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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Blood pressure and ch
        
(Message started by: alchemy on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 6:58am)

Title: Blood pressure and ch
Post by alchemy on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 6:58am

does anyone else out there have trouble with blood pressure during a hit? I have high bp to begin with but yesterday they were freaking out. I had numbers like 148over 125 and 158 over 100. They were freaking because the pain meds they were using usually drops your bp. just curious if this happens to anyone else

Title: Re: Blood pressure and ch
Post by big_guy on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 7:04am

A few weeks back when I ended up in the ER with a Kip 10 that was not helped by two doses of Migranal nasel spray my blood pressure was 202/156. That got their attention. When the poor nurse tried to start an Iv blood sprayed all over her and the floor.

Big Guy

Title: Re: Blood pressure and ch
Post by Bob_Johnson on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 7:22am

Believe this is a short term response of our body to stress/pain and not something to be concerned about.

Over the years I have been impressed at how much BP increases while driving to the Red Cross to donate blood. It's not because of anxiety about needles, etc. but is clearly related to driving. The BP quickly falls to normal after sitting for 15-minutes waiting to be worked thru the process. The point being: we undergo rather striking BP changes through out the day in response to normal stressors--it's only that we are not taking BP measurements all day long that prevents us from being aware.

Title: Re: Blood pressure and ch
Post by Charlotte on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 9:04am

Mine goes up from low to higher normal. However, although it does feel like something should pop, no medical personnel have been alarmed.

Title: Re: Blood pressure and ch
Post by Margi on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 10:38am

yep, Mike's b/p skyrockets like that when in an attack, too, Jim. Scarily so. We've got a b/p cuff at home and he actually let me test him once during an attack. It wasn't easy for him at all and we never did it again.

As much as I hate to suggest this (because you know how I feel about the chemical meds)...but should you maybe talk to your doc about upping your verapamil? You're at 480 right? Mike's gone as high as 720 when in cycle and it really does help get that b/p down.

Cutting back on coffee helps too but...hard to do, I know.

Spikes are normal during attacks, though - to answer your question - especially if you'd used imitrex.

Title: Re: Blood pressure and ch
Post by StressFree on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 12:24pm

On a side note for those who may not know, Prednisone (anti-inflamatory steroid meds) will cause extremely high blood pressure at high doses. Pounding heartbeat in ears, especially when you lay down, is a symptom. Not good for you to have that kind of blood pressure for any length of time. I had this happening last time and the Verapamil helped - in addition to tapering from the high doses of Pred. Rich

Title: Re: Blood pressure and ch
Post by mynm156 on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 5:42pm

Oh Hell yeah!

I have Hypertension as well it is controlled by my meds very well but I have had some seriously HIGH BP during a hit. Just as high as you were referring to I have even been higher I bet you have too just didnt know it! That is also why I cant take the Triptans more than once a day if my BP gbets too high by some other means I will get a hit.

MYNM156

Title: Re: Blood pressure and ch
Post by BB on Aug 23^rd, 2006, 7:29pm

My DH has borderline BP normally, around 140/90 but during a hit or immediately afterwards would go to 200/100 every time, takes about 2-3 hrs to normalised.

And yes he is on verapamil 640 mg daily, still can not hold the BP down during a hit.

Annette

Title: Re: Blood pressure and ch
Post by Carl_D on Aug 25^th, 2006, 12:06am

I'm no scientist but...
I used to have a blood pressure kit years ago and took my BP during a couple of hits out of curiosity.

I notice that during an attack my BP increases, but pulses drops a bit. My guess is the blood isn't pumping fast enough at that point, and since it is trying to get through it pumps harder. Years and years ago I came up with the theory that it is possible that maybe the reason they can't find the cause to CH is that they are looking in the wrong spot. What if the head is merely suffering the symptom of a problem elsewhere in the body, such as a very minor heart defect not easily detected. It makes sense, since the heart controls bloodflow.

So why then the enlargement in the Hypothalamus? The first part of the brain to react to extreme pain is the Hypo from what I understand. It could be possible that if overworked by something like CH, since a brain CAN rejuvenate cells, maybe it is getting alot of attention due to overexposure?

It might sound ridiculous, but then again they did just discover Patent Foramen Ovale (PVO) a couple of years ago. There still may be clues there, and the problem could also be arterial blockage of some sort causing the drop in pusle from not getting through, then building BP to try and force it through.

Again, I'm not a scientist, just a reluctant serial victim of the beast.

Peace,
Carl D

Title: Re: Blood pressure and ch
Post by tanner on Aug 25^th, 2006, 12:56am

Mine always spikes when I get hit. The harder the hit the higher the spike.

We found this out a couple years ago when I was trying to make it home a a hit was ramping up and drove past my family pysicians office. Flipped around and made it through the waiting room (taking no prisoners) and got the nurse to geta reading just as I was moving up to a solid 9.

She freaked out and before I knew it the Doc was in there with my neuro on the phone and they are shooting me up with all kinds of shit. I have been on Verap ever since even though it doesn't help with the headaches.

This morning I was in for a much awaited liver biopsy and sure as shit I started to get hit. The lab tech said no problem because they were going to mix me a cocktail that would bring it back down, but when she noticed my pulse had dropped to 45 they almost called the whole thing off. Good thing they didn't. I was not in the mood to wait!

Linda sat and watched the whole thing and she says they gave me a double and still couldn't get me as far under as they wanted and the tech never took her eyes off the pulse

Turned out to be a less then perfect biopsy so im really not suppossed to be sitting up for a few days yet.

Carl, I was there in spirit for ya the other day, just couldn't post. I hope your keeping him at bay.....Tim