I'm 22, on high blood pressure meds, and my pulse goes wild.. - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

manlyman · 03-21-2006, 02:02 PM

Hi all,

Well I'm on 100 mg of veramil PM and 300 mg of avapro... my BP has been good. Most of the time when I take it systolic and diastolic are low. Diastolic is ALWAYS below 90. But sometimes when I take my BP my pulse is over 100 and my systolic is up. But my pulse randomly changes. Like right now its about 60 resting. I feel nice and relaxed. Sometimes when I'm running around and up and doing things its 100+ and my systolic is high.

Anyway, I work out every day. I've lost 30 pounds. I came down from 250 to 220.... and I'm still going! I'm eating right. Eating healthy. Veggies, etc. 30 pounds in 3 months!

Anyway, what I want to know is... my doctor right now wants to put me on Coreg instead of Veralin. He keeps saying "do it now and if you lose the 30 or 40 more pounds and your BP is fixed we can always take you off of it."... first my pulse has seemed to improve recently. Especially since I went on a medicine for my IBS which I have a deep down feeling IBS can cause high blood pressure/high pulse! (Maybe I'm wrong? But it seems to have lowered it for me!)

I want to know if anyone has ever heard of "getting off medications". As in, once I start a beta blocker, or even the calcium channel blocker I am on now, I am only 22. And if I work out every day for say 2-3 years... and I get in REAL tip top shape... are there chances of coming off one or more of these medications? Or am I doomed for life? And I know you're not doctors, but I want to know if there is at least a chance. I'd love to have something to look forward to.

At the same time, I know that some people say your body becomes dependent on things like beta blockers after a few months, so even if you become the #1 in shape athlete in America, and lose all your excess weight and eat right, your body will need the beta blocker forever.

Any comments?

Thanks!

-Matt

Lenin · 03-22-2006, 06:49 AM

Matt,
The one thing that can take someone off these drugs is a large weight loss; sometimes the effect is INCREDIBLE.

It is true that your body grows dependent on these drugs and adjusts blood pressure accordingly, usually UP. That's why weaning is required and the longer you've been on them, the longer their effects will last and the longer the wean should be.

If I were you (don't take this as advice) I'd cut the drugs in half and see what is the effect of the 30 pound weight loss. But then I've always been big on self-experimenting.

How tall are you?

I've been on BP meds for 25 years and I'm ready for another trial of NOTHING...at least 60 days...and maybe forever. <Shhh, don't tell my GP.>

manlyman · 03-22-2006, 07:43 AM

Good to know

I'm 5' 8", 220 pounds. I WAS 250. Two years ago I was 231 when I first started having BP trouble.... so I am already well passed the problematic stage.

The past three days have been INCREDIBLE on my pulse rate. This morning at the doctors my BP was 148/80 (eh...) but my pulse was 72! Its been over 100 repeatedly for the past few weeks, but ever since I started my IBS medication for my stomach on Monday, my pulse has gone DOWN. The doctor says its odd..... my pulse should actually go UP with this medication. The way I see it, every morning for my entire life I've sweat, strained, and irritated myself with a bad stomach. Now I'm not doing that, so my body isn't getting physically exerted in the morning. The high systolic this morning (hopefully) was just a fluke, but even if it isn't!

I work out every day. And I AM DETERMINED to lose another 20 pounds. I'd love to be 200. I am 5' 8" but I am a big build. My dad is pretty in shape, is 3" shorter than me, and weighs about 190. I weighed 165 in high school and I was pretty in shape back then .... so anyway, once I break 200 I hope my BP will shoot down!

I don't think I'm going to stop medication right now, but I don't think I'm going to go start a beta blocker for at least 3 months. With a BP at 148/80, and I know I've been averaging about 130/80... its still a little high, and the high pulses are a little high too, but for 3 months, especially working out every day, I think it might be worth it just to see what happens......

Comments?

-Matt

pal7778 · 03-22-2006, 12:30 PM

Good idea to stick with the med for now and stay far away from the beta blocker. Lose the weight, give yourself a couple months with the med and the low weight, and then try the weaning.

manlyman · 03-23-2006, 09:56 PM

Problem is my systolic has been really high....

140-150 averaging.

Diastolic has been GREAT since Monday. less than 80. and pulse is 80 or less. If only I could get that systolic down I would be GOLDEN.

Can systolic be high from being tired? I got like 2 hours of sleep last night.