Posted by Bill LL on March 17, 2005, at 8:55:33
In reply to Inderal (propanolol) question, posted by partlycloudy on March 16, 2005, at 15:23:23
Here's my 2 cents. First of all, as someone has already mentioned in their response, your bp is definitely not high enough to be an emergency.
I can see the following options:
1) Are you depressed? If so, increase the Cymbalta. Your 30 mg dose is relatively low. Even if you are not depressed, an increase could help with your anxiety. (I guess it could also raise your bp even more).
2) As people have already mentioned, you probably need an increase in inderal. the increase in Inderal, in addition to lowering your bp, might also lessen your anxiety. Inderal helps with the physical symptoms of anxiety, but usually doesn't stop the worrying part.
It's a good idea to remind doctors that you are on a bc pill if there is to be a medication change since some drugs make them less effective.
I can strongly identify with your situation. I am on 60 mg Cymbalta. It has been very effective for both my anxiety and depression as well as ADD. But it increased my bp. My readings were similar to yours until last week. Just before I went to my doc appt, I had had 2 weeks in a row with readings of 145/100.
I was already on HCTZ (diuretic) and Altace for bp. So he added Norvasc (a calcium channel blocker). Yesterday, 5 days after starting the Norvasc, I did have a better reading of 130/85. BUT- it became obvious real fast that the Norvasc is causing sexual side effects.
If that continues, I will ask him to switch me to a beta blocker such as pindolol or inderal. I read that just about all bp drugs can cause sexual side effects in some people and not in others.
> I'm taking 20mg of propanolol (Inderal) to normalize my blood pressure which is high due to taking 30mg Cymbalta - and probably also due to the birth control pill I'm on, too.
>
> Problem is, my blood pressure isn't back to normal. It hovers between 145/99 and 130/84 and only gets to the lower number by my doing deep breathing, and resting for about 5 minutes. If I take at any time during my work day or even in the evening, it's the higher number - always.
>
> Question - is the propanolol dosage high enough to be effective? and
> Is having a BP like this cause for immediate concern? - like a trip to the ER?
>
> I do not consume caffeine, and haven't had alcohol for a couple of weeks. I exercise 3 x a week. My other med is Klonopin .5mg every night (just added to replace Xanax .25mg as needed). Also, the Klonopin isn't doing a thing for my anxiety!!!!!!!
poster:Bill LL
thread:471761
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050317/msgs/471978.html