Posted by SLS on May 13, 2000, at 17:45:25
In reply to Re: Effexor and High Blood Pressure/To StJames, posted by medlib on May 13, 2000, at 16:23:25
> >Effexor can raise BP. I also am having hypertension and plan to go off Effexor for a few days and see if that is what is causing it. I can't stop Effexor, it is the only thing that works, but I would like to know how much it is raising my BP.
> >
> > james
> -----------------------------------
>
> James--If you have no plans to d/c Effexor, why put yourself through a world of hurt stopping it temporarily? The effects are supposed to suck big-time. Why not just treat the condition that is, regardless of what you may find out about E.?
>
> Literature suggests that when E. does raise BP, it does so by no more than 20 pts. Unless your BP is significantly high (>150/95), a low-salt diet or low-dose diuretic may be all that's needed.
>
> I had hypertension before Effexor, which E. didn't change. (I'm on Vasotec, an ACE inhibitor.) No probs. with the combo.
>
> BTW, thanks much for the Medscape abstracts--very interesting. How did you sign up for that edition?
>
> Best wishes--medlib
I think this is real good advice, especially in view of the fact that you don't seem to respond well to any other drug. I just wanted to add another caveat when contemplating the discontinuation of an effective drug. Sometimes when an antidepressant that has worked well for many years is withdrawn, it will not work again once it is restarted to treat a relapse. I don't know the statistics regarding this phenomenon. As medlib has suggested, perhaps it would be better to address the hypertension with additional medication. It's probably a good idea to be evaluated by a cardiologist (or other blood-pressure doctor) so as to rule out any other causes.Good luck.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:33355
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000508/msgs/33389.html