Question: Hello, Dr. Christensen,
I am on Bystolic and Clonidine. My BP spiked due to emotional stress to 180/110, after which my doctor told me to take Clonidine 0.1 every 6 hours. I took that for 3 days. He then told me to stop taking Clonidine and take Bystolic 10 mg on Feb 2. I ended up in the ER with 213/120 that went down with another 0.1 of Clonidine on Feb 3 (night). After which my PCP doubled my dose of Bystolic to 20 mg on Feb 4, and put me on a Clonidine patch 0.1. As a consequence, on Feb 9 I developed strong chest pain and back pain and ended up in the Heart Hospital for 2 days, where I had a stress test and a heart sonogram. The sonogram showed a very healthy heart and the stress test was a nightmare cause I could barely reach pulse 123, but it was successful, and the pics showed normal blood flow, good vessels, no blockages. I was sent home with diagnosis chest pain from unknown causes. I was told since then by 2 docs that I have costochondritis. I still have nasty back and chest tightness and pain and a bit of cough. My cardiologist told me to keep the patch 0.1 clonidine and 10 mg Bystolic until next week when he wants to see me again to adjust my medication. He says my PCP did NOT give me the right dose management - all too sudden. I wish I were the same as in the past, my blood pressure was just borderline 139/89 at night and normal during the day, till I had an infection and that strong stress (family loss and house burglary). Please advise, and the best of health to you. Thanks.