[lea3]

I have a question. All the research I do connects depression with neurotransmitters in our brains. I also run across info that depression can cause high blood pressure. It appears to me that depression, high blood pressure, overweight, digestive disorders and insomnia are all connected someway and could possibly be symptoms of neurotransmitter depletion???

So much is misunderstood and answers not easily found. I am frustrated and will continue to find my answers and also hope that it will shed light on one of the misunderstood diagnosis of all.

Thanks for listening!
Lea

[ClinicallyClueless]

Yes, depression also has the potential to increase the risk of the medical conditions in which you refer. It has to do with the stress that our body undergoes versus neurotransmitters.

Try this link to get started, but there are lots of articles, mostly professional ones about the comorbidity of cardiovascular and some neurological diseases. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dep...n-blog/MY00319

[Capp]

Originally Posted by lea3

I have a question. All the research I do connects depression with neurotransmitters in our brains. I also run across info that depression can cause high blood pressure. It appears to me that depression, high blood pressure, overweight, digestive disorders and insomnia are all connected someway and could possibly be symptoms of neurotransmitter depletion???

So much is misunderstood and answers not easily found. I am frustrated and will continue to find my answers and also hope that it will shed light on one of the misunderstood diagnosis of all.

Thanks for listening!
Lea

Lea,
Thank you for sharing with us.
I agree there is little understanding of most mental illnesses.
Research is making progress albeit slowly. There are many variables to consider when making reference to mental illness. Genetics, environmental factors, and others will have to be blended to have any real direction for treatment protocols.
That said, individual responses to treatment also vary...what works for me could send someone else spiraling into the abyss.
I'm not up to date on the current research that was being done on gene therapy...when a person is tested for certain gene/mutations to predict which medication will have the best results.

My take on the depression is that it's possible. It's also possible that the meds being taken are actually causing the high BP.

May I ask why you are researching this subject?

Cap

[marianne rose]

Please keep us posted or pm me. My blood pressure went quite high after the depression hit. I had surgery that effected my central nervous system and general anesthesia before the depression. I'm wondering if it's all connected, too. I'm having a hard time finding much related to post op depression other than the usual; unhappy with results/healing or face your own mortality. That was not what happened to me. I'm very interest to see what you find out.

[Capp]

Originally Posted by marianne rose

Please keep us posted or pm me. My blood pressure went quite high after the depression hit. I had surgery that effected my central nervous system and general anesthesia before the depression. I'm wondering if it's all connected, too. I'm having a hard time finding much related to post op depression other than the usual; unhappy with results/healing or face your own mortality. That was not what happened to me. I'm very interest to see what you find out.

marianne rose,
Jmo...
From my minimal searching, it can be related to it.
Did you have high BP before surgery and were you on meds for it? Is your BP still high?
Were you treated for the depression?
...and how long ago was your surgery?

General anesthesia can have myriad and lingering effects on the patient. Have you spoken with your physician in regards to this happening?
It plus any meds you were already taking, any pain meds after, and your mental state can all contribute to the high BP and the depression.

Your physician should be able to pinpoint what happened when you talk with him/her.

Cap

[marianne rose]

Originally Posted by Capp

marianne rose,
Jmo...
From my minimal searching, it can be related to it.
Did you have high BP before surgery and were you on meds for it? Is your BP still high?
Were you treated for the depression?
...and how long ago was your surgery?

General anesthesia can have myriad and lingering effects on the patient. Have you spoken with your physician in regards to this happening?
It plus any meds you were already taking, any pain meds after, and your mental state can all contribute to the high BP and the depression.

Your physician should be able to pinpoint what happened when you talk with him/her.

Cap

Cap,
Thanks for the response. My surgery was in early Oct. I had high bp before and was on meds. The depression hit the second week after the surgery and didn't come on slowly it was all at once like a baseball bat to the head. I kept thinking it would go away if it was from the anesthesia or meds but it didn't. I saw the surgeon at 5 weeks and he said it lasted too long to be related (not surprised) and to see a pdoc which I did and am now on wellbutrin. I changed my bp meds about 4 weeks after surgery and didn't know I had high bp again till I was in physical therapy. I felt a bit off one day and so the physical therapist checked and said it was very high. I saw my regular dr and changed everything but I still have high diastolic readings at times. I'm on 300mgs of wellbutrin and after almost 2 months am not responding well. Suicidal thoughts are still there, they're just not urgent like I had before Thanksgiving and started the meds. It's all very frustrating. Just to put the cherry on the cake of my day I'm being tested for a stroke. I think it's just because my surgery was on my spine and effected the central nervous system but it doesn't hurt to rule everything out. I have important business decisions to make and have no ability to focus on anything. I see my pdoc tomorrow and will ask for a change either in dosage or adding something or just a change to another drug. ECT was ruled out the last time we met since I already have memory loss.
Thanks for addressing my response. I've been looking for answers and seem to run into lots of things that address depression but not post op or the post op response is that you're unhappy with the results, recovery or just faced your own mortality. None of those things apply. I really appreciate your help.

[brephi]

It's kind of like "Which came first, the chicken or the egg." I have both hypertension and suffer from depression. I think I've been suffering from depression longer than I've had hypertension. I take medication for both conditions. I do know one thing. These conditions are very, very closely related.

[MissCharlotte]

I suffer from both high bp and depression and didn't know they were related. Thanks. I am taking medication for both.

marianne, maybe you are suffering from ptsd from the surgery/experience. Have you tried psychotherapy? It may help both. Also, some anti d's can cause high bp. It happened to me when I was on effexor and I had to get off it immediately.