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  #1   ^
Old Sat, Mar-26-11, 23:41
Candiflip's Avatar
Candiflip Candiflip is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,614
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 228/156/140 Female 66 inches
BF:22%
Progress: 82%
Location: Langley, B.C. Canada
Default Atenolol lowering blood pressure too much?

Hello,
I have been taking Atenolol for a few days now now for an arrhythmia.
I feel like I it is lowering my blood pressure too much.
My normal blood pressure is anywhere from 116-125/60-75
After the meds now for a few days my blood pressure is around 104-100/54-58.. is this getting to low? do I need to call my dr?
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  #2   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 00:41
Rosebud's Avatar
Rosebud Rosebud is offline
Forum Moderator
Posts: 23,881
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 235/135/135 Female 5'4
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Default

How are you feeling, Candice? If you are feeling faint and dizzy, then yes, you should call your doctor. But as long as you are feeling okay, I wouldn't worry too much. A BP as low as 90 systolic can be fine if the person is feeling asymptomatic.

The thing is, atenolol does work as an antihypertensive as well as to regulate arrhythmias, so it is normal that it would lower your BP to some extent.

I hope it is helping your arrhythmia, and that you are feeling better.
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  #3   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 08:03
Candiflip's Avatar
Candiflip Candiflip is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,614
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 228/156/140 Female 66 inches
BF:22%
Progress: 82%
Location: Langley, B.C. Canada
Default

I was feeling short of breath last night, chest tightness, a bit dizzy and confused feeling.
My blood pressure dropped to 100/55 and pulse 49 bpm at one point last night.
my waking bp was 115/59 pulse 58 bpm(checked after I woke up, washed up, then came down stairs about 10min after waking). Woke up short of breath gain w/ chest tightness.
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  #4   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 08:15
amandawald amandawald is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,737
 
Plan: Ray Peat (not low-carb)
Stats: 00/00/00 Female 164cm
BF:
Progress: 51%
Location: Brit in Europe
Default

Hi Candice,

I still think you should talk to your doctor about trying nutrients first, not drugs, for this arrhythmia.

I just saw this about side-effects of this drug:

http://blood-pressure.emedtv.com/at...de-effects.html

YIKES!!!

Heart rhythm abnormalities can be caused by low copper, low magnesium and low potassium, to my knowledge. It would make more sense - in my ever so humble opinion - to look at these as solutions as low levels of these nutrients may have caused the problem in the first place.

Your docs are just treating the symptoms, but they are not dong anything to deal with getting rid of the original cause, I'm afraid, but this is typical of "normal" medicine...

If I got these symptoms, I would want to go off this medication straight away.

Just my two cents, though...

amanda
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  #5   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 08:26
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mike_d mike_d is offline
Grease is the word!
Posts: 8,475
 
Plan: PSMF/IF
Stats: 236/181/180 Male 72 inches
BF:disappearing!
Progress: 98%
Location: Alamo city, Texas
Default

It could be. I get the tired dizzy feeling when my BP gets below 110 or so, especially after bending over or standing up suddenly.

A pulse in the 40's is a bit slow though. Mine is in the 50's or 60's. Now I take 1/2 a pill (15mg) and stay around 122/62 pulse 56.
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  #6   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 08:49
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
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I'd call your doctor for sure.
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  #7   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 09:01
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Ilikemice Ilikemice is offline
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Posts: 730
 
Plan: Paleo-ish general LC
Stats: 151/119/118 Female 64 in
BF:
Progress: 97%
Location: Middle Tennessee
Default

My fiance used to be on atenolol and it drove his BP low enough to make him dizzy (although he was on it for that reason, BP control). He says his Dr. would advise him to drink a glass of icy water if that happened, might be worth a try. It also gave him hives. He's on something else now but I can't remember the exact reason for the change.
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  #8   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 09:15
Candiflip's Avatar
Candiflip Candiflip is offline
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Posts: 3,614
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 228/156/140 Female 66 inches
BF:22%
Progress: 82%
Location: Langley, B.C. Canada
Default

thanks all, I will call the dr but I doubt they are in today(being Sunday)
I'm not going to take my bp anymore today, but I did check one last time.. it was 101/60 pulse 60.. so not bad but then again that was after eating, running around after Andrew ect, so not a resting one.
I'm still feeling chest tightness, short of breath. I tried the icy cold water .. it only made me feel really cold
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  #9   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 09:29
Candiflip's Avatar
Candiflip Candiflip is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,614
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 228/156/140 Female 66 inches
BF:22%
Progress: 82%
Location: Langley, B.C. Canada
Default

well office is closed and it does not record messages on Sat or Sunday. I will have to wait to ask dr Tomorrow.
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  #10   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 09:44
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Bipley Bipley is offline
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Posts: 296
 
Plan: My own version of Atkins
Stats: 252/135/150 Female 65 Inches
BF:
Progress: 115%
Location: Mexico
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Candiflip
Hello,
I have been taking Atenolol for a few days now now for an arrhythmia.
I feel like I it is lowering my blood pressure too much.
My normal blood pressure is anywhere from 116-125/60-75
After the meds now for a few days my blood pressure is around 104-100/54-58.. is this getting to low? do I need to call my dr?


If you are experiencing symtoms of low blood pressure, yes.
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  #11   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 10:04
Candiflip's Avatar
Candiflip Candiflip is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,614
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 228/156/140 Female 66 inches
BF:22%
Progress: 82%
Location: Langley, B.C. Canada
Default

thanks, I did call the office.. got machine.. called my dr.. moa told me dr would not talk to someone in my situation and would not assess/give advise over phone I would need to come in and I'm not driving there when I'm not feeling well. So I called BC health line, again no advise.. they told me to call my pharmacist..
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  #12   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 12:04
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Syrah Syrah is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 270
 
Plan: LC
Stats: 260/218/150 Female 67 inches
BF:Definitely!
Progress: 38%
Location: Ontario, Canada
Default

Hey Candice. My elderly Mother has an arrhythmia and she takes a similar drug. Her blood pressure is very low too -- apparently it's a trade off. The arrhythmia drugs do lower bp too.
We discussed this with the doc and his comments were:
1. if she's feeling OK, not to worry about low bp
2. if she's feeling light headed etc. up her sodium intake -- this will make her thirsty and increase the bp a bit.
Of course, mention it to your doc, but I wouldn't panic about it.
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  #13   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 12:33
Candiflip's Avatar
Candiflip Candiflip is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,614
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 228/156/140 Female 66 inches
BF:22%
Progress: 82%
Location: Langley, B.C. Canada
Default

thanks Syrah!
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  #14   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 14:50
amandawald amandawald is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,737
 
Plan: Ray Peat (not low-carb)
Stats: 00/00/00 Female 164cm
BF:
Progress: 51%
Location: Brit in Europe
Default This medication does not seem to be the right thing for you at all

Hi Candice,

Having had low blood pressure myself, I really wouldn't wish it on anyone else. This is what I found about your drug:

Quote:
Atenolol is used to treat angina (chest pain) and hypertension (high blood pressure).


So, if it is used for high blood pressure and your blood pressure was somewhat on the low side anyway, it figures that it would make your BP even lower and that could be unpleasant.

I used to get the dizziness when standing up, feeling so woozy and dizzy that I had to just stay sitting for a couple of hours in the morning till it wore off. This was OK for me, because my two daughters are now 10 and 14 years old and at school in the morning - but for you that would be a nightmare, having an active 2.5yo to race around after!!!

I have recently read on this forum about people saying that taking magnesium normalized their blood pressure. I do believe I read about two separate cases recently, one who said it got her high BP down and another who said it brought her low BP up. Seeing as it could also normalize - or at least lessen the frequency of - arrhythmias, too, plus have a whole bunch of other beneficial side-effects, it would really be the "drug" of choice for you!!!

It could also be a huge help with anxiety issues, help you to deal with stress better, help you to feel more calm and balanced - which I'm sure would be welcome as well.

Your doctors took a blood sample, I take it, and then said that this blood test had revealed "normal" magnesium and potassium levels. The thing is, these blood tests don't reveal anything very useful at all, because, in the case of the electrolytes, such as magnesium and potassium, only 1% of the body's stores of these minerals is in the blood.

This is typical of the slavish reliance on the "Blood Test" which so many doctors suffer from these days.

It happened to me, too, in the case of my B12 levels, because ONE number said everything was OK (but others told a different story), my Doc only paid attention to that one number and ignored the symptoms I told him about and the fact that, black and white, in front of his nose on the print-out, other numbers revealed blood abnormalities.

Relying on a blood test alone to reveal whether you are low in magnesium - remember that 1% statistic above? - is like investigating whether American citizens are violent by analyzing only the population which resides on Death Row: the conclusion would be that, yes, all Americans are extremely violent!!! If somebody conducted an analysis like that in any other area, they would be laughed out of school, but, to do the same with blood work is seen as completely acceptable!!!

Please don't allow the doctors to experiment on you like you were some kind of laboratory animal!!! Insist that they look into magnesium, potassium and copper as alternatives before the drug route is taken, would be my advice!

All the best, hope you get some answers soon,

amanda
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  #15   ^
Old Sun, Mar-27-11, 14:55
Candiflip's Avatar
Candiflip Candiflip is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,614
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 228/156/140 Female 66 inches
BF:22%
Progress: 82%
Location: Langley, B.C. Canada
Default

I wrote that as a question to her when I go on Friday. I hope to talk more.. and get more asnwers as I found a sitter for my son.

Quote:
Originally Posted by amandawald
Hi Candice,

Having had low blood pressure myself, I really wouldn't wish it on anyone else. This is what I found about your drug:



So, if it is used for high blood pressure and your blood pressure was somewhat on the low side anyway, it figures that it would make your BP even lower and that could be unpleasant.

I used to get the dizziness when standing up, feeling so woozy and dizzy that I had to just stay sitting for a couple of hours in the morning till it wore off. This was OK for me, because my two daughters are now 10 and 14 years old and at school in the morning - but for you that would be a nightmare, having an active 2.5yo to race around after!!!

I have recently read on this forum about people saying that taking magnesium normalized their blood pressure. I do believe I read about two separate cases recently, one who said it got her high BP down and another who said it brought her low BP up. Seeing as it could also normalize - or at least lessen the frequency of - arrhythmias, too, plus have a whole bunch of other beneficial side-effects, it would really be the "drug" of choice for you!!!

It could also be a huge help with anxiety issues, help you to deal with stress better, help you to feel more calm and balanced - which I'm sure would be welcome as well.

Your doctors took a blood sample, I take it, and then said that this blood test had revealed "normal" magnesium and potassium levels. The thing is, these blood tests don't reveal anything very useful at all, because, in the case of the electrolytes, such as magnesium and potassium, only 1% of the body's stores of these minerals is in the blood.

This is typical of the slavish reliance on the "Blood Test" which so many doctors suffer from these days.

It happened to me, too, in the case of my B12 levels, because ONE number said everything was OK (but others told a different story), my Doc only paid attention to that one number and ignored the symptoms I told him about and the fact that, black and white, in front of his nose on the print-out, other numbers revealed blood abnormalities.

Relying on a blood test alone to reveal whether you are low in magnesium - remember that 1% statistic above? - is like investigating whether American citizens are violent by analyzing only the population which resides on Death Row: the conclusion would be that, yes, all Americans are extremely violent!!! If somebody conducted an analysis like that in any other area, they would be laughed out of school, but, to do the same with blood work is seen as completely acceptable!!!

Please don't allow the doctors to experiment on you like you were some kind of laboratory animal!!! Insist that they look into magnesium, potassium and copper as alternatives before the drug route is taken, would be my advice!

All the best, hope you get some answers soon,

amanda
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