• We are a multilingual website again. Read the notice about this.
  • Understand AI use at MyPTSD: all AI use is explained in our AI help page. AI use is by choice here. It exists if you want it, but does nothing unless you choose to use it.

Ptsd And Blood Pressure

Status
Not open for further replies.

Underdog

Silver Member
Wasn't sure where to post this, but am wondering if anyone has insight into this relationship. Guess it could actually fall under discussion as such. And thank you for reading such a long entry and all your responses in advance!

As some of you know, I was triggered hard exactly around the time when I started remembering my therapist telling me I had been traumatized by my job and telling me the diagnosis, most of which I conveniently ignored (forgot) but wish I hadn't. About three or four weeks ago, I was in a nearly continual state of panic attacks. Lost feeling to most of my body and was going numb while my heart was pounding hard in my chest. After talking with my therapist, she was able to talk me down quite a bit and during that conversation I literally felt quite a release. Wasn't all the way down, but far better than I had been through that week. I contacted my doctor and asked if I should go to the emergency room because while I knew it was a series of panic attacks, I also knew that prolonged episodes could be dangerous. He prescribed Xanax. So 3 hours later after doing corpse pose yoga and some calming techniques that actually finally kicked in and worked, I picked up my prescription and asked for a blood pressure test. It was 140/100 at that particular time. Three days later I went to the doctor and it was 143/89.

Doctor was concerned and wanted to see me a month later, being today. I haven't been taking Xanax regularly, but when I feel myself anxious I take it. Today, it was 133/84. Doc wasn't entirely happy, but I explained that I can't exercise for some reason without being triggered and need someone with me to help keep me regulated. I do far better initially with people I trust around me creating a safe zone so I don't lose it, become angry with people or myself and start losing memory and time and waking up having no clue where I am or how I got there. Given our conversation, he was happy with the results, but not thrilled. I told him that the past week has been the first since our last meeting that I have mostly "been back" given my last triggers and I finally am calming back down again.

I get that long term fight/flight subconscious continually dumping whatever it dumps into the body to prepare itself is natural and that over a long term scenario actually can become dangerous to the body. I am not sure I understand how and what it might effect? Is blood pressure one of those? What are other things commonly effected? Just trying to understand this better.
 
Anxiety can cause a rise in the blood pressure because of the adrenalin being dumped into your system. The adrenalin causes vasel contraction and can increase the strength of the heartbeat, and both of these combined can raise the blood pressure.
When you suffer from PTSD you can always be in an increased state of anxiety, thus causing the hypertension.l

If you are not familar with blood pressure, the top number is the pressure on the vessel walls during the heart contraction, and the lower number is the pressure on the walls of the vessels when the heart is at rest.
The latest study on blood pressure brought about a recommendation that bps not be higher than 120/80

Ask your doctor if you should be taking your xanax everyday, or just as needed. Otherwise,discuss the hypertension with him, and what his recommendations
 
The fight/flight response is instigated by the hypothalamus gland which sends a hormone to tell the pituitary gland to send a hormone to the adrenal gland. This is called the HPA axis. It kicks in under stress to release cortisol that gets glucose to the brain, and aldosterone the hormone that regulates sodium and potassium levels that make the heart beat. The adrenals also dump into the bloodstream copious amounts of adrenaline to give us the burst of energy and focus to respond to stress quickly. In it's heightened state of arousal blood pressure goes up. Once the threat has passed, the body returns to baseline. In PTSD, the HPA loop works overtime thus making a return to calm a most uncomfortable process. Prazosin is an adrenaline blocker which is used to treat nightmares in PTSD patients. Your blood pressure rises to pump as much adrenaline as possible in a short time. So why is yours staying elevated for days. You have high blood pressure. Your baseline pressure is high. If you got some money, buy a home blood pressure device and record your blood pressure twice a day at rest. Don't take it right after eating or taking a hot shower it will register higher than your true baseline. Keep a record of the results by day and time of day. Have it with you when you go to the doc again. If you are hyperaroused for days then maybe ask about Prazosin. If you can exercise and maintain a healthy weight that will help your pressure. I hope this helps you.
 
I told me doctor what my therapist was thinking from what I understand and that I was going to see a psychiatrist is about 4 weeks he and my therapist knows. I told him about my reluctance to take it but felt my "anxiety" in my heart and body and took as needed. He knows me personally and knows my issues (past love/current hate) of drugs. My therapist will be speaking with him about what is happening from her perspective to find a resolution until I can meet with a psychiatrist. I've always been at or below normal because of my intense physical training which I can't do anymore without someone there to create a safety zone for me. After explaining the issues I've had and what I understood of my therapist's perspective, he seemed to understand and encouraged me to not fear just yet given the time frame between now and actually seeing my psychiatrist. He agreed that given the issues I should continue as needed, knowing I won't overdo it. Alcohol, yes, I will overdo. Strangely, not meds...

I'm not familiar with blood pressure, so glad you explained that. I was historically about average or slightly below. Doc was constantly amazed at how nearly perfect it has been given I am now 40. Haven't been to see him for a physical in 2 years. 1 year ago it was for broken ribs and my blood pressure wasn't a concern but I also wasn't as upset as I was when I saw him this last time.

So blood pressure does seem to somewhat connect. That's good to know. Thank you!!!!
 
My Phsyc actually put me on clonidin , even though most times i have very good blood pressure , apparently it is used as a ptsd treatment , the other medication for blood pressure they give is called prazosin, it is also meant to stop nightmares etc. I did'nt find any difference for a couple of weeks and then it started working very well. Sadly i have a bad habit of not taking meds (with the exception of hydrocodone and a good smoke at bedtime :)) , but am going back on the clonidin(catapress) as i did notice a big difference.
 
I typically have low blood pressure, but went to ER for a heart arrhythmia a month ago (panic-induced) and they kept me an hour or two to watch my blood pressure come down because it had also gone up into crazy area. So it all goes together. My arrhythmia settled and my blood pressure slowly settled along with it, but it took a couple hours to get normal enough to go home.
 
They're deffo linked from my experience - when my anxiety/panic & PTSD symptoms are at their worst, my blood pressure is significantly raised, as is my pulse. I suffer from tachycardia & my pulse can raise to 150bpm at rest... Luckily on betablockers (atenolol) which has helped a lot :) My body was actually normal on Wed :) Yey! Xxx
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Donation drives

2026 Donation Goal

Goal
$1,800.00
Earned
$910.00
This donation drive ends in
0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds
  50.6%

Trending content

Featured content

Back
Top Bottom