Re: HYPERTENSION - Question about fluctuating blood pressure

June 9, 2010

HI Deb, I always had low BP until about a year ago, then it started creeping up, but the lowest dose of diuretic daily was too much, we tried other drugs, but most of them sent my BP too low. I know take one lowest dose diuretic every other day, and that seems to keep my BP, OK but a little on the low side. So interesting you should say that.

Marla

Hello all,

I'm wondering if anyone has had issues with their blood pressure fluctuating from this disease? I'm not talking about minor changes. Mine has gone from 104/60 to as high as 195/115 in the same day within hours. My GP has mentioned putting me on BP medication, but when I had a migraine a couple of years ago they did that and then I couldn't stand up because it went so low. Turns out the migraine was probably Sarc, and not BP, related. I am not terribly overweight and have not had high BP in the past. But now it seems to go up very easily when I'm stressed...I'm also very irritable, which is pretty unlike me normally.

My theory after doing some reading is that my adrenals are kicking out too much cortisol and other hormones right now...which is causing me to be reactive to stressful situations, giving me a belly roll that is pretty darn unattractive, plus raising my bad cholestrol (my good cholestrol is great, plus I'm eating healthy and walking a minimum of 2-3 miles per day...always have)and liver enzymes.

In reading the Hopkins research about amyloid A, I started to try to figure out where it was coming from. Apparently, the amyloid A that causes the inflammation is produced normally in the liver, but can also be produced by the fat cells.

So wouldn't it stand to reason that prolonged stress from job/home/relationships cause the adrenals to get " stuck " in the flight or fight mode. Which in turn leads to the bad belly fat around the middle...and that in turn produces the amyloid A??? And eventually will lead to thyroid problems as well, which I've read can be an issue with Sarc patients.

Am I off base in my thinking? Is it just a matter of concentrating on reducing stress, supporting adrenal function, eating right and exercising in order to get my BP to settle down??? Or should I talk to the Dr. about a diuretic?

I HATE masking symptoms with drugs without trying to let the body heal itself, so if anyone has any experience or input on the subject I'd love to get some feedback.

Thanks in advance!

Deb Z.

Michigan

June 9, 2010

Marla,

I understand that prednisone will affect your blood pressure, probably because

it suppresses the adrenals. Could be that your BP is coming up because you've

tapered back the prednisone???

But mine is spiraling higher over the last two months and I have only had to do

prednisone one time so far (I was diagnosed the first part of March of this

year)...so putting that together with my reactivity/irritability I have to

assume that maybe my adrenals are going through a period of over production...

maybe before they finally burn out??? And the only reason I can think of for

that happening is stress or a tumor or something similiar. It's something I'm

going to try to pursue with my GP, since the Pulmonologist pooh-pooh'd the idea

of my adrenals causing the problem.

I'll keep you posted if I find anything else out about it.

Deb

>

> >

> > Hello all,

> >

> > I'm wondering if anyone has had issues with their blood pressure

> > fluctuating from this disease? I'm not talking about minor changes. Mine has

> > gone from 104/60 to as high as 195/115 in the same day within hours. My GP

> > has mentioned putting me on BP medication, but when I had a migraine a

> > couple of years ago they did that and then I couldn't stand up because it

> > went so low. Turns out the migraine was probably Sarc, and not BP, related.

> > I am not terribly overweight and have not had high BP in the past. But now

> > it seems to go up very easily when I'm stressed...I'm also very irritable,

> > which is pretty unlike me normally.

> >

> > My theory after doing some reading is that my adrenals are kicking out too

> > much cortisol and other hormones right now...which is causing me to be

> > reactive to stressful situations, giving me a belly roll that is pretty darn

> > unattractive, plus raising my bad cholestrol (my good cholestrol is great,

> > plus I'm eating healthy and walking a minimum of 2-3 miles per day...always

> > have)and liver enzymes.

> >

> > In reading the Hopkins research about amyloid A, I started to try to

> > figure out where it was coming from. Apparently, the amyloid A that causes

> > the inflammation is produced normally in the liver, but can also be produced

> > by the fat cells.

> >

> > So wouldn't it stand to reason that prolonged stress from

> > job/home/relationships cause the adrenals to get " stuck " in the flight or

> > fight mode. Which in turn leads to the bad belly fat around the middle...and

> > that in turn produces the amyloid A??? And eventually will lead to thyroid

> > problems as well, which I've read can be an issue with Sarc patients.

> >

> > Am I off base in my thinking? Is it just a matter of concentrating on

> > reducing stress, supporting adrenal function, eating right and exercising in

> > order to get my BP to settle down??? Or should I talk to the Dr. about a

> > diuretic?

> >

> > I HATE masking symptoms with drugs without trying to let the body heal

> > itself, so if anyone has any experience or input on the subject I'd love to

> > get some feedback.

> >

> > Thanks in advance!

> >

> > Deb Z.

> > Michigan

> >

>

June 10, 2010

Prednisone is known to cause high blood pressure-- primarily because of the fluid retention that it causes.

It takes years for pred to burn out the adrenals-- but since the adrenals are so important to all the other hormonal functions-- the pituatary, the hypothalmus, and dang it-- my mind is drawing a blank-- but it messes with all the hormonal functions.

When we cut back, if you come down to quickly, you get the rapid irregular heartbeat, the extreme muscle/ligament pain, mood swings (or in my case, mood rages) and what seems like insanity. It feels like you're being pulled thru a keyhole, a very tiny keyhole.

Since the result of starting prednisone is so quick to tell our body to stop producing cortisol - the overproductiond doesn't come from the adrenals-- it's a synthetic response totally from the medication. What the adrenals do is to go into a sleep state, and then they have to be retaught to produce cortisol.

Take your meds into your local pharmacy, and sit down with the pharmacist. Go over what is happening, and let them explain what is causing this problem. It can be a reaction between several kinds of meds.

Hope this helps,

Tracie

To: Neurosarcoidosis Sent: Wed, June 9, 2010 9:11:21 PMSubject: Re: HYPERTENSION - Question about fluctuating blood pressure

Marla,I understand that prednisone will affect your blood pressure, probably because it suppresses the adrenals. Could be that your BP is coming up because you've tapered back the prednisone??? But mine is spiraling higher over the last two months and I have only had to do prednisone one time so far (I was diagnosed the first part of March of this year)...so putting that together with my reactivity/irritability I have to assume that maybe my adrenals are going through a period of over production... maybe before they finally burn out??? And the only reason I can think of for that happening is stress or a tumor or something similiar. It's something I'm going to try to pursue with my GP, since the Pulmonologist pooh-pooh'd the idea of my adrenals causing the problem.I'll keep you posted if I find anything else out about it.Deb> > >> >> > Hello all,> >> > I'm wondering if anyone has had issues with their blood pressure> > fluctuating from this disease? I'm not talking about minor changes. Mine has> > gone from 104/60 to as high as 195/115 in the same day within

hours. My GP> > has mentioned putting me on BP medication, but when I had a migraine a> > couple of years ago they did that and then I couldn't stand up because it> > went so low. Turns out the migraine was probably Sarc, and not BP, related.> > I am not terribly overweight and have not had high BP in the past. But now> > it seems to go up very easily when I'm stressed...I'm also very irritable,> > which is pretty unlike me normally.> >> > My theory after doing some reading is that my adrenals are kicking out too> > much cortisol and other hormones right now...which is causing me to be> > reactive to stressful situations, giving me a belly roll that is pretty darn> > unattractive, plus raising my bad cholestrol (my good cholestrol is great,> > plus I'm eating healthy and walking a minimum of 2-3 miles per day...always> >

have)and liver enzymes.> >> > In reading the Hopkins research about amyloid A, I started to try to> > figure out where it was coming from. Apparently, the amyloid A that causes> > the inflammation is produced normally in the liver, but can also be produced> > by the fat cells.> >> > So wouldn't it stand to reason that prolonged stress from> > job/home/relationships cause the adrenals to get "stuck" in the flight or> > fight mode. Which in turn leads to the bad belly fat around the middle...and> > that in turn produces the amyloid A??? And eventually will lead to thyroid> > problems as well, which I've read can be an issue with Sarc patients.> >> > Am I off base in my thinking? Is it just a matter of concentrating on> > reducing stress, supporting adrenal function, eating right and exercising in> >

order to get my BP to settle down??? Or should I talk to the Dr. about a> > diuretic?> >> > I HATE masking symptoms with drugs without trying to let the body heal> > itself, so if anyone has any experience or input on the subject I'd love to> > get some feedback.> >> > Thanks in advance!> >> > Deb Z.> > Michigan> >> > > >>

June 10, 2010

Thank you for clarifying that Tracie. The only thing I'm currently taking is

ibuprofen and supplements (MSM, SAMe, Milk Thistle and Krill). I really believe

that my adrenals are producing too much cortisol due to my unusual irritability,

noise sensitivity, edginess...and corresponding high blood pressure. But I was

only on a short course of prednisone way back in March...my BP has been getting

worse ever since. Sometimes it's overwhelming and confusing, especially when the

Drs. aren't in agreement, or even on board that there is an issue.

Deb Z.

Michigan

> >

> > >

> > > Hello all,

> > >

> > > I'm wondering if anyone has had issues with their blood pressure

> > > fluctuating from this disease? I'm not talking about minor changes. Mine

has

> > > gone from 104/60 to as high as 195/115 in the same day within hours. My GP

> > > has mentioned putting me on BP medication, but when I had a migraine a

> > > couple of years ago they did that and then I couldn't stand up because it

> > > went so low. Turns out the migraine was probably Sarc, and not BP,

related.

> > > I am not terribly overweight and have not had high BP in the past. But now

> > > it seems to go up very easily when I'm stressed...I'm also very irritable,

> > > which is pretty unlike me normally.

> > >

> > > My theory after doing some reading is that my adrenals are kicking out too

> > > much cortisol and other hormones right now...which is causing me to be

> > > reactive to stressful situations, giving me a belly roll that is pretty

darn

> > > unattractive, plus raising my bad cholestrol (my good cholestrol is great,

> > > plus I'm eating healthy and walking a minimum of 2-3 miles per

day...always

> > > have)and liver enzymes.

> > >

> > > In reading the Hopkins research about amyloid A, I started to try to

> > > figure out where it was coming from. Apparently, the amyloid A that causes

> > > the inflammation is produced normally in the liver, but can also be

produced

> > > by the fat cells.

> > >

> > > So wouldn't it stand to reason that prolonged stress from

> > > job/home/relationships cause the adrenals to get " stuck " in the flight or

> > > fight mode. Which in turn leads to the bad belly fat around the

middle...and

> > > that in turn produces the amyloid A??? And eventually will lead to thyroid

> > > problems as well, which I've read can be an issue with Sarc patients.

> > >

> > > Am I off base in my thinking? Is it just a matter of concentrating on

> > > reducing stress, supporting adrenal function, eating right and exercising

in

> > > order to get my BP to settle down??? Or should I talk to the Dr. about a

> > > diuretic?

> > >

> > > I HATE masking symptoms with drugs without trying to let the body heal

> > > itself, so if anyone has any experience or input on the subject I'd love

to

> > > get some feedback.

> > >

> > > Thanks in advance!

> > >

> > > Deb Z.

> > > Michigan

> > >

> >

>

June 10, 2010

Deb, I haven't been on Pred for years. I get an IV steroid boost now and again, but not on daily Pred. So don't think it's related to that. The doctor didn't know, said it could just be the Sarc. See that's what I get a lot now, OH it must be the Sarc???

Blessings to you, Marla

Marla,

I understand that prednisone will affect your blood pressure, probably because it suppresses the adrenals. Could be that your BP is coming up because you've tapered back the prednisone???

But mine is spiraling higher over the last two months and I have only had to do prednisone one time so far (I was diagnosed the first part of March of this year)...so putting that together with my reactivity/irritability I have to assume that maybe my adrenals are going through a period of over production... maybe before they finally burn out??? And the only reason I can think of for that happening is stress or a tumor or something similiar. It's something I'm going to try to pursue with my GP, since the Pulmonologist pooh-pooh'd the idea of my adrenals causing the problem.