blood pressure

[Lorenzo]

Hi all,

Ok, apologies if I'm doubling up, I may even have posted about this before, but frankly I can't remember. Simple question: I have now high blood pressure (alarmingly so), and must have had it for at least three years or so. Doc prescribed first type of meds in increasing order of strength, but I might as well be swallowing pure (organic of course) bread flour for all the effect this stuff has. Needless to say, I now wonder if any of you have come across, in your wide an learned readings, any reference about correlations between ANs and high blood pressure. As my GP wouldn't know anything about ANs, or not much, and sadly any An specialists in thsi country seem to have left me to one side, I need info from your side of the world.

Any info you guy may have would be really appreciated. Living with an average of 160+/90++ BP is no fun, even just on a worry level!

Ciao a tutti e grazie

Lorenzo

[Debbi]

Ciao, Lorenzo-

I don't know much about blood pressure - but isn't red wine supposed to help??

Seriously, I'll be interested to see if anyone has seen a correlation between ANs and blood pressure.

Debbi - grazie mille

[Lorenzo]

Hi Debbi,

Red wine works! I can testify to that!! Never measure BP post wine or any alcohol, pointless. Serious changes in readings! BTW, decongestants, same thing, lowering blood pressure, but to dangerous levels! I nearly sent myself to hospital the last time I had a cold!!

  I think I'll have a glass of Sangiovese.

Ciao, Lorenzo

[leapyrtwins]

I think I read a post by lori67 earlier today about blood pressure and ANs.

Lori, where are you 

Jan

[Lorenzo]

Which Lori are you talking to, this one or that one?  I get confuse with all the names stuff...

Ok, if anyone finds it, let me know, I'd be interested. In the meantime if I hear back from my docs at Stanford, I will let you know what they say.

Ciao, Lorenzo / Lori

[lori67]

Lorenzo/Lori -

Just plain Lori here.  I had been treated for very high blood pressure for a few years prior to my AN being discovered.  I also had an irregular heart rate.  My resting blood pressure was usually about what yours is - 140/90, occasionally even higher.  My resting heart rate was 110.  Needless to say, exercising was a real challenge, because I was already out of breath before I started doing anything.  I had EKG's, Echocardiograms, 24 hour Holter monitors, you name it - no one could figure out why I had these problems, so they just put me on meds to treat them.

When I had my MRI and found out there was a golf ball stuck in my brain stem, we started to wonder if that had anything to do with my problems.  After they took the AN out and my brain stem returned to it's normal position, the blood pressure went back to normal, almost a little low and my heart has slowed down to a normal level.  As I mentioned in another post, I still take the meds to regulate my heart rate because it's a low dose with no side effects and I'm afraid of going back to what it was before.  Besides, my family has a history of wacky heart things anyway, so I don't know if that was an AN related thing or not.

So, I'm not sure a doctor would say the two are related, but I think they are.  They also say they are not genetic (except NF2), but my Dad and I both had AN's so, I'm beginning to think the docs don't actually have all the answers yet.

Hope I didn't confuse you.  I think I need a glass of wine - which, by the way, is good for your cholesterol levels too!

Lori

[Jim Scott]

Lorenzo:

I had slightly elevated BP prior to my diagnosis but not high enough to warrant medication for it.  I was also about 30 pounds overweight.  Prior to my AN diagnosis, my sensation of taste went south and I began eating much less - and lost over 30 pounds within about 6 months.  Following my diagnosis and subsequent surgery, my BP (in the hospital) was perfectly normal and my pulse rate was also excellent (between 65 - 70).  I checked my BP a few weeks ago (at a drugstore monitor) and it was 178/78. Not perfect but quite reasonable for a fellow my age.  I haven't gained back the extra weight I was carrying so I've always attributed the improved BP to that, but of course it could be the fact that I had a large AN pressing on my brainstem that elevated my BP, pre-diagnosis....or both  Frankly, I don't care all that much as long as my BP remains stable and relatively normal.  Interesting question, though.  Thanks for asking it.

Jim

[Lorenzo]

Lori (The one) & Jim,   thanks for all that!

I'm not sure how long I have HBP. Discovered it in November when I was at Stanford, they though I had White Coat Syndrome. Ya, right I thought so too, there's a first time for everything. But, thinking back, I think I have it for longer. Sadly here, there's no investigation as to why i have HBP, but instead they just give me meds. For a person that never took meds, at all except for the occasional tylenol, this is a big deal.

Mine sky rocketed to 180/105 at it's worse, then the next day it could be back down to 138/80. No rhyme nor reason. Meds made it level, at a higher rate. I'm only 48 (no comments please) and there's no history of blood pressure problems in the family. I could loose a few kilos alright, like about 10kg, and have started cutting back on fats and taking more walks too.

In the end, I agree, as long as the pressure stays at a reasonable level, that's fine. I'm jsut trying to understand why it is not normal, and if there's anything else I can do other than the usual modalities that don't seem to have much effect so far. If it something to do with the AN, then there might be little one can do.

I dunno.

Anyway, it's not a crisis, just a point of interest and something I would liek to solve one way or another.

Thanks again.

Ciao, Lorenzo

[Debbi]

Hi again-

You mention white coat syndrome, which for some is very real.  My hubby was medicated for HBP for years - only to find out that what he is is white coat syndrome!

He recently wore a blood pressure monitor for 24 hours (orderd by his cardiologis) to see what happens during a "nornal" day - although there were quite a few spikes, the doc decided that my hubby didn't need to medicate. 

So, that's all along way of saying -- have a glass of sangiovese and call your cardiologist and see if you can/should be monitored for 24 hours.  Of course, everyone will tell you (and they are correct) that losing a few kilos/pounds can knock points off your BP also.  I was borderline a few years ago, lost 15 -20 pounds and - voila - excellent BP now.  And, of course, red wine and dark chocolate!  (If it's good for cholestrol, I figure it must be good for BP too!)  BTW, my very favorite dark chocolate is an Italian brand called Venchi, and it is specifically the Ripiene one (dark chocolate filled with dark chocolate granache).  I special order it ... sad, but true.

Ciao!

Debbi

[Lorenzo]

Debbi,

I have a couple of friends that have White oat syndrome, and very real it is too! However, I don't usually go mad when in the presence of a doctor. Ok, last visit to Stanford was different, it was my 3 year check-up. But still... anyway, I have a monitor here and check my BP every day, twice a day. So, I ahve it consistently, not jsut spikes. I shuld get the doc to have this investigated more.

But, more importantly, I know about wine being good for bp and cholesterol, but chocolate too?? Oh heaven! Angels be praised! Grazie, grazie, grazie! Now i can feel less guilty about having my preferred 70% cocoa with almonds from Lindt or Greens and in fact feel good about it! How about that. The other one I have from time to time is the 99% coca, on special occasions only. It requires concentration that one.

Fortunately I can get my choice brand up the road in our local gourmet store! Bliss!

Ciao di nuovo, Lorenzo

[er]

hello Lorenzo,

I had never had high blood pressure until after surgery. I am taking meds for it. I do have a blood pressure machine and I use it every so often when I feel there is something weird acting up inside me. I sometimes wake up with blood pressure up.

My husband is one that he was told he had White Coat Syndrome before he had heart surgery.

eve

[TP]

I always had fairly low blood pressure and now mine is higher than it should be. I never thought it had anything to do with my AN being removed I just thought it was because I am getting older....I think now I will say it is higher because I had a brain tumor....

[LADavid]

Lorenzo
Interesting topic and timely for me.  On my last visit to the Internist a little over a week ago, my Blood Pressure was 160/110.  He kept taking it and that was the best he could get.  I wasn't  surprised as I am in a daily battle with the IRS, the Social Security Admin, and very loud neighbors.  But what concerns me is that prior to the surgery, I was very athletic, had very low body fat, ate very well and my blood pressure was 120/80.  I don't what has led to what, but I am no where like I was a little over 6 months ago.  The Internist was so concerned that he gave me a two months supply of Hyzaar 50 (losartan potassium-hydrochlorothiazide).  By the way, I still eat well.  And I walk daily.  Maybe I should drink more red wine.  We have "Two Buck Chuck" here in California.  Could be a way to an inexpensive recovery.

David

[leapyrtwins]

Which Lori are you talking to, this one or that one?  I get confuse with all the names stuff...

Sorry, Lorenzo - didn't think of the name stuff.  I was referring to Lori (the one) or just plain Lori - although I don't think she's plain at all 

David -  "Two Buck Chuck"  that's a new one on me.  But then again, I don't get around much.  I'm probably dating myself, but back in college the cheap stuff we drank was called "Thunderbird" and as I recall it was pretty nasty 

Jan

[Lorenzo]

LADavid,

We have some cheap gut rot stuff here too, but I fear that the cure in that case would be worse than the actual HBP. Better to get some decent wine, after all, only a small glass is needed, so the good bottle can last a bit... Cheaper than drugs too!

Jan, I knew you were talking about LoriFarFromPlain. lol

Ok, I e-mailed my doc at Stanford, and I have been told that HBP is NOT something I can blame on my AN. So, I guess that's the official word. So I presume it's me, need to exercise more again and get into a walking routine! Being a naturally lazy person, made worse by a brain tumour, I guess I can be blamed for this HBP lark on me! Of course stress is also a factor, but I can avoid that as much as possible.

Of course it could also be age related. Who knows.

Thanks all!

Ciao, Lorenzo