for a baseline sinus tach with short runs of a PAT type SVT. Additionally it was to treat essential hypertension that is labile if not orthostatic hypertension.

What suddenly had my heart rate in the 60's (which admittedly is weird when you have been in the hundreds most your life lol) - was the doctor switching the metoprolol to Bystolic which is a newer beta blocker that metoprolol...dunno if you've ever been on that one. But even when I stopped it for awhile because my b/p went too low - my heart rate reset itself and now is always in the 60's -- too weird!

Now I'm back on it though -- with a small amt. of diuretic. I'm still crazy labile up and down and so the next med to be tried will be clonidine. Only at night to start and only a very low dose. I tend to react pretty sharply to these kinds of meds. So I probably won't be on the Bystolic or diuretic much longer...

It is something I've had to resign myself to - though I dislike and resist the idea -- is that tinkering with meds for my symptoms is something that may be ongoing the rest of my life if I continue with this orthostatic intolerance -- so the crucial part for me is finding a doctor that is willing to walk the walk with you and not get frustrated. Today I had a bad interaction with a blood pressure specialist --- in that he was tweaking my meds last week -- this week I called to tell him how my blood pressure responded (more severe lability with bad headaches and dizziness) - and he actually told the nurse to tell me to only take my blood pressure twice a week.

Wow was I angry -- here they go manipulating medications -- ask for a follow up call -- I make the follow up call because of symptoms -- and get told THAT!!!! So I called my other doctors quite disturbed and told them what this other guy said and that it was NOT okay with me. Sheeeesh........ Do you really think I'd check my blood pressure if I had no symptoms, no history of issues, etc... NO - I wouldn't ever check it. It's not a normal thing to do in a day -- but when you are ready to pass out and it's 80/49 only to have it 164/104 a couple hours later -- someone needs to help.... not harm.... but help!

So hang in there and as I started this out with - I sure hope this doctor will walk the walk with you till you feel better!

[jonathanireland]

I suppose chick if you want a simple answer. . . . .

Lying down will relief your hypertension and tachycardia, but i dont suppose we can all lied down for ever.

But now a realistic answer, on my tilt my bp started off normal then went hypertensive and tachycaria occured and then a few mins later went very hypotensive and bradycardia occured so i think its different for everyone.

but yes anti-hypertensives will lower blood pressure

get well soon