Looking for feedback for Blood Pressure Issues

[Joy]

I was diagnosed with very high blood pressure a couple of months ago of 180/115. I was put on medication but I had trouble with it increasing w/d symptoms. Currently I am taking Amlodipine. Prescription is for 10mg/day. I had taken for one week but it was causing problems with my w/d. Some problems may be caused directly from the medication itself. I became very lethargic and spent 80% of my day in bed sleeping or just laying quietly. Depressed mood and could feel a heaviness that made it very difficult to speak or read out loud. Verbalizing, looking for words etc. This i have come to know as a w/d symptom for me when I am not doing well. Also very reactive, anxiety and slight swelling int he feet and ankles. I decided to decrease the medication to 5mg and this got rid of the worst of the symptoms. I remained at 5mg for the next 3 weeks. Blood pressure went down to 145/90 as of 2 weeks ago. The doctor thinks still to high and wants to add more medications and/or a water pill. I don't want that and we are holding out for another 2 weeks to check on it again. The other day I checked and it was 158/90! And I was having a good day.
So...I have put myself back up to 10mg/day and again the symptoms are back. I am having horrible neuro emotion/anxiety/distress. Crying and not able to handle any stress without getting very upset. I have itching and am very agitated inside.
Does anyone have any advice??
For a few days before this realization I was finding my symptoms had softened. Not exactly a window but certainly more workable.
My guess is that any medication will cause the same thing to happen. Last time it took 2 days to clear from my system and I seemed to do better emotionally again. I am hoping for the same this time. At 180/115 I was very sick with BP. Not exactly the silent killer it is suppose to be. So I need to get the level down. I am on day 2 of having it at 10mg...I don't know if I can make it a full week..possible the w/d symptoms could lessen as my body gets use to the drug? My doctor is not understanding about the whole idea of withdrawal so I am not getting any help or suggestions about how to better manage things.
Thank you,
joy

[Luc]

Hypertension is a very common ADs side-effect and WD-symptom, Joy. I had it almost all the time when I took drugs, then it worsened in WD. The best option would be to allow your body regulate it naturally itself. The sad truth about the blood pressure drugs is that they may lower the pressure for a while, but your body will then be compensating for it = yo-yo effect. It also looks like you're not tolerating them - they cause lots of severe side-effects. There are many natural ways of lowering your BP (though, if it is WD-related, you simply need time for it to get better). Here are a few links you may find helpful;

http://www.naturalnews.com/035689_me..._pressure.html
http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/blood_pressure.html

[stan]

hello Joy,

in your case i would do: no med BP
buy i wrist blood checker in pharmacy(not expensive), as you are feeling, you take your blood pressure,
150 is not dangerous and meds will destabilize your blood pressure with many side-effects, i had the same,
today i have when quiet 130, or 140, when stress 150, 160; it goes from one to another; it is normal to be destabalized in withdrawal; more time passes, more it improves(the chemical anxiety adrenal plays a part)
meds will only worsen the problem in the long run,
Luc has explained it better because of my langage difficulties
the 158/90 is not much bad and will improve with time, no need to add new toxic drugs
drink a little(more water in body= less pression; less water=more pression); but do not drink too much , extremes are never good;

[Joy]

Thank you Luc and Stan for your responses,

Luc, I appreciated the links. There is some very good information on there. After two days trying the 10mg of meds I just can't continue to take them. I am a basket case. I will cut it to 5mg for now. I think I have to take something as bp was at 180/115 and rising. I did get it down with meds but on half dosage it started working its way back up. When bp is bad the speech problems kick in, headaches with the occasional sever sharp stroke like pain.
I plan on trying some of the natural remedies. Already I use the ACV but that hasn't helped..actually it has gone up although not necessarily linked.
You said,

The sad truth about the blood pressure drugs is that they may lower the pressure for a while, but your body will then be compensating for it = yo-yo effect.

What do you mean that the body will compensate for it?

Stan, I appreciate your thoughts. When you say a wrist checker..I can't say I saw them here...I will have to check. We have personal BP monitors but you mean a smaller, more portable wrist one, yes?
All the medicines they do seem to destabilize the body..I am as today taking 5mg..so I think I should stay at that level so it doesn't spike up again. I worry about kidney damage. I appreciate the reminder to drink more water...I think I have fallen back on that.
Thank you both!!

[Joy]

Oh, another thing Stan,

(the chemical anxiety adrenal plays a part)

...I don't know if it makes a difference but due to a growth on my adrenal gland I had to have one of them removed...so I am not functioning with both adrenals.

[Luc]

What do you mean that the body will compensate for it?

Initially some drugs may, artificially, mask/quench the symptoms, but it's precisely it --> treating the symptoms and not the causes = allopathic medicine = a very reductionist approach. Apart from side-effects, after taking BP drugs, your body gets addicted to them, similarly as is in the case of antidepressants, benzos, etc. Tolerance withdrawal occurs in that case, too.

[Sheila]

OK, this is just my personal opinion, OK? Not a doctor. :)

I think BP meds are bad for you. I think they made my father very sick.

It’s well recognized they cause depression. I’ve seen people’s personalities change on them.

I think there is too much worry about blood pressure. I think we can tolerate a higher pressure than is currently in vogue.

As Luc said, fluctuating, sometimes high, BP is de rigeur in w/d. It’s better to give your body extra support (nutrition) than add meds.

I would start researching all the natural alternatives. I’ve heard nutmeg is good.

But, Omega-3 is excellent for all cardiovascular problems!

[Joy]

Hi Sheila,

I do really appreciate your advice. What do you mean your father became very ill on them?? I didn't realize they caused depression either. My problem is that my BP was making me sick at 180/115. I was getting the odd nose bleed and constant headache and stroke like attacks of pain probably when it would spike further.
My weight is an issue now thanks in large part to ADs. I totally agree that nuturition is a key. I have been trying a few other remedies but haven't gotten anywhere with them yet. First thing I would like is a wrist band described by Stan. I found one online..but will look in town here first. I like the idea of being able to check it through my day. The Omega 3 should be helping you would think. Probably should start moving up with that only I am not doing so well right now and want to stabalize first. This BP medicine has had an immediate effect on me. I was doing ok at 1/2 dose but if I wasn't taking any I am sure I would be that much better again. Life is sooo hard right now.
The Tick problem continues and I have resigned myself to staying in and haven't even seen the horses for awhile. Even standing 2 feet from the garage on the driveway I have one or two on me when I go back in. They say they don't fly...but I stood on the deck and felt one hit my arm. There was nowhere for it to have come from. I think they catch the wind to travel. We are Taking off over 100 ticks a day from the two dogs. The poor things are covered with sores now. Someone is coming to check them out on Monday as they keep track of the outbreaks. If it isn't one thing it is another. I am finding I am too tired to deal with any of it.

[biscotaki]

Hi Joy,
I am sorry that you are having BP troubles ..:( I hope it all works out for you ..Mine would hike up, and I did take medication but the lowest dose., a few times ..Then I upped the Omega 3's, and now it tuns below 115 over 76, up and down a couple numbers ..So maybe it will be a good idea to up the Omegas.
I am saddened that the animals are suffering with ticks. ..:( Aren't there tick sprays for that?
Thinking of you, and sending you thoughts of peace, and well being ..hugs
xx, biscotaki

[Sheila]

I really understand how hard it is to do anything when you’re physically and mentally unwell in w/d. When does the tick season abate?

My father never stabilized on the BP meds, which he started around age 40. Never. And he got more and more depressed. Then, he developed adult onset Diabetes. They gave him stuff for that, too, and he got worse. Then, he died of a stroke in his mid-50s. I feel the meds made him sicker and more mentally incapacitated.

So, what about staying on a half dose of your BP meds temporarily, stabilize for a couple of weeks. Then, start going up again on your Omega-3 – 1 pill every two weeks. Then, in a couple of months, cut your BP meds to ¼ dose. Something like that?