Hi Roomies,
I would like to start by saying that I developed high blood pressure around the same time I developed small fibre PN. I am on a total of 200-250 mg of Betaloc daily, twice daily. I am also taking 4 mg of another BP med that works by blocking some kidney hormone.

When I was taking my Tryciclic my BP was a bit more reliable,and I was only taking the Betaloc. Though it would raise slightly if I was very anxious.

I have noticed that during stress,anger, & anxiety my BP goes up regardless of efforts to control it. Today it went up to 160/105. But it has gotten even higher.

I also now see a phycologist who wants me to consider SSRI's to control my anxiety states, while he is trying to help me for $120 per hour

I have asked my GP about anxiety meds,and he calls them drugs of addiction,and does not want me to try them. Would it not be beneficial to have the occasional anxiety pill for acute anxiety, rather than go back to an SSRI or tryciclic? Can anyone advise me how they control their blood pressure? Ironically when I left the gathering today my BP went back to normal in 5 minutes. So theres a link between perceived fear,anxiety and elevation of BP. I know 2 other people on BP meds that I work with, and their BP is so nice and controlled. Why is this happening,and what can I do? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you

Hi there. I'd like to respond to your post. We live in stressful times. As we get older, our level of anxieties tend to increase. That's just the way it is. I have never met one human being who gets up in the morning and says "Glory Be, it's a beautiful day, hit me with neuropathy pain and I'll function just fine". My husband couldn't do that on a bet!!!!

I myself have anxieties all over the place. Anxieties can sometimes stop people in their tracks from even taking a car ride, a bus or going into a tunnel. My sister-in-law takes an ativan before she gets in a car, goes into a tunnel or on a bridge. That's her thing.

If her adult children get on a plane, she takes an ativan. She's the most wonderful kind caring person I have ever met. She also has been on trazadone most of her life and they have to keep upping her dose. she is also on high blood pressure medicine for many years. She just retired from 25 years on her job. It made her function, believe me!!!!

For me, the only time I take xanax is to sleep or when I have a dental appointment. I am severely dental phobic. I go on dental phobia boards and read the messages and help other people. That is how I cope.

I did the zoloft thing about two years ago because I was crying in my kitchen over my son and I could not cope. I went to my GP, (he's really a nice guy) who explained "melody, some people can deal with the stuff you are dealing with and some can't, I'll give you zoloft. He gave me all samples and I never had to buy a single pill.

Now how did it make me feel.....took a while (it doesn't work overnight), I was like a completely different human being. I walked around like a mellow fellow. Nothing bothered me. I took 100 a day of the zoloft.

Took it for almost a year. Why did I stop? Because in my case, I gained weight and I'm diabetic and I had to lose weight. So, regretfully I stopped it and joined a gamanon support group and that's how I have coped.


My husband (about 5 months ago) was put on zoloft because our son's compulsive gambling and it was destroying our health.

I had to call his doctor who immediately put him on zoloft (50) and when a crisis happened he doubled it. You should see this man today. He's a different human being. Had no affect on his weight whatsoever. He lost 73 lbs of fat and is a different person.

Now my husband is not like me whatsoever. Has no dental phobia whatsoever and as far as I know the only thing he never liked to do was answer the phone or deal with people too much. My husband was always a loner (he's the one in our house with the PN).

Since he has been on the zoloft, he's a different human being. More outgoing, nicer to be around and he speaks on the phone any time the phone rings. He never did that once in all our marriage. I was always the one to answer the phone and have company over, etc.

The zoloft, in my opinion, changed his brain in such a way that he became much more easy going and life doesn't impact him the way it did before.

And when you have an adult child who acts the way my son does, let me tell you, you will take anything prescribed to get you through stuff.

Sometimes it's necessary. I commend people who tough it out, don't take anything for their nerves, can put their heads on pillows and clonk out for the night. I have never been able to do that in my entire life.

I am also on blood pressure medicine. Zestoretic 20/25. My pressure is stable.

Alan is on metoprolol (25) once a day (they cut it down from two times a day) He had a stent put him 7 or so months ago so he take all kinds of blood pressure stuff. He is also on altace.

As far as his PN, he used to be on the fentanyl pain patch but since he went to a chiropractic/neurologist and we use the magnassager, well, his pain is much much less. Sometimes his feet are only numb, not the stabbing pain thing.

He is doing just fine and I'm happy to report.......

YESTERDAY, HE GOT A PART TIME JOB .

He is there right now doing an orientation. He's 59 years old and had to quit 5 years ago because of his PN.

So I thank the zoloft people who invented this drug because he's a different man. Now some people take Paxil, and my girfriend takes wellbutrin.

Whatever works.

I do know that some doctors do not like to prescribe any kind of medication.
Well, in my opinion, they shouldn't be doctors. I mean, life hands you a whole bunch of lemons sometimes and while some people can make the so-called lemonade, others can't make crap!!!

So if a prescription anti-depressant makes you function, and as is the case with my husband, helped him beyond words,,,,,,all I can say is find a doctor that you can really talk to and express your concerns.

Change your GP, and get the anti-depressants from your psychologist.
Might cost you $120 for this but in the long run, you might function so much better on a Seratonin Re-uptake inhibitor... that you might not need the $120 guy so much any more. At least I would consider it. If it doesn't fit with your other prescription stuff you are taking, then at least you gave it a try, right???

So, in summary, my husband takes an anti-depressant, and blood pressure medicine and they all work nicely. I take an occasional xanax for dentistry and to sleep, and I function pretty darn well. Maybe someday I won't have to take a xanax to go to the dentist!!
Who knows.

All I know is the day somebody tells me I have to go for a colonoscopy, I'll renew my xanax!!!!!!!!!

take care,
Melody

That's great news about Alan! I wish him the best of luck. It's 3 am in Sydney and I am wide awake. I figure this is still part of the withdrawel from my Tryciclic I stopped 5 weeks ago.

I was so terribly fatigued on the combo of that and my BP medicine I had to stop it. Plus I think I was beginning to get a bit of Tardive Dyskensia from the trycilic.

I have 3 issues right now. BP,insomnia,and anxiety. Anxiety & insomnia raise my BP. BP makes me more anxious and causes more insomnia. Insomnia cuses more anxiety. Anxiety makes my BP go up too high. It does not stop!! My poor PN has not given me this much greif for along time now. The other issue I have is that my father has had BP since his early 30's. He is on 5 different BP tabs together now. He is 57 years old. He also had a stroke at 52 from not taking his BP meds. So he asks me "How high is your BP?" I reply, "150/100". He then says "That's how high mine was when I had my stroke!" If I say my BP is 140/95 he says "BP like that will give you a stroke." Needless to say my BP has gone up to 170/110 worrying about this stroke. So what sort of numbers truly cause stroke,and for how long?Do you also think it's better to consider SSRI's or anxiety meds? I have never taken either of them.

Thank you

your anxiety something to 'feed' on! As sports people do, visualize the positives, and block out the bad/worst scenarios... Don't do the what-if's/if-onlys! You just have to accept the IS and work up or down from there.

Find a good place to put your mind in when it gets hyper -mine is on a beautiful beach, on a deliteful recliner, with a nice cool drink near, in dappled sunlite, enjoying the sounds of palm fronds flapping in a lite breeze and lite surf & birds doing their thing for background.

USE that aspect, then figure out what your other 'trigger points' are. Some will amaze you! One doc I've gone to always asks on an 'update sheet': have you been depressed, considered suicide etc? I've always responded: Who wouldn't BE?!!! Not to be would be 'abnormal'! There are lots of things one can get wound up about...most aren't worth it, many don't require energy worth it for that particular time and others well, just go day by day.

As for BP, after my PN's initial onset..I'd a thyroid episode [for want of better way to put it] I was scripted Lasix and my BP went down sooo lo I was wondering if I was ALIVE! I quit it myself, and told docs why...no doc ever said 'why'd ya do that?'! Docs have phone services, or offices where you can leave messages, IF there are seemingly direct cause/effect BP issues going on, well a phone call is far cheaper preventative medicine than an unpleasant trip to the ER.. Hugs & Fuzzies! Keep it together, what other choice is there? - j