Hypertension

[MommyChick]

Quick story...
So in 2005 ... my BP was so high one night that it put me into having seziers & doctors had to put me in a medicated coma for 10 days till they could get my BP under control. I don't remember any of it but my family & friends still tell me to this day how scary it was for them! It took doctors a good few months to really get my meds just right so my BP was good enough to function throughout the day.... Anyway 7 yrs later I am still on 8 different BP pills a day, not to mention other meds for D. I try to keep myself very active while being on D so I can live as much of a normal life as I can.
So I saw my doctor as D yesterday & I have been having LOW BP's for the last month, finally the doctor took me off of 2 of my BP meds... I'm hoping that this will take care of my low BP's at D. I am so sick of feeling crappy when I leave there! Not to mention its not just on D days where my BP has been low, So I'm hoping this is a solution to it all.
Very excited about less pills, I thought I would be on them forever with how bad my hypertension is.
Excited & thought I'd share

~ Marna

[Grumpy-1]

Congrates MommyChick - I guess I'm lucky.  My PB dropped when I started PD and now I'm off any meds for it.   Keep going, maybe it will turn out that way for you. 

[Home hemo]

My husband had seizures from high BP, twice, the second time with blindness as well.  We just developed a policy that if we couldn't get it under 200 with extra meds, then he went to the ER.  He was on 6 meds a lot of the time.  The ones that worked best for him were the Catapress patch worn for a week straight, and Minoxidil (the hair drug, of all things). 

His BP did go down sometimes, especially if he was getting dehydrated, but just generally trended up and trended down at random times over the years, with longer down trends as time went on.  I'd keep an eye on it and keep the meds on hand, in case it trends up, because it really is bad for your body to have that pressure on your arteries all the time.  I think the more you keep track of it yourself, the better off you'll probably be, as only you will probably know what works best for you and be able to address it quickly.

[MommyChick]

My husband had seizures from high BP, twice, the second time with blindness as well.  We just developed a policy that if we couldn't get it under 200 with extra meds, then he went to the ER.  He was on 6 meds a lot of the time.  The ones that worked best for him were the Catapress patch worn for a week straight, and Minoxidil (the hair drug, of all things). 

His BP did go down sometimes, especially if he was getting dehydrated, but just generally trended up and trended down at random times over the years, with longer down trends as time went on.  I'd keep an eye on it and keep the meds on hand, in case it trends up, because it really is bad for your body to have that pressure on your arteries all the time.  I think the more you keep track of it yourself, the better off you'll probably be, as only you will probably know what works best for you and be able to address it quickly.

Your so right about only you knowing how your body feels. I can tell right away when my BP starts dropping but there are a lot of people at my dialysis clinic that just will get sick or pass out & not say anything to anyone.
Ooo yes Minoxidil, the drug I hated !! They put me on that drug too right after I had my seizure. Maybe the guys love it, but I hated it. What girl in there 20's is going to want hair growing all over, ICK !!! My doctor took me off of it b/c it was making me unhappy. I will never forget that med. though 
Yeah, I don't mess around with my BP either. Then second I see it not coming down I normally go right to the ER. I was last at the ER about 2 mths. back. I get there & start to tell the nurse how I'm there b/c of my BP. Then SHE tells me... how do you know what your BP is? I was like b/c I have a BP monitor at home.. then SHE says well where would you get one of those??? Seriously... talk about being stupid !!!
Thank goodness they didn't assign her to me as my nurse, I would have protested!

~ Marna

[Home hemo]

I get there & start to tell the nurse how I'm there b/c of my BP. Then SHE tells me... how do you know what your BP is? I was like b/c I have a BP monitor at home.. then SHE says well where would you get one of those??? Seriously... talk about being stupid !!!
Thank goodness they didn't assign her to me as my nurse, I would have protested!

Those kinds of nurses are so hard because you can't afford to become their enemy!


I love seeing your friendly photo with your babe.  Makes me smile every time.

[Grumpy-1]

MommyChick  - what does your PB normally run and when it get low, what is it?  Grumpy

[MommyChick]

MommyChick  - what does your PB normally run and when it get low, what is it?  Grumpy

My BP normally runs around 120s - 140s & when its  low for me is normally in the 90s or less. Thats when I start to notice becoming a little light headed/dizzy.

[Joe]

I notice I'm light headed when I get below 100/50. I can feel it coming on and know I have to take it easy for a bit.  I typically determine if I'm going to take my BP meds in the morning when I take my reading. If I'm in the 120/80 range, I don't take my meds as they will make me crash during the day.

[MommyChick]

I notice I'm light headed when I get below 100/50. I can feel it coming on and know I have to take it easy for a bit.  I typically determine if I'm going to take my BP meds in the morning when I take my reading. If I'm in the 120/80 range, I don't take my meds as they will make me crash during the day.

Yeah, same here. If I notice its low before I take my meds or go to dialysis I wont take them. I don't need myself crashing later in the day.

[Grumpy-1]

Thanks - Mine run between high 120 and low 90.