My trip to the internist - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

red-rider · 09-14-2005, 01:57 AM

I finally went to a new doc today. I was in high hopes of getting a new BPmed like Avapro or Benicar. I take Diovan(80mg). I started having BP spikes in June and began taking 1mg Ativan daily. Since then,my readings are in the 120's and 130's over 80's. I gave the internist my 3 week BP diary and she said~these are good readings~stick with the Diovan. Then proceeded to tell me she would not refill the Ativan

I clearly explained that without the Ativan my BP was in the 140's and 150's over 90's~and also that the ativan squelches my anxiety~and that I was not having the BP spikes since taking it. She said 1mg was a lot

and that it was addictive. Then she proceeded to offer me Buspar(which I know nothing about). I was as nervous as a cat when I got there and asked the nurse politely if we could take my BP at the end of my appt.(because of my whitecoat). She ignored what I said and took it anyway. Then the doc came in and took it again AFTER I told her the same thing~she said it was 144/90 and wanted to take it for the 3rd time~I declined and she backed off. I had taken TWO ativan before my appt and it's a good thing I did because my BP might have broke their machine. She also commented that if I wanted to go to a good physchatrist for anxiety that she could reccommend one! I was floored!! Since when does a person need to see a shrink for anxiety/whitecoat! I got a refill for the Diovan and left. What a bummer~what a downer. Are there ANY GOOD DOCS LEFT???
Even though I was nervous~I was calm and polite and in no way acted out of line.
comments invited! RR

Uff-Da! · 09-14-2005, 08:10 AM

Well, with that experience, your BP might have been higher after the appointment! When I saw my doctor after telling her that I had been off the meds for six months without her knowing, my BP was 161/something before I saw the doc and 181/something afterward. My average home readings had been approximately 126/76. My doctor tried to tell me that my home machine wasn't working. I bought another new one (the first one was only a few months old) and am getting exactly the same kinds of readings.

I don't know anything about Ativan and little about Buspar, but did you accept the prescription for Buspar?

lindiana53 · 09-14-2005, 01:47 PM

Ativan is both physically and psychologically addictive, so your doctor's concern is not unreasonable. Also, as your body adjusts to the ativan, you would need to keep increasing your dosage to keep your anxiety and probably blood pressure under control. However, if you went to a psychiatrist, you would probably get your prescription. They don't do therapy much anymore--just prescribe meds. As for blood pressure, I found benicar to be stronger than diovan. I hope this all works out for you.

CASSIEBEL · 09-14-2005, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindiana53

Ativan is both physically and psychologically addictive, so your doctor's concern is not unreasonable. Also, as your body adjusts to the ativan, you would need to keep increasing your dosage to keep your anxiety and probably blood pressure under control. However, if you went to a psychiatrist, you would probably get your prescription. They don't do therapy much anymore--just prescribe meds. As for blood pressure, I found benicar to be stronger than diovan. I hope this all works out for you.

I don't know about that. I tried a psych and only got an SSRI (Lexapro) that only made my BP worse. I do agree about Ativan though. It will lose it's effectiveness and more and more will be needed to do the job - both for anxiety and HBP.