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I'm Paula. I've got three bulging disks in the cervical spine, three bulging disks in the lumbar spine with sciatic nerve damage at S1, shoulder issues from rotator cuff surgerey a couple of years ago, and recently added intercostal nerve pain T4 thru T7 or T8, idiopathic in origin.
I've had blood pressure issues for several years, but it's been pretty much under control with medication. The only exceptions have been when the PM doc put me on antidepressant medications for the nerve pain. So far we've tried three, with the first two as soon as I was completely off them for a day or two everything went back to normal. With the third (Cymbalta) I went off it and although my BP was Ok my pulse was still over 100. This past Sunday I ended up in the hospital with BP of 225/120 and pulse of 125. The gave me a LOT of BP drugs in the ER and it finally came down. Next morning the Cardiologist (now I've aquired one of those too) changed the beta blocker to Atenolol from Toporol-XL. Too cut to the chase, the Cardio doc noted that he thinks the incident was at least in part pain related. I did have horrible (around 8) neck pain that radiated into the head Sunday and Monday. All the PM doc has me on right now is easing me onto Lyrica, not anywhere close to even the lowest recommended dose for nerve pain, it will be about two weeks before I get there, and I had 30 Oxycodone 5 mg. The Oxycodone were only supposed to be for post procedure pain as I had a cortisone inj in my shoulder the previous Wed. I see my PM doc next week for hospital followup, she also mentioned pain possibly being an issue. I'm thinking of requesting that she and the Cardio both pass this info along to the PM doc. I don't see her again until May 7. I'm down to 1/2 tablet of the Oxycodone twice a day to try to make it last until May 7.
At this point I'm really concerned about having another neck/headache issue and possibly having my BP go nuts again. Has anyone else had anything like this happen?
Hi Paula I had some heart problems with the last anti-depressant I was on. I have been on a beta blocker for a few years for blood pressure and suprventicular tachycardia. for some reason my heart seems to be reacting to medications now that I could tolerate int he past.
Lyrica (one dose)immediately raised my blood pressure and heart rate up to scarey levels. Neither the dr or pharmacist had seen that as a side effect, but when the pharmacist checked her books further it can be a rare side effect. Hope you can take it. I was really hoping it would help my fibro and TMJ, but at this point I am off everything for pain -except tylenol and ibuprofen, until we get the heart issues settled. Even the Beta blocker is now putting my heart rate down too low, so the dr is weaning me off it, hoping the tachycardia doesn't return. Not exactly like yur situation, but similar in ways.
