Against My Better Judgement

[sue1234]

So, to refresh you on what i've done, 3 weeks ago I took a small dose of Coreg, an alpha/beta blocker. I ended up with a b/p of 65/45 that day, so rested until it wore off. No more Coreg.

So, now I am to take just a beta blocker, Atenolol. I have been taking a quarter-dose each day for 5 days. My resting b/p is roughly 110/65. The one thing I notice is I seem to somewhat stay vasodilaty(?). I don't like that! It makes me hotter and seems to make my brain seem less functioning.

So, I am reading exactly what bb do in the body, and I find out they ultimately lower aldosterone. I already tend to have a low aldosterone!!! AND, I feel like I already have a low blood volume.

I know the doctor prescribes it because all he sees is a b/p of 180/100 on the standing TTT. From his perspective, he knows he needs to lower that number. But, now I am wondering at what cost??

Wouldn't a bb be the wrong thing to be taking, from a POTS point of view?

[lieze]

It made me feel better as far as the nervousness and it seemed to block the effect the adrenaline was having on my heart but my bp's were dipping too low to tolerate it.

I was having some dips to 70/40 and others similar.

I took my bp monitor with the saved readings to my internist and he said don't take it.

[k'smom]

As you know, I'm still new to all of this, but K's dr and I talked about this. He told me that for persons whose bp tends to fluctuate widely, that a bb or cb are the wrong things to do because they can over-regulate. I've learned that if I'm going to give her any new medicine whatsoever to monitor her closely to see what affects it will have.

Personally, I used to take Atenolol for MVP and it would drag me down so bad that I could barely function and I don't have any other physical ailments, much less POTS.

Best wishes to you!

Kim

[lieze]

I have to give my boss credit for her nursing skills.

When my tachycardia started I looked at her and said it's like I need to be on Lanoxin or something.

She shook her head no right away and said and if you take that what is going to happen when you go back to normal.

I think she has a valid point.

I also know how uncomfortable all of this is and if you can take something safely with no ill effects and it makes you feel better I totally understand where that would be desirable.

[Lovebug]

Hi Sue! Remember what I sent you in the private messages? My cardiologist told me that not all Betablockers are created equal and he specifically said that Atenolol is more potent. He started me on Inderal b/c it is a much older drug (& milder...according to him). Maybe you can get your Rx changed...? Also, note that if you quarter the pill (& it isn't scored that way) then you don't know exactly how much medication you are getting with each dose. This could account for different BP's on different days, possibly.