Posted by Jedi on June 11, 2007, at 12:45:49
In reply to Re: Nifedipine/ BP crisis/Jedi/ I'll inform my doc, posted by stargazer2 on June 11, 2007, at 11:47:24
Hi Stargazer,
I feel exactly the way you do about going to the ER. If you are in the middle of a medication induced hypertensive crisis and are put in the waiting room without somebody even checking your BP, something is wrong. This did happen to me once. If you've ever had a MAOI hypertensive headache, it is hard to explain to someone with no knowledge of MAOIs what the problem is. My BP was so high that my home system would not even measure it. There are instructions to recalibrate the device, but when your head is exploding, it is hard to read the booklet and figure it out.As soon as the people in the ER hear the terms "medication for depression" or "mental illness" they often will assume the problem was deliberately caused.
Honestly, I would like my MD to prescribe some 5mg doses of nifedipine for emergencies. Take the small dose, then head to the hospital so they can watch and make sure your BP does not go too low.
Take care,
Jedi> That's very interesting since my pdoc prescribes Nifedipine as a precautionary measure for a hypertensive crisis and may not know about the study. I will print that out and give it to him. Does your pdoc precribe anything for a hypertensive crisis other than advising to go to the ER? I would prefer to have something to take to avoid the ER scene altogether, although if necessary I know I would have to go, but together with a vasodilator agent and my trusty BP cuff I would feel safer avoiding the ER, where you can really get messed up like my father being given Haldol while on Sinemet precipitating Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrone, and the ER staff being clueless about this reaction until I pointed it out. Unbelievable, that was at the holier than thou, best (not) in the nation for psychiatric illnesses, Yale New Haven Hospital. I was ready to sue them too although my father was so sick then it wouldn't have mattered and since I noticed the reaction and pointed it out to the medical staff, serious repercussions were avoided.
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> Haldol can never be given to someone for agitiation that has Parkinson's disease, and Haldol is given to just about everyone in the ER with agitiation. So I am extremely skeptical of ER situations and with a MAO the risk of receiving another medication that can react with it is very high. Most doctors know nothing about MAO interactions so the risk of a reaction is very high, hence my fear of ER's.
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poster:Jedi
thread:761571
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070604/msgs/762372.html