Elevated Bp Question??

[roxie]

Hello! I know that some of you can have hbp at times as well as can I, usually mine is fixed through changing my meds, but I have been having elevated bp for about 2 1/2 weeks now, nothing dangerous aruond 128/88- 133/93 with really no rhyme or reason, did decrease some meds, but it isn't helping.

So, my question is- those that say that have elevated/hbp sometimes. how long does it last? and what do you do about it? like is it only a day or two or a month or what?

thanks

Madeline

[jj_nycguy]

Hello! I know that some of you can have hbp at times as well as can I, usually mine is fixed through changing my meds, but I have been having elevated bp for about 2 1/2 weeks now, nothing dangerous aruond 128/88- 133/93 with really no rhyme or reason, did decrease some meds, but it isn't helping.

So, my question is- those that say that have elevated/hbp sometimes. how long does it last? and what do you do about it? like is it only a day or two or a month or what?

thanks

Madeline

My hypertension is hereditary, I got it from both of my parents and their siblings. I was 30ish when my pressure went from 120/80 to over 150/110 within a very short period of time. For over a month, it remained there and never went down, so I went to the doctor. Now I'm on a beta blocker, which helps control my pressure. My problem is the delicate balancing act required to control my pressure between hypertension and hypotension. Something as simple as the change in season can disrupt that balance. Having POTS makes it even more of a challenge.

I'm not a doctor, but you might want to monitor it for the next few weeks, along with your diet, and if it doesn't not go down you should schedule a doctor's appointment. Sometimes it is as simple as too much sodium, caffeine, pseudoephedrine or even trace amounts of aspertame.

[juliegee]

Madeline,

You don't mention whether or not you are taking florinef and salt. Both are infamous for their ability to raise BP. My son was taking a relatively high dose of florinef, .2mg with 6 Thermotabs a day for over a year. It helped him to feel much better; he fainted much less often. Out of the blue, like you, his BP started going up. It was consistently high, 130/90, maybe 135/92 for over a week. I thought I should titrate his dosage of florinef down slowly the same way he built it up and began cutting his dose by .05 per half week. But Dr. Rowe at Johns Hopkins, wanted him to cut his dose dramatically lower right away. Mack levelled out at .05mg, with one Thermotab a day. I try to check his BP weekly to ensure that it's good. It's normal or low now, without too many episodes of lightheadedness. Mack has permission to up the florinef as needed for lightheadeness (like when he travels) as long as his BP stays low.

If this is induced by florinef, it might be good news. Your hypovolemia might be improving. Check with your doc about how he/she wants you to reduce your meds. It takes some experimenting to figure out the exact dosage to DO the trick, without "overdoing" it.

In my son's case, he had grown 5-6 inches in the year that he was the sickest. It almost seemed like his body needed time to catch up with all of the extra growth, to expand the blood volume appropriately. Thought I'd throw that out there in case you're still growing:-)

Julie

[roxie]

Julie, I do take florinef and salt. Over the years we have played with the doses at different times for different reasons, but somehow always found my way back to .1mg 2xday. Right now I am taking .1 AM and .05 PM, but I have been on that dose last spring, but you never know. When it first went up, I lowered the salt and it was still borderline like low 80's then I decided to eat salt anyway and started to feel a little better, but my bp went up to 128/88 in the afternoon and 134/91 in the evening. so who knows? if it stays up we will prob have to try something again, I dropped my prozac dose last week though .

Does he do as well on less florinef in one week then he did taking it everyday???

btw, i'm not growing, lol, I don't think I've grown since I was 15 and that was 7 years ago!!!

Also, is there a reason you only take his bp once a week? How often does everyone take their bp???

Take care,

Madeline

[Mrs. Burschman]

I don't take my BP. I just note it with interest at doctor's appointments.

Amy

[ajw4790]

Hi!

I have a blood pressure monitor at home that I use to check when I have symptoms or every couple of days to see how the meds are affecting me. I am constantly changing meds and always have symptoms so it ends up being at least every other day or so. I don't do anything with the info. other then if it is low, I am like well I guess that is why I feel cruddy!

I would keep an eye on your BP if it fluctuates a lot or runs high. Also, if you have concerns make sure to mention it to your dr.

Did your dr. know you dropped meds? Did you drop too much at once?

Hope that helps!

[juliegee]

Hi Madeline-

I probably didn't make myself clear regarding Mack's dosage. He takes .05mg of florinef and one Thermotab every AM. (When he was on the higher dose of florinef, .2mg; he took one in the AM & one in the PM and 2 Thermotabs with each meal.) Talk with your doctor, but my guess is that you need to cut back on your florinef. Your BP's are very similiar to what Mack's were when his were high. Supposedly even small increases in BP over time are not good. With your doctor's permission, see how you feel with .1mg in the AM and still take your regular salt. If you feel lightheaded or more potsy with a lower dose of florinef, this may get tricky. Mack basically felt fine with the lowered dose. The only time he feels the need for more florinef is when we travel overseas- different time zones, etc; or when he's extremely fatigued.

I'm not sure why you cut back the Prozac. Can that raise BP? You may have other reasons. I just wanted to mention that especially in patients with dysautonomia, it's very important to change only one thing at a time so that you can gauge the effect that ONE different doasge is having on your body. I probably wouldn't mess with the Prozac and the florinef at the same time. But, because of your elevated BP's, I would think you have a pretty compelling reason to look at cutting the florinef. Talk with your doctor ASAP.

As far as taking BP. I have POTS, too and only take mine when I feel weird. I try to take my son's weekly, but probably average only twice a month. He's a teenager and I can't get him to cooperate more:-) However, if he feels badly; he will let me check it.

BTW, Mack still takes a pretty high dose of an antidepressant, 20mg lexapro. (Not for depression, for dysautonomia.) That, in combination with the lowered florinef and salt is doing wonders for him. Sorry if this is a bit meandering. I think there may be a ray of good news for you in all of this as your hypovolemia may be improving on it's own and you may require less florinef/salt. let us know how it goes.

Julie

[yogini]

I agree with Mack's Mom. I had a similar experience with florinef - my BP increased after being on it for several months, and so I weaned off of it slowly. This was a good thing, as it meant I was improving. Many people who have POTS when they are younger seem to outgrow it, so maybe that's what's happening to you!

I think you are ALWAYS supposed to take florinef with salt, so if your BP is high, you should generally reduce the florinef and not the salt. I would go super slowly, because it takes a few weeks for your body to settle down after you reduce the dose. If you go too fast, you might find that you reduced more than you need to. Anyway, talk this all through with your doctor and go slowly...making one change at a time is a very good suggestion.

[flop]

Cutting back the Prozac could possibly have caused your BP to go up a bit. Although SSRIs like Prozac are often used for treating POTS they can cause vasodilatation and lowering of BP as a side-effect. Possibly cutting your dose down has reduced the amount that the Prozac lowers your BP??

Sounds like a trip to see your POTS doc or PCP is going to be needed to get some advice on your meds. Like others have said, try to avoid changing more than one med at once so you can tell how each change is effecting your BP and how you feel.

Flop

[roxie]

Hello again! I have an already scheduled appointment with my dr for next week, so i can just talk to him about it then.

I went down on the prozac b.c I was feeling like it increased every emotion and that was no fun, he felt I should take it down, but I have heard that prozac can either lower or raise your bp

After talking to my mom she feels like I might be worrying to much about my bp and that is causinf it to stay high and that I should put away my bp moniter for awhile and just relax. Taking it 2-4 times a day is a little nuerotic, sometimes I just get in rut and now have to work on getting out of it. I know that in time things will be ok, I've changed my florinef doses TONS of times over the past 10 years, I always end up dropping it for dif reasons and then having to bring it back up b.c its not enough so that may be my next step, but I am always careful to do things one at a time with my dr!!

hope I'm making sense.

Madeline

[juliegee]

You're making perfect sense! I'm glad you have an appt. set up to see your doc.

BTW, you NOT neurotic with the BP. When Mack's was high like yours, I was also taking it a few times a day. If your stays consistently high, at different times of day, etc. I think it can be a problem. You are smart to get it checked out.

Let us know how your appt. goes.

Julie

[ajw4790]

Yeah, if your BP is all over the place it is better to monitor it, then not. But, if it is stable then there is likely less reason to monitor multiple times a day or less you are symptomatic and trying to determine the cause. It may seem semi-neurotic, but it is better to be safe and know what is going on. Because ya know at the next drs. appmt. they will ask about what triggers your symptoms etc, so it can be good info. Just try not to worry too much if it is high or low. If you have been told to do something like increase salt if it is low, then this way you know so you can adjust accordingly.

Good luck!