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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Jose on May 22, 2000, at 22:31:21
I have been on Effexor for about a year and my doctor
has been adjusting dosage. I had a high blood pressure
reading at a recent medical visit and went and bought
a finger monitor. My pressure is suddenly higher than
it has ever been. I have many stressful problems right
now ranging from marriage issues to a move to career changes,
but I suspect the increased Effexor may be the culprit.
Since my mother has high blood pressure, I am rather
concerned. Has anyone else had this happen to them on
effexor?
Posted by Cindy W on May 23, 2000, at 0:15:46
In reply to More Effexor Side Effects, posted by Jose on May 22, 2000, at 22:31:21
> I have been on Effexor for about a year and my doctor
> has been adjusting dosage. I had a high blood pressure
> reading at a recent medical visit and went and bought
> a finger monitor. My pressure is suddenly higher than
> it has ever been. I have many stressful problems right
> now ranging from marriage issues to a move to career changes,
> but I suspect the increased Effexor may be the culprit.
> Since my mother has high blood pressure, I am rather
> concerned. Has anyone else had this happen to them on
> effexor?
Jose, I've had a slight increase in BP on Effexor-XR, from the usual l20/80 to (today) l44/90. Part of it though is work stress (a few weeks ago, was l77/113). Since it goes down again, I'm not too worried. But I have read that Effexor can cause a change in bp.--Cindy W
Posted by Renee N on May 23, 2000, at 4:05:36
In reply to More Effexor Side Effects, posted by Jose on May 22, 2000, at 22:31:21
Mine went up to about 140/94. Since it runs in my family,too, my GP put me on BP meds. It is very good now. Also, instead of lowering the Effexor XR, my pdoc severely lowered my ADDerall from 90mg. a day to 30mg. a day. Renee N
Posted by medlib on May 23, 2000, at 5:08:55
In reply to More Effexor Side Effects, posted by Jose on May 22, 2000, at 22:31:21
Jose--
Any one of your current life stressors could be enough to raise your BP; but, yes, it could also be the Effexor. The real question is, assuming that Effexor IS the culprit, do you really want to add the stress of changing medications to your already over-stressed life? You may have read here that Effexor is not easy to withdraw from (for most folks). Neither is finding a new med that works as well.
Fortunately, elevated BP is one of the simpler medical problems to treat. First try to determine how much of a problem you have. Check your BP before you get out of bed 3 mornings in a row and average the readings. Do the same when you get home from work (after 5 minutes rest). If your average low score is above 100 or your averaged high score is above 160, consult your doctor for confirmation and/or treatment. Home monitors can be quite unreliable, and one reading means little.
Lifestyle changes often are all that's necesary to bring mildly elevated BP down to normal. Decrease/eliminate caffeine and salt in your diet; walk, listen to relaxation tapes or meditate. Your doc may prescribe a mild diuretic if you have a continuing problem.
DO share your concerns (and your own BP readings) with your doc and follow his advice. I am just suggesting that, if you are stable and reasonably satisfied on Effexor, this may not be the best time to make another change. A "bandaid" on the BP may buy you some time to focus on more immediate priorities. When less of your life is "up in the air", your BP may return to normal on its own; if not, you can still evaluate your med options better at a later,less volatile time.
Well wishes--medlib
> I have been on Effexor for about a year and my doctor
> has been adjusting dosage. I had a high blood pressure
> reading at a recent medical visit and went and bought
> a finger monitor. My pressure is suddenly higher than
> it has ever been. I have many stressful problems right
> now ranging from marriage issues to a move to career changes,
> but I suspect the increased Effexor may be the culprit.
> Since my mother has high blood pressure, I am rather
> concerned. Has anyone else had this happen to them on
> effexor?
Posted by Orin on May 23, 2000, at 23:21:27
In reply to More Effexor Side Effects, posted by Jose on May 22, 2000, at 22:31:21
I'm one of those whose diastolic pressure has gone well into the 90s with venlafaxine. Treating the side effect with atenolol and ace inhibitors just nullified the antidepresssant benefit of the venlafaxine, and I stopped using them. I'm still using the antidepressant, but I'm keeping the diastolic in the 80s with weight control and daily but careful use of a couple of traditional chinese medicine formulas I gleaned from Bensky's Materia Medica. Keep that diastolic pressure down under 90 you'll significantly lower your risk of stroke.
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