4th April 2007
Just some quick background info:
I'm a very active 45 year old woman. Weight is good, lots of lean muscle mass, cholesterol good, cardio exercise almost every day, everything all good with that stuff. I had a total hysterectomy last July and have been in high blood pressure purgatory ever since. I ended up in the ER in January with chest pain, shortness of breath, hands tingling and high bp. 150/110. After the cardiac enzyme tests revealed no "cardiac event" and the chest x-ray showed no clot, I was sent to a cardiologist for stress test and thyroid tests and all were fine. I was given a prescription for Dyazide and eventually my blood pressure came down to an average of about 118/74.
Yesterday I could feel the adrenaline surge feeling and the tingles in my hands and sure enough, my blood pressure was 150/85. I've been having the shortness of breath and spikes now through today as well.
Throughout all of this, since my surgery last July, I have been on a transdermal estrogen patch and I truly believe the hormone fluctuations has everything to do with the bp problems. I just cannot seem to find the right hormone balance. But the question is (finally!) is there a medication that will bring my bp down right away when I'm having these spikes and is okay to only take then? It seems that all the medications I have read about require constant usage and then weaning when trying to come off the medication. I feel like if I can get my hormones somewhat aligned properly my blood pressure issues will improve considerably as well. But these periods of spiking are very uncomfortable and scary.
I want to arm myself with the information BEFORE I see my doctor because last time I went in for this he told me women were just more "anxious" in menopause. Puh-leeze!
I'm a very active 45 year old woman. Weight is good, lots of lean muscle mass, cholesterol good, cardio exercise almost every day, everything all good with that stuff. I had a total hysterectomy last July and have been in high blood pressure purgatory ever since. I ended up in the ER in January with chest pain, shortness of breath, hands tingling and high bp. 150/110. After the cardiac enzyme tests revealed no "cardiac event" and the chest x-ray showed no clot, I was sent to a cardiologist for stress test and thyroid tests and all were fine. I was given a prescription for Dyazide and eventually my blood pressure came down to an average of about 118/74.
Yesterday I could feel the adrenaline surge feeling and the tingles in my hands and sure enough, my blood pressure was 150/85. I've been having the shortness of breath and spikes now through today as well.
Throughout all of this, since my surgery last July, I have been on a transdermal estrogen patch and I truly believe the hormone fluctuations has everything to do with the bp problems. I just cannot seem to find the right hormone balance. But the question is (finally!) is there a medication that will bring my bp down right away when I'm having these spikes and is okay to only take then? It seems that all the medications I have read about require constant usage and then weaning when trying to come off the medication. I feel like if I can get my hormones somewhat aligned properly my blood pressure issues will improve considerably as well. But these periods of spiking are very uncomfortable and scary.
I want to arm myself with the information BEFORE I see my doctor because last time I went in for this he told me women were just more "anxious" in menopause. Puh-leeze!