Rapid heartrate/high blood pressure after eating

[budgetguy]

For the past several years I have noticed that after eating food (which ranges from just a cup of milk to a full meal) that my heart rate and blood pressure increases significantly about 30 minutes after eating, and it lasts for about  one and 1/2 hours to two hours.  This occurs about 50% of the time after eating.  My heart rate goes from ~75 bpm up to 140 bmp (max todate), and the blood pressure goes from 130/80 up to 180/102 (max to date).  Note: I am borderline hypertensive and take 20mg of lisinopril a day. I have attempted to determine if there is a particular type of food, or food additive that might trigger the symptoms, and have noticed the symptoms always occur when I eat peanut butter or the snack crackers that are sold in vending machines, and will occassionally happen when I eat homemade macroni and cheese.  Other that these foods, I can find no relationships.  I can have a cup of milk one morning and get the symptoms, then have a cup the next day from the same gallon and have no symptoms.  I have had several tests in the hospital - stress test, sonogram of the heart, gastronomic tests - with no results.  Of course the tests were not conducted just after eating, so I was not exhibiting the symptoms.  Do you have any thoughts on what might be causing this?

[Rob1970]

Hey budgetguy, it's been 10 years, but... peanut butter, cheese and milk are all in the top-8 food allergy list.  See also my new longer post on the first page of comments.

[TerryMcG]

The Pulse Test, a book by Arthur Cocoa, discusses using your increases in your pulse rate before and after eating to find hidden food allergies that do not necessarily show up with an allergy test. It was a Godsend for me to read when I first became aware of this behavior in my body after eating. It was even more important after dealing with allergies in my kids. My daughter could drink milk and have no reaction and then drink from the same (formula can) source later that day and become congested and fussy. Turns out she was allergic to the mold that develops in milk.  But that aside, obviously, on an individual account this may not seem that important... just part of the digestive stress of eating. However, my son was an example of a larger problem:  his allergies caused him to developed scar tissue in his esophagus and had to have a balloon procedure to stretch and break it as it started to create difficulties when he swallowed... particular when he ate certain foods. After an elimination diet, it turned out he was allergic to nightshades and corn. Nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and other foods in that family of plants) were fairly easy to eliminate. Corn was another story as corn starch has become a binding staple for many food manufacturers. Did you know that powdered sugar has corn starch in it?  So, ask yourself... are your meals soooo large that your body has to labor to digest them? Or might you have hidden food or mold allergies or intolerances that are worth isolating and eliminating?  Don't let the beliefs of those that deal in acute medical illnesses and their thoughts that it is "nothing" stop you from finding relief for discomforts or unneeded wear and tear on your body.  You might start with the book. I knew my pulse was saying something before I found the book.... I was married to an acute care specialist for 20 years and have noticed that there are differences in the mentality of acute care providers and those of us patients wanting to solve for chronic nuisances that can become serious over time.

[britneywhe]

I reasoned it through, maybe you need to get your carotid arteries checked for stenosis.

[Balt72]

Ok this is strange I noticed this past 2 months now before breakfast my bp was 146/96 then 15 minutes later it's 96/77 this happens every day

[Balt72]

My blood pressure was 146/96 before breakfast 15 minutes after its 96/77 this happened every day I'm on no meds

[pguillem]

I have the same symptoms and after carefully watching the diet, i can tell it happens mostly because of the carbs/sugars.

I'm no doctor, but i understand physiology and biochemistry well enough to assume it makes perfect sense.

Adding glucose (carbs) to the cells promotes glycolysis, which in turn produces H2O as a  byproduct, meaning more water in the blood (less dense blood) and therefore a higher BP. (Hydrodynamics 101).

Sodas also contain A LOT of sodium... Which make the body retain liquid, same effect as before...

If we are already borderline hypertensive, our bodies will likely react in the wrong way to excess liquid. From this point there are 5 paths:

1) diuretics (water out)
2) A/B/C channel blockers (less cardiac usage)
3) loose weight (decrease hydrodynamic load)
4) low carb/low sodium diet (regulate H2O)
5) Nitroglycerine/NoX (loosen arteries a bit)

(An alternate for number 5 is masticating and swallowing a raw garlic, as allicin produces nitric oxide as a metabolite, which relaxes the arteries and drops 5% to 10% BP for an hour or so).

Consult the first 2 with an MD before using..

We still have no clue why the renin/angiotensin system fails or why arteries become rigid over time... The day we figure this out, we will have cured hypertension. :(

[vinsukis]

I have same problem. Then i take a beta blocker for the heart rate of 162, and 20mg. Lasix for the swelling in stomach. I fill up with fluid. Doesnt help all the time. Vince