I'm not even sure how to start, or if this is the right forum for this

lukeisbeast10

New member
I'm the adult daughter of a 75 year old woman who has High Blood Pressure. Two weeks ago, her blood pressure spiked very high and stayed that way for several hours. She asked me to take her to the emergency room. She got several tests, and was admitted to the hospital. During her stay, which was 4 days, a MRI was done to ensure there was no sign of stroke, EKG, ECG and EEG (if I got those all right) were done, chest x-rays were done, blood work was done. The only thing they found was her hypertension. Her heart, brain and blood work was all good. No signs of anything, but her hypertension. They got her BP down to 120/70 with new meds and she was released on a new medication schedule. Two days later, she again asked me to take her to the emergency room. Her heart beat was very high, her pulse racing. They added a beta blocker, as the hydralazine she was now perscribed was causing this. She was released from the emergency room. The next day we met with her primary care dr. The day after that, she was up and around as usual. She took her dog (little dog) into the back yard and when coming back into the house, tripped on the stoop. She suffered some black/blues, but nothing was broken or serious. The very next day, she got a fever and her md, along with the cardio dr said it was the flu. After 3 days of a fever and the usual symptoms of the flu (achy, sleeping etc), her fever broke.
During all of this her BP remained between 120/70 and 125/80. I don't think I've ever seen it this good or stable. Her pulse has remained normal since the addition of the beta blocker. Several days later at 3 am, she fell getting out of bed. I had to call 911 as though she isn't a large woman, I am smaller and couldn't pick her up. We went to her dr the following day and they cut some of the meds in half as dizziness is a side effect of the meds. She is healthy, her BP is stablized. However....she is bed ridden, says she's tired, and isn't eating properly. She eats healthy food, but isn't eating enough. She seems to be trying to force herself to vomit saying, it will make her feel better. We had a follow up with the cardio dr. Her heart is fine, her blood work is good, her MRI/cat scan is good.
She has woken me several times tonight, saying she can't sleep, I hear her trying to vomit, and that her legs hurt. Yet, as I sit here at 3:13 am, cause now I can't sleep, she's sound asleep. As she was an hour ago, but then woke (I've been sleeping in her den next to bedroom so I can hear her) saying she can't sleep.

the Dr's are saying there is nothing wrong with her. Her pressure is controlled and she is over the flu. But her fatigue and tiredness is beyond the meds, etc. They can't understand what's wrong and neither can I.

any ideas? Is this all psychological?
 
I cant speak to all of your mothers issues, but the drastic changes in her blood pressure recently, and introducing new medications to stabilize it, can often take some getting used to.

Nausea and loss of appetite are common complaints while people adapt to many BP meds. The tiredness comes with it too. I would hope she can be patient while the medication reaches it's theraputic levels in her bloodstream. This can take up 4-6 weeks.

Others simply cant tolerate certain meds, and must use trial and error to find the right combination for them.

I'm sorry you and your mother are going through this, she sounds like a lucky lady to have a daughter like you to care for her.

By the way, this is the perfect forum for this. There are some very knowledgable posters here about BP meds, who will certainly share thier experince with you. I wish you the best!
 
Thank you so much. Just the kind words and compassion is what I need right now.

Before this my mother was so vibrant, no one would ever think she was 75. I'm so concerned for her, mentally and physically.

Thank you again.
 
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