Anybody have this issue?? - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

Sunshine797 · 10-19-2008, 07:09 PM

I high blood pressure and also an irregular heart beat. I also suffer from asthma due to allergies so sometimes I'm congested and have a harder time breathing.

I find that sometimes I get a tightness in my chest, and I feel like my heart is going to beat through my chest esp at rest. When I feel my pulse it appears to be normal thou. Does anybody else experience this here? I told my cardiologist about this and he asked if it was when I settled in for the night (Which of course that's when it usually occurs). He did not seem concerned when I said it was, but to be honest I am. I'm feeling it right now, it's making me feel funny.

The doctor gave me Metroprolol to calm my heart so it does not race as much and Diovan to help lower my BP. I will say that my BP does go right back up depending on the situation and I get really bad hot flashes. Sometimes my ears turn beet red.

Any advice?

Also while I'm here...

I'm an avid roller coaster rider, the higher, the crazier, the more I love them. I love the thrill and speed and the rush from them. Well yesterday my husband took me to the Six Flags and I noticed that on almost all of the rides (Esp the roller coasters) the warning signs said not to ride if you have high blood pressure. Now I've been riding them for years with uncontrolled high BP without problems (Don't ever recall high BP ever on the signs). Yesterday it unsettled me and caused me to worry all day. Now I still rode everything, but it made it hard for me to enjoy it.

Anybody know the reason for this? I don't want this to ruin my enjoyment of thrill rides. Do any of you still ride?

ntbd · 10-25-2008, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunshine797

I noticed that on almost all of the rides (Esp the roller coasters) the warning signs said not to ride if you have high blood pressure...
Anybody know the reason for this?

maybe the G forces? e.g., fighter pilots can experience a white out, but also the opposite "red out"

aether4 · 10-26-2008, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunshine797

I high blood pressure and also an irregular heart beat. I also suffer from asthma due to allergies so sometimes I'm congested and have a harder time breathing.

Get the asthma and allergies under control - the best you can. This can affect heart rate and blood pressure. You may want to have other hormones, blood sugar, and vitamin/mineral levels checked out, too, as anything wrong with these areas can affect heart rate/rhythm.

I have problems with tachycardia, not high blood pressure, but I've chosen to give up even smaller rides. With my fear of heights it sends my heart rate up too much - when that happens I get too many neurological symptoms due to poor blood pressure (a fast heart rate is not efficient), so it takes any "thrill" out of rides.
Ultimately it's up to you as to whether you choose to continue riding them. As you pointed out you've been doing it for years with no issues.

As to why they don't want you on them. When you ride a roller coaster you get scared, this releases adrenaline and the adrenaline makes your heart rate increase. For some people this makes blood pressure go higher because adrenaline is also a vasoconstrictor.

The problems with G forces is different. This has to do with added gravity on the body. For some, their body can't maintain adequate blood flow (and pressure) to the brain. This can happen with tachycardia too since the heart isn't pumping blood as efficiently. Lack of blood to the brain causes neurological symptoms - such as white outs/grey outs, ringing ears, and fainting.