Measuring Blood Pressure

[Jdsk]

.. my wife regularly gets prescribed drugs that she doesn't need or want, let alone ask for... once she was prescribed amitriptyline because she has some abdominal pains... I mean... amitriptyline {FFE - family-friendly edit }... what were they thinking?

I'd guess that the most common reasons would be neuropathic pain or irritable bowel syndrome. What was discussed in the consultations before it was prescribed?

Thanks

Jonathan

[S2L]

.. my wife regularly gets prescribed drugs that she doesn't need or want, let alone ask for... once she was prescribed amitriptyline because she has some abdominal pains... I mean... amitriptyline {FFE - family-friendly edit }... what were they thinking?

I'd guess that the most common reasons would be neuropathic pain or irritable bowel syndrome. What was discussed in the consultations before it was prescribed?

Thanks

Jonathan

No, amitriptyline was never discussed, otherwise she would have objected... she had taken it in the past for other completely unrelated reasons and she didn't like the way it made her feel, so she got out of it very quickly.
One of the problems is that my wife complains a lot about things, but she doesn't want them fixed with a pill, a bit like me she thinks a pill (and even more so any form of pain killer) doesn't address the underlying problem... but GPs like to prescribe pills as first port of call... as I said, the attitude is changing, too slowly in my opinion.

[Jdsk]

.. my wife regularly gets prescribed drugs that she doesn't need or want, let alone ask for... once she was prescribed amitriptyline because she has some abdominal pains... I mean... amitriptyline {FFE - family-friendly edit }... what were they thinking?

I'd guess that the most common reasons would be neuropathic pain or irritable bowel syndrome. What was discussed in the consultations before it was prescribed?

No, amitriptyline was never discussed, otherwise she would have objected... she had taken it in the past for other completely unrelated reasons and she didn't like the way it made her feel, so she got out of it very quickly.

Thanks.

Did the discussion of her symptoms in the consultations include the possibility of neuropathic pain or IBS?

Jonathan

[S2L]

I'd guess that the most common reasons would be neuropathic pain or irritable bowel syndrome. What was discussed in the consultations before it was prescribed?

No, amitriptyline was never discussed, otherwise she would have objected... she had taken it in the past for other completely unrelated reasons and she didn't like the way it made her feel, so she got out of it very quickly.

Thanks.

Did the discussion of her symptoms in the consultations include the possibility of neuropathic pain or IBS?

Jonathan

No, a bit private, but no... neither.

[Jdsk]

No, amitriptyline was never discussed, otherwise she would have objected... she had taken it in the past for other completely unrelated reasons and she didn't like the way it made her feel, so she got out of it very quickly.

Did the discussion of her symptoms in the consultations include the possibility of neuropathic pain or IBS?

No, a bit private, but no... neither.

Thanks.

I don't understand what you're describing.... there was a consultation at which amitriptyline was prescribed without it having been discussed? And then she took it, and then stopped because she already knew that it would cause adverse effects?

Jonathan

[Slowtwitch]

I've heard of amitriptyline being prescribed in low doses for relief from arthritis, and apparently it is quite a successful treatment in low dosage for a lot of chronic pain, especially where there is nerve damage.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
amitriptyline, Even I've been prescribed that and I had nothing to do with any other symptoms apart from maybe nerve pain.
shingles!
I believed it's prescribed for many things because it has many different properties or something like that.
Some people just won't do what they're told to do it even if it's in their best interest!

I am on candesartan as well, at the moment I feel also Crap.
But I've been on it before and have been on it for several years, the problem is that any medication to treat Hypertension has side-effects.

You have a choice die early or take a medication that will prolong life and you might just be able to live with it.

I've been on BP meds for 30 years so I can tell you everything about everything about them.
I've also been on multi medication for as long too.

Change your diet?
Even if you do do you think it would cure most ailments, you don't get prescribed medication just for fun.
I did get myself off one of the medications I was on, there was no suggestion that I stop I just decided to try another avenue but that was a relatively simple one, bad back damaged back, I now know that I just need to ride my bike and do regular physiotherapy, it's not perfect and I do need some help sometime but it does work.

Quite often when you get to Old age, medical science has kept us healthy to achieve our age, and it's very possible that people of Mick's age and even may have other problems as well.
Suggesting just to change diet just like that will be a cure all it's a bit of a fantasy.

My Last conversation with my GP he said I am in between a rock and a hard place!

[Jdsk]

I've heard of amitriptyline being prescribed in low doses for relief from arthritis, and apparently it is quite a successful treatment in low dosage for a lot of chronic pain, especially where there is nerve damage.

And often needs a therapeutic trial to see if it helps for that particular pain in that particular patient.

Jonathan

[Mick F]

Absolutely rubbish night's sleep and my aches have migrated all over my body.
Legs and arms, stiff back (top and bottom) and neck as well.

I will not be taking any more of these abominable things.

Looking at my BP readings, they have gone up and up and up over the last few days.
This morning's one whilst relaxing in my armchair, chilled out - though having had a terrible night and aching lots - was 173 over 99.

Later, I managed to take the doggie for a gentle walk along the river bank, and although it was steeply uphill on the way home, I measured (within minutes of sitting down) 116 over 76.

Could it be that making my mind up about stopping these abominable things, that I'm relaxing?
I expect that I'll have a better night's sleep, and not be quite so achy.
Fingers crossed.

[Mick F]

Feeling absolutely fine now.
I'll be contacting the (ill)health centre tomorrow as soon as they open.

As for measuring my BP, I'm stopping that as it's stressing me out ............. and raising my BP no doubt.

[S2L]

Feeling absolutely fine now.
I'll be contacting the (ill)health centre tomorrow as soon as they open.

As for measuring my BP, I'm stopping that as it's stressing me out ............. and raising my BP no doubt.

Yes, the thought of measuring it, typically increases it by 5-10 mmHg, that's documented... but it won't get as high as 180/100 if you have it normal. Lifestyle changes are the key in the long run, but obviously check with your GP that you are not at high risk in the short term.
Peeping through this section, there is another thread of yours on statins, so I assume you have a cholesterol problem too.
Have you thought of trying a plant based diet? Pretty much everyone who abandons meat and dairy see their cholesterol drop like a stone within weeks. There is no real drawback, despite the scaremongering stories about iron and B12 deficiency. In reality it's very rare to have any deficiency, if you include many food groups in your diet (veg, fruit, pulses, grains, nuts...)...

[Jdsk]

Feeling absolutely fine now.
I'll be contacting the (ill)health centre tomorrow as soon as they open.

As for measuring my BP, I'm stopping that as it's stressing me out ............. and raising my BP no doubt.

Yes, the thought of measuring it, typically increases it by 5-10 mmHg, that's documented... but it won't get as high as 180/100 if you have it normal.

What has been described here is labile hypertension. It's a risk factor for cardiovascular disease even if the blood pressure is sometimes normal.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

Have you thought of trying a plant based diet? Pretty much everyone who abandons meat and dairy see their cholesterol drop like a stone within weeks. There is no real drawback, despite the scaremongering stories about iron and B12 deficiency. In reality it's very rare to have any deficiency, if you include many food groups in your diet (veg, fruit, pulses, grains, nuts...)...

Anyone considering this type of diet should be aware of the possible effects on bone mineral density and fractures. And take countermeasures.

But of course everyone should take countermeasures.

Jonathan

"Vegetarian and vegan diets and risks of total and site-specific fractures: results from the prospective EPIC-Oxford study"
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33222682/

"Dietary patterns and hip fracture in the Adventist Health Study 2: combined vitamin D and calcium supplementation mitigate increased hip fracture risk among vegans"
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/advance-a ... 95/6272600

[S2L]

Have you thought of trying a plant based diet? Pretty much everyone who abandons meat and dairy see their cholesterol drop like a stone within weeks. There is no real drawback, despite the scaremongering stories about iron and B12 deficiency. In reality it's very rare to have any deficiency, if you include many food groups in your diet (veg, fruit, pulses, grains, nuts...)...

Anyone considering this type of diet should be aware of the possible effects on bone mineral density and fractures. And take countermeasures.

But of course everyone should take countermeasures.

Jonathan

"Vegetarian and vegan diets and risks of total and site-specific fractures: results from the prospective EPIC-Oxford study"
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33222682/

"Dietary patterns and hip fracture in the Adventist Health Study 2: combined vitamin D and calcium supplementation mitigate increased hip fracture risk among vegans"
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/advance-a ... 95/6272600

Isn’t it the other way round? It seems that hip fractures and the likes are far more common in countries that consume high amounts of dairy, like Northern Europe… could be down to D3 deficiency, mind you. If you take country that hardly consume any, in the Far East, the difference is quite striking…
Also, vegetarians should not be mixed with Vegan, they do consume dairy, allegedly the most readily available source of calcium.

[Jdsk]

Have you thought of trying a plant based diet? Pretty much everyone who abandons meat and dairy see their cholesterol drop like a stone within weeks. There is no real drawback, despite the scaremongering stories about iron and B12 deficiency. In reality it's very rare to have any deficiency, if you include many food groups in your diet (veg, fruit, pulses, grains, nuts...)...

Anyone considering this type of diet should be aware of the possible effects on bone mineral density and fractures. And take countermeasures.

But of course everyone should take countermeasures.

"Vegetarian and vegan diets and risks of total and site-specific fractures: results from the prospective EPIC-Oxford study"
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33222682/

"Dietary patterns and hip fracture in the Adventist Health Study 2: combined vitamin D and calcium supplementation mitigate increased hip fracture risk among vegans"
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/advance-a ... 95/6272600

Isn’t it the other way round? It seems that hip fractures and the likes are far more common in countries that consume high amounts of dairy, like Northern Europe… could be down to D3 deficiency, mind you. If you take country that hardly consume any, in the Far East, the difference is quite striking…

The effect has been suspected for some time. These two studies greatly improve the quality of the evidence.

Jonathan