Pardon me?

[Mom]

Doesn't nicotine raise blood pressure?

No, clinically it lowers blood pressure. That is why I used to get really ticked off with the brow beating "stop smoking because it is bad for your blood pressure" lectures I used to get before I stopped smoking.

That must be so frustrating! I tried patches a while ago & they gave me startlingly lucid dreams. Found myself roaming round the house in the nud a few times. Beware!

I have always wandered around the house in the nude at night. No patches will make any difference to that.

[george formby]

I have always wandered around the house in the nude at night. No patches will make any difference to that.

While sleeping?

[mashman]

My mum, slightly off-topic, still doesn't have the pills to control her menopause... she gave up smoing, had a hystericalrectumtome, exercises (well used to walk more) and nothing has changed apart from her mood swings perhaps. We've often mulled these things over, because she hates the way she treats her husband and doesn't know why half the time... changes pills and she's fine again for an indeterminate amount of time... during our mullings over we've often wondered, with all of the different people in the world, that perhaps we should be hormonaly baselined at the doctors from the age of X age onwards, start of puberty maybe... go for a checkup once a year to see how yer doing, how your body is developing and should you take a huge swing in hormones, they'd then know what to prescribe... I fear my mum has a point...

I hope they hit your button Mom.

[gilly]

Give the drugs a chance, they don't work overnight. And sometimes it's a matter of getting the dose right.

Living just for todays all very well, but eventually it'll be tomorrow.

[Mom]

[/B]
While sleeping?

Well no, on purpose, dont give a shit attitude to conforming type wandering around the house really

I hope they hit your button Mom.

I reckon your Mom should stop taking pills for her men-at-pause and go with the flow for a bit and see what happens. Drugs are bad mmmmkay?

All I want is to be able to see straight with out feeling like there are hooks behind my eyeballs attempting to drag them out of my head, creating a surreal feeling of spacey headedness, and not inconsiderable headache pain that roams around your head, accompaninied by this amazing screeching in your ears. From time to time that happens, then the incidious friggen thing sneaks back. You dont notice it as it creeps up. All of a sudden you are slammed back to yuksville!

If I go with Edbears history, I only have another 3 years to get on top of it

[Mudfart]

dont rust quacks, the undiagnosable is always diagnosed as IBS Irritable bowel syndrome.
Cost me $40,000 and a camera up my arse for me to get on losec, which is now available without prescription!!!!!!!!.

[MSTRS:Me]

I have always wandered around the house in the nude at night.

You're not even fussy which house. So I'm told...

[CookMySock]

Bah.. screw the ol' BP.. Its my life.. I choose how to live it.. You only have 1 life. Live it how you want.

Er, no don't do that. By all means have a good time, but sooner or later the body won't manage the smoking, the bacon and eggs, pies, fush un chups, etc. "Here for a good time - not a long time" is all very bravado, but most people chicken-out with that after their second scare, if not their first.

@Mom, I think you are doing the right thing. Stick with it. Things will come right.

edit: if you REALLY want to artificially lower your blood pressure to fake the test, then take any of the omega3 oils in large doses (6 grams twice daily). This stuff IS actually good for you (include std disclaimer) and it will knock quite a lot off the test result on the day.
Ask your doc first plz? kthx.

Steve

[dogsnbikes]

Weirdest thing happened yesterday. I am still trying to get my head around the medical advice I was given.

I have high blood pressure, have spent the best part of 12 months trying to get it under control. It is a family thing so not unexpected. I used to smoke. Every time I went for a BP check the nurse/doctor would lecture me about stopping smoking. So I did. Piece of wees really, completely blew me away how easy it was to stop. Sadly my blood pressure continues to be an issue despite my best efforts to date.

Had a bit of a HIGH BP at the start of the week and was started on yet another drug, this time on top of what I already take, to drag it back down. Went for the 2 day after starting new drug regime check and it has dropped a bit. I complained to the nurse. I said, "I took your advice, I stopped smoking and am out pounding the pavements almost every night getting fit and my blood pressure continues to rise. I feel ripped off!"

Her advice to me. I should start chewing nicotene gum It lowers the blood pressure apparently. No shit Sherlock, I did try telling the zealot nurses when I went to get my BP checked, only now I have stopped do they acknowledge it. Apparently only the TAR in smokes is bad for you. I was sitting there gob smacked! I said I am not chewing nicotene gum, she said I could always use patches??????

WTF!

I am a nicotene addict that has managed very sucessfully to kick the habit and here is a friggen health professional suggesting I should start the habit up again via a different method???

Anyone else experienced this weirdness?

I smoke and yet my BP is really good,but I can understand your beef with the advice and medication,Last year I was put on Epilim as I might have epilipsy,that screwed me up big time so was put on Carbamazepine which I'm still on,so on a regular trip to the GP 2months ago I was susprised to be told I have really High Cholestrol huh?? Then I am told that the Carbamazepine increases your cholestrolso now I am on Medication to reduce the cholestrol as well,what pissed me of more was out of all the possible side efects of being on Carbamazepine that it was never mentioned or stated that increasing your cholestrol was a side efect of the medication

[Badjelly]

Wikipedia reckons that nicotine raises blood pressure:

Nicotine has very powerful effects on arteries throughout the body. Nicotine is a stimulant, it raises blood pressure, and is a vasoconstrictor, making it harder for the heart to pump through the constricted arteries. It causes the body to release its stores of fat and cholesterol into the blood.[citation needed]

Mind you, the "citation needed" at the end of this paragraph and the comments immediately above it make you wonder.

I found an article at Harvard Health publications (yes that does seem to be the real Harvard) that says this

Nicotine stimulates the central nervous system. Whether you smoke a cigarette or absorb nicotine from a patch, your body responds by releasing a hormone called epinephrine (adrenaline). Its effects range from increased energy and awareness to high blood pressure, a rise in heart rate, and nervousness. High blood pressure with the use of a nicotine patch (or gum, inhaler, lozenge, or nasal spray) may mean you are taking too much nicotine.

High blood pressure by itself, or accompanied by nervous jitters and a fast heart rate, can be a sign of nicotine withdrawal. So the increase in your blood pressure could also mean you are not getting enough nicotine in the patch. For heavy smokers, a nicotine patch sometimes doesn’t deliver enough nicotine to replace what they had been getting from their cigarettes.

So that second bit about nicotine withdrawal may explain the "nicotine lowers blood pressure" advice.

I don't think it's at all true to say "only the tar in cigarettes is harmful". Mom, you've been taking a powerful stimulant for several years. Like other stimulants (cocaine, ampetamines, caffeine?) it can stress your heart and your body generally. But when you come off it your system can bounce around before it settles to a new equilibrium. At least that's my take on it but you need to have a thorough talk about this with a good doctor.

[sinfull]

Well no, on purpose, dont give a shit attitude to conforming type wandering around the house really

And i've missed so many parties !

[raftn]

Weirdest thing happened yesterday. I am still trying to get my head around the medical advice I was given.

I have high blood pressure, have spent the best part of 12 months trying to get it under control. It is a family thing so not unexpected. I used to smoke. Every time I went for a BP check the nurse/doctor would lecture me about stopping smoking. So I did. Piece of wees really, completely blew me away how easy it was to stop. Sadly my blood pressure continues to be an issue despite my best efforts to date.

Had a bit of a HIGH BP at the start of the week and was started on yet another drug, this time on top of what I already take, to drag it back down. Went for the 2 day after starting new drug regime check and it has dropped a bit. I complained to the nurse. I said, "I took your advice, I stopped smoking and am out pounding the pavements almost every night getting fit and my blood pressure continues to rise. I feel ripped off!"

Her advice to me. I should start chewing nicotene gum It lowers the blood pressure apparently. No shit Sherlock, I did try telling the zealot nurses when I went to get my BP checked, only now I have stopped do they acknowledge it. Apparently only the TAR in smokes is bad for you. I was sitting there gob smacked! I said I am not chewing nicotene gum, she said I could always use patches??????

WTF!

I am a nicotene addict that has managed very sucessfully to kick the habit and here is a friggen health professional suggesting I should start the habit up again via a different method???

Anyone else experienced this weirdness?

DOn't worry MOM.............I spoke enough for both of us!

[mashman]

Well no, on purpose, dont give a shit attitude to conforming type wandering around the house really

She did try that and felt exceptionally lethargic and even more irritable... so back on the pills she went in the hope that they'll get it right...

UGH!... that goes beyond sounding horrendous. All the best getting it sorted.

[Her_C4]

Her advice to me. I should start chewing nicotene gum It lowers the blood pressure apparently. No shit Sherlock, I did try telling the zealot nurses when I went to get my BP checked, only now I have stopped do they acknowledge it. Apparently only the TAR in smokes is bad for you. I was sitting there gob smacked! I said I am not chewing nicotene gum, she said I could always use patches??????

WTF!

I am a nicotene addict that has managed very sucessfully to kick the habit and here is a friggen health professional suggesting I should start the habit up again via a different method???

Anyone else experienced this weirdness?

Fascinating isn't it? Everyday it seems the medical profession are turning their backs on hardheld (proven?) therapeutic routines. I experienced someting similar not so long ago... but that is another story. In regards to Nicotine and High Blood pressure, it is interesting to do a simple search on (ler Google be your friend), and I cannot find any article (yet) that suggests a reversal in thinking. In fact the majority are along the lines of: http://www.freepressindex.com/news-c...ure-15854.html

The nicotine is responsible for causing the adrenal gland to secrete the hormone adrenaline, which leads to the constriction or narrowing of the blood vessels. Due to this, the blood pressure gets increased temporarily due to the heart working extra in order to pump blood through the body. Are you clear now as to why does smoking cause a rise in blood pressure? Smoking increases your risk of getting a heart disease, cancer, stroke as well as many other health problems. The blood pressure and heart rate is temporarily increased with each use of tobacco in all forms, as it contains nicotine. In case a person has high blood pressure or any form of heart disease, he needs to quit smoking immediately

Be cool if you get more info to post - High BP affects a lot of people close to me (oh I wonder if there is something in that..... nah )

[MSTRS:Me]

High BP affects a lot of people close to me

Only in quaddies who think you are in the wrong place...