Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group

The knowledge that one has any chronic illness is apt to accelerate anxiety. There is no evidence, however, that an MS lesion itself can cause it.

Gracie

Grace is right, also, the pain from the migraine can cause your pulse and BP to be elevated.

I would follow your BP with your regular doc and try to get it lower than your 'normal' is. Over time it can take a toll on your health.

I have a lesion in my brain stem at the C1 level as well and oddly enough my blood pressure was dropping during my last exacerbation which was the one on my brainstem. I also developed tingling in my fingers from that exacerbation in neck. At a recent visit to the chiropractor for neck adjustments. I discovered that the C1 is resposible for most of body function nervous system, if that makes any sense. Including organs. Not sure how acurate this is but you might want to check into it.

MSLorna

yes like 1% of MSer will have problems with bp. this is due to a lesion on the Medulla Oblongata . C1 is where the cord enters the brain. but again this is VERY rare.

Like you I developed high blood pressure when I know that my anxiety levels were much better than they had been in the past. Don't know whether high bp was due to a MS lesion though. My consultant put me only 5mg of olmesartan medoxomil a day and my bp went from 200/110 to 110/75.

hmmm ..grin..lets see...here im sitting in hospital with bp..sitting setted it seems for now at 154/123 and pulse about where yours is..sucking back imatrex like candy..sigh..gotta have the imatrex...rofl..they have all sorts of reasons...in my humble opinon...simple..if im in damn pain..holding my head becuase it feels like it is going to explode from the bloodly steriods...oh yeah you can bet your sweet a...oops..grin..i heather i do promise..yada yada...pfft anyway i digress..grin
if you are in pain...stands to reason..your pulse is going to be fast...
and whoever put that damn line on the bottom of the damn box...has never been on the receiving end of either ON or steriods...sheesh

luv
heather

I also have acute high blood pressure and anxiety which started around the same time as my multiple sclerosis. It really sucks.

I have a prescription for Ativan. I dont use it (Or any meds) daily. I only take it when i need it, and try to take few and far between.

Ativan is a great drug to have for emergencies. I would get a prescription for it. Antidepressants did not work for me at all. If the doc does not give them to you at first, they usually agree if you refuse anti-depressants and insist that its an occasional acute rather than chronic problem.

Dont abuse it though and try to take as few as possible, because they can be habit forming which is why they hesitate to prescribe them.

ativan is a pretty heavy drug to play around with ..for many different uses..again should not be reccommend..sigh...and not strongly suggested..and oh hell yes im backing this one up..sorry sentinet...i use ativan for cluster seziures for an example...two or more in a row..put one under tounge and it disolves...stops me going into status..status seziure can lead to coma..brain damage or death...

this is what you really wish to recommend to people on the board????

please tell me that you have a disclaimer under that suggestion...sigh...or at least that you have been drinking and did not think before you wrote something like that which is obviously showing such little thought behind it on the main thread....sigh...

oh and by the way..smile...yes even at hospitals...we have dial up...smile..

in future again i will ask you to please be more considerate of how you post regarding others health...and this is just common sense...sigh...as one human to another....

luv
heather

I have only said what I would do if you read my words carefully. I realize you have been going through a lot, so I will just leave it at that. I have made no recommendations.

I prefer ativan to anti-depressants because you dont have to take them every day. Most anti-depressants are also serious drugs, and they require you to take them every day or else suffer withdrawals.

In my opinion, ativan is not an especially dangerous drug if used properly. The danger is dependence which usually happens if you over use the drug. If you start needing it every day or need larger doses, then you are at risk of becoming dependent.

Similar but different risks exist for other anti-depressants and serious side effects can occur from discontinuing use.


Ativan is probably not right for everyone. If you have an addictive personality, or if you have anxiety attacks frequently rather than sporadically, then perhaps it isnt right for you....But that is between you and your doctor.

Intersting. My bp was always in the low range. About 8 years ago, following a major exacerbation, my pb became elevated. Quite high and certainnly high enough to require treatement. I take 2 meds and still can't get it down where it should be. I'm quite small and thin and have not other risk factorss for high bp. In fact its comical because everytime I go to any doctor, the nurset takes my pb, stops, says that can't be right, takes it again and says --oh its a little (Little?) high.

So the short answer is YES, I believe itis cause by my MS. If it is, its not a good thing because, bp is an autonomic function, like breathing, so if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. End of the line. Having said that, I still take bp meds because regardless of the cause, I have to bring it down. High bp will cause damage regardless of why you have it. I have read that when bp is affected by MS it usually cause low bp. So, go figure--

Since there is no Proof--no doc will admit it. and if you are ill or in pain of any sort, (like a migraine) your pb will elevate--you don't have to be anxious for that to happend. Its just your body's response to the pain. ( who ISN't anxious if they are in the emergency room?)
:-)