Went to Dr today...

[penybobeny]

I went to the Dr today armed with my meds list, BP diary and written questions... he took a look at my BP readings for today:
12-noon: 172/114 pulse 86
1pm: 168/107 pulse 80
2pm: 162/108 pulse 80
3pm: 182/111 pulse 94
... and quickly decided that I was taking the readings wrong, so he took my reading himself manually... the result 180/110 pulse 92, at which time he decided that I was taking the readings right...

I asked him a few questions and debated Beta Blockers and a few other medications but my big question he had no answer for...

My numbers go way high regularly... tonight at 10:30 they were 220/147 and at 11:30 down to 172/112... the rule of thumb usually is if the lower number goes above 120 for more than 30 minutes to head to the hospital, but I fluctuate so wildly that I cannot go by that rule... so I asked him... when should I head to the ER, what should I look out for...

His answer: sweating, shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, fainting... I just looked at him... I already have these symptoms on a daily basis and he remembered that soon after saying it. He could not give me a clear answer and ended up saying "well, you have been dealing with this for a while... you will just have to keep on dealing with it until we get to the bottom of it."

I can't help wondering at times if I will have a stroke or just not wake up when I go to bed... but at the same time I say to myself "well, if my Dr is not worried about it why should I."

Sorry, today just seems to be a down day for me... I feel like I am wasting money going to the Dr all the time when I get answers like that. I know that I am being tested for a condition that can cause all this (just found out that the first time they tested me they handled the test wrong and there was no way it could come back positive!) and I know that I have to keep on plugging along if I want to get this all under control, but tonight all I want is to feel safe when I go to bed. By tomorrow I will be back to myself, tonight it is pity party time...

[acp44]

Hang in there. It definately sounds like there is a condition causing that, and hopefully the tests will reveal it.

For what its worth, the human body is amazingly resilient. One of my closest friends has had readings of 160/100 for TWENTY-FIVE YEARS! He has had extensive tests and has NO organ or blood vessel damage.

It may be worth trying another doctor if this one doesn't have answers.

[flowergirl2day]

Hi Penny,

I asked him a few questions and debated Beta Blockers and a few other medications but my big question he had no answer for.

..

How long have you had high blood pressure and what medications have you been on? Just wondering if you are about to START taking meds or just need to add to your existing ones? Is yours a primary or secondary hypertension?

Your entire post sounds only too familiar..I could have written it. The doctors never have any answers! I asked mine repeatedly and with concern what level of blood pressure was deemed "relatively" safe for me and when to go to emergency. Never once did I get any kind of an answer! My doctor seems to think that as long as its kept below 250/160 (my highest readings) I am OK. As a matter of fact, I was reminded several times that it could be worse when I complained about my BP being in the 170's or 180s'. I don't talk about my BP with him anymore. Personally, I WANT it lower as I don't like thinking of being in constant danger of strokes and MIs.

How come your BP gets as high as 220 on the meds? I have severe, drug resistant hypertension but the drugs control it to a degree. Right now I am at least one med short and have to wait another three weeks to start a new one. That's because the doc is on a holiday and left me on three meds only.
That's not enough. Meanwhile, my BP does what it wants. I don't worry about it too much since there's not much I can do right now anyway. Only thing is that when it is high, my headache gets worse. Right now my head is killing me.

If you are on a bunch of BP meds and he puts you on beta blockers, try a smaller dose first. I had to discontinue mine (a high dose of alpha/beta blockers) due to severe shortness of breath. I was told the next med to try is a cardio selective beta blocker.

His answer: sweating, shortness of breath, weakness, dizziness, fainting... I just looked at him... I already have these symptoms on a daily basis

Yeah, right. I know the feeling! The doctors don't want to hear any of this. Luckily, the shortness of breath is too evident - walking up the five steps to the clinic and then standing there struggling to breathe with everyone looking at you...hard to ignore!

I can't help wondering at times if I will have a stroke or just not wake up when I go to bed... but at the same time I say to myself "well, if my Dr is not worried about it why should I."

I know this feeling only too well! Once I was very ill and certain that I would not wake up if I closed my eyes. I should have gone to ER and didn't. I was very lucky I survived. I think the same thoughts you do...it's hard not to. The danger is always there.

Good luck to you and I hope you'll get it under control some day..Meanwhile, go see another doctor because having your BP in the 220 range WHILE on medications is unacceptable. Would it not be nice if they found out the cause of your hypertension? Then the condition could be treated (hopefully) and ....voila....a perfect blood pressure! I am still waiting for them to determine mine. (They have a very good idea).

Flowergirl

[lmejianyc]

WOW I'm shock how can you people get sooooooooo high readings and still feel ok my bp hit 170/110 last week didn't feel right so I call a cab and went to the ER the gave me Vasotec IV hour later my bp was 135/89 and went home...I don't know what to do my mom think I'm crazy looking for way to lower it she told me stop thinking about it and it go away the unblance feeling or light headedness I can't even play with my god kids or play handball or even play video games..Or be on a treadmill for 20mins anymore since I been taken meds for about for 5 months

I don't think Norvasc 5mg work anymore last night my bp was 152/105 I was scared to go to sleep...

I change my doctor but he has time off until July 11 so I saw the one that taken his place she don't know much....I told her I still feel lightheaded and unblance and tired... somtime I feel so unblance it screds me and I just want to stay in bed also I have a strange feeling near the chest above the heart kind of the doctor told me have you hit your self there or somthing... I feel very self when she say that in my head I feel like telling them just run some test just to be sure I'm ok... Doctor need to start thinking about the people and a cure and study up on some issues and not let us worry....I should be living life I'm only 29 years olds..I change my lifestyle I don't eat meat or fish .and other things if you read my other posts.. It feel good to vent out thanks for listening lol and if there any other step to take please let me know we all trying to beat this thing

[penybobeny]

Thanks everyone for responding... yesterday was just one of those straws on a camel's backs sort of things, but waking up made it better... (doesn't it always? )

I am on BP meds, my problem seems to be (my Cardio is almost positive it is while my PC is doubtful because a test (that was handled the wrong way it seems) came back negative) an adrenaline producing tumor called a pheochromocytoma. Beta blockers can actually make it worse (was put on torprolXL and it definately got worse then taken off) and until they get some answers they do not want to change my meds.

This morning I woke to a 221/162 BP and HR of 110 and fifteen minutes later it was 185/112 HR 98... my latest was 169/89 HR 113... yeah, I feel bad, ears ringing, trouble concentrating, nervous jitters (like I am waiting for a gun to go off to start a marathon), dizzy, weak, short of breath... but these are all things that I go through on a daily basis... and it could be alot worse.

I got the usual round of calls from family members today asking what the DR said.. closest thing I can come to as an answer is "He said not to die." Well, I think I will follow his advice

I will admit, selfishly, that at times I see the numbers others post and I get jealous... what I would not give for lower numbers or at least steady numbers without those fluctuations. My BP has been high for about 7 years... but this bad bit has only been going on for a little over a year. I know that it will somehow come under control and that things will level out, something will click and something will stick.

Once again, thank you all for the responses... it helps to have shoulders to cry on, even cyber ones!