effexor is making my bp go up!

loriparks · 07-06-2005, 03:03 PM

I'm on meds for my blood pressure and they have worked really well but now that I have started effexor (been on it almost a month) and metformin my blood pressure is really high. It's been as high as 154/111!

I am so dissapointed! It was treating my anxiety and mood swings awesome! My doctor doesn't want me to go off it because it's helping so well. I'm taking a lower dose now 75mg instead of 150mg but my pressure is still up!

I have an appointment next week with my reg. doctor to see what to do about my bp. Maybe he will up my current meds. I'm nervous he'll want to try something totally different now that I'm on these new meds! I just feel so overwhelmed! Not to mention with my bp up I am SO grumpy!

Has anyone else had this happen? What did your doctor do?

Kat6543 · 07-06-2005, 04:41 PM

I'm glad you brought this up Lori. My blood pressure is a little high, and it didn't occur to me it could have been caused by my Effexor XR (75 mg/day). My OBGYN noticed it - she's just trying to get me to use the "traditional" route w/diet (cutting down on sodium, etc), exercise, & weight loss. She's also a big fan of South Beach, but I haven't tried that yet. I hope that helps - and I hope you can find a solution with your doctor! I'm certainly not going off Effexor, at least not yet!

loriparks · 07-07-2005, 02:09 PM

I definitely need to lose weight! I have lost 10lbs since starting met and effexor, but I weigh 320lbs. I haven't felt this good emotionally for a long time and I definitely don't want to quit taking effexor either. Is the south beach diet like Atkins? I just can't seem to get motivated to lose weight again. I lost 120+ pounds on atkins around 4-5 years ago and I gained it all back. I guess I'm afraid I'll lose weight and gain it back again. I heard that is really unhealthy.

Kat6543 · 07-07-2005, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Is the south beach diet like Atkins?

I don't know much about Atkins, but I have heard that Atkins doesn't restrict the amount of fat you consume. From what I understand, that's an extremely unhealthy way to eat. In South Beach, the consuption of "good fats" (such as Monounsaturated) is encouraged. The diet plan starts out low-carb, but then as you progress into it you add "healthy carbs" such as whole grains, veggies, certain types of fruit, etc. I haven't started South Beach because I am...lazy! And I'm just following the diet plan that my NP advised me to follow.

That's GREAT you're starting to feel better. I couldn't believe the difference anti-depressants made for me. As time goes by and your mood significantly improves, that might give you the motivation to take better care of yourself...when I was depressed there were times I couldn't even MOVE...and I no interest in taking care of myself...

But then again, your high blood pressure may not be weight-related at all. If healthier eating and exercise doesn't help, maybe it would be good to find a "heavy-friendly" doc who can give you serious treatment for it, and not just the ol' "diet & exercise" tap dance routine a lot of us hear! (No offense to you cysters who like to tap dance.

)

santa'sbaby · 07-08-2005, 03:25 AM

Wow I was not aware that it could have that effect on you. I am currently taking 75 mg and I was not aware of this side effect.

I've been feeling very stressed over the last few days. I will go and have this checked.

Thanks for the information.

loriparks · 07-08-2005, 01:28 PM

Thanks for your replies! Looking back on it I don't think Atkins was healthy at all, at least not for me. I ate tons of red meat and all the fat I wanted! I try to eat a lot more chicken and fish now. (even though I'm not dieting at the moment) I may just try to cut calories and fat to see how I do. My old doctor told me to "cut out the french fries and the white bread." I love french fries! He more or less told me to low carb which is really hard for me to do.

moxie · 08-09-2005, 08:10 PM

I know what you mean too. I have been on Effexor XR for over a year and a half now and I have tried EVERYTHING. I have Borderline Personality Disorder plus anxiety so it's really important that I am on something. I am on a monster dose--300mg's a day. They had to raise it though as the 200mg's wasnt working.
I have been checking my BP and it usually hovers around 140/97, way too high for someone that is only 31! Sometimes it even goes up to 150/115!! That is just plain scary. I am on 1500mg's of Met too and don't want to be on any more drugs as I used to be a walking pharmacy!
I weight about 160, so I would think loosing about 20 pounds would lower it. I try to eat pretty good-most of the time! I am working out every other day now at the gym so that SHOULD lower it!! It better anyway!!!
Effexor can be a fantastic drug, it has the reputation of being one if now THE best antidepressant out there, so if it is working for you, DON"T go off of it! Find a way to deal with the high BP problem. It's better than being very depressed and anxious.

MOXIE

leocat · 08-10-2005, 07:02 AM

I was on Effexor for two years. Though I don't know what my bp was, I was always feeling very out of breath and my heart was always beating fast. I felt like I could breath sometimes.

Effexor did help me at first but I decided to come off it for that reason and many others. Mind you now I have started to feel very depressed I wish I was back on it.