Posted by Lonely on August 13, 2004, at 19:11:46
I'm wondering what experiences other board readers have had with antidepressant and ADHD medications in regard to blood pressure.
My husband is on 150 mgs a day of Effexor - Effexor seems to work best at managing his severe depression. We're looking at lowering it to 110 mgs a day w/approval of doc. He also started on Provigil (usually given for narcolepsy which he does NOT have) 5 days ago to help w/ADHD symtoms. He feels it is helping him slightly w/organizing himself at work. Also, possibly slightly supressing his appetite WHICH HE NEEDS!
The problem:
(1) He's had, for many years, very high blood pressure and has several TIAs and there is brain damage. I read that SSRIs and ADHD drugs do raise blood pressure.
(2) He's quite overweight - probably 70 pounds which we know contribute to high BP. However, I think in part because of mental problems he can't/doesn't lose weight. It's hard for him to exercise in a hot climate and 14 hours a day commuting & working & financial issues.
(3) The meds for blood pressure have serious side effects as follows (and we've tried many different types within these classifications:)
Beta Blockers: Severe depression, exhaustion, not much help in lowering BP, difficulty breathing
ACE Inhibitors: Severe choking - apparently the wind pipe doesn't quite close off properly when he swallows. Also depression and kidney disease
Diuretics (including pottassium sparring) Seriously low pottasium levels despite replacement med, large kidney stones, high creatinine levels, cystic kidneys
Calcium Channel Blockers - don't seem to lower BP and his father died very suddenly from these drugs.
I got into a slightly heated discussion with his neurologist this morning when the neurologist refused to give him an Rx for ADHD med (of any kind) due to BP. He NEEDS a med that helps with that problem to help even out his agitation and curb his appetite. Without it he's in a downward spiral and complications continue. Part of the problem right now has become iatrogenic.
What's bothoring me in particular is that the doctor(s) don't seem to see the cause-and-effect process of continuing the BP meds that cause tremendous weight gain and depression followed by more med for depression followed by less activity and higher BP. Anyone else have a similar expereince or other insights?
poster:Lonely
thread:377372
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040811/msgs/377372.html