[Petunia111]

I am taking 30 mg of Paxil and 200 of Seroquel. High blood pressure runs in my family. I am worried about my blood pressure increasing to unsafe levels. However, I don't want to stop the Paxil, because I feel alive again for the first time in long time. I can function, shop, do my hair, etc. I don't want CAD or a stroke, either.

I am going to see a cardiologist next week and see what else he can add to my meds for high blood pressure. I already am taking Diovan, Coreg, Catapres and still have high blood pressure.

I am so tired of this; juggling drugs and having one kind of drug fight another kind of drug.

It gets to me; sometimes.

Does anyone have any trouble with meds and high blood pressure?

[Fresia]

With a family history, it is good you are meeting with the cardiologist to learn, what you can do lifestyle-wise to help yourself prevent BP with or without meds and what med options are available.

Some SSRI's do increase BP but not all and not everyone reacts the same to them; the same med may increase BP for one person and not for another, even if both have family histories of high BP; there are other factors: lifestyle and chemistry. If your BP has increased, it's great you are meeting with the cardiologist to discuss all of the above and your medication and lifestyle issues to help manage it. The high BP could have nothing to do with the SSRI's given the family history, it could just be genetics and lifetsyle.

I understand the juggling drugs to manage other drugs. So frustrating (!) but if it keeps us safe, it is worth it. However, in this case they may be unrelated, truly. You are taking the steps you need to and I wish you well in the meantime. I hope the appointment goes great and you get the answers you are looking for and the help to bring it down. Take good care meanwhile!

[Petunia111]

Originally Posted by Fresia

With a family history, it is good you are meeting with the cardiologist to learn, what you can do lifestyle-wise to help yourself prevent BP with or without meds and what med options are available.

Some SSRI's do increase BP but not all and not everyone reacts the same to them; the same med may increase BP for one person and not for another, even if both have family histories of high BP; there are other factors: lifestyle and chemistry. If your BP has increased, it's great you are meeting with the cardiologist to discuss all of the above and your medication and lifestyle issues to help manage it. The high BP could have nothing to do with the SSRI's given the family history, it could just be genetics and lifetsyle.

I understand the juggling drugs to manage other drugs. So frustrating (!) but if it keeps us safe, it is worth it. However, in this case they may be unrelated, truly. You are taking the steps you need to and I wish you well in the meantime. I hope the appointment goes great and you get the answers you are looking for and the help to bring it down. Take good care meanwhile!

Thanks, Fresia! The combination of genetics, hypothyroidism, and medications make it hard to dissect one cause or another. Of course, I will be checking it out and checking in with my cardiologist.

Thanks for your interest.

[sunrise]

Petunia, yes, I struggle with high BP, and I take one medication it. Hypertension runs in my family too.

Do you know that Paxil and Seroquel are increasing your blood pressure? Did you regularly take your blood pressure before beginning these meds and then after?

I've known some people who gained quite a bit of weight while on Paxil, and I wonder if you have experienced any weight gain? If so, the Paxil may be causing your BP to increase in a very indirect way--because being overweight is associated with increased BP, no matter what the origin of the weight gain.

My suggestion is to work really hard on controlling your BP through a good diet (low salt), regular exercise, and maintenance of a healthy weight (plus continue to take your hypertension meds). I struggle with high BP and found that lowering the salt in my diet really helped. If you have gained weight on Paxil, you could give it up and substitute one of the other SSRIs that is good with anxiety but is weight neutral, such as Lexipro.

Good luck! I'm glad you are going to see a cardiologist.

[Petunia111]

Originally Posted by sunrise

Petunia, yes, I struggle with high BP, and I take one medication it. Hypertension runs in my family too.

Do you know that Paxil and Seroquel are increasing your blood pressure? Did you regularly take your blood pressure before beginning these meds and then after?

I've known some people who gained quite a bit of weight while on Paxil, and I wonder if you have experienced any weight gain? If so, the Paxil may be causing your BP to increase in a very indirect way--because being overweight is associated with increased BP, no matter what the origin of the weight gain.

My suggestion is to work really hard on controlling your BP through a good diet (low salt), regular exercise, and maintenance of a healthy weight (plus continue to take your hypertension meds). I struggle with high BP and found that lowering the salt in my diet really helped. If you have gained weight on Paxil, you could give it up and substitute one of the other SSRIs that is good with anxiety but is weight neutral, such as Lexipro.

Good luck! I'm glad you are going to see a cardiologist.

Hi! I gotta get off the Paxil and lose weight. I gained a lot with Paxil and it made my blood pressure go nuts.

I might be getting unstable with Paxil, fighting and such, anyway. Maybe Paxil isn't the greatest stuff, after all.

Will talk to my doctor about it.