Hi, just started Diovan yesterday and noticed an increase in my BP today.Could just be that I'm apprehensive about the effects. Is there any reason that ARB would make BP go up?
Thanks

Hiramtraveler- I don't think the Diovan is making your BP go up.
More likely it's apprehension (I can hear you now..."what if it doesn't work? What if I get side effects? What if...what if...?").

And then there's the whole emotional dynamic of having to go onto these meds at ALL. There you were, exercising regularly and well, and generally taking such good care of yourself and you get "hit" with hypertension anyway. I remember how incredulous I was when I was first "diagnosed". It made me crazy. It made me angry!

It's a shock when we are faced with the fact that after years of gorgeous health where our bodies had always "worked" all by themselves(!) we are suddenly faced with the fact that we actually might need chemicals to stay healthy. It can truly be an assault on our sense of immortality.

See what happens in a week or so, as your body (and emotions!) adjust.

zuzu xxx

Hiram,

Two elements:
ARB won't raise your BP but if it's the only thing you're taking the effect might be too small to overcome the normal swings of BP during the day so your high point might still be too high.

Another factor is that, generally, these drugs all take a while to show an effect and really shouldn't be evaluated until after 2 weeks to a month of dosing. There are probably all kinds of feedback loops to keep the BP UP with a sudden infusion of a new drug. Remember, to your body: Blood Pressure = Life, so anything that the body sees as causing a sudden drop might be counteracted by a flood of adrenal pressor hormones til the body "catches on."

Hiramtraveler- I don't think the Diovan is making your BP go up.
More likely it's apprehension (I can hear you now..."what if it doesn't work? What if I get side effects? What if...what if...?").

And then there's the whole emotional dynamic of having to go onto these meds at ALL. There you were, exercising regularly and well, and generally taking such good care of yourself and you get "hit" with hypertension anyway. I remember how incredulous I was when I was first "diagnosed". It made me crazy. It made me angry!

It's a shock when we are faced with the fact that after years of gorgeous health where our bodies had always "worked" all by themselves(!) we are suddenly faced with the fact that we actually might need chemicals to stay healthy. It can truly be an assault on our sense of immortality.

See what happens in a week or so, as your body (and emotions!) adjust.

zuzu xxx

Zuzu, thank you so much for all of your help getting me through this. I think you have me pegged pretty well-I've been obsessing about this for a long time.

Hiram,

Two elements:
ARB won't raise your BP but if it's the only thing you're taking the effect might be too small to overcome the normal swings of BP during the day so your high point might still be too high.

Another factor is that, generally, these drugs all take a while to show an effect and really shouldn't be evaluated until after 2 weeks to a month of dosing. There are probably all kinds of feedback loops to keep the BP UP with a sudden infusion of a new drug. Remember, to your body: Blood Pressure = Life, so anything that the body sees as causing a sudden drop might be counteracted by a flood of adrenal pressor hormones til the body "catches on."
Interesting theory--I'll give it some time and see what it does. Thank you for writing

I had the same thing happen when a switched from Benicar to Diovan. The benicar the drop in BP happened (for me) in two days. Diovan may take 2-4 weeks to show. I didn't bother me so much cuz I was at 118/70 with the benicar and jumped to 135/83 the first days on diovan and Had been through that with other meds also. So hang in there, take it easy and see what happens after 2-4 weeks. :wave: