linda1962
12-06-2007, 06:12 PM
I had an episode almost 2 years ago where I had what I thought was a heart attack. However, it turned out not to be that. In the mean time, the first cardiologist said that I "probably" have HBP. He put me on atenylol the first night of my hospital stay and it made me sick. I had a severe headache and tossed my cookies ;) - they said that my BP was too low so they were reducing the dosage to 5MG. 2 weeks later I went for a follow-up with this cardiologist who said he didn't know why I had a heart attack "sometimes we just don't know what causes these things" and then I said well are you sure I have high blood pressure because I've never had it before and asked how it's determined. He said well your blood pressure is in "normal ranges" now and your taking HBP medicine so I must have it.
After that I went to another cardiologist who changed my prescription, diagnosed me with a condition referred to as Broken Heart Syndrome AKA myocardial stunning. Said I had no heart damage and probably don't have high blood pressure but lets wait and see.
My BP when I take it at home is almost always 110/63 - pulse is usually in the 50 to 60 range. My current meds are 5mg Norvasc and 25 MG of Toporal. I reduced the Toporal myself from 50 to 25 MG because I woke up one morning with my BP at 105/52 and just felt like I couldn't get out of bed.
SO - with all this in mind - how the heck could I have HBP? Is there long term affects for taking the meds if you actually don't have it? It really does affect my ability to get up and go like I used to and so I want to go off it but should I push my cardiologist on this or not? When I asked him last year he said it wasn't hurting me to keep me on it so lets just keep it this way. What do you think?
After that I went to another cardiologist who changed my prescription, diagnosed me with a condition referred to as Broken Heart Syndrome AKA myocardial stunning. Said I had no heart damage and probably don't have high blood pressure but lets wait and see.
My BP when I take it at home is almost always 110/63 - pulse is usually in the 50 to 60 range. My current meds are 5mg Norvasc and 25 MG of Toporal. I reduced the Toporal myself from 50 to 25 MG because I woke up one morning with my BP at 105/52 and just felt like I couldn't get out of bed.
SO - with all this in mind - how the heck could I have HBP? Is there long term affects for taking the meds if you actually don't have it? It really does affect my ability to get up and go like I used to and so I want to go off it but should I push my cardiologist on this or not? When I asked him last year he said it wasn't hurting me to keep me on it so lets just keep it this way. What do you think?
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chablis3
12-13-2007, 09:10 PM
Hi...when you thought you had a heart attack 2 years ago, how was your blood pressure numbers at that time? Was it considered high when you were in the hospital? I can't see why you were put on blood pressure medication at that time unless your bp readings were running high. Usually a doctor will have a person check his readings over a period of time, and if the readings are always above the normal range, then the doc will put you on medication. At least that is how my doctor determined my need for meds. I think sometimes a doctor will put a person on blood pressure pills if they have heart problems, but since you didn't have a heart attack, I can't understand why you were put on the meds in the first place. However, I don't know what "Broken Heart Syndrome" is, so I am not sure if that is why your cardiologist is teling you to stay on the pills. Your readings of 110/63 are excellent, but I would be concerned if it dropped any lower. I think you should definitely question your doctor on that real low reading and tell him how bad you felt. Try to take your readings every day and keep a chart before you go see him.....that way you will have a good picture of how your doing on the meds. I am not sure if the meds could harm you if you don't really have high bp, but I wouldn't want to take them if I didn't need them. Just my opinion, but please discuss your concerns with your cardiologist; that would be the best thing to do, especially if your feeling tired and think your pressure is too low. Best of luck to you.
Judy
Judy
bethsheba
12-14-2007, 09:08 AM
.... He said well your blood pressure is in "normal ranges" now and your taking HBP medicine so I must have it.
I don't believe what he told you is true..first of all, it takes time for some of these meds to become effective (1-2 weeks for atenolol and as much as 4-6 weeks for other meds), and if all bp meds were effective, it wouldn't be necessary to change meds providing the side effects were tolerable. I'm not quite clear on the timeline of your medication but it sounds like your pressures dropped the day after taking atenolol and I doubt very much that the drug had anything to do it.
.
My BP when I take it at home is almost always 110/63 - pulse is usually in the 50 to 60 range. My current meds are 5mg Norvasc and 25 MG of Toporal. I reduced the Toporal myself from 50 to 25 MG because I woke up one morning with my BP at 105/52 and just felt like I couldn't get out of bed.
SO - with all this in mind - how the heck could I have HBP? Is there long term affects for taking the meds if you actually don't have it? It really does affect my ability to get up and go like I used to and so I want to go off it but should I push my cardiologist on this or not? When I asked him last year he said it wasn't hurting me to keep me on it so lets just keep it this way. What do you think?
I would question whether you actually have high blood pressure.
I think that the use of medication is risky/dangerous and should only be done as a last resort. Whether it be short term or long term all drugs have health risks.
I think you should work with your health care providers (doctor and pharmacist) to reduce and eliminate your medication.
And by the way, did anyone even discuss lifestyle changes???
Bethsheba
I don't believe what he told you is true..first of all, it takes time for some of these meds to become effective (1-2 weeks for atenolol and as much as 4-6 weeks for other meds), and if all bp meds were effective, it wouldn't be necessary to change meds providing the side effects were tolerable. I'm not quite clear on the timeline of your medication but it sounds like your pressures dropped the day after taking atenolol and I doubt very much that the drug had anything to do it.
.
My BP when I take it at home is almost always 110/63 - pulse is usually in the 50 to 60 range. My current meds are 5mg Norvasc and 25 MG of Toporal. I reduced the Toporal myself from 50 to 25 MG because I woke up one morning with my BP at 105/52 and just felt like I couldn't get out of bed.
SO - with all this in mind - how the heck could I have HBP? Is there long term affects for taking the meds if you actually don't have it? It really does affect my ability to get up and go like I used to and so I want to go off it but should I push my cardiologist on this or not? When I asked him last year he said it wasn't hurting me to keep me on it so lets just keep it this way. What do you think?
I would question whether you actually have high blood pressure.
I think that the use of medication is risky/dangerous and should only be done as a last resort. Whether it be short term or long term all drugs have health risks.
I think you should work with your health care providers (doctor and pharmacist) to reduce and eliminate your medication.
And by the way, did anyone even discuss lifestyle changes???
Bethsheba
flowergirl2day
12-14-2007, 12:31 PM
Hi,:)
I'll add one more thing to the previous posts. The slightest indication of a previous MI calls for extreme caution. Cardiologists often disagree on the diagnosis and treatment options. They also interpret test results differently. I could give you a good example from my own experience. If you have been advised to remain on medication, please do so. In the event you had indeed suffered a heart attack in the recent past you need this medication to help you heal and prevent another.
Instead of dying completely, some of the myocardial cells sustain damage during an MI and become stunned. There's a name for this which I can't remember right now. When this happens, it is a good thing, because these damaged cells stand a good chance of making a recovery, given time and just the right conditions.
Why not ask your cardiologist about this? If you have any doubt about your diagnosis at all and feel you need more diagnostic tests done, go for it. It's your health.
flowergirl
I'll add one more thing to the previous posts. The slightest indication of a previous MI calls for extreme caution. Cardiologists often disagree on the diagnosis and treatment options. They also interpret test results differently. I could give you a good example from my own experience. If you have been advised to remain on medication, please do so. In the event you had indeed suffered a heart attack in the recent past you need this medication to help you heal and prevent another.
Instead of dying completely, some of the myocardial cells sustain damage during an MI and become stunned. There's a name for this which I can't remember right now. When this happens, it is a good thing, because these damaged cells stand a good chance of making a recovery, given time and just the right conditions.
Why not ask your cardiologist about this? If you have any doubt about your diagnosis at all and feel you need more diagnostic tests done, go for it. It's your health.
flowergirl
bethsheba
12-14-2007, 01:48 PM
...I reduced the Toporal myself from 50 to 25 MG because I woke up one morning with my BP at 105/52 and just felt like I couldn't get out of bed....
Linda,
It just occurred to me that toprol is a beta blocker and one usually needs to wean off of those gradually to avoid rebound hypertension, and possibly angina and heart problems.
Did you reduce your dose recently? If so, I would strongly advise you to contact your pharmacist for more info.
And just for the record, if possible, I would encourage you to research the medication thoroughly before filling the prescription and taking the medication. Do not assume your doctor knows what s/he is doing....too many of us on these boards have learned that doctors don't know everything, doctors make mistakes, and doctors aren't always honest with their patients.
Bethsheba
Linda,
It just occurred to me that toprol is a beta blocker and one usually needs to wean off of those gradually to avoid rebound hypertension, and possibly angina and heart problems.
Did you reduce your dose recently? If so, I would strongly advise you to contact your pharmacist for more info.
And just for the record, if possible, I would encourage you to research the medication thoroughly before filling the prescription and taking the medication. Do not assume your doctor knows what s/he is doing....too many of us on these boards have learned that doctors don't know everything, doctors make mistakes, and doctors aren't always honest with their patients.
Bethsheba
linda1962
12-17-2007, 04:44 PM
Thank you to all who replied. I have my next cardio appointment the first week of March so I'll address this at that time.
Just to clarify: Myocardial Stunning occurs when the brain sends too much adrenalin and it can momentarily stop (stun) the heart or the heart may balloon. It is not considered an infarction. Either way, the damage to the heart is recoverable. It took me 6 months before I had a normal EKG (inverted T waves occurred after my event) and the Toporal was upped due to PVC's that I complained about and was told that they were benign but having a higher dose of the Toporal was to fix that. It doesn't seem to be effective but at any rate they have reduced to almost nothing anyway and only really show up at all around that time of the month. So I attribute them to my hormone fluctuations. I had no adverse effects switching it from 50 to 25 but take into concern the possible problems you could have and will not stop all together without my Doctors advice. He told me before that the Toporal will prevent another occurrence with this condition. Everything that I've read about this condition suggests that it rarely if ever happens again. I don't know if that's because of the drugs or not because I have yet to find another person with the same diagnosis. Anyway, I would like to get off of them, I'm only 45 and can't stand the idea that I'd have to take this for the rest of my life if I don't have to. I don't think I was diagnosed coprrectly with HBP - I think the first Cardio I saw put me on it because he thought I had a heart attack, the second one didn't take me off it because he wanted to wait and see, then with my follow-up he said it wouldn't hurt to keep me on them and we'll talk again at my next appointment etc.... but never again did it come up so now I think it's more in the forefront than before.
Thanks to everyone for the feedback. It's a tremendous help!
Just to clarify: Myocardial Stunning occurs when the brain sends too much adrenalin and it can momentarily stop (stun) the heart or the heart may balloon. It is not considered an infarction. Either way, the damage to the heart is recoverable. It took me 6 months before I had a normal EKG (inverted T waves occurred after my event) and the Toporal was upped due to PVC's that I complained about and was told that they were benign but having a higher dose of the Toporal was to fix that. It doesn't seem to be effective but at any rate they have reduced to almost nothing anyway and only really show up at all around that time of the month. So I attribute them to my hormone fluctuations. I had no adverse effects switching it from 50 to 25 but take into concern the possible problems you could have and will not stop all together without my Doctors advice. He told me before that the Toporal will prevent another occurrence with this condition. Everything that I've read about this condition suggests that it rarely if ever happens again. I don't know if that's because of the drugs or not because I have yet to find another person with the same diagnosis. Anyway, I would like to get off of them, I'm only 45 and can't stand the idea that I'd have to take this for the rest of my life if I don't have to. I don't think I was diagnosed coprrectly with HBP - I think the first Cardio I saw put me on it because he thought I had a heart attack, the second one didn't take me off it because he wanted to wait and see, then with my follow-up he said it wouldn't hurt to keep me on them and we'll talk again at my next appointment etc.... but never again did it come up so now I think it's more in the forefront than before.
Thanks to everyone for the feedback. It's a tremendous help!
bethsheba
12-17-2007, 08:34 PM
Linda,
Thank you so much for getting back with us to clarify and to share what you've learned!! We learn so much more when there's "two-way" communication!
Bethsheba
Thank you so much for getting back with us to clarify and to share what you've learned!! We learn so much more when there's "two-way" communication!
Bethsheba