Trauma – PTSD

Question:

Is high Blood pressure associated with PTSD?.  Mine has just gone up and I speculate that it is in part caused by the stress of dealing with the PTSD. JohnC

Response:

In article <20001207084757.10582.00000…@ng-fn1.aol.com>, johnc…@aol.com (JohnC507) wrote: > Is high Blood pressure associated with PTSD?.  Mine has just gone up > and I speculate that it is in part caused by the stress of dealing > with the PTSD. JohnC

I think so.  PTSD causes a lot of stress hormones to be elevated and you’re system can’t function in that mode all the time.  It wasn’t designed to.  I have other factors too, genetic, diabetes etc. affecting mine, also. What seems to happen is the systolic (higher number) generally averages around 145 to 160 and the diastolic (lower number which they feel is more important because it is supposed to be when the artial wall is relaxing not contracting) usually runs 98 to 104.  This is my norm with two mediations.  The trouble is, PTSD and anxiety makes it shoot up at a moments notice to much higher.  One simple thing like someone being mean to me at the check in desk at the VA will do it.  It’ll shoot up to 189 over 115 easily probably higher.  I was just sitting there then.  I felt it pounding a lot more when I was at work.  It goes down but the sudden surges could cause strokes or whatever.  Especially with my family history of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes.   What they’re trying now is putting Klonopin with the Prozac (only one that works for me) and it may help keep the BP lower under stressful conditions.  I do think it’s making me more depressed though so we may need to up the dose of the prozac from 40 to 60 or something. Anyway, sorry I got so wordy.  That is how it is for me. linda — All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by frost. — Bilbo Baggins, Hobbit, Adventurer

Response:

don’t forget too that a lot of the psychotrophic drugs we all take can make your blood pressure go up too in addition to all the ptsd stuff.

Response:

Hi JohnC! > Is high Blood pressure associated with PTSD?.  Mine has just gone up and I > speculate that it is in part caused by the stress of dealing with the

PTSD. How about a little more basic understanding here? PTSD is stress reactions gone wacko (not the professional description . We are constantly in a ‘fight or flight’ mode.  In this mode, the body prepares for danger … and raising its blood pressure is just one of the events in the sequence that starts with the brain telling the adrenal glands to release a lot of hormones to get ready to flee or fight. I’ve found that my blood pressure varies with the situation.  In a doctor’s office with a window, the pressure is about 10 points lower for the top number.  In an office without a window and with the nurse pumping the cuff up to 200 before she starts letting out the pressure (also standard with the VA’s automated blood pressure cuff), my top number for the pressure can rise from 110 to 145 in the blink of an eye. That’s why the therapists are constantly talking about meditation, relaxation techniques, etc.  They are trying to help us stop ‘killing our body’ with the involuntary stress reactions that we have.  That’s also why they put us on medications … to help control the brain’s habitual, involuntary triggering itself into the ‘fight or flight’ reactions (aka distorted thinking). All the above is a layperson’s interpretation of what I think that ‘they’ have been trying to tell me over the last 10 or so years at the ‘Center for Stress Recovery’ where the VA system has been treating my PTSD.  YMMV Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy

Response:

Hi Folks! Yesterday was an ‘anniversary’ day.  Although I worked hard at ‘taking it easy on myself’, of course I messed up my computer. :/ Anyway, someone sent me some e-mail about wanting information that would convince his/her doctor that the brain/body connection can (and does) affect blood pressure due to PTSD.  While I lost the e-mail, I found one article:         Trauma Information Pages, Articles van der Kolk (1994)         THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE:         Memory and the evolving psychobiology of post traumatic stress This is from David Baldwin’s pages at http:///www.mentalhealth.com  There are a lot of other articles which may be better on-point, but I’ve been trying to revive my computer, rather than doing research for others. See … I can learn a boundary!  :) Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Nancy wrote: > Hi Folks! > Yesterday was an ‘anniversary’ day.  Although I worked hard at ‘taking it > easy on myself’, of course I messed up my computer. :/ > Anyway, someone sent me some e-mail about wanting information that would > convince his/her doctor that the brain/body connection can (and does) affect > blood pressure due to PTSD.  While I lost the e-mail, I found one article: >         Trauma Information Pages, Articles van der Kolk (1994) >         THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE: >         Memory and the evolving psychobiology of post traumatic stress > This is from David Baldwin’s pages at http:///www.mentalhealth.com  There > are a lot of other articles which may be better on-point, but I’ve been > trying to revive my computer, rather than doing research for others. > See … I can learn a boundary!  :) > Smile and there will be something to smile about! > Nancy

The only problem with learning boundaries is it’s so easy to go to the other extreme. Can’t count how many times I’ve caught myself thinking "this is my problem, I’ll deal with it myself" instead of saying what was on mind. BTW, medline and soberrecovery.com also are great information resources.

Response:

Hi John – Absolutely, having PTSD is a risk factor for hypertension.  Exposure to all the adrenaline over time can lead to the receptors in the blood vessels becoming sensitized.  This causes the vessels to be constricted, which sends the blood pressure up. The good news (if you can call it that) is that the medication for high blood pressure can help someone with PTSD be a little less reactive to stress.  Beta blockers and alpha blockers help block the body’s response to adrenaline, and can therefore help people with PTSD feel quite a bit less irritable and agitated. I developed hypertension perhaps a year after my PTSD kicked into high gear, and after several tries at finding a workable medication settled on a beta blocker/diuretic combo called Ziac.  It has worked wonderfully for me, not only for lowering my blood pressure, but for easing that ‘always on edge’ feeling.  I’ve been very happy with it. Katherine "JohnC507" <johnc…@aol.com> wrote in message

news:20001207084757.10582.00000230@ng-fn1.aol.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Is high Blood pressure associated with PTSD?.  Mine has just gone up and I > speculate that it is in part caused by the stress of dealing with the PTSD. > JohnC

Response:

I am sorry I find this amusing, but one of the side effects from Effexor is hypertension, high blood pressure. Merry Christmas

Response:

I do not mean to make light of the physical signs of PTSD. I do find it ironic that one of the med. prescribed causes high blood pressure, or rather could. Richard

Response:

>I do not mean to make light of the physical signs of PTSD. I do find it >ironic that one of the med. prescribed causes high blood pressure, or rather >could.

It’s easily controlled with a minimal dose of Beta blockers, which by the way, also help control the adrenaline surges flashbacks trigger. For me, not having the increase in blood pressure means I wouldn’t be able to take the Beta blocker because my blood pressure is on the low side. Not all side effects are negative. Risa Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons because you are crunchy and you taste good with ketchup.

Response:

Related Posts