Blood Pressure — Post Op Changes.

[Arne]

My BP was always normal before the surgery (~120/80). Then all of a sudden it spiked. After the surgery I was put on Bisoprolol to keep that in check and it worked. My BP was actually lower than normal at times 110/60. Slowly I was taken off of Bisoprolol and now 9 weeks post I am getting pretty high BP (140/100) and when I'm not doing anything it's like ~135/95.

I mean it could be stress related because my girlfriend (of 6 years) and I are currently going through a break-up. When I was really emotional I saw it get to 150/120.

So can stress really affect my BP that much?

Aside from stress (and some lack of sleep), I'm a healthy weight, I walk often, I have been very good with my salt intake, I don't smoke, etc etc. All things that would raise my BP I don't do/take. Could Amiodarone be doing this?

I will contact my GP if it doesn't go down. Just wondering what you guys have experienced.

 

[Paleowoman]

My BP was higher post surgery until about actually around now - nearly 12 months on. The diastolic one, the lower reading) was the one which went most high, often in the 80's and 90's, whereas before surgery it was always in the 60's or low 70's. It's now mostly in the 70's with the systoic now around 115 which is still a bit higher than pre-surgery. I think the heart takes a bit of a shock being stopped and handled etc ("a bit of a shock" is meant to be an understatement !). I have my own BP monitor so I check things from time to time as my BP is always higher when a doctor measures it so my own measurements are more accurate.

 

[epstns]

Could be lots of things. Meds come to mind. It could be that you are taking new or different meds for some part of your condition, and the meds affect your BP.

Prior to surgery, I was taking an angiotensin receptor blocker for BP control. It worked perfectly. Then, after surgery, they decided that the ARB was no longer appropriate for my situation. No real explanation except that immediately after surgery I was prone to afib and tachycardia, so they prescribed metoprolol (a beta blocker) to help keep my heart rate down and control blood pressure. Now, in the mornings when I test BP, mine is higher than normal (up to 140/100), BUT that is before I take my daily meds. After taking my meds, my BP goes down to around 120/75 - low enough that my cardio says that if it gets any lower, he will lower my dosage again. I guess some meds, like my beta blocker, have a very short half-life, and within 24 hours they lose their impact on your system.

IIRC, though, amioderone does not impact BP - only rhythm. Immediately after surgery, while I still had some afib, I was given amioderone. After a few months, it was stopped, with no change in BP.

 

[river-wear]

FWIW, when I was on amiodarone it didn't affect my BP. A month or so after I got out of the hospital I was getting light-headed with low BP so they took me off Metoprolol but I still took the amiodarone for a few more weeks.

 

[Cardinal fan 61]

There are to kinds of Metoprolol. epstns, it sounds like you are on the once a day version. ask for the twice a day version and it will level out. (At least mine did.)

 

[epstns]

There are to kinds of Metoprolol. epstns, it sounds like you are on the once a day version. ask for the twice a day version and it will level out. (At least mine did.)

I guess I could do that, but since I'm now taking only 25 mg/day of the timed release version, I wonder if they have a lesser dosage than that for twice a day use. (12.5 mg X2/day?) And, since my BP gets well down into the "normal" range after the meds, my cardio is reluctant to mess with it. . .