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Help: Blood pressure TOO HIGH...

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
BLOOD PRESSURE Rising...

I think for most of us, our blood pressure tends to be on the low side?

Mine was for years, or it was right at the ideal -- 120/70, even though I could hardly function.

But lately, I'd say the last 8-9 months, my BP is trending upwards... and is getting a little too high-ish for comfort.

I've tested it several times over the last couple months, and it's averaging around 130-133/82, but the other day, (when I was really stressed out) it was 144/89! :(

The next day it was down to 138/85...better, but still, it worries me. My tinnitus is worse -- pulses at times, indicating atherosclerosis, so I'm guessing that's also causing the uptick in the BP.

Anyone else having this problem?

ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR NATURAL WAYS TO LOWER IT would be greatly appreciated. I used to take some fish oils, but gums would bleed so easily with even a small amount...so not sure what to do.

Thanks in advance.

Dan
 

jenbooks

Guest
Messages
1,270
Eliminate salt from your diet--don't add it to foods and don't eat processed foods with it (its in breads, cheese, tomato sauce you name it. It's in almost every food you buy).
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
Interesting...

Interesting you should mention that Jill.

For a few months I was adding salt to my water more than usual (which some docs recommend for adrenal weakness), but have kind of backed off on that lately. I was adding it to a glass of water at night, for it's antibacterial properties, so that I could keep the water on the counter, and not refridgerated...icy cold water just doesn't sit well w/me...

Whenever I've had mineral analysis done, my sodium is always low, and potassium sky-high...and I do tend to like, or need some salt on foods, but I'll try cutting back a little and see what happens.

Also was taking an herbal remedy w/licorice, which can raise BP, so have stopped that, even though it helped with muscle twitching and cramps.

In the past, when I've cut salt out completely, then I tend to get strong cramps. But will try cutting back.

Thanks for your input!

d.
 

susan

Senior Member
Messages
269
Location
Gold Coast Australia
High bp

Hi,
This is exactly what has happened to me. Lay in bed for 3 1/2 yrs with low BP...could not sit up. 3 yrs ago I noticed it rising. Then is got very high nearly up to 200/100. What do you think I did about it....panic big time which made everything worse as I cant take any drugs. Ended up twice at hospital thru weirdness and heart racing when I stand. Heart Doctor looked at me over 24 hr period. His prognosis....see a PSYCHOLOGIST. He said you have layed in this bed for 24 hrs resting with a heart rate monitor and your heart is 130....adrenaline running. You are ridiculous. He said go walking you wont die....but at that time it was so hard.

What I decided to do was try to reduce the heart rate to get the BP down. So I have seriously looked at my breathing and it was very bad....upper chest...adrenaline running like an emergency and I did not know it. On rising I would hold my gut in to do tasks. So I got the Buteyko breathing exercises... ( a kit).religously did them for 8 wks and now my heart rate upon risng is coming down....refuse to check BP yet as I dont want to get agitated. I had lod sodium diet. The exercises take time and discipline with a stop watch...they are a bit strange to do. Gone onto other exercises since like Pranyama. Taping my mouth at night was important.

I am on the Gupta program and this BP problem parralells with what he is saying that stopping adrenaline from running is the key to getting well as it is keeping the sympathetic nevous system overworked, shutting down the para. system that sets up the detox systems hence the cascade of CFS sysmptoms.

There is something called EMWAVE that you can buy that somehow you operate and it helps to lower your BP. Talked to a consultant about it and told her my problem. She said negative thoughts were making my BP rise and heart rate. Ridding the body of Negative thoughts is key to the Gupta program...stop checking the body for symptoms.
I have read that it takes a while for the respiratory part of the brain to re train after learning the breathing exercises to get the message. I have to learn to breathe Low and Slow. I just wish I would have learned this years ago.
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
Like most with CFS/ME my blood pressure has always been on the low side, or 'normal'...until the last year, when it has very slowly been creeping up, esp over the last six months.

I didn't take it very seriously, because I assumed since I have CFS, these higher readings were just anomalies -- usually something like 133/84, 137/85, and about a month ago or so, 144/82 (which a few minutes later went down to 138/80). These checks were all done at one of those grocery store machines...

But on Saturday, as I walked past the machine, the store was pretty empty, so even though I had this feeling it might be kind of 'up' (because I'm the type that just worrying about it can make it worse), I was at first going to just keep 'walking'. Instead, I decided to sit down, stick my arm in.

My BP was 152/88. Highest ever. The pharmacist couldn't find their regular BP cuff to double check it, so she suggested I go to a fire station in the next day or two to have it checked again. My sister was down here yesterday, so she drove me over...and now it was 170/89! Augh.

No wonder my eyes have been so dried out and tired, my face so flushed and warm at times (but my feet ice cold)...been in a bad crash since December 3rd. Has felt like my worst crash ever...

So now I'll have to go to the doc, who will no doubt prescribe some sort of BP med. I'd like to eventually control it with fish oils, magnesium, etc., but will probably have to use some med for now...

I googled some of them last night, and none of them sound like fun, esp w/CFS issues. Some of the side effects are anemia (which I'm already close too), issues with white blood cells(!), FATIGUE, muscle spasms (calcium channel blockers), and then some of the diuretic-type bp meds of course cause one to pee more often, and...well, I think I do that enough as it is, and that would make the electrolyte issues even worse...(twitching, cramping, etc.).

So I'm wondering if anyone else has this BP problem, and what med or meds do you use that have had the least side effects?

Thank you in advance.

Dan(ny Downer) :(
 

Hysterical Woman

Senior Member
Messages
857
Location
East Coast
Danny/BP

Hi Danny,

No fun! Sorry that you might have to go the medication route. I was very close to doing that myself until I started taking magnesium. I started the mg to help with pain and sleep and to reduce the amount of elavil I take at night. The improvement in b.p. was not something I expected, but it was the only change I made around that time. Since then I have read a lot about taking magnesium for b.p., and you say in your post that you want to eventually go that route. It can, however, sometime take time to replace magnesium if your stores are really low.

It is scary to have high blood pressure symptoms, tho. I am hoping that someone else will post information for you giving their experiences with allopathic b.p. medication.

Good Luck, please keep us posted on how you are doing.

Take care,

Maxine
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
thanks maxine...

Yes, it is scary, but hopefully these warning symptoms were a 'good thing'. ?

And yes, I'd definitely like to try upping the magnesium (among other things). Each time I've tried in the past, I get bad diarrhea (that's one word I've learned to spell with my eyes closed!)...so will try upping it very slowly.

Same with the fish oil. It always has made my gums bleed, so even though my MD recommended it 2 years ago (as my bad cholesterol was too high), I only took it off and on, and stopped about six months back (when I also stopped flax oil in Udo's blend, because my hair was falling out!). Within a week, the hair loss stopped.

oy, so complicated, depressing and frustrating.

THANKS MAXINE.

d.
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
Hi Dan--

I have no experience with high BP--mine is always dreadfully low. But I have also heard about magnesium being helpful for some, as well as garlic and holy basil--which I have used on many occasions for stress and heart palpitations.

Also, a friend of mine used acupuncture successfully for a bout of VERY HIGH BP. But she had to get a treatment once a day. I don't know if that would work for you.

Good luck with whatever you choose and let us know how it goes.
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
And yes, I'd definitely like to try upping the magnesium (among other things). Each time I've tried in the past, I get bad diarrhea (that's one word I've learned to spell with my eyes closed!)...so will try upping it very slowly.

FYI--I know there is a TRANSDERMAL MAGNESIUM out there somewhere. I think Sun Foods had a good one. That would eliminate the D word. ;)

ETA: Here it is! Expensive I know, but I hear it's the best one out there. Others I have tried are very sticky and itchy.
http://www.sunfood.com/buy/1/1/Magnesium-Oil-4-oz-spray-bottle-1575.aspx
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
Hi Dreambirdie...

FYI--I know there is a TRANSDERMAL MAGNESIUM out there somewhere. I think Sun Foods had a good one. That would eliminate the D word. ;)

ETA: Here it is! Expensive I know, but I hear it's the best one out there. Others I have tried are very sticky and itchy.
http://www.sunfood.com/buy/1/1/Magnesium-Oil-4-oz-spray-bottle-1575.aspx

Thanks so much for this info! Never considered it, but just googled magnesium oil, and found "DermaMag"...cheaper, but it had a few testimonials (which I know, could be written by anyone) that mentioned it helped with their BP.

Is that one of the 'sticky and itchy' brands? :)

d.
 

Dreambirdie

work in progress
Messages
5,569
Location
N. California
Thanks so much for this info! Never considered it, but just googled magnesium oil, and found "DermaMage"...cheaper, but it had a few testimonials (which I know, could be written by anyone) that mentioned it helped with their BP.

Is that one of the 'sticky and itchy' brands? :)

d.

I don't know how sticky and itchy that one is... Mine was a local brand. VERY ITCHY! A friend I know uses the SUN FOODS one and really likes it. It's VERY concentrated.
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
I don't know how sticky and itchy that one is... Mine was a local brand. VERY ITCHY! A friend I know uses the SUN FOODS one and really likes it. It's VERY concentrated.

Thanks DB. I read on the Dermamag site that one person did have itchy problems, but said they resolved in a week or so...who's to know.

Anyway, thanks again...I'm drooping so will sign off for now. Any other suggestions, etc., are highly appreciated.

d.
 
Messages
84
High BP

Hi Danny,

I have had CFS for about 15 years. I see many doctors (everybody has to be a specialist these days) and take a lot of meds. I almost never have any bad reaction to any drug - I know that makes me an anomaly in the CFS population. I have a CFS diagnosis from a known CFS specialist and I carry high viral loads and low NK cells. When I got out of bed after 5 years bed bound and decided to "exercise" I was stopped by SVT'S ( very rapid heartbeat). Along with them my BP suddenly began to run high. I have been taking 1/2 tab of Metoprolol SUCC ER 50MG (generic form of Toprol XL) in the morning for a few years and my elevated BP now runs a bit lower than 120 over 80. It is low even if I have "rushed" into the doctor's office. In other words, it works really well for me, is inexpensive and has no side effects. As above, nothing much bothers me but I believe this is a standard issue drug with few side effects.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

srmny
 

liverock

Senior Member
Messages
748
Location
UK
Hi Danny

I had a high BP only when standing,160/90,but on sitting down it eventually went down to 130/75.

I tried potassium, CoQ10, fish oil, transdermal magnesium etc, but they didnt do anything to lower my BP.

Eventually my doctor put me on Ramipril, an ACE inhibitor, which appears to work OK without any side effects, but it took a lot of time to get the right dosage that was effective at lowering the BP.

Personally, I think the higher BP is due to hormonal changes, it might be worthwhile to get an aldosterone blood test as this goes down in the initial stages of CFS and may have come back up to a high level.
 

Lily

*Believe*
Messages
677
Hi Danny

It would be interesting to know what your blood pressure is at different times during the day. Have you thought about purchasing a monitor for yourself?

I've had quite a few over the years and an expensive one is unnecessary. My favorite is an old fashioned mercury sphygmo made for one person ($25). Many of the less expensive digital ones work fine, at least for a few years usually. I didn't find that the expensive ones worked any better.

My BP has become extremely labile over the last few years. It's a good idea to keep a log if you can at different times of the day. I don't mean you should obsess over it by any means, but it would be interesting to give you an idea if more is going on than meets the eye. It would be nice to have a log when you go to see your doctor.

As far as BP meds go, there are a gazillion and everyone seems to react differently. Unfortunately it seems you just have to try them, and you're likely to be subject to whatever is your doc's favorite of the day.:)
 

susan

Senior Member
Messages
269
Location
Gold Coast Australia
High Bp

Danny,
Your story is mine also....was in bed for 4 yrs with low Bp and now have really high like yours ...slow escalation. Was put into hospital as my head felt weird and put on heart monitor for 24 hrs and my heart rate was 130 and BP around 180.

The heart specialist told me I was just "ridiculous" and to go and see a Psychologist and go out walking which I found difficult at the time. He prescribed nothing and I have just decided to live with it as a lot of drugs seem to make lot of people more fatigued...beta blockers. I do breathing exercises to slow the adrenalin down...mine is adrenalin based. http://www.control-your-blood-pressure.com/breathing-for-lower-blood-pressure.html

Recently I had a urine Organic profile done with Metametrix and it showed that my neurotransmitters are thru the roof and the Doctor did not know how I was functioning with a fried brain. This is the reason he believes the BP is so high. I dont feel all that anxious.
 

Hysterical Woman

Senior Member
Messages
857
Location
East Coast
Liverock

Hi Danny

I had a high BP only when standing,160/90,but on sitting down it eventually went down to 130/75.

I tried potassium, CoQ10, fish oil, transdermal magnesium etc, but they didnt do anything to lower my BP.

Eventually my doctor put me on Ramipril, an ACE inhibitor, which appears to work OK without any side effects, but it took a lot of time to get the right dosage that was effective at lowering the BP.

Personally, I think the higher BP is due to hormonal changes, it might be worthwhile to get an aldosterone blood test as this goes down in the initial stages of CFS and may have come back up to a high level.

Hi Liverock,

Thanks for posting your information. Interesting idea about the hormonal changes and aldosterone.

For the CoQ10 - can you tell us what dose you were on, and for the transdermal magnesium - were you using magnesium sulfate or magnesium chloride?

Thanks,

Maxine
 

CBS

Senior Member
Messages
1,522
My Experience - Ace Inhibitors

I've dealt with CFS for 16 years. For the last 5 I have had periods when my BP was high and my HR was a bit erratic (I have fluid issues as i have diabetes insipidus and this can impact both).

Eighteen months ago my BP started to be high on a more consistent basis (135-145/80-90). Over this past summer it started to spike in a massive way. 180/110 was not uncommon and sometimes it was over 200/130 (once my HR hit 180 while I was resting). I started blacking out (syncope) and some days dozens of TIA's (mini strokes that don't without lasting effects) a day. I developed severely distorted vision due to retinopathy (my retinas were detaching from the high spikes in BP). These along with a dozen other less severe symptoms (dry eyes, swollen face/neck, tinnitus, etc.).

I was on metoprolol ER at the time (50mg/day). My cardiologist (who I really like and who understands the cardiovascular instability that viral damage can cause) upped my metoprolol to 50mg three times a day but only slowed my HR. What really helped was to get the BP down with lisinopril (10mg/day - an ace inhibitor). It took 10 days for it to start to bring my BP down but its now in the 120-130/70-80 range.

I don't want to scare you but at the same time my experience was very sobering in how dangerous the BP/HR issues can become. I also don't want to push meds on anyone but there was no way anything else was going to get my cardiovascular instability under control.

Recently my HR just dropped significantly overnight (70 BPM to 35-40 BMP). We had to reduce my metoprolol back to 25 mg a day. We have no idea why the 150 mg was suddenly way too much but I now monitor my HR and BP daily.

Shane
 

dannybex

Senior Member
Messages
3,561
Location
Seattle
Thanks to ALL for the replies...

I've been online for about an hour now...checking other sites, etc., so am fading fast, will have to make this a short reply for now. Have an appt with the doc tomorrow at 2:15.

Weird how one of the main symptoms (when there are symptoms) of high blood pressure is 'extreme fatigue'. AUGH!

Anyway, I will probably be getting a blood pressure monitor loldershaw (hopefully it's covered?), as I'm sure I'm like Susan...BP goes up and down...very much related to stress/anxiety (a vicious cycle).

Thanks Susan for that link...I've read about other stress reducing monitors that are actually approved by the FDA...can't believe they approved something that isn't a drug! Have you found that it's helped lower your bp, or at least keep it more stable?

I'm jealous srmny that you can take drugs without many side effects. I looked into the one you mentioned...will ask the doc about it, but not sure I could handle it. But thanks!

Also thanks to liverock and ComeBackShane for your info, stories, and suggestions. I'll look into the ace inhibitors later today. Also...liverock, I too am wondering what type of magnesium was in the transdermal product you used...?

I too have that diabetes insipidus...for decades actually...so perhaps an "ACE" drug would be more appropriate? :confused:

Shane...I'm wondering...do you or your doc think the metoprolol caused or contributed to your wild swings, strokes, etc.? Was it mainly helpful for rapid heartbeats, but not BP?

THANKS SO MUCH.

Dan