hello everyone,

i'm in BIG trouble! i guess over the past year i was getting nose bleeds. but that was it. I am a very fit and athletic person. 6'4" 205 lbs. I do not smoke, I do drink beer regularly, but since the past 2 months have been laying off of it completely! I was starting to get mild vertigo and the feeling that i was only 1/2 in reality. Very odd feeling. I had 2 instances were I felt like i was about to keel over and had a shot of adrenaline (it felt like adrenaline) kick me back on cue... the last 2 months my eyes get bloodshot and the vertigo became much more frequent. So i decided to finally go see a doctor and posted a 165/95!!! Obviously, for my age something is up (besides my bp!).. there has to be an underlying cause. In 2000 i had a renal ultrasound and that turned out ok. I'm currently getting blood work and urine work done. But i'm sure its going to come back normal. I always self-diagnosed myself as having anxienty disorder of some sort, but i never sought treatment. The doctor put me on a thiazmide diuretic 25 mg that i take once int eh morning. 4 days later and not much has changed.. the symptoms only happen at night now.. but my bp is still very much elevated... any ideas.. thoughts.. words of encouragement?! suggestions?!

I'm in Grenada right now in medical school.. so all the tests that a cardiologist would do for me in the States are not available here. Thanks guys.

Sick,

axlmed

I don't have any answers for you, but just want to say welcome to the HealthBoards. Things are likely to be pretty quiet around here for several hours, but if someone doesn't come along with any ideas soon, no doubt they will in the morning.

When you say your blood pressure is still very much elevated, are you taking these readings at home? Have they come down any at all?

Hi Axlmed,

St George's??? I spent a couple of semesters on Grenada when my boyfriend at the time was studying there back in '82! How are things there now post-hurricane?

Being a med student you are probably panicking more than the average guy because you know just enough to scare yourself silly.

You may need to wait a few more days to see if the thiazide kicks in, or poss up the dose if it doesn't. At 28, secondary causes should be ruled out as you know. A 24-hour urine test for urinary catacholamines and metanephrines would be a good start. Would they have access to more up-to-date testing in Barbados?

Just out of curiosity, why did you need a renal ultrasound back in 2000?

zuzu xx

axlmed,

Why not up the thiazide to 50 mg. If no good response than you might be a classic R-type (renin modulated) hypertensive. Then you want another drug class.

I disagree that your age and numbers indicate some other physical cause besides simple hypertension. Smart to check out your kidneys but if those are clear then I'd assume you just have high blood pressure. We've had several posters on this board who are young like yourself.

Yup.. i'm at st. george's. Post-hurricane life is basically watching the island come back from complete destruction. The lecturers don't seem to be at all out of step though! :confused:

I was thinking of increasing my diuretic dosage but i asked the doctor and she seemed to think that it wouldn't help. i need to do something though, as my eyes are almost always severely bloodshot.

I'll try increasing the dosage until I get my lab tests back and see a visiting cardiologist on the 18th.

I just hate these symptoms, and its pretty damn scary.

I agree with Rigel. Cut down on the alcohol. Check your B/P away from the docs. office for a month & track it. Try to avoid going on meds..........

Even if you weight is normal, you might have the beginnings of "Factor X Syndrome,"
which is caused by eating too many refined carbs. Cut back in a big way in that area and see what happens--that includes, of course, cutting out beer and most mixed drinks. Do what you can to stay away from the meds, and don't imagine that you're in any immediate danger. Your bp will do you in over the long run, not tomorrow.