Posted by Ken Blades on August 15, 2004, at 4:27:49
In reply to Parnate RAISES my blood pressure (without food) !, posted by don_bristol on August 11, 2004, at 9:36:01
Hi Don~
I've been taking 70mg. of Parnate a day for about six years for SP. My blood pressure has been elevated ostensibly from the Parnate, as I was normal before starting it. Unfortunately I have gained a lot of weight in the ensuing years which contributed to the hypertension to the point where my internist has me on metoprolol[beta blocker] which works quite well.
When I knew I was going to have my BP checked, I would postpone my next dose of Parnate until after the reading was done; most of the time my BP was closer to a normal level in those cases.
I resisted taking any antihypertensive meds for the past five years[fearing some influence on the "Parnate effect"], but when my readings had begun to run into the 160's/90's range, I thought it dangerous to resist any longer[into my 50's as I am!].I certainly do not want to stop Parnate as it is the only med I have taken that works so well for SP; I have tried dozens!
I'm sure if I lost weight[extremely difficult for me], my blood pressure would drop quite a bit, so I can't blame Parnate for it all.
I do recall that in the first few years after I began taking Parnate, I would have a noticeable increase in heart rate shortly after taking my noon dose of 30mg. It was disturbing; if I still have it I do not notice it anymore.
> Does anyone else get a *rise* in blood pressure after taking Parnate?
>
> I get about a 20 point rise in my systolic reading and about a 5 point rise in my diastolic. This lasts for a couple of hours.
>
> Each day I take 40 mg of Parnate. I take it as follows: 20mg at about 8am, 10mg at about midday, 10mg at about 4pm.
>
> Parnate seems to lower my "waking" blood pressure from what it would otherwise have been. I have always taken reading 30 minutes after waking. With Parnate (last dose taken at about 4pm the day before) I get a reading of about 128/84. Before I was taking Parnate it would have been 140/95.
>
> But now approximately 60 to 90 minutes after taking Parnate I typically get readings of 148/91.
>
> Does anyone else get this sort of rise in blood pressure after taking Parnate?
>
>
>
> BACKGROUND NOTE:
>
> For my blood pressure readings, all other factors seem to be constant. Food is not a factor as I don't drink coffee or eat anything until the late afternoon. Temperature, stress, emotions, physical activity, pulse rate are all essentially the same.
>
> Blood pressure is a very volitile thing so I make sure I get good figures by taking several readings but not so close together that I get congestion in my arm from the previous reading. I am confident I am using a good technique and I am using a reliable measuring machine.
>
>
poster:Ken Blades
thread:376369
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040811/msgs/377851.html