Birth control, blood pressure....

[090308health]

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone else out there is in a similar situation or could help me with a question?... I developed high blood pressure after the birth of my daughter in Aug. of 2002. I started taking Aetenolol 25mg. for the high BP a few months ago. The doctor then switched me to Toprol 25 mg. for the high BP. I also just started taking Alesse-28 birth control pill. I could not taking Ortho Tri-cyclen or anything like that because it caused my BP to skyrocket! My doctor said it was ok to take Toprol w/ the Alesse-28. But I was wondering, has any other women out there had high blood pressure, and taken birth control pills w/ BP pills? If so, did the BP pills affect the BC pills in any way? For example did you get pregnant while on the BC pill while taking BP pills? And are there any other women who developed high BP after a pregnancy? The BP pills doesn`t seem to be controlling by BP enough. I think the BC pill is running my BP high. Thanks. I`m a 24 yr old female from VA. USA.

[Kristen26]

You are quite young to have high blood pressure. Are there factors contributing to your BP, other than the birth of your child? Are you overweight? Does high BP run in your family? Do you smoke? or drink? Many physicians recommned a low sodium diet for people with high BP, do you follow that kind of diet? Has your physician looked into other causes of your high BP. I think they should at least check a Basic Metabolic Banel (BMP) and do Thyroid tests. If the BCP's are the cause, maybe you should look into another form of BC. Have you read the book, "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" it explains in detail how the fertility awareness method can be used to prevent pregnancy. I think you should search for the cause of the high BP, and work on that. Like I said you are young for high BP to show up, even if it is hereditary. Sometimes kidney problems can cause high BP also. A lot of your blood goes to the kindeys, so if you have any type of blockage in the renal arteries, your BP can really skyrocket. Don't be afraid to ask your physician what you should do now. Do they want you to be on BP pills for the rest of your life??? Or is there something more you can do to stop the high BP? I personally had an increase in my BP, and found out that I had hyperparathyroidism. I had surgery to remove a parathyroid gland that was enlarged, since then my BP has been normal again. However, I had to keep asking questions to get my physician to investigate a little further the cause of my high BP. Good luck! Hope this helps!

[090308health]

Yes, I have had all kinds of blood work from my PCP, all normal, including my kidneys checked which were normal. I also had an EKG done. I think that the high blood pressure was brought on by the pregnancy. My BP began to run high around the end of the pregnancy. My PCP said I do not have an irregular heart beat either. It`s a mystery. I may have an Echo cardiagram done in the near future just to be careful though. Yes I am on BP pills. 25 mg of toprol.