# Banging my head against a wall here...



## Tummy Trouble TB (Nov 10, 2001)

Somebody, please help me understand this. As most of you know, I was on Effexor 75 mg for anxiety. Worked pretty well on the anxiety, but my blood pressure was too high.Doctor cut me down to 37.5 mg of Effexor to bring BP down. Additionally, I began exercising and eating bananas (potassium is supposedly helpful in lowering BP).Here's the deal: my BP was wonderful for 4 days: readings ranging from 117/77-129/83, nothing more. My anxiety is back somewhat since I'm on a lower dosage, but the BP was doing OK.Today I take 3 readings, all ranging from 139-144/85-90. What is going on here? If it were Effexor, it would raise my BP all the time, not just when it felt like it. Correct?I am going to take a long walk off a short pier pretty soon.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

TT, One would think so.Have you been instructed to monitor your BP 3x's a day? Cause if you haven't, I wouldn't drive yourself up that proverbial wall by doing so.







If you have been instructed to monitor it, make sure you do it at the same time of day or at the same point in your daily routine. Write it down and forget about it. A pattern in a set of readings will be what the Doc is looking for. An average and/or a pattern. So don't go nuts with this. Just let it be and see what he says. I'm worried you'll drive up your BP by worrying about whether you will be able to stay on the Effexor! LOL (((((((TT)))))))) Hang in there.







And do try to give yourself a treat at the nearest occasion. (And no, a treat on Friday from your Valentine doesn't count! Has to be from you to you!







)BQ


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## Guest (Feb 13, 2003)

Tummy... those readings aren't all that bad. I've had readings of 175/105 before... so just relax... OK?I discovered that synthetic estrogen was causing my BP to skyrocket.You may already be doing the following things, but the following have helped me keep the BP at bay:Regular exercise doing something I LoveSelf hypnoBiofeedback"Be Good To Myself" TherapyThis is a tough one to come to grips with and I falter with it myself, but we CAN often choose our battles. More often than not, it is interpersonal relationships and events in our life that cause stress... and how we react to that stress can determine how well we are.Sometimes I can't control my reactions to stress, but other times I can... and as time goes by, more and more I am finding that I can control them more often.I know we've been corresponding privately as well... and I do understand and have lived some of what you are going through.... Try the therapist route again if you can..... talk therapy has been monumentally helpful for me.God Bless... take care... and thank you so much for your supportLove, Evie


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2003)

I too was on Effexor and taking a prescription allergy med w/decongestant which was the trigger for HBP. Are you adding anything like a histamine to your daily routine?


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2003)

More than likely it would be a decongestant such as Sudafed (pseudophedrine HCL) that might elevate your BP. Many allergy medications also contain decongestants that should not be used by persons with high bp. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to be sure.Evie


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## Tummy Trouble TB (Nov 10, 2001)

Nope, no histamines. I went to the dr. yesterday and she feels it's not the Effexor causing my blood pressure problem. As it's on both sides of my family in just about every family member, she thinks it's hereditary. Thankfully, she's keeping me on Effexor and even allowing me to up my dosage of it and also put me on a new BP med, Accupril. Today's reading was 122/77 - too soon to get excited, but I still feel hopeful. I trust this doctor very much, as she's always been very thorough, so I'm going to follow her advice and wait it out...On the bad side, I think I'm just about washed out on Xanax. 3 pills don't even touch me anymore. The doctor said if all of this doesn't work, Klonopin could be a choice for the future. Goody! More benzos! Sorry to be sarcastic. I wish I could have a personality and brain transplant sometimes - lol.


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