Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
404682 tn?1324579818

Experience with hypertension meds

Hello,  My name is Pat and I was recently diagnosed with High BP which has me a bit confused. I had 4 high reading at 3 times but the rest of the time it stayed within the 120s low 130s. The issue is that I'll go along fine and then wham my blood pressure will spike out of nowhere to 170/102 so my dr decided to start me on meds. I started taking norvasc 2.5 mgs at night because my BP is really high when I wake up. After being on it for 5 days I ended up in the ER with dizziness and another sudden BP spike. ER sent me home told me to take a norvasc when I got home then to start taking it in the AM. Next morning I felt awful so my GP told me stop norvasc and started me on clonidine.1mg but take only if bp is above 140.  I was fine all week and then today mid morning another spike... 170/100  I waited about half an hour for it to come down on it's own and then took half a clonidine. What concerns me is how can I go about my daily life if something like this is going to hit me out of the clear blue.  Any insights or experiences would be appreciated.

Pat
2 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
404682 tn?1324579818
Hi Jon,
Thanks for the response. I know it's not white coat related cause I've been going to these guys for years. Right now I'm just going to take it a day at a time til I see the cardiologist next week. Maybe he can shed some insight.  It's anxiety producing to have to worry about whether I'm going to spike and have a dizzy spell while out and about so now I feel housebound.

I've read a bit about ARBs -  mainly Micardis   will be sure to ask cardiologist about when I go.  Thanks again.

Pat
Helpful - 0
159619 tn?1707018272
COMMUNITY LEADER
Blood pressure can be tricky. There are many issues to be considered, first is that you may be prone to spikes in BP because your system is more sensitive than most. If you get into a stressful situation, it may affect your BP more than most. Take a look at this link for more information;

http://www.blood-pressure-monitoring.org/white-coat-hypertension.htm

Also, there are many different classes of drugs used to treat BP, each interact differently in everyone. You may be accustomed to a higher blood rate so when the meds cause your BP to drop it may take time for your body to get used to the lower levels which will make you lightheaded. It takes time for your bidy to get used to the effects of a lower than expected BP. You should work with your doctor to find a drug that works for you. The one with the fewest side effects would be an ARB that works by keeping your arteries pliable so they can help absorb each heart beat and lower your BP and the stress on your heart. The bad part about ARBs is that they are expensive and not covered by all insurance plans without first trying all other possibilities.

I hope this helps,

Jon
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Hypertension Community

Top Healthy Living Answerers
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
14 super-healthy foods that are worth the hype
Small changes make a big impact with these easy ways to cut hundreds of calories a day.
Forget the fountain of youth – try flossing instead! Here are 11 surprising ways to live longer.
From STD tests to mammograms, find out which screening tests you need - and when to get them.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.