oral contraceptives or pain meds raise bp more? question for the women. - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

evelyn1 · 01-23-2005, 07:48 PM

I have been on various bp meds for borderline hbp for several years. It's hereditary, everyone in my family takes meds starting in mid 30s. In my early 40s I started to have more severe monthly cramps. My gp who follows bp and my gyn do not want me to take oral contraceptives (I'm 46 now), although I have taken them in the past without problems. instead, they've given me naprosyn, bextra (which I refused to take), and now Ponstel. my question is - all these drugs have sodium. I think they raise my bp. The docs say it is safer to take these a few days a month than to take contraceptives the entire month and that the hormones will raise my bp more. Anyone have thoughts on this? I hate taking the pain medications, and of course now more and more of the pain meds seem to cause heart problems.

Lenin · 01-24-2005, 07:13 AM

evelyn,

The amount of sodium in the NSAIDS is really not very much compared to our dietary intake.
THe contraceptive hormones exert a FAR greater effect on your blood pressure.

A word of warning, though: since the napoxen and the bextra are getting swept up into the Vioxx pile because of cardiac risks, I'd look with a jaundiced eye even on the Ponstel, which, if anything, seems MORE toxic than the others.

Does ibuprofen do much for your monthlies?

Ponstel sounds SO operatic...like a cross between Lily PONS and Rosa PONSELLE!

mgraylorn · 01-24-2005, 11:28 AM

I got taken off the regular pill when I was diagnosed with hypertension.

Does regular aspirin or ibupropen irritate your stomach? I think they are about as effective as naproxin for my cramps. Incidently drugs in the same class as Vioxx (ie Bextra) can also raise blood pressure.

There is a progesterone only pill called micronor (other brand names too) which you should be able to use, since it does not contain estrogen. Estrogen is the culprit in hpertension. Progeserone only pills should reduce your periods and cramping.

I've never heard of Ponstel. It is a pain reliever?

Moxie75 · 01-24-2005, 12:30 PM

Evelyn, I agree with Lenin and MGray. I also think that oral contraceptives are harmful. I took them for years and am gald to be free and clean from them for 2 years now. I want to get my hormones naturally...Lisa

evelyn1 · 01-25-2005, 05:47 PM

Lenin,

why do you say Ponstel seems more toxic than the others?

I asked my pharmacist and he said to keep taking for now.

Ponstel is one of the old line NSAIDS isn't it? It works better for me than Naprosyn. Aspirin and ibuprofen don't do much. Ibuprofen and naprosyn give me acid reflux, something I never have otherwise.

The Ponstel really works for me.

I have a scrip for Micronor but never took it because a book I read on hormones indicated there is some disagreement about whether it is only estrogen that causes problems or whether progestins might also cause problems. Progestins have side effects of their own on their own that I'd rather not risk.