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Blood Pressure suddenly rises

Posted , 6 users are following.

ruready4this
ruready4this

I have had high blood pressure for nearly 3 years.  It was brought on by excessive drinking and consumption of energy drinks.  When I got diagnosed with high BP my bp was 220/118.  It took me nearly a year to get it under control.  I have had to learn that when your bp goes up, it takes days for it to come back down.  But I still have episodes where it ramps up.  I am one of those lucky few that can feel it when it rises.  If my top number goes above 150 my chest starts to tighten and my face feels prickly and sometimes I get headaches.  My last cardiologist visit my bp check in at 128/78.  My cardiologist removed me from the diuretic I was taking and cut my office visits from 2 to one a year.  Well 2 months after that visit I met an amazing woman and I am head over heels for her but she lives far away and is in the process of moving in my area.  We talk via text and phone but it's not the same as in person and I honestly believe I am stressing about it.  For about 3 days now my chest has been squeezing.  I took my bp and it was 163/83, and that was yesterday.  Today I took it and it was 161/76 and tha was right after I  got up. I take 40 mg of Lisinopril.  I also take a bunch of supplements aimed at helping reduce blood pressure. I take fish oil, krill oil, garlic oil, L-arginine(just started that one), resveratrol, amealpeptide, and coq10.  I have had stress related elevations in bp 2 other times.  The last one sent me to the ER because I thought I was having a heartattack. I was fine.  I guess what gets me is that it takes me days, even a week or 2 to get my blood pressure back to a normal range.  Why?  Why does it take so long and why do I feel my chest tighten?  Everytime it happens I think I have a blockage.  My sister always reminds me that I go walking 4 to 5 days a week at 40 minutes a pop.  She said if I had a blockage I would not even be able to make it around the track one time.  I also notice when I start walking if I had any tightness, it would go away.  I guess it's worry and anxiety over the beautiful woman.  She is always on my mind and I guess I need to focus on something else.  Has anyone ever had this problem?  I feel like I am the only one but I know there is someone else that can relate.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • 7878
    7878 ruready4this

    Posted

    What was the diuretic that you were taking?
    • ruready4this
      ruready4this 7878

      Posted

      It was mixed in with the lisinopril. Hydrochlorathiazide. It was a small dose of it.
  • 7878
    7878 ruready4this

    Posted

    I am not a doctor but my advice is first to establish whether you are suffering from salt and water retention episodes (needing a diuretic) or Adrenalin panic attacks (advanced anxiety) or some other cause for example blocked arteries/veins or renal artery stenosis. I was wrongly diagnosed as suffering from Adrenalin panic attacks when I was suffering from salt and water retension. Look in particular at your pulse does it rise or fall as your BP rises? Also do you get sweaty palms or is any sweating mainly head (and upper body)? Think about having a cardiac CT for calcium scoring. I was probably suffering from Aldosterone breakthrough (causing episodes of salt and water retention over several days leading to spiralling BP. Changing the ACE (in your case lisinopril) to 80mg of Valsartan (ARB) stopped the aldosterone breakthrough in me. Also when you check your BP do it three times at least 1 min apart and try checking it three times a day once soon after you get up (before medication) then again two hours after medication (to check the effect of the medication) then again in the evening. (So 9 BP readings and average each 3 readings).
    • ruready4this
      ruready4this 7878

      Posted

      I don't have sweaty palms and I don't have water retention. My cardiologist has me on a low carb diet. I have lost nearly 80 pounds in 2 years. This morning about an hour after taking my supplements and my BP medication the tightness has gone. I have never had shortness of breath. Just tightness in the chest. The last time I had it was much worse. I went to the ER . Took a week for my BP to drop down. I think it is anxiety. Thanks for your advice. I will talk to my cardiologist just to be safe. My cardiologist even told me some people are more sensitive to blood pressure fluctuations. I was one of those.
  • rdgfootyfan
    rdgfootyfan ruready4this

    Posted

    Hi,

    I think you may be having some reaction between your BP medication and the number of supplements that you are taking.  In particular there is some strong evidence that Co-Q10 and BP meds is a problem as they both treat the same thing.  Probably the Omega in the fish oils is also conflicting.

    I suggest you have a chat with your pharmacist to discuss the BP med / 'natural' supplement interaction. 

    I take only 2.5 mg of Lisinopril but have discontinued all my 'natural' supplements.  I recently tried to re-introduce starflower oil (borage) - made me feel awful.  Then a week later I tried to re-introduce a supplement which contained grapeseed extract.  My BP went up, so discontinued it after three days.  Now I just take the Lisinopril.

    There's a lot of good scientific evidence on the web.  If you send me a private message, I will pass these on.  I'm not allowed to mention other websites etc. on these forums.  This website's link is:

    http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

       

    • ruready4this
      ruready4this rdgfootyfan

      Posted

      I have been taking those supplements with my cardiologist knowledge for 2 1/2 years. She has not told me to stop. As a matter of fact, half the supplements I listed were her suggestions. If I was going to have a reaction I think it would have happened by now.
  • helen_07568
    helen_07568 ruready4this

    Posted

    HI your story is very interseting to me it is stress and excitement about your love life love is good for the heart stop worrying and enjoy yourself   crazy little thing called love!
    • ruready4this
      ruready4this helen_07568

      Posted

      I think so. Easier said than done. I am doing better. Hardly no chest tightness. I just want it gone but for me, when my BP climbs it takes 4 to 7 days to get it back down. I always want it down instant lol. Doesn't work that way.
  • hails63112
    hails63112 ruready4this

    Posted

    Ask about propananol it's a beta blocker that you can take if needed and it works wonders! It's for blocking adrenaline so stops anxiety and reduces bp! Bonus, you sound like you are describing a panic attack that can last a while so in turn your bp rises! The chest pain sounds more like anxiety than bp! I take medication for both and was told that most people don't think about their bp on a daily basis, and I have health anxiety, my bp was 200 / 110 when diagnosed and I now take ramapril, I have developed a phobia of having bp taken now and awaiting some councelling, you are taking your medication, I think you need to stop focusing on your bp and discuss anxiety meds with your GP, enjoy the new chapter in your life! good luck
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