Mellie310
06-22-2005, 03:11 PM
Okay, all this blood pressure stuff is beginning to get to me. For the past 10 days, my ankles have been swelling throughout the day. When I get up, they're fine. They never get huge, but still they're swollen. Due to the fact that I'm on such a high dose of Lisinopril, (160 mgs.), my dr. has told me to have periodical kidney tests ran. So, I went to the ER to have one ran last night to make sure they were functioning properly. Now...I was SCARED in the first place, who isn't scared when they go to the hospital? I had been smoking heavily all day long, (I know, I have no business doing that), and because I have panic/anxiety disorders, I was anxious to begin with. So, at the hospital, they call my name, not long after I signed in, walked all the way to Triage, sat down and she slapped a cuff on my arm and got a reading of 145/80. So the dr. sees that and he throws a fit, saying that that was WAY too high for all the meds I'm on. I take 160 mgs. of Lisinopril, which I have heard from this board that nothing much over 40 does any good anyway, 5 mgs. of Norvasc, and 200 mgs. of Toprol XL which I've been on for years for some minor heart problems. My kidneys were OK, he says I am "overhydrated" and thus the ankle swelling. I DO drink tons of water, plus Coke on top of that. My question is this.
IS A READING OF 145/80 AT THE HOSPITAL, AFTER HAVING SMOKED LIKE A CHIMNEY ALL DAY LONG, BEEN ANXIOUS, SCARED ABOUT BEING AT THE HOSPITAL, THEN WALKING TO THE TRIAGE ROOM AND IMMEDIATELY HAVING MY B/P TAKEN TOO HIGH A READING? THIS MAN HAS ME SCARED TO DEATH.
Also, I am weaning off of Tylenol 3 w/codeine, so would it be safe to start weaning off of the lisinopril?
I am soooooooo confused, I don't know what's going on with me, and I don't know why my ankles are swelling. He called it "trace swelling". Do I just simply have too much time on my hands and am I dwelling on something so hard that I'm making it catastrophic in my mind or what?
Mellie
IS A READING OF 145/80 AT THE HOSPITAL, AFTER HAVING SMOKED LIKE A CHIMNEY ALL DAY LONG, BEEN ANXIOUS, SCARED ABOUT BEING AT THE HOSPITAL, THEN WALKING TO THE TRIAGE ROOM AND IMMEDIATELY HAVING MY B/P TAKEN TOO HIGH A READING? THIS MAN HAS ME SCARED TO DEATH.
Also, I am weaning off of Tylenol 3 w/codeine, so would it be safe to start weaning off of the lisinopril?
I am soooooooo confused, I don't know what's going on with me, and I don't know why my ankles are swelling. He called it "trace swelling". Do I just simply have too much time on my hands and am I dwelling on something so hard that I'm making it catastrophic in my mind or what?
Mellie
Sponsor
redherring
06-22-2005, 03:39 PM
I'm not on BP meds, but from what I've read about Norvasc (yes, my doctor tried to push this med on me), it can cause terrible leg swelling. The caffiene in your coke can elevate your BP. Being in the ER can raise your BP. Also smoking can raise. Add all three together and you'll have an high reading in spite of meds.
I hope you feel better. I think the anxiety is worse than actual BP problems.
I hope you feel better. I think the anxiety is worse than actual BP problems.
mgraylorn
06-22-2005, 03:40 PM
One would hope that with all the drugs you are taking that your bp would be lower than 145/80. But, some people have white coat even when they get good control at home. By the way, 145/80 is not bad. First stage hypertension starts at 140/90, so only your top number is in the hypertensive category. Unless you have some other medical condition like diabetes or heart trouble, your doctor is over reacting. And you are obsessing too much. You are being your own worst enemy here with stessing and obsessing about your blood pressure. Stressing so much and engaging in bad habits like smoking will give you blood pressure problems.
Norvasc is notorious for causing swelling. The slight swelling you are getting is probably from that. Don't worry about slight swelling. Were you on your feet all day? That in and of itself will cause some ankle and foot swelling.
Start cutting down on the Lisinopril. Cut down gradually.
Norvasc is notorious for causing swelling. The slight swelling you are getting is probably from that. Don't worry about slight swelling. Were you on your feet all day? That in and of itself will cause some ankle and foot swelling.
Start cutting down on the Lisinopril. Cut down gradually.
zuzu8
06-22-2005, 04:08 PM
Mellie,
You've got a few threads going so forgive me if I've missed something.
Didn't you stop the Norvasc about a week or so ago? By now, you know from others on the board that this drug alone can cause peripheral edema.
So, are you on or off it at this time?
The ER doctor overreacted..... 145/80 when you're in a panic, in a clinical setting, have been smoking, etc. is absolutely nothing to be alarmed about!
What IS it with these guys?
And there is absolutely NO REASON for anyone to be on 160mg of Lisinopril!!!!
Initial dose is usually 10mg, but many people need to go up to 20 or 40 mg.
Occassionally some people take 80mg but this dose doesn't appear to have any greater effect on BP.
As for 160mg, this is positively nuts. Way too much drug for nuthin!
What I am surprised about is the fact that nowhere in your regimen is a thiazide diuretic.
Lower doses of lisinopril with the addition of even 12.5mg of HCTZ more often than not provides terrific BP control.
Your home #s are good and low...don't worry about the ER spike..I'm actually surprised it wasn't higher!
Yes, you need to reduce the lisinopril- If your doctor won't go for it PUL-EASE find ANOTHER DOCTOR. He isn't very savvy about these meds.
zuzu xx
You've got a few threads going so forgive me if I've missed something.
Didn't you stop the Norvasc about a week or so ago? By now, you know from others on the board that this drug alone can cause peripheral edema.
So, are you on or off it at this time?
The ER doctor overreacted..... 145/80 when you're in a panic, in a clinical setting, have been smoking, etc. is absolutely nothing to be alarmed about!
What IS it with these guys?
And there is absolutely NO REASON for anyone to be on 160mg of Lisinopril!!!!
Initial dose is usually 10mg, but many people need to go up to 20 or 40 mg.
Occassionally some people take 80mg but this dose doesn't appear to have any greater effect on BP.
As for 160mg, this is positively nuts. Way too much drug for nuthin!
What I am surprised about is the fact that nowhere in your regimen is a thiazide diuretic.
Lower doses of lisinopril with the addition of even 12.5mg of HCTZ more often than not provides terrific BP control.
Your home #s are good and low...don't worry about the ER spike..I'm actually surprised it wasn't higher!
Yes, you need to reduce the lisinopril- If your doctor won't go for it PUL-EASE find ANOTHER DOCTOR. He isn't very savvy about these meds.
zuzu xx
Mellie310
06-22-2005, 04:38 PM
Yeah, I know I've got several threads going on this board, and I feel like an idiot. To answer some of your questions, (first, thanks to you all for responding, I feel so much better now), I cut the Norvasc from 10 mgs. to 5 mgs. And I have been on my feet all day long for days. My blood pressure had been running so low that I had NO energy and just laid around and slept most of the time. Then I started smoking heavily, why I did that I'll never know, and my b/p started to rise, naturally.
I am just sick to death of one doctor saying one thing and another one saying another thing. I mean come on, all that stress last night, worrying about "trace swelling" in my ankles, worrying about kidney failure, heavy smoking, anxiety, walking to the room and before I even got situated in the chair she slaps that cuff on me and hits the button. He then throws that fit. I thought, "Well, this high blood pressure is going to get me in the end". I think I'd better get off this board and go find a mental health board instead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
I AM still on 5 mgs. of Norvasc, have been on my feet much, much more than I have been in almost a year, plus, (and this is embarrassing), it's "that time of the month". I don't know what to do, can't get my regular dr. to even listen to me, he put me on all the junk to begin with, but doesn't seem to want to do anything about it. Went to my husbands dr. and he wasn't too concerned either. So I'm going to go to a cardiologist, at least they'll know what they're doing. And I'll certainly feel better.
Thanks for your help and support and for putting up with my idiocy here. High blood pressure has ALWAYS been a fear of mine. My Mother had it, and I didn't like what she went through with it.
Thanks again and good luck to all of you.
Mellie
I am just sick to death of one doctor saying one thing and another one saying another thing. I mean come on, all that stress last night, worrying about "trace swelling" in my ankles, worrying about kidney failure, heavy smoking, anxiety, walking to the room and before I even got situated in the chair she slaps that cuff on me and hits the button. He then throws that fit. I thought, "Well, this high blood pressure is going to get me in the end". I think I'd better get off this board and go find a mental health board instead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
I AM still on 5 mgs. of Norvasc, have been on my feet much, much more than I have been in almost a year, plus, (and this is embarrassing), it's "that time of the month". I don't know what to do, can't get my regular dr. to even listen to me, he put me on all the junk to begin with, but doesn't seem to want to do anything about it. Went to my husbands dr. and he wasn't too concerned either. So I'm going to go to a cardiologist, at least they'll know what they're doing. And I'll certainly feel better.
Thanks for your help and support and for putting up with my idiocy here. High blood pressure has ALWAYS been a fear of mine. My Mother had it, and I didn't like what she went through with it.
Thanks again and good luck to all of you.
Mellie
zuzu8
06-22-2005, 04:59 PM
Mellie,
One thing that tells me you're gonna be okay- you still have your sense of humor!
Glad you're going to see cardio person...he/she can re-evaluate all your meds once and for all and I'll bet calm you down. You mentioned on anither thread that you're on Toprol for "minor heart" problems...Was that for palpitations? Do you still need the drug do you think? Again, stuff to ask the doc.
Whether or not the ankle edema is related to the Norvasc remains to be seen. There's also something called "idiopathic cyclic edema" which occurs is perfectly healthy women and is of no clinical significance. I've had sporadic end-of-the-day ankle swelling since I was in my early 30's and was then, and still am, healthy as an ox.
I SO understand your anxiety about HBP- It runs in my family too. My mother was hypertensive and didn't take her meds (unbeknownst to any of us) and had a stroke that killed her. So when I was first diagnosed (I'd made it to age 57 with no BP problems so thought I had "escaped"- ahh the curse of genes), I freaked out at the beginning and obsessed about it and felt vulnerable and panicky and yes, angry that anything was "wrong" with me.
Relax, your home resting #s are wonderful and even stressed at the ER your reading was, as I said earlier, nothing to be concerned about.
Shame on the ER doc for scaring the you-know-what out of you.
zuzu xx
One thing that tells me you're gonna be okay- you still have your sense of humor!
Glad you're going to see cardio person...he/she can re-evaluate all your meds once and for all and I'll bet calm you down. You mentioned on anither thread that you're on Toprol for "minor heart" problems...Was that for palpitations? Do you still need the drug do you think? Again, stuff to ask the doc.
Whether or not the ankle edema is related to the Norvasc remains to be seen. There's also something called "idiopathic cyclic edema" which occurs is perfectly healthy women and is of no clinical significance. I've had sporadic end-of-the-day ankle swelling since I was in my early 30's and was then, and still am, healthy as an ox.
I SO understand your anxiety about HBP- It runs in my family too. My mother was hypertensive and didn't take her meds (unbeknownst to any of us) and had a stroke that killed her. So when I was first diagnosed (I'd made it to age 57 with no BP problems so thought I had "escaped"- ahh the curse of genes), I freaked out at the beginning and obsessed about it and felt vulnerable and panicky and yes, angry that anything was "wrong" with me.
Relax, your home resting #s are wonderful and even stressed at the ER your reading was, as I said earlier, nothing to be concerned about.
Shame on the ER doc for scaring the you-know-what out of you.
zuzu xx
mgraylorn
06-22-2005, 05:26 PM
Well there you go. You were on your feet all day after not being used to it, and had monthly bloat. Both of those probably caused the slight swelling in your feet. That's nothing to be concerned about.
You definately need your meds re-evaluated, it sounds like you are over medicated. Cutting back on meds you don't need is nothing to be afraid of. You are taking way too much ACEI. You are probably taking too much beta blocker too. Hopefully the cardio will evaluate your meds and give you peace of mind. That would go a long way towards easing your fears.
Your primary care physician is an idiot when it comes to your blood pressure. Recognize that and go to someone who can help you without scaring you.
You definately need your meds re-evaluated, it sounds like you are over medicated. Cutting back on meds you don't need is nothing to be afraid of. You are taking way too much ACEI. You are probably taking too much beta blocker too. Hopefully the cardio will evaluate your meds and give you peace of mind. That would go a long way towards easing your fears.
Your primary care physician is an idiot when it comes to your blood pressure. Recognize that and go to someone who can help you without scaring you.
redherring
06-22-2005, 06:26 PM
I agree with Mgraylorn, ditch your idiot doctor! I did because she traumatized me last year when my bp was 140/80 (I had just started Lexapro which can increase your BP as a side effect, mind you). This idiot former doctor of mine wanted to place me on 5mgs of norvacs IMMEDIATELY. Needless to say, now I have white coat syndrome. Something I never, ever had. My BP is averaging 126/83 for last month. High BP, indeed...
Mellie310
06-22-2005, 08:04 PM
Why do these drs. want to throw us on b/p meds with just 1 high reading? If I had just followed the ER docs advice that night a year ago, and not my own doctors advice, maybe I wouldn't be going through this today. 3 weeks before that happened, I went to see my own dr. and my b/p was 132/80. And I have white coat syndrome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told him the circumstances about the spike that night, the being sick, HEAVY increase in both caffeine and nicotine, PLUS stress, anxiety and worry, and he STILL did this to me. I'm so wound up today that my b/p is running (I just took it) 121/64. To me, that is WAY too high for all the meds he's got me on. And that nut dr. in the ER last night terrified me, so I'm thinking about increasing the Norvasc and just putting up with the swelling. I'm finding that all these drs. 4 of them now, all have different views about what I'm going through, so who do you believe? Draw one of their names out of a hat and go with that one or what? So I'm trying to medicate myself which I know is dangerous.
I'm sick of it all. I never should've been put on all this junk in the first place. And I worry and obsess about it ALL THE TIME. And I wonder, could that even be why it's all of a sudden decided to increase? I was used to low numbers like 80's/90's over 40's/50's. Now I know that's too low, but at least it gave me SOME HOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope that I truly WAS over-medicated. But with readings like 121/64, nope, no hope now.
Well, enough crying on your shoulders. You guys are an enormous help to me. I just wish I could stop this obsessing over it and get on with my life. It's driving me NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mellie
I'm sick of it all. I never should've been put on all this junk in the first place. And I worry and obsess about it ALL THE TIME. And I wonder, could that even be why it's all of a sudden decided to increase? I was used to low numbers like 80's/90's over 40's/50's. Now I know that's too low, but at least it gave me SOME HOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope that I truly WAS over-medicated. But with readings like 121/64, nope, no hope now.
Well, enough crying on your shoulders. You guys are an enormous help to me. I just wish I could stop this obsessing over it and get on with my life. It's driving me NUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mellie
redherring
06-22-2005, 08:19 PM
Mellie- I can't tell whether you have a home monitor or not. If not, buy one! It's money well spent. It's the only way you're going to feel any sort of validation. Take your BP at different times during the day and keep a journal, then bring your journal to your doctor. If your doctor is smart, he/she will not medicate from one reading in the office. It took me firing my primary care doctor (the witch who traumatized me) and find a great doc who practices internal medicine to validate my assertion that I did not have HBP. During my first visit my BP was 156/92 :eek: , he took one look at my journal and said, "I'm not medicating you, you clearly have white coat hypertension".
Sorry for the rambling here :D
Sorry for the rambling here :D
redherring
06-22-2005, 08:22 PM
Mellie- Here's another interesting phenomena (sp?). I actually developed white coat hypertension at home when I first started using my monitor. As soon as I put the arm cuff on my heart would start racing lol. With time, I became less fearful of taking my BP.
Mellie310
06-23-2005, 12:01 AM
My "doctor" put me on Toprol XL for Mitral Valve Prolapse, Heart Murmur and Supraventricular Tachycardia back in 2002. I have terrible symptoms with the MVP and the SVT. Very rapid heartrate. He put me on 100 mgs. then. When my b/p spiked last June, he added another 100 mgs. Smart, huh? One high reading and he did THAT? But, I trusted him because he's been my dr. for over 16 years and has never made a mistake with me or any of my family. It's caused me to gain weight and I hate that too because I've always been on the small side. NOT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've gained 55 lbs. since he put me on it.
I have three home b/p monitors, one of them is manual and the other two digital. They are Omron monitors. I swear, I walk around with the cuff around my arm while I'm cleaning, creating graphics, whatever, that's how obsessed I am. LOL
I just took my b/p and it was 110 over 61. Now...........could that "high" (high for all the meds I take I'd think) diastolic # be because I smoke so much? How much of an effect does smoking have on a person's blood pressure?
Forgive me for all the questions. Are all of you taking benzos since I joined this board? But I've NEVER had high blood pressure in my life, in fact, it was usually on the low side. I can't figure out if I've really got it or not. Sometimes I think I do, then other times the readings will make me think I don't.
Thanks you guys, you're all great, you really are.
Mellie
I have three home b/p monitors, one of them is manual and the other two digital. They are Omron monitors. I swear, I walk around with the cuff around my arm while I'm cleaning, creating graphics, whatever, that's how obsessed I am. LOL
I just took my b/p and it was 110 over 61. Now...........could that "high" (high for all the meds I take I'd think) diastolic # be because I smoke so much? How much of an effect does smoking have on a person's blood pressure?
Forgive me for all the questions. Are all of you taking benzos since I joined this board? But I've NEVER had high blood pressure in my life, in fact, it was usually on the low side. I can't figure out if I've really got it or not. Sometimes I think I do, then other times the readings will make me think I don't.
Thanks you guys, you're all great, you really are.
Mellie
mgraylorn
06-23-2005, 12:14 PM
Mellie, I'm confused. 110/61 is not "high" at all. In fact that is low. "High" blood pressure starts at 140/90. Normal is below 120/80. You have low to normal blood pressure. Get off some of those meds.
Mellie310
06-23-2005, 02:13 PM
I understand your confusion. I guess it should be much, much lower than that because of all the medication I take. 200 mgs. of Toprol XL, 160 mgs. of Lisinopril and 5 mgs. of Norvasc. Like I've said, this is all new to me, so I don't understand b/p meds. Now, I DO know that nothing over 40 mgs. of Lisinopril is doing me any good anyway, so I guess I can just scratch that dosage. Toprol XL has very little b/p medication in it. So I guess actually, all that's doing me any good is 40 mgs. of Lisinopril, some of the Toprol and the 5 mgs. of Norvasc. My dr. tells me one time that all the meds I take are "strong", or "potent", then other times he tells me that they're "mild". So, I guess my question is this.......is 40 mgs. of Lisinopril and 5 mgs. of Norvasc "potent"? I'm not even going to figure the Toprol into that equation, because when I first started taking it back in 2002, it did NOTHING for my blood pressure, it just stopped my heart from racing. I really think that if I understood more about the medicine, I'd settle down and stop obsessing, therefore I could quit bugging all of you so much. I'm just tired of hearing different drs. opinions about it all. I want to talk to people who have BEEN there or are going through it right now. That's where my peace will come from.
Mellie
Mellie
zuzu8
06-23-2005, 02:28 PM
Mellie,
TOPROL is what they call a beta blocker. It is widely prescribed for hypertension and lowers blood pressure effectively.
I would not call your dosages or even the drugs you are on, "potent".
40 mg lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor) is a popular and normal dose.
5 mg Norvasc (calcium channel blocker) ditto.
You shouldn't keep telling yourself that your BP should be lower "with all the BP meds" you are taking.
The fact is.... your BP stays in a very healthy range, even when it goes up.
Your highest #s are #s that a of of people would KILL for!!
BP is supposed to fluctuate so please try to stop worrying about this.
Far more important is to deal with your anxiety over this.
Your anxiety level is high.
Your BP is not!
zuzu xx
TOPROL is what they call a beta blocker. It is widely prescribed for hypertension and lowers blood pressure effectively.
I would not call your dosages or even the drugs you are on, "potent".
40 mg lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor) is a popular and normal dose.
5 mg Norvasc (calcium channel blocker) ditto.
You shouldn't keep telling yourself that your BP should be lower "with all the BP meds" you are taking.
The fact is.... your BP stays in a very healthy range, even when it goes up.
Your highest #s are #s that a of of people would KILL for!!
BP is supposed to fluctuate so please try to stop worrying about this.
Far more important is to deal with your anxiety over this.
Your anxiety level is high.
Your BP is not!
zuzu xx
Mellie310
06-23-2005, 04:18 PM
Oh thanks so much for that response. Finally, someone has answered the questions that I've been asking DOCTORS for a year now. Your response has made me feel so much better. I can't wait till Brent (my husband) gets home so he can read it.
I do have HORRIBLE anxiety. And I am a constant worrier, over everything. But I'm going to start seeing a psychologist that I have seen before, he's very, very good, a cardiologist, plus I'm going back to school. That'll keep this busy mind of mine occupied, so maybe I won't worry so much about this. Plus, losing the 55 lbs. that I have gained will help too, I hope. And I'm starting to get more exercise.
I really am sorry that I've been a nuisance here, but you all don't know how much I appreciate all your help. This is a great board, and I intend to stick around.
Again, thanks for this response. It is exactly what I needed to hear. Good luck to you, and all the best.
Mellie
I do have HORRIBLE anxiety. And I am a constant worrier, over everything. But I'm going to start seeing a psychologist that I have seen before, he's very, very good, a cardiologist, plus I'm going back to school. That'll keep this busy mind of mine occupied, so maybe I won't worry so much about this. Plus, losing the 55 lbs. that I have gained will help too, I hope. And I'm starting to get more exercise.
I really am sorry that I've been a nuisance here, but you all don't know how much I appreciate all your help. This is a great board, and I intend to stick around.
Again, thanks for this response. It is exactly what I needed to hear. Good luck to you, and all the best.
Mellie
stars13
06-24-2005, 01:06 AM
Mellie, My heart goes out to you. I know how horrible anxiety is also. I never dealt with it until last summer. I had my first bout of anxiety, I've been fighting it since then.
I didnt realize until i found this board that mine was probably from beta blockers. I was on isradipine , i actually don't remember for how long, probably a year or so along with benicar hct when i first started suffering the anxiety attacks. I started getting other side effects from it/ aches from waist down. My dr. took me off the isradipine for awhile and in hind sight i realize that along with the aches leaving, so did the anxiety. but my bp went up again so he put me back on drug again. Anxiety returned, i asked him for something to help, couldn't stand it, so he gave me .25 mg of xanax. I used them sparingly because i was so afraid of anything addictive.
Well, the body aches returned, so bad i could hardly walk so , he took me off of them about 2 months ago i guess and put me on toprol xl 25 mg. my bp didn't come down so he raised the dosage to 50 mg. btw this is about the time i was learning from this great board about beta blocker side effects.
I did well on this combo for about 2 weeks and then look out. I was soooo tired, i couldn't function. luckily i don't work outside the home because i just couldn't move. And my bp was running high,155/100 and such all morning till around 11 or noon and then i felt sick even after the bp lowered to good #s/. after 2 days of feeling this total fatigue i felt somewhat better because i cut the dosage by 1/4. I tried to deal with this sluggish, ugly,anxiety filled feeling for a few more days and decided to call my dr. for help. I told him i didn't want the beta blockers any more.
In fact, you and i talked about this on another thread. Well, i've been cutting way down on toprel, tomorrow i'm going to try just taking my benicar. I am already feeling so much better. I can't even imagine what i would feel like on the dosage you are taking. I also have given in and am taking a xanax every day. bp has been136/80 in morning and 117/70 in afternoon.
I'm sure once you see the cardio and get your meds straight you'll feel much better also.
I didnt realize until i found this board that mine was probably from beta blockers. I was on isradipine , i actually don't remember for how long, probably a year or so along with benicar hct when i first started suffering the anxiety attacks. I started getting other side effects from it/ aches from waist down. My dr. took me off the isradipine for awhile and in hind sight i realize that along with the aches leaving, so did the anxiety. but my bp went up again so he put me back on drug again. Anxiety returned, i asked him for something to help, couldn't stand it, so he gave me .25 mg of xanax. I used them sparingly because i was so afraid of anything addictive.
Well, the body aches returned, so bad i could hardly walk so , he took me off of them about 2 months ago i guess and put me on toprol xl 25 mg. my bp didn't come down so he raised the dosage to 50 mg. btw this is about the time i was learning from this great board about beta blocker side effects.
I did well on this combo for about 2 weeks and then look out. I was soooo tired, i couldn't function. luckily i don't work outside the home because i just couldn't move. And my bp was running high,155/100 and such all morning till around 11 or noon and then i felt sick even after the bp lowered to good #s/. after 2 days of feeling this total fatigue i felt somewhat better because i cut the dosage by 1/4. I tried to deal with this sluggish, ugly,anxiety filled feeling for a few more days and decided to call my dr. for help. I told him i didn't want the beta blockers any more.
In fact, you and i talked about this on another thread. Well, i've been cutting way down on toprel, tomorrow i'm going to try just taking my benicar. I am already feeling so much better. I can't even imagine what i would feel like on the dosage you are taking. I also have given in and am taking a xanax every day. bp has been136/80 in morning and 117/70 in afternoon.
I'm sure once you see the cardio and get your meds straight you'll feel much better also.
Mellie310
06-24-2005, 02:24 PM
Stars,
Thanks for your post. When I first started taking the Toprol, I didn't have any side effects, but maybe that's because I've been on several beta blockers for years now. The only thing I've noticed is weight gain, but I am really beginning to think that the gain was due to Father's sudden death than the Toprol, because I started taking it in February of 2002, and didn't gain ANY weight till a few months after he died in May of 2003. So I think the weight gain was more from depression over that traumatic experience than the Toprol was.
Anxiety and smoking are my worst enemies. I take Xanax too, on a regular basis. I have noticed that it lowers my b/p better than these other meds. Lowers it a LOT. I'm getting ready to switch back to Ativan though, I like it better than Xanax. Xanax calms me down, but at the same time, makes me feel kind of edgy. Ativan just made me feel "warm and fuzzy". LOL And I won't have any problems in switching, I did that a year ago and Xanax and Ativan are just about the same thing, there's on one "ingredient" difference in them, so I won't have any withdrawal symptoms.
And smoking.................oh my God. It's like I know I've GOT to cut down, and when I think about it, I just want to smoke more. And I have proven to myself that smoking GREATLY increases my blood pressure. I had myself down to just 5 a day, from a whole pack, and my blood pressure was so low that I was passing out. When I'd come to, my husband would always produce a cigarette, because it would raise my blood pressure.
Makes me mad that I'm having to figure all this stuff out by myself, and doing it all the wrong ways because the dr. who put me on all this junk because of ONE HIGH READING with special circumstances, doesn't seem to know what to do now, or just doesn't care.
Anyway, thanks for your post and good luck to you. Sounds like you're having a pretty rough time right now. Let me know how you're doing.
Melanie
Thanks for your post. When I first started taking the Toprol, I didn't have any side effects, but maybe that's because I've been on several beta blockers for years now. The only thing I've noticed is weight gain, but I am really beginning to think that the gain was due to Father's sudden death than the Toprol, because I started taking it in February of 2002, and didn't gain ANY weight till a few months after he died in May of 2003. So I think the weight gain was more from depression over that traumatic experience than the Toprol was.
Anxiety and smoking are my worst enemies. I take Xanax too, on a regular basis. I have noticed that it lowers my b/p better than these other meds. Lowers it a LOT. I'm getting ready to switch back to Ativan though, I like it better than Xanax. Xanax calms me down, but at the same time, makes me feel kind of edgy. Ativan just made me feel "warm and fuzzy". LOL And I won't have any problems in switching, I did that a year ago and Xanax and Ativan are just about the same thing, there's on one "ingredient" difference in them, so I won't have any withdrawal symptoms.
And smoking.................oh my God. It's like I know I've GOT to cut down, and when I think about it, I just want to smoke more. And I have proven to myself that smoking GREATLY increases my blood pressure. I had myself down to just 5 a day, from a whole pack, and my blood pressure was so low that I was passing out. When I'd come to, my husband would always produce a cigarette, because it would raise my blood pressure.
Makes me mad that I'm having to figure all this stuff out by myself, and doing it all the wrong ways because the dr. who put me on all this junk because of ONE HIGH READING with special circumstances, doesn't seem to know what to do now, or just doesn't care.
Anyway, thanks for your post and good luck to you. Sounds like you're having a pretty rough time right now. Let me know how you're doing.
Melanie
HELLASRULES
06-24-2005, 10:15 PM
Hi Mellie, I just had to respond to something you said. You have Mitral Valve Prolapse?
There are 2 good books on that, that helped me a lot. They are: Confronting Mitral Valve Prolapse SYndrom by Lyn Fredeiskson & the Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome/Dysautnomia Survival Guide, by Jame F Durante. From reading your posts, I think these books may explain even more than your drs can. After I read them, all the problems I've had over the years finally had an explanation.The anxiety, palpitations, back problems. I've yet to find a dr who specializes in this, but will continue to search for one. Hopefully your cardiologist has a better understanding than mine does.
Good luck & hoping you find even more answers with your cardiologist.
There are 2 good books on that, that helped me a lot. They are: Confronting Mitral Valve Prolapse SYndrom by Lyn Fredeiskson & the Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome/Dysautnomia Survival Guide, by Jame F Durante. From reading your posts, I think these books may explain even more than your drs can. After I read them, all the problems I've had over the years finally had an explanation.The anxiety, palpitations, back problems. I've yet to find a dr who specializes in this, but will continue to search for one. Hopefully your cardiologist has a better understanding than mine does.
Good luck & hoping you find even more answers with your cardiologist.