Blood Pressure Query

[Paul Clarke]

Hi Guys,

I was looking for some information about blood pressure readings - something about which I know very little. I always enjoyed perfect blood pressure readings until I was put on blood pressure tablets to help protect my kidneys by taking the pressure off them as they were being affected by lupus – an auto-immune disorder. Since then, my blood pressure has gradually risen over the years. I was recently hospitalised by ambulance when my GP called out as I had been particularly unwell. One of the reasons he wanted me rushed by ambulance was because my blood pressure “wasn’t just high, it was dangerously high”. Due to previous experiences with hospitals combined with the fact that I am currently embroiled in legal action against he HSE (Irish NHS) and one of its consultants in a fitness to practise hearing, this high profile case has done little to enhance my care at the hands of the medical profession. In fact, on leaving the hospital, I was given the choice of treatment, or leaving as they had removed all my pain medication (morphine, zydol, brufin, fentynal patches) so you can imagine the world of pain I was in after having my analgesics withheld. I did receive hydrocortisone by injection on day 2 as I was in an addison’s crisis when I arrived the previous day. I had no option but to leave in order to get some pain relief.

The previous hospital stay I had was for dental work under a GA and at that time, I was told that my blood pressure readings were the highest that they had seen. They even used different machines to check that the reading was not a machine malfunction. I have a machine that measures my blood pressure and stores the readings for later use. I am publishing the last number of readings showing systolic, Diastolic and pulse. Many of the readings were taken minutes apart for example, the first two. They read as follows:




I am currently on amlid however, my wife had to go to see my GP for me as I was too ill to go myself and he has prescribed another blood pressure pill – a Beta Blocker. I am nervous of taking this as ace inhibitors cause anaphalactic shock due to allergic reaction. In my unqualified medical opinion, it is a medication that should first be taken in a hospital environment. Previously while in hospital following anaphylactic shock, I was persuaded to take another type of blood pressure tablet. Within a minute of taking this tablet, I was in the resuscitation room with another anaphalactic reaction. I have no wish to repeat this experience.

With the above readings, does anyone knw if my GP was just being extra careful. Are these readings “not just high, but potentially dangerously high?” It is interesting to note that my blood oxygen saturation levels hovered at about 75%. On yet another stay which saw me in a coma following blood clots on my lungs, after coming out of the coma, when my O2 sats went below 90%, alarms would sound and nurses would come in a hurry. I am awaiting the official report from an echocardiogram however, I was made aware that fibrosis of the heart valve was resulting in “Back Flow”. This fibrosis, or scarring is a known side effect of cabergoline and dostinox. The makers of Dostinox say on their own web site that for use in patients with prolactinomas, no more than two 500 microgram tablets should be prescribed per week. I was on that dose every day. I cannot help but wonder if the blood pressure combined with the low O2 levels could be a major contributing factor to my fatigue.

If anyone has any understanding of blood pressure readings, I would be very grateful for some information. As you can see, I am currently stuck between a rock and a hard place and is causing a considerable amount of worry and stress.

Apologies for the length of this posting. (You should have seen the unedited version!)

Thank you in advance,

Paul

[JohnwithanhD]

Your pulse rate is too high. Beta blockers slow your heart rate down, so seem a sensible suggestion by your doctor. I have tried a couple of beta blockers in the past (side effects weren't good for me), but there are some beta blockers (e.g. bisoprolol) that are available in very small doses for heart failure as well as for hypertension. You can therefore start at a low dose and titrate upwards, to see how you react with them. This is what the GP did for me.

John

[Paul Clarke]

Thanks John,

In your experience, are the side effects something that diminishes in time? Uncomfortable would not be how I would describe the effects. Frightening would be more appropriate.

I am on a plethora of other meds so it could be an interaction?

Thanking you in advance,

Paul

[JohnwithanhD]

I am no expert, but beta blockers made me dopey. The idea (the second time I tried beta blockers) was to start very low, to allow my body to get used to them. This meant going on to a beta blocker that is not generally first-line for high BP(in the UK the standard drug tends to be atenolol), so the GP tried bisoprolol, which is available in a very low dose (and used primarily as a heart failure med at low dosage). Unfortunately this did not agree with me either but at the low dose at least did not feel so dopey. Also the lower dose is easier to stop.

Check out the general AB/CD protocol used in the UK for BP meds -- amlodipine+beta blocker would seem to make sense if only from this point of view. See http://www.gp-training.net/protocol/car ... /bpbhs.htm

Can't comment on interactions or anaphylactic shock, so wouldn't want to recommend anything!

John

[Paul Clarke]

Thanks John,

Your reply makes a lot of sense. I was thinking of starting myself again at a lower dose by taking half a tablet however, I realised that like any tablet that is designed to slowly release the medication over a period of time, breaking the tablet breaks the seal giving you a much higher dose than intended over a shorter period of time - a lesson I learned before.

I'll let you know how I get on,

Thanks again,

Paul

[ValerianJ]

The only reson to be cautious about beta blockers would be if you ar asthmatic, since the receptors in your lung are beta one and two. If they are blocked, I don't think inhalers like albuterol work...I could be wrong, but that was one of the reasons they took my mother off of beta blockers-- wheeziness.

[Paul Clarke]

Hi Valerie,

Thanks for that useul info. I as on BP tablets before that caused asthma to become much worse. In actual fact, thy caused anaphalactic shock. They insisted that I take a form of them saying I had to take BP tablets to protect kidneys so I relcctantly agreed. Within seconds, I was wheezing, rashy and going ino anaphalaxis. They tell ne that the tableys I had been on werre ace inhibitors. The ones they had me on (round 3) for the last few years have been very successful in comparrison (Don't work - haven't killed me) and they told me they were beta blockers. I recently found out that the tablets I have been (amlid) are in fact not beta blockers at all.

Before I went near the nedical profession, my BP was always perfect. I have since broken the record in two hospitals, suffered numeroous TIS's, a few embolism's - one of which saw me in a coma for a week and extra fatigue. That combined with the threats made to me makes me wonder if I would be better to avoid taking them at all.

Blood Pressure is one of those things they say you cannot tell for yourserlf. Many yars ago, I as taught anong oher things, self-hypnosis. I was in Galway Hosoice and if ever I was stressed, an aromatherapist / toe twiggler would arriver at me bed. I am a firm born again non-believer in alternative medicine. Rhona was called to my bedside about 30 times. At no time did I ever see her leave as I was fast asleep which she took s a huge compliment. I would be relatively pain free despite the fct that I wouldf have been begging for "The Cocktail" an hour before to get me out of pain.

She taught me much th same technique for my blood pressure and it worked. Perhaps I will give it a go and see over a month the chart it produces~

Thanks for listening to an old fart like me,

Paul

[ValerianJ]

Better listening than smelling an old fart like you