Blood Pressure Problems with menopause ? - Menopause Message Board

rw82 · 03-20-2006, 11:01 AM

Around the time I started having several symptoms of peri (app.2 years ago) I also started having a fast heart rate and high blood pressure.. Over a couple of months I had a couple of episodes where I would wake up with my heart beating fast and felt like I couldn't breathe. These passed pretty fast. After the third one I went to the doctor. My heart was pounding so hard and it really scared me. I could even hear my heartbeat in my ears. At the doctors my BP was 185/100 and my heart rate at rest was running around 130. After being on a heart monitor for about three weeks and tests by my doctor and a cardiologist everything checked out okay.

At the time my husband ask the doctor if this could be brought on by meno (I was having night sweats, anxiety, mood swings, etc) and he said no. I was 46. I have been on Toprol XL 50 mg daily since then.

I really feel that it may just be the meno that brought this all on and would like to get off the meds if possible.

Has anyone else had the problem with the heart rate and high BP ? I heard Slow-Mag is good for this.

Thanks

Hopefully · 03-20-2006, 02:57 PM

RW we are in the same boat

, since my perimenopausal symptoms became severe I've been dealing with elevated blood pressure that is under control with Toprol XL 50mg and Diovan 80mg. I have also been dealing with anxiety issues which also came about along with the other peri issues.

I must say that I have also put on a lot of weight that I'm truly praying about and working at losing which is probably also a contributing factor.

Now about that doctor thinking that peri/meno can not bring on elevated blood pressure...I know that he is wrong...very wrong, and I'm so tired of people in the medical profession not keeping up with new information, research, or just plain old common sense facts. If they see 100 women going through menopause and we all have high blood pressure with no previous history I think it should be easy for them to figure out the common factor.

I know women personally and from sites like these who are now on blood pressure medications since their hormones decided to take an extended vacation without them

.

Thank God for those few excellent doctors (I've finally found one

) who are truly a blessing.

rw82 · 03-21-2006, 03:52 AM

Thanks for the response Hopefully.

Usually my doctor is great but he was definitely wrong on this one. I have always been healthy, hardly even get a cold, then all of a sudden, Bam ! the fast heart rate and blood pressue issues!! It really freaked me out ! It seems silly now, but I really thought I was going to die. ANXIETY

I was put on Zoloft and Ativan at the time and it really helped. I haven't taken it in a long time but since my hormones are starting to do their thing again I'm thinking about starting the Ativan at night to help me sleep.

Have a good day everyone

biggirl55 · 03-21-2006, 07:13 AM

Do you guys smoke? Or ya'll on hormones? I know I tried to take hormones and I was smoking and my blood pressure shot up real high. When I quit smoking and quit taking hormones it went down. While I'm proud of the fact I quit smoking, somedays I wish I could maybe it would help my nervous. My pulse is still high about 100 at rest.

rw82 · 03-21-2006, 08:23 AM

I don't smoke or take hormones. However, I am overweight, which I am working on. I have lost 5 lbs. just by cutting back on eating junk food. So, hopefully I can help the heart rate and BP with diet and exercise.

Congrats on stopping smoking !!