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Do Stress Levels Affect BP Readings?
Question: Dear Mr. Shehu
Further to my previous posts, last week I have stopped taking the BP medication as the BP was very low both in the morning and evening and I was worried the BP might fall below the normal levels. Basically, last time when I wrote to you I was taking Telmisartan 80 mg in the morning and amlodipine 10 mg in the evening. Because my pulse went sky high, to over 100 during the day, at rest, my cardiologist in Romania recommended that I take also Nebivolol 5 mg (half in the morning and half in the evening). I only took nebivolol two mornings and noticed that my pulse went back to normal but my BP was very low- 112/ 69. I was also very very weak, could hardly walk and climb stairs and when I was climbing stairs my heart was pumping in my throat. Because my BP was consistently low (around 112/ 70) without medication, and because I could not get hold of my cardiologist, I sopped taking any pills until I was going to see her again in a couple of days. Last Saturday I saw her again and she advised me to take only 40 mg Telmisartan and 5 mg nebivolol (half tablet morning and half tablet evening). My BP continued to be low- maximum I got was 146/93 so I basically stopped taking the medication as I felt I gave my body too many medicines. Since last Saturday my BP is consistently low- now is 115/76 with pulse 80 and my pulse is rarely going over 80. This Monday I went to the GP and explained the situation- he took the BP and it was 114/70. He advised me to stop the medication also and to come and see him in 2 weeks, with readings taking every day morning and evening.
My question is: could it be possible that my BP was high as I had a medical scare (that I was having cancer) and now, as my stress level is better my BP is back to normal? Do you think the BP will go back to high readings again? I do feel anxious, almost every morning, but still my BP is normal now. Please advise what should I do. I continue eating low salt food and drink decaffeinated coffee. I also kept a cure of sea buckthorn, for 2 months and this helped me get normal smear test, after 8 years of having positive smear test results
Further to my previous posts, last week I have stopped taking the BP medication as the BP was very low both in the morning and evening and I was worried the BP might fall below the normal levels. Basically, last time when I wrote to you I was taking Telmisartan 80 mg in the morning and amlodipine 10 mg in the evening. Because my pulse went sky high, to over 100 during the day, at rest, my cardiologist in Romania recommended that I take also Nebivolol 5 mg (half in the morning and half in the evening). I only took nebivolol two mornings and noticed that my pulse went back to normal but my BP was very low- 112/ 69. I was also very very weak, could hardly walk and climb stairs and when I was climbing stairs my heart was pumping in my throat. Because my BP was consistently low (around 112/ 70) without medication, and because I could not get hold of my cardiologist, I sopped taking any pills until I was going to see her again in a couple of days. Last Saturday I saw her again and she advised me to take only 40 mg Telmisartan and 5 mg nebivolol (half tablet morning and half tablet evening). My BP continued to be low- maximum I got was 146/93 so I basically stopped taking the medication as I felt I gave my body too many medicines. Since last Saturday my BP is consistently low- now is 115/76 with pulse 80 and my pulse is rarely going over 80. This Monday I went to the GP and explained the situation- he took the BP and it was 114/70. He advised me to stop the medication also and to come and see him in 2 weeks, with readings taking every day morning and evening.
My question is: could it be possible that my BP was high as I had a medical scare (that I was having cancer) and now, as my stress level is better my BP is back to normal? Do you think the BP will go back to high readings again? I do feel anxious, almost every morning, but still my BP is normal now. Please advise what should I do. I continue eating low salt food and drink decaffeinated coffee. I also kept a cure of sea buckthorn, for 2 months and this helped me get normal smear test, after 8 years of having positive smear test results
Brief Answer:
Totally agree:stop antihypertensive drugs&continue nebivolol...
Detailed Answer:
Hi back,
It's nice to hear from you again.
1. As your bp readings were at this low range, I totally agree with stopping the medications (telmisartan and amlodipine). I also agree with decision to continue taking nebivolol 5 mg (half tablet in the morning and the other half in the evening).
2. There are many factors causing your bp to spike including stress, foods/drinks (coffee, salt,etc.) and antihypertensive medications.
Stress is also an aggravating factor that could have caused spikes in bp. Once you had it under control, your bp was back to normal again, thus, explaining why you do not need antihypertensive medications for the moment.
3. With regards to the future, no one can assure anything. It might happen to have again spikes in bp, but, we cannot exclude not to have increased. The very best thing is to try to dominate your stress level.
Of course, limitation in salt intake and drinking decaffeinated coffee can also help. I highly encourage to follow the right advice as you have done so far.
All the best!
Dr.Benard
Totally agree:stop antihypertensive drugs&continue nebivolol...
Detailed Answer:
Hi back,
It's nice to hear from you again.
1. As your bp readings were at this low range, I totally agree with stopping the medications (telmisartan and amlodipine). I also agree with decision to continue taking nebivolol 5 mg (half tablet in the morning and the other half in the evening).
2. There are many factors causing your bp to spike including stress, foods/drinks (coffee, salt,etc.) and antihypertensive medications.
Stress is also an aggravating factor that could have caused spikes in bp. Once you had it under control, your bp was back to normal again, thus, explaining why you do not need antihypertensive medications for the moment.
3. With regards to the future, no one can assure anything. It might happen to have again spikes in bp, but, we cannot exclude not to have increased. The very best thing is to try to dominate your stress level.
Of course, limitation in salt intake and drinking decaffeinated coffee can also help. I highly encourage to follow the right advice as you have done so far.
All the best!
Dr.Benard
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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