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I just offer this for whatever interest it might be because I could find almost nothing on the Internet myself.
My blood pressure is and always has been reliably low-normal - 108/63 and that sort of reading. My wife and I measure ours regularly with a professional device just because we're fitness nuts.
I hadn't measured mine in about 8 days and was bug-eyed to see 145/90. I repeated the test several times, morning and evening, for three days, and kept getting 140-150 over roughly 90. I was practically in a panic and ready to call our doctor.
I wracked my brain for what could possibly be causing this. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Then it hit me: I had started taking Prilosec for moderate GERD 8 days previously. I take absolutely no other medications. I stopped the Prilosec and waited 36 hours. Bingo: 110/65.
I did some fairly extensive Google research and could find only the slightest hints that GERD medications might elevate BP. I mentioned my experience to our doctor, and she just shrugged.
The rest of the Prilosec went down the toilet. Actually, now that I'm completely off these sorts of medications, my GERD has been much better too.
This is purely anecdotal, of course, but I think it is a good reminder that you can never be 100% sure how your body is going to react to a particular medication, even an OTC one. I have friends who take from 8-12 prescription medications a day, and I always tell them that no doctor on earth can tell you what a cocktail like that is doing to your system.
I have friends who take from 8-12 prescription medications a day, and I always tell them that no doctor on earth can tell you what a cocktail like that is doing to your system.
That is true. It would not be possible to do scientific research on all possible combinations of drugs. Yet MDs are not warned about the possible dangers. They don't seem to hesitate to prescribe more and more drugs.
And if that drug affected your blood pressure so dramatically, it probably does the same to others. However, they might not notice the connection and instead start taking blood pressure lowering drugs. Which, in turn, cause other problems they will need more drugs for.
I just offer this for whatever interest it might be because I could find almost nothing on the Internet myself.
My blood pressure is and always has been reliably low-normal - 108/63 and that sort of reading. My wife and I measure ours regularly with a professional device just because we're fitness nuts.
I hadn't measured mine in about 8 days and was bug-eyed to see 145/90. I repeated the test several times, morning and evening, for three days, and kept getting 140-150 over roughly 90. I was practically in a panic and ready to call our doctor.
I wracked my brain for what could possibly be causing this. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Then it hit me: I had started taking Prilosec for moderate GERD 8 days previously. I take absolutely no other medications. I stopped the Prilosec and waited 36 hours. Bingo: 110/65.
I did some fairly extensive Google research and could find only the slightest hints that GERD medications might elevate BP. I mentioned my experience to our doctor, and she just shrugged.
The rest of the Prilosec went down the toilet. Actually, now that I'm completely off these sorts of medications, my GERD has been much better too.
This is purely anecdotal, of course, but I think it is a good reminder that you can never be 100% sure how your body is going to react to a particular medication, even an OTC one. I have friends who take from 8-12 prescription medications a day, and I always tell them that no doctor on earth can tell you what a cocktail like that is doing to your system.
If I had a constant 108/60 something I would be concerned. I take BP meds for some yrs and otc and other wise pain meds can elevate BP. My BP runs 130-140/80something most of the time.
I have not heard great things about that little purple pill, never taken it. I take DGL to keep my stomach in good stead. All those proton pump inhibitor drugs leave much to be desired as I see it. Of course I've worked in the other than pharma area for years. So I'm bias too.
A friend lives with low BP and she has talked about vertigo a lot over many yrs.
PS: best to dispose of drugs other than toilet...these drugs go into the land waters. When I dispose of any I either melt them in water and/or wrap in plastic and trash them.
Nearly being in a panic would cause an increased BP. :P
I, too, run pretty low (70/53 average) and have been on 3 different PPIs, at once, for the last several years. I've not noticed any real uptick in my BP which I take daily, a few times a day.
If I had a constant 108/60 something I would be concerned.
108/63 is WONDERFUL. It is not low BP.
My point was not that Prilosec raises everyone's BP. Increased BP is not listed as one of the known side-effects of Prilosec. My point was that Prilosec clearly raised my BP fairly dramatically and that people should stay alert to possible side effects even of OTC medicines. Perhaps if I stayed with Prilosec for a year, the BP would level off (or perhaps not) - but when a medication raises my BP by close to 40 points, I'm not sticking with it to find out. Of course, I could take Prilosec and a second medication to lower my BP ... and then a third medication to address whatever side effects that combination caused. That seems to be the "pharmaceutical game," and I'm always surprised how many people are willing to play it. My best friend, who really has no serious illnesses like diabetes, looks like a bloated cow and seems to have become a zombie - but, hey, think what terrible shape he'd be in if he weren't taking those 11 prescription medications!
I recently had an extensive test to see how my brain was working following a motorcycle accident. 30+ wires hooked up to my head and everything showed to be A-OK. My face got smashed but no problems otherwise. Still taking Prilosec OTC.
Good Lord, and that is a major study as reported in the Neurology Journal of the American Medical Association, not some quack publication:
But this new study of 73,679 people who did not have dementia when the study started found that the ones who took PPIs had a 44% increased risk of dementia compared to the ones who weren’t taking the drug (JAMA Neurol 2016; doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2015.4791).
My BP experience kind of pales in comparison. Glad I flushed the Prilosec and never went back.
I don't know if people if just don't read carefully or what. If elevated BP were a major side-effect of Prilosec, it would be listed as a known side-effect. It isn't. I am describing one person's experience.
My point was not that Prilosec raises everyone's BP. Increased BP is not listed as one of the known side-effects of Prilosec. My point was that Prilosec clearly raised my BP fairly dramatically and that people should stay alert to possible side effects even of OTC medicines. Perhaps if I stayed with Prilosec for a year, the BP would level off (or perhaps not) - but when a medication raises my BP by close to 40 points, I'm not sticking with it to find out. Of course, I could take Prilosec and a second medication to lower my BP ... and then a third medication to address whatever side effects that combination caused. That seems to be the "pharmaceutical game," and I'm always surprised how many people are willing to play it. My best friend, who really has no serious illnesses like diabetes, looks like a bloated cow and seems to have become a zombie - but, hey, think what terrible shape he'd be in if he weren't taking those 11 prescription medications!
I for one would love to have your bp numbers. Now I am wondering about my allergy meds; if my bp is affected. I never had a problem until I went on an over the counter med that I take daily. Now I am on BP meds. I think I am going to stop taking my little white pill and see what happens. Thanks for posting.
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