# Just when I thought I found the cure...



## Tummy Trouble TB (Nov 10, 2001)

Effexor XR has been helping me to return to my "normal" (whatever that is!) self every day. I've been feeling so much better and my need for Xanax has pretty much disappeared.Well, needless to say, Effexor is known to raise blood pressure, and mine has been way too high since I've begun taking it. (126-130/90's) I'm calling my doctor tomorrow to see what to do, but from what I've read, the only way to remedy this is to go off Effexor.So, I bet I will be returning to my crazy, spazzed-out self in a few weeks, because I can't have my BP this high - it's dangerous. I'm really miserable today; it seems nothing I try can't come without a zillion side effects.


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## Guest (Oct 28, 2002)

I was also unable to tolerate Effexor, TT ..... there are other antidepressants that you can try. Don't give up... OK?Warm Regards, Evie


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## Tummy Trouble TB (Nov 10, 2001)

Thanks, Evie. What happened to you when you took Effexor? Did it mess with your blood pressure? My only complaints have been some insomnia, sleepiness and the blood pressure. Other than that, it has been my dream drug. That's why it will be so hard to stop taking something that has allowed me to feel good again.I've tried Buspar, Paxil, Prozac and Celexa, none of which helped anxiety. Prozac kicked depression, but made the anxiety worse.


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## zayaka26 (Jul 5, 2001)

All I can suggest is go talk to your doctor. As I have read it might take a few tries before you can find something that works for you with minimal sided effects. Do not risk your blood pressure.


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2002)

TT.... Effexor did a total "number" on me. Over the course of time I have learned that I am unable to take any antidepressnant that affects dopamine or norepinephrine.... I can only take one of the SSRI's (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa)You may need to experiment until you find the right one that works with your specific body chemistry... and much depends on your diagnsis. make certain that your doctor is diagnosing your correctly. If in doubt, get a second opinion.If necessary, you CAN take both an antidepressant AND an antianxiety medication. You may also need to adjust the dose of the Effexor.Are you SURE it's the Effexor raising your BP? Depending on your age, sex, and chemical balance ... it COULD be hormones raising your BP. I don't know enough about you to be able to venture a guess at that.Tell me more..... Regards, Evie


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## kamie (Sep 14, 2002)

Post:All I can suggest is go talk to your doctor. As I have read it might take a few tries before you can find something that works for you with minimal sided effects. Do not risk your blood pressure.__________________________________Being a person who has dealt with HBP for many years, I can totally relate to the above statement.There may be other better meds for you but it may take some trial and error.So, if you go off the Effexor will your angst become bad enough to raise your BP anyway?AND with what Evie mentonedPost:Are you SURE it's the Effexor raising your BP? Depending on your age, sex, and chemical balance ... it COULD be hormones raising your BP___________________________________The whole hormone reality could be a big factor.Hormones kick in and act up at different times in our lives.They take no account really of age because a hormone flare can happen at any age, not just menopause,So realistically, you need to trouble shoot with your doctor to figure out the reason for your BP.What ever you do address the problem of BP as the medical problem it is.You might want to see if you need to begin BP med maintenance.High BP and pulses are some bad news.They can set you up for heartattacks and strokes and kidney failure and brittle bones.So talk to your doctor about the medical realities.Kamie


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## Tummy Trouble TB (Nov 10, 2001)

Well, I'm 26, female, relatively healthy (except for my anxiety, mitral valve prolapse and occassional bouts of IBS), and I don't exercise as much as I should, although I'm trying. I'm naturally thin, so I've never had a weight problem. HBP does run in the family, my dad getting it as young as 24, but he was also eating terrible foods back then - things very high in sodium. I try to keep my diet low in sodium and caffeine and eat as much as my anxiety problem allows. I admit I do have a slight sweet tooth.My blood pressure, up until my anxiety reached the boiling point and I was panicking every day, typically ran at about 122/62. When I would get nervous about going to a doctor or over anything else, the bottom number would be in the high 70's, low 80's. I've been taking birth control for 3 years and it has never messed with my blood pressure. The day my really high blood pressure started was when I began all of these anxiety attacks, and then it just got higher after I began Effexor (which it states in the brochure that the drug can raise BP).I'm still inclined to think it's the Effexor, because I'm less anxious than I was and haven't been having any more panic attacks. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow to get my BP checked there (my doctor wants to make sure my home machine is correct), and if it's high there, then we have to discuss options.I frankly don't know what options I have left, though, other than becoming a junkie on benzodiazepines like Valium and Xanax. I've tried Paxil, Prozac, BuSpar and some others, all to no avail.Therapy has also been tried many times and it became clear to me I needed medication, not talking. Talking to my last therapist I became so overwhelmed with anxiety (feeling as though I was trapped in his office and he was just staring me down) that I had to leave mid-session for fear of throwing up right on the floor in there or passing out. Once I was in the car, sweating and trembling after that whole thing, I began to feel the anxiety lessen.This is really frustrating for me. Thank you all for listening and offering your advice.


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## kamie (Sep 14, 2002)

Tummy, You will want to begin doing a BP monitor on a daily regualr basis.Here are the number guidelines for your vitals.Although you numbers may be high for you, you are on the border line of concern.You also need to watch your pulse.Your top number hits the bad zone at 200.Your bottom number hits the bad zone at 100.Your pulse hits the bad zone over 100.technical hypertension starts when the BP reads 140/90.Did I read correctly and did you mention that your BP problems began whenyou began having anxiety attacks before Effexor?If your high BP came on before Effexor it means that it is probably not the Effexor and it is your body that is doing BP independantly of the anxiety attack.You mentioned the anxiety attacks and then you put those together with the Effexor.___________________________your post:I'm still inclined to think it's the Effexor, because I'm less anxious than I was and haven't been having any more panic attacks. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow to get my BP checked there (my doctor wants to make sure my home machine is correct), and if it's high there, then we have to discuss options._____________________________If you are less anxious and on Effexor and you are still having higher BP than you are used to, then it's a huge possibility that your HBP is not due to anxiety but that anxiety probably arrived with the organic problem.It is a high possibility that your HPB would remain high even if you got off the Effexor since you were not on Effexor when the anxiety started.However it is hard to tell unless you do trial and error and resolutuion.So you need to look at the organic body reason that you are experienceing HBP independantly of the Effexor.Now, if you don't like Effexor there are other meds to try so maybe you and your doctor should discuss other options.I get a combo of Elavil and Prozac for my pain control.They don't have any side effect on me(so far) and they are compatable with theBP meds since I take those meds at the lowest dose made.Good Luck with the Doctor and let us know what happens.Kamie


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## Tummy Trouble TB (Nov 10, 2001)

Well, I just got back from the doctor's. She was ready to take me off the Effexor and send me to a psychiatrist when I asked if I could try a blood pressure medicine. She said it may not work, but I can try it for 2 weeks, go back and see how I made out. I have an at-home monitor to use to see if I'm improving at all.Please keep your fingers crossed that this BP med works and I can stay on Effexor. If I can't, then she'll just send me to another psychiatrist who will prescribe some medication I've already tried and doesn't work, because I've tried just about all of them, and Effexor has been the only drug that could touch my panic attacks.If I have to go off Effexor, my life will become a living hell again.


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## kamie (Sep 14, 2002)

Tummy, I would encourage you to get a second opinion from somone who is good with BP's.There are so many meds that it's hard to say which med is the exact right one for you.My HBP was treated by the family practitioners until very recently. My personal HBP became so difficult to control that I finally went to the cardiologist.He approached my rapid pulses differently than the other doctors and so far the kind of med he changed me to seems to be working well.On one of my ER visits for a rapid pulse the attending doctor told me that nephrologists are very good at figuring out mystery BP.What ever you do, try to get another opinion beffore allowing the doctor to take you off a medication that you feel is making your quality of life better.If however, the same opinion comes back after a few try's with other specialists, then maybe consider the doctors opinion.However, I think your condition is still needing some other evaluation.Kamie


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## Tummy Trouble TB (Nov 10, 2001)

Well, my whole family (except my mom) has had hypertension that was successfully treated by their internists. My doctor is very good, so I'm going to wait out the 2 weeks and see what happens. If the BP is still high, then I will consider going to a psychiatrist.My blood pressure was always normal until I began having anxiety attacks in May. Effexor seems to raise it even higher. I know the BP is linked to anxiety and the Effexor, so I don't think I need a cardiologist yet. I asked my doctor if she thought I should see one and she said no, that it can be successfully treated through her, so I'm going to trust her as she's always been a great doctor.My father-in-law, who's also a doctor, agrees with her approach to this mess.Hopefully within 2 weeks I'll see some improvement. If not, I'm going to ask to try either Paxil extended release, Zoloft, or Elavil. (I did a little research tonight and found that these drugs work for anxiety, and I haven't tried any of them - I used the standard Paxil, not the extended release.)Thanks for your concern, though.


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## cloverleaf (Dec 18, 2001)

I have a friend who had high anxiety (non-IBS related) that was helped tremendously by Effexor. He's like a whole new person and has never gone to psychotherapy. Anyway, his BP went really high while on this medication, so he takes an anti-high-BP medication (I think it's a diuretic, but I have no clue).It seems like this is one of the more common side effects. He still takes both medications because he wants to stay on Effexor.


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## Tummy Trouble TB (Nov 10, 2001)

Thanks for posting that, Cloverleaf. That is so encouraging to read. My BP was down today (I took it twice) and both readings were low 80s, which is such an improvement from before. My top number has always been low, so that's not a concern.I'm glad the BP med/Effexor combo is working for your friend and I pray it works for me!


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Tummy, Keep in mind also that there are a whole host of different BP meds to try as well.BTW I wish I had your "high" numbers. LOLI have HBP too. Had it since the last week of my second pregnancy. (I'm telling ya that kid wrecked me. LOL ) It also runs in my family. So I have been on meds for it for about 2 1/2 years.I am on an ACE Inhibitor, but there are also Beta blockers and of course diuretics too. So don't worry about having to give up that Effexor just yet. Loads of meds to try for the HPB.BQ


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