MikeO

37 minutes ago, cmep37 said:

when I'm in a flare and my digestive system goes on strike

This has to be the worst for me when this happens i don't even digest my food wholly. I did have success with Mestinon getting my parasympathetic motivated and pooing back on track. about a month ago i stopped taking it so far i have been having normal BM's 

Not sure if anyone here takes there BP meds before bed but, Earlier this year my UWM care team had me change bp meds to just before bedtime.

The reasoning they gave me was that as the drug-s release it kinda follows a curve. Initially the curve goes high then dips so by taking the meds at bedtime i would ride out the high while sleeping. I do have to say it worked for me. Prior to me changing, i would get faint about two hours after taking my pills in the morning after the change my blood pressures were a lot more stable (not perfect but less liable) and had fewer presyncope events

I did make the mistake of lumping in my metoprolol at night but the team put the kibosh on that as my HR went too low and triggered events in my ILR.

I was also reading a study that taking blood pressure meds at bedtime suggests a 45% less chance of experiencing a major cardiovascular event (most happen in the morning hours)

  https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/alert/taking-blood-pressure-medications-at-night-seems-best/

On 10/7/2021 at 1:31 PM, Pistol said:

Amlodipine 10 mg for a while and my ankles did swell up

Pharmacy did point out the swelling. But i am not on the highest dose of Amlodipine only 5mg. So far day one it did lower my bp. I went from 188/115 at 8:03 am to after taking the drug to 145/93 at 12:50am. Hope this goes well. @PistolI can not believe you were taking the max dosage of carvedilol that would be like taking 200mg of metoprolol sure your heart was beating when you did this? 100 mg of metoprolol would have me passing out.

12 hours ago, Bailee said:

Not on any medication right now

This is probably a good thing while your Dr is trying to figure out what is going on. This way the Dr does not have to consider an offending drug in the troubleshooting mix.

@Pistolyou sold me on the insta pot. I am going back down to Madison next week sure i can pick one up!

1 hour ago, Rexie said:

Mike wrote: "Now i can be a sharp master passer outer"

Mike, I understand the need for sharpness, having postponed going to an ER long enough to get my head together. Last time I went I took the time to write down all my info, complaint(s), and meds/herbs. Came in handy since they ask so many questions all at once – I just handed the gal my paper and relaxed. I also will not go until I have showered, even if I am half dead kneeling on the tub bottom – it gives me the illusion of control when it seems most lacking.

Exercising your calves is very good for increasing venous blood circulation from feet and lower legs back up to the heart, thus preventing swelling of ankles. There are some fancy exercises you could try but the easiest way for me is simply to just stand on my toes a few times a day while lightly supported by a window or door frame or a handy wall. I don’t have ankle swelling, I just like doing a little something for myself throughout the day – stretching calf muscles has become part of my mini pause and regroup moments since it also helps relieve tight, painful calves. Timed to breathing, tending to calves helps me make sure I am breathing naturally and adequately. 

Onward and upward...

Thanks Rexie you are soo correct. I have been working on just this. It has helped immensely.

2 hours ago, Pistol said:

@MikeO - I was on Amlodipine 10 mg for a while and my ankles did swell up. But it was not the reason I stopped it, for me it simply didn;t work as well, and Diltiazem was better for me personally. I hope it works for you!

Like usual i will give a med a go and see what happens (i just know high bp's are bad) even with high blood pressures i feel it tanking when i stand up but i am high enough not to give me issues (sure this will change as i get pushed back down). I suspect UWM Madison is targeting what they are seeing symptom wise. Amlodipine does help with angina which is more prevalent with me and does lower bp's. I am sure this will give me issues.  Diltiazem will help with prinzmetal angina i do get that as well but is infrequent with me. I have read that Diltiazem has a lower incident of swelling ankles. Only other drug that i did take for angina was isosorbide and bp management i passed out so many time it not even funny.     

7 minutes ago, cmep37 said:

Amlodipine is supposed to lower your chance of getting dementia

Just googled this. I am feeling much better about the Drug. Thanks for mentioning it. Now i can be a sharp master passer outer

So UW cardiology got back to me. they are adding Amlodipine (CCB) to my med regiment. This is not their first choice of secondary meds but i am limited as to what i meds i can tolerate. My only concern is this med can cause swelling of the ankles. Guess i will deal with that if it happens.

Hi,

Are the symptoms of a breakthru infection (being fully vaccinated) the same as someone that has not been vaccinated?

Thanks in advance

Mike 

Carido rehab did not run me again today due to high BP's we did look at the HR the change to carvedilol is working. have had steller 77 to 80 bpm. I did message my care team with with the data.

BP's were:

208/118

186/110

176/102

had similar readings when i got home.

@Rexie keep after it you can make a change as to how you feel.

On 10/4/2021 at 3:32 AM, Pistol said:

I made pork chops in the instant pot yesterday! Salt and pepper chops, saute until brown, add chopped onion and garlic as well as one chopped apple, add 1/2 cup chicken broth, thyme, lock lid and cook on manual for 8 minutes. Vent naturally, remove chops, add cornstarch slurry to gravy ( if the gravy is chunky you can puree it ) and - voila! Yum - and so easy!

Pistol that is so smart! what can you make with an instant pot? i like making large roasts and stuff so i can graze on it over a few days.

Thanks for the Hug @cmep37I did get the bp down last night. I had a good stiff drink and it came down to 109/64

Well more to the story. Cardio rehab would not run me today Bp's were:

192/110

192/102

186/102

194/104

198/108

I did message my care team with the data. I do have to say my heart feels better today and my legs do as well. As @pistol mentioned carvedilol has a alpha property which affects the vascular portion of the heart. my cardiologist talked about my PVD in the legs and needed to keep that in mind as well as the drops in bp. I am sure i will get a med change at this point.

This one turned out good.

https://zonacooks.com/crispy-chicken-chimichangas-with-green-chili-sauce-recipe-for-two/

it's only been 1 day so far changing over to Coreg. This morning when i got up my heart was beating at 121 bpm and i had some strong chest pains (had to take a nitro tab) i was getting ready to go to the er but it resolved. I hope this is not an indicator as to how well the drug works.

2 hours ago, toomanyproblems said:

Blood clots and Covid vaccines:

Bottom line:

*Vaccine associated clots = approximately 1 in 100,000 (0.001%)

Vs

*Covid associated clots = approximately 1 in 4.5 (22%) or in ICU patients 1 in 2.3 patients (43%

I agree with this. at some point most of us have taken a vaccine (polio for an example) the new mrna vacs have been in the works for a number of years and are proven safe.

Well results from my heart ultra sound are in. the good news overall looked fine but they did note finding a Lipomatous hypertrophy of the
interatrial septum so i am kinda panicked about this.

Cardiologist also wants to do a stress test and a 24hr ambulatory bp monitor. 

Hi @Pistol I do have questions about what tests and results are needed to positively diagnose PAF. I know that my tilt table tests suggest nOH but with that diagnosis usually will point to other underlying issues like PAF or (MSA or Parkinson's disease)   

Thanks in advance

Mike

14 hours ago, Pistol said:

@MikeO - I have prinzmetal angina and do well with lots of salt, it does not make mine worse. I also have Reynauds syndrome ( exact same mechanism as prinzmetal, just limited to the toes ) and what I see as a trigger to both of them is stress, sudden temperature changes and overeating. 

I know it can be difficult to find what works for an individual and a high salt uptake is a good solution for the right person. i agree that ( stress, sudden temperature changes and overeating) has triggered an event for me but so does just laying in bed at night. A prinzmetal spam also can be triggered by ischemia.

When i do intake too much salt i start to build up fluids and will (swell up) gain sudden weight, joints hurt etc... Salt can increase fluid retention and worsen edema which in turn stresses my heart more and causes poor blood circulation and will trigger episodes of a prinzmetal spasms. My only recourse is to take lasix to loose the fluid which puts me right back in a vicious cycle of having to try and get back to state that works for me.

 At one time the cardiologist talked about putting me on a CCB which will help the spasms but this class of drug can cause edema in the ankles which is not good for my PVD so as long as the episodes are infrequent i will just take a nitro tab  

I

Yo! @PistolI do look forward to see what this changes up hope it goes well. Not sure the extra beats get me as much as the pauses. Time will tell.

So went into the Dr's office today in Madison. we are changing up meds. metoprolol to carvedilol - 6.25mg twice a day. We will also Start zetia - 10mg daily. Hopefully this will make a difference.

@Moiraine I take 80 oz of fluid a day so far has worked reminder is not to drink just water. Corking up with salt with a heart issue does not work even with prinzmetal angina just makes it worse. I just had this conversation today with my cardiologist. Yes staying hydrated can be difficult drugs can take fluids out of you as well.

Wish you luck!

Hang in there @Pistolit will only get better. I have a relative that is a nurse and she had caught covid and it got into her lung pretty good. She had to take supplemental O2 for a while but has recovered fully since.   

2 hours ago, Rexie said:

can fuel activities of all kinds

Well it did have a hand in making my Son