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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by bassman on April 28, 2006, at 9:46:30
I had a period of panic (I was in bad, bad shape)just before I went to the GP the other day and my bp was 180/114. I got home and it was 125/75 (what it is normally). Scared the heck out of me-anyone else have this experience? Should I be concerned?
Posted by Jay on April 28, 2006, at 13:19:10
In reply to high bp and panic attack, posted by bassman on April 28, 2006, at 9:46:30
> I had a period of panic (I was in bad, bad shape)just before I went to the GP the other day and my bp was 180/114. I got home and it was 125/75 (what it is normally). Scared the heck out of me-anyone else have this experience? Should I be concerned?
>
>Yes, talk to your GP and get an antihypertensive med. I just started a month or so ago on Adalat XL, 30 mg once a day. Works like a charm. Plus, it is a calcium channel blocker, and some of these meds have shown to be helpful in panic. Take care,
Jay
Posted by Crazy Horse on April 28, 2006, at 18:10:04
In reply to high bp and panic attack, posted by bassman on April 28, 2006, at 9:46:30
I don't know how old you are and what kind of physical shape you are in, but if your blood pressure runs 120/70 or there abouts when you are not having a panic attack...unless you are having frequent panic attacks everyday you do not need a antihypertensive medication...your BP would drop too low. It's normal for it to go up during a panic attack. When i was 22 and in the best physical shape of my life, i was hospitalized with severe panic attacks and depression, my blood pressure in the hospital was 190/90 and i freaked. When i asked my doctor and the nurses about it they said it was normal for it to be high because of my condition at the time and when i got better the BP would go down..they were right, eventually it was consistently in the 120/70 range. Of course this is just my opinion and what i experienced..make sure you ask your doc, he may feel differently.
Monte
Posted by bassman on April 28, 2006, at 18:42:03
In reply to Re: high bp and panic attack » bassman, posted by Crazy Horse on April 28, 2006, at 18:10:04
Thanks, Crazy Horse-I called my doc today and she said exactly what you were told in the hospital. I jog regularly and so my pulse is about 44-48, and the doc said that she would suggest a beta blocker for occasional use as the only thing that would work under stress, but she didn't want my pulse any lower. Her suggestion was that if it bothered me, to take some Xanax before appointments, but that I wasn't doing any damage to myself.
I appreciate the info since I was really freaked, as you are about anything when you have just had a period of panic, esp. when the dopey nurse said, "I've never seen such a high bp!!". That didn't help.:>}Thanks again.
Posted by Crazy Horse on April 28, 2006, at 22:05:26
In reply to Re: high bp and panic attack, posted by bassman on April 28, 2006, at 18:42:03
> Thanks, Crazy Horse-I called my doc today and she said exactly what you were told in the hospital. I jog regularly and so my pulse is about 44-48, and the doc said that she would suggest a beta blocker for occasional use as the only thing that would work under stress, but she didn't want my pulse any lower. Her suggestion was that if it bothered me, to take some Xanax before appointments, but that I wasn't doing any damage to myself.
> I appreciate the info since I was really freaked, as you are about anything when you have just had a period of panic, esp. when the dopey nurse said, "I've never seen such a high bp!!". That didn't help.:>}Thanks again.
>Good, I'm glad you feel better. Your pulse rate is Great..when i used to run/jog, best i got was upper 50's. Nurses do say dumb a*s things don't they? I had one say one time "Man, you're an anxious one, aren't you?" NO BIT*H, i'm in here because i just love hospitals!! Take care and keep jogging. :)
Monte
Posted by Donna Louise on April 29, 2006, at 8:35:23
In reply to Re: high bp and panic attack » bassman, posted by Crazy Horse on April 28, 2006, at 22:05:26
Maybe I should start another thread....I am hoping my high bp is effexor withdrawal. I have been nearly hysterical when it was 158/100 yesterday at the dr. office. Nurse said, well just look at you, no wonder. Truly, she said that. I wasn't a wreck until she took the bp. Needless to say, it is staying up there as I am afraid I am going to die. I am supposed to start EMSAM sunday. I really am freaking out pretty bad. Anyone had high bp with effexor withdrawal? I will go to withdrawal board but I would really really help any feedback please.
Donna
Posted by bassman on April 29, 2006, at 9:37:32
In reply to Re: high bp and panic attack, posted by Donna Louise on April 29, 2006, at 8:35:23
Donna,
I've done a lot of bp research due to my freaky experience. If you're anxious, 158/100 isn't bad. Even if the bp stayed there all the time, it would increase your chance, perhaps, of physical conditions in 25-30 years. Mild bp readings like you have are questionable as to whether they even should be medicated...many people feel Big Pharma has gotten everyone over-nutsy because hypertension meds are taken every day for the rest of your life and therefore very profitable-so it is in their interest (I was in the pharmaceutical industry for 25 years)to scare people and docs into medication at the lowest bp possible.My point is that your bp, even if it is always 158/100, does not pose any health threat in the intermediate term-and if you are like me, the thought that my bp is high MAKES it higher when it is read. So it isn't like you are going to have a heart attack or stroke from your bp next week! :>}
If you haven't already, I'd suggest you get a bp monitor and read your bp at home. Just take a couple readings every day and don't care what they are-eventually, you won't react to bp measurement and you'll get a realistic measurement-and I'll bet it will be less than 158/100.
The "silent killer" ads have us both freaky...but higher bp is only a problem if it is high and sustained over a long period of time.
Relax and just take some data on what your at-home bp is and at times when you feel relatively relaxed...and remember, please, that mild hypertension does not in itself present any significant risk, unless you have diabetes, obesity, family history of heart problems, etc. etc. Bp is just one of many factors. Try not to obsess about it (look who's talking) and just see how things go with your meds. Check with your principal doc and make sure she agrees; that was of great consulation to me.
bassman
Posted by Donna Louise on April 29, 2006, at 12:15:40
In reply to Re: high bp and panic attack, posted by bassman on April 29, 2006, at 9:37:32
Dear Bassman, thank you so very much for your reassurring letter. I bet that alone dropped it 20 points. I have always had a low bp and this did freak me out bad. And freaking out is a good way to keep it up there I am sure. I did not realize what you said about what is really an allowable reading. It seems "they" (??) drop the safe number lower every other day.
Thanks again so much, you don't know how much you have helped.Donna
Posted by bassman on April 29, 2006, at 13:03:15
In reply to Re: high bp and panic attack, posted by Donna Louise on April 29, 2006, at 12:15:40
Donna,
So glad I could be of help. We're in the same boat. :>} I was going to send you a link to mild hypertension for reassurance, but I think you're there. Take care of yourself (and think about getting a home bp monitor :>})
bassman
Posted by Donna Louise on April 29, 2006, at 15:56:49
In reply to Re: high bp and panic attack, posted by bassman on April 29, 2006, at 13:03:15
> Donna,
> So glad I could be of help. We're in the same boat. :>} I was going to send you a link to mild hypertension for reassurance, but I think you're there. Take care of yourself (and think about getting a home bp monitor :>})
> bassmanHey, I will take that link. No telling how long I will not be anxious about it.. so I will take all the help I can get. I do have a home monitor and as you can imagine, I take it obsessively.
Thanks again for being so kind.Donna
Posted by bassman on April 29, 2006, at 17:15:05
In reply to Re: high bp and panic attack, posted by Donna Louise on April 29, 2006, at 15:56:49
Eeeeek...I dumped the link after I saw you were doing better and started to look up the data for hypertension/cardiovascular events; the scientist in me. I can give you THAT: if you are over 80 yo, don't bother with your bp!
I keep looking for the link, but here's a piece of info I found to put things in perspective: let's say you have a 3.2% chance of having an event in some 5 year period, say, because you have high bp (including very high bp) and you aren't doing anything about it at all (control group). Now a few thousand people in another group, those who were taking their meds and being watched carefully: their event rate was 2.6%. I guess what I got out of it was [1] high bp doesn't mean you'll end up with cardiovascular disease of necessity and [2] taking antihypertensive meds doesn't make a huge difference. Anyway, that's a different story...I hope to find the link-I thought I'd remember what I used for the search...
I do know what you mean about getting crazy about it in the future-even though you might be fine about it now.
The guy that wrote the article I was refering to called himself , "the world's laziest...[something]" You'd think that would be easy to find again.
Posted by Donna Louise on April 29, 2006, at 18:08:15
In reply to Re: high bp and panic attack, posted by bassman on April 29, 2006, at 17:15:05
Hey Bassman, don't worry about that! It will make your pressure go up!! If you ever happen upon it someday, I will be here, lurking most likely.
We are not alone in all this scary stuff!Donna
Posted by bassman on April 29, 2006, at 18:52:51
In reply to Re: high bp and panic attack, posted by Donna Louise on April 29, 2006, at 18:08:15
Thanks, Donna, I felt badly about the link. Ooops, gotta go take my bp. :>}See you around the posts.
bassman
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