Age 24- Severe high BP on medication. help!
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hello,
I've had high BP for around a year.
My numbers were around 140-160/90-100.
I started 5mg amlopidine 1 week ago.
On Friday I got my BP checked and it was 130/77 so I was happy and thought the medication was working.
Today I went to a pharmacy and got the following readings:
183/102
193/108
165/132
after a while we got it down to 160/100.
im soooo confused as to why my bp has turned from OK on Friday to malignant today!
The pharmacist thinks it might of been stress and that the 165/132 may of been a glitch.
But this is still very concerning.
I confess that I did have a heavy weekend for 2 nights in a row and was tired today (could this be behind it).
Ive passed on the numbers to my GP but I feel so stressed (not helping i know) and cant believe im getting these readings when im on medication.
An investigation has already been ran on me and no cause could be found.
š any words of advice or encouragement would be appreciated
0 likes, 23 replies
patricia93428 ro265
Posted
amlopidine is not for everyone . i have had huge issues with various BP meds had to 6 to get one that works with out horrible side effects . check out the forumm this web site about Amlopidine you may want to try another there are different types i also took one that made my BP go very high so stopped it and finally have one that seems to work without too bad side effects Losarton Potassium good luck if ypur meds are not working change them
louis33188 ro265
Posted
don't let grass grow under your feet..take matters under your hands..Buy a REMRON blood pressure monitor and begin measuring your BP daily...once when you get up..then I. the middle of the day..and again right before you go to bed..
write your results so you can see how your body is doing..Amlodipine is a cheap drug..Try to get a better one like Diovan..or Clonodine..then see how you do.The 160/132 is a very dangerous one...Did you HAVE any symptoms ??
jx41870 ro265
Posted
Make sure that when you take your readings you have been resting for at least five minutes and are relaxed as possible. If you jog for five minutes to get there, sit down and take it immediately, anyone will have high readings.
5mg of amlodipine for one week is a standard starting dosage, it takes a week or more to even start to have full effects. Many people use amlodipine effectively but it tends to have more side-effects, too, and there are dozens of other BP meds to try.
It's good that you're taking care of this, but it often takes some time, and different meds, and combinations of meds, before you find what works for you. In the US it's very common to start new patients with three or more meds, apparently in the UK the standard is to start with just one. I currently take two (beta blocker and ARB), with an occasional diuretic for good luck.
Hope that helps.
danielle63422 ro265
Posted
Do you have your own monitor at home? invest in a good monitor and keep a log for at least 2 weeks morning and night. Make sure you rest 10-15 minutes before taking your bp. Personally, i find getting plenty of sleep each night and drinking a lot of water helps me keep my readings steady. Try not to stress. Keep your GP updated. Walking, yoga, prayer and meditation cal also be beneficial. you are going to be okay š
Conns ro265
Posted
Roz,
When your BP fails to react to meds of any kind we attach the label 'resistant hypertension'. The variability of your readings suggest there might be some internal mischief going on that needs to be identified and treated. Has your GP done any blood tests? Do you know what your sodium and potassium levels are? Insist your GP does a U/E blood test. Post a copy of your results including labs ranges. JX4187 suggests you might need initially one med, then perhaps add in others as required. Whilst this eventually may be the direction to go to solve your BP issues, I prefer exhaustive testing first and foremost to see what is causing your blood pressure to rise so high. I was 24 also with hypertension running at 230 / 130 or thereabouts. Exhaustive tests helped enormously to track down the culprit.
Paul
patricia93428 Conns
Posted
HI
this was a very interesting post thanks as i always kept trying to find out why my bp was raised .what is the U/E BLOOD TEST ?? and can i ask what was causing you high bp mine has been going very high 232 / 109 and in the same day will then drop to 116/67 . THE LOSARTON Potassium seems to be keeping it more balanced but still what the drs here in ENGLAND CALL HIGH as THE y want everyone to have a bp of 120/80 reguardless of age. IT USE TO BE IN THE OLD DAYS OKAY TO HAVE 100 plus your age for top number !
jx41870 patricia93428
Posted
There wasn't even such a diagnosis as "high blood pressure" until about 1950, LOL. We're still trying to figure it out!
I think 120/80 is still a good goal even if you don't quite get there, and chronic numbers above 150 are not a good idea, and should at least attempt treatment, way past age 50.
Conns patricia93428
Posted
Patricia,
U/E or Urea & Electrolytes is a standard routine check for kidney function (Creatinine, GFR, Urea, Bicarb, Chloride) and electrolytes (Sodium and Potassium). Too much sodium and too little potassium is one of the ways in which blood pressure can be raised and indeed be seen to fluctuate too. The difficulty is that when a GP reports that your Potassium number is within range, often it can be depleted at a cellular level.
The American Heart & Hypertension Association have lowered the threshold for what is considered normal blood pressure. Quite strict in its setting and for many difficult to achieve. Aspirational! Normal bp is less than 120 and less than 80; Elevated bp is 120 - 129 and less than 80; high blood pressure stage 1 130 to 139 and 80 to 89; Stage 2 140 or higher and 90 or higher; high blood pressure (crisis: see your GP) higher than 180 and/or higher than 120
Hope this helps.
Paul
jx41870 Conns
Posted
Regarding Paul's post of the new "aspirational" numbers, at least for my part they really do sound low. I've been fighting BP issues for almost twenty years now - and only recently have I managed to get down in the 120/80 range at all.
In my case that involved diet, removing high tyramine foods because of "the cheese effect", certainly because I was also using turmeric/curcumin supplements, but even without those I suspect they may boost people's BP in ways that makes it hard for BP meds to be effective.
Anyway, I just want to point out how new this is, even a few years ago most doctors thought people over age 50 could run BP up to 150/100 and it barely rated treatment. With my experience I now think this was a big mistake and everyone should at least try to push back down, though below 120/80 as an average, may be pushing it for a lot of us over age 50.
john95274 ro265
Posted
I would suggest monotherapy is not for you if your readings stay high.I'm on three different pharmacological action tablets and my BP is fine with no significant side affects.Ask your GP and de-stress,I find breathing exercises very helpful.
ro265
Posted
Thank you for all your helpful responses.
Obviously I am no doctor, but I am thinking, could the drastic difference in my BP on Friday which was normal and Monday which was malignant be my bodies response to the fact I drank a lot of alcohol on Friday night and Saturday night....like I basically partied until Sunday morning and was quite sleep deprived.
Could the crazy readings on Monday be my bodies response to repairing itself from that weekend or unlikely?
Ive been to the gym today and feel more relaxed.
Thank you guys
Conns ro265
Posted
Ros,
Make sure you keep checking BP with the GP / Nurse and/or at home using your own device. If you choose to use your own device, it's not as simple as slapping a cuff on and pressing a button. There are guidelines that you need to adhere to so that the device gives you as accurate as possible BP reading. I say this because I would advise against allowing BP to hang around 183/102; 193/108, 165/132.
Paul
ro265 Conns
Posted
Hi Conns,
Thank you for your response.
I had it checked again yesterday by a different pharmacist.
It was a bit lower but not great. Around 158/97. (But it was at least not malignant).
But my heart rate was 107 and he thinks my nerves were raising it.
I have an appointment with a nurse next week and we can see what she says.
Conns ro265
Posted
Ros,
Can you describe how your BP was taken? Were you allowed 5 - 10 minute rest? Were you sat still on a chair with your arm at heart level? Did the nurse talk to you whilst your BP was being measured? Was it with an automatic device or did she use a Sphyg and listen for the Korotkoff sound with a stethoscope? For someone aged 24 your BP is too high. Sorry to bang on about this.
Paul
ro265 Conns
Posted
Hi,
I was a bit stressed when the reading was taken.
I was sat still on a chair, but it isn't the sort of chair that you can adjust.
No he didn't really speak to me, and he used an automatic machine.
With my appointment with the nurse they will use the Korotkoff.
Im not going to be using the automatic machines at pharmacies to check my BP anymore as they seem to always give me higher readings than the proper ones.
When the nurse checks my BP next week I will post an update
jx41870 ro265
Posted
Y'know, just regarding the sphyg versus the robots, I trust the robots.
I trust my home robot over the doctors and nurses with a 1940's squeeze bulb.
I've had some doctors who had pro-level robots that were much faster than the home version.
The whole idea of squeezing your arm to measure your BP is pretty oddball, when it comes right down to it, but it's what we've got.