You absolutely have to run all the tests first. Your blood pressure might be high because there's an underlying issue with your kidneys or something else, and you need those labs to know what you're dealing with. My own body is perfectly healthy—all my levels are great. My BP stays at 120/80 most of the time, occasionally a bit higher but still within range, and often even lower than 120/80. I’m saying this because when I’m calm and taking my medication, my pressure actually drops too low.
The real debate here is whether we should be taking meds if all our test results come back normal. Obviously, if they aren't normal, that's a different story entirely. Like Drew Miller48 said—we’re all just walking around here, and if doctors measured everyone's blood pressure right then and there and prescribed meds based on that single moment, everyone would be on hypertension medication! Just three months before I was "diagnosed" with hypertension, I had a rigorous physical for work. Everything was perfect—and I mean everything—including my blood pressure. Why? Because we were having fun, we were relaxed, the whole team was... but then, three months later, I hit a massive shock and the doctor immediately put me on a heavy dose of Amlodipine. After that, they just kept adding more pills. If I hadn't taken charge of my own situation, I’d be popping three different blood pressure meds today, plus Normabel and whatever else... At least this way, I pushed back and cut down on things I saw weren't necessary. My goal is to get off the Amlodipine and maybe just stay on a beta-blocker as my regular maintenance, using an anxiolytic only when needed. I just need to work up the courage to make that move. And honestly, knowing myself, I know I'll be fine. Not long ago, I actually ran out of my pills for a few days (forgot them on a trip, though I did bring my monitor), and my pressure was totally fine.
Man, I dread it when vividsailor7 shows up to lecture us 🤣. Look, vividsailor7, we don't have anything against medication, and we certainly don't have anything against doctors. It just increasingly feels like what Dr. Gayles or whoever is saying on TV is true: they just want to prescribe as many drugs as possible to keep Big Pharma thriving, right?
Oh, I forgot to mention that my doctor switched my prescription from Amlodipine to Ramace once. Anyone who knows their stuff will tell you—that was a lateral move. How am I supposed to trust that?
You made a great point about that White phone... but in the meantime, I found out from another PDF that both the PAP test and the ultrasound should be free. Now I’m planning to demand my money back and take further action so this never happens again. I’ll file an anonymous report; if they were investigated for the PAP tests, they’ll definitely be looked at for the ultrasounds too. I’m going to do some serious digging first, though, because I don't want to accuse him of something if it isn't true. The thief... just imagine how much he's pocketed by charging everyone for PAP tests for 20 years $40? And for many people, the ultrasounds too (he does less of those than PAPs, but still)... so how much is he making off pregnant women?
Sandra Brooks91 said:I honestly think everything should be free. You’re entitled to a Pap smear once a year anyway. It seems like the only reason people pay is because they don't want to wait forever for the results. If you want speed, you pay up.
Look, I get how the Pap smear works, but I’m specifically asking about ultrasounds. I keep hearing conflicting things. This forum is full of women who say they don't pay a dime—but I’m out here paying $33. I know the gynecologist's price list states that this specific part isn't covered by Medicare. They have special rates for their own patients and different ones for everyone else. And let's be real, an ultrasound result is 🤣 immediate. Just kidding, but seriously, can someone explain how this actually works?
On a side note, I think this might be grounds for an inspection report. There was this guy who got dragged through the news for reporting to Medicare because he was charging for Pap smears without ever telling the women they could skip the fee if they didn't mind waiting longer for the results. That’s the truth—I didn't realize it until I read about it in the papers. So, the doctor decided to be "helpful." He posted a notice in his office detailing the total cost of a Pap smear (including the vials and all that extra stuff), claiming he only keeps $10 out of that $40 amount. Then—get this—he basically tells patients that the wait time for unpaid results could be critical for recovery. He essentially asks if you value your health enough to pay for speed. If you say no, he treats you like garbage. We live in a small town, and there isn't another gynecologist within a few counties that I could move to; I've already checked. He knows that, too. That’s why he gets away with it.
If there's a plan in place, you can take steps beforehand. Usually, doctors weigh the risks of skipping your meds against the risks of taking them—it basically boils down to choosing between your health and the baby's health. My OB-GYN was very clear with me, and it’s explicitly stated in the prescribing info: ACE inhibitors are a hard no during pregnancy. Period. Generally, if a woman is taking them without realizing she's pregnant, things don't end well. I've heard beta-blockers aren't quite as dangerous for the fetus, but you really need to check your specific medication's warning label regarding pregnancy.
From what I gather, we're actually opposites here. Your blood pressure stays consistently high, even if it isn't off the charts. For me, my blood pressure never stays elevated all day; I just get these short bursts, much like my panic attacks.
I don't plan on having kids, but I still worry. Dealing with PCOS means my cycle is irregular, so I'm constantly wondering: what if I'm pregnant and taking all these medications? Even with protection, I know the chances are slim, but they exist.
I honestly don't know... I'm getting closer to just risking it, dropping the ACE inhibitor, and only taking my other meds when absolutely necessary. We'll see how it goes.
vividsailor7 said:First off, I have no idea why you even bothered seeing a cardiologist. You should have gone straight to a hypertension specialist at the Nephrology Institute. A Holter monitor is an incredibly valuable diagnostic tool.
Question for both of you: if you think you don't need these medications, why on earth are you still taking them?
It’s because everywhere I read, they say you can't just stop. If you do, things could get way worse than they were before (sorry!). Plus, my doctor just told me I'll be on this for life—no explanation provided, and she didn't listen when I explained that my blood pressure is only high when I'm worked up, otherwise it's fine. I assume she thinks my pressure is okay simply because I'm on the pills... but what she doesn't realize is that after my diagnosis, there was a period where I wasn't taking anything because she wasn't working. To explain—I ended up in the ER with terrifyingly high blood pressure after a stressful incident... they immediately put me on 10mg of Amlodipine, which I didn't actually start for another two weeks. In the meantime, my pressure was totally normal. See what I mean? I honestly thought that once I started antihypertensives, my blood pressure would NEVER spike again, no matter how stressed I got. It took me two years and several different doctors to finally hear this: take anxiolytics, but stay on the antihypertensives. I don't get why I need both. My GP also tried to push another antihypertensive on me (before the anxiolytics), but I turned it down without thinking twice. I don't need more meds that don't work.
I’d personally take the beta-blocker I take at noon... and an anxiolytic too. Both help, I can see that. One helps with the heart rate, and the other is there if things get crazy. For me, Amlodipine in the morning does absolutely nothing. Besides, as far as I know, it's harmful during potential pregnancy... so if something unplanned happens, it's more trouble than it's worth.
But I have to admit, I'm close to just stopping it altogether and seeing what happens. At the end of the day, if my blood pressure becomes unstable, I can always start again, right?
Summing it up: please, if you can, explain this to me—why should people who have high blood pressure due to anxiety attacks take antihypertensives when their readings are fine in between? Aren't those drugs meant for people whose pressure is constantly or mostly high even when they aren't stressed and are calm?
In my forty years, nobody has given me a straight answer. Everyone just gives me excuses. I want an answer. Even if someone tells me I'm talking nonsense, just tell me something!
My Gynecologist’s office takes Medicare. Every time I go in for an exam, the visit itself is "free," but I always end up paying out of pocket for things like my Pap smear and ultrasound. I recently read something online suggesting you can actually file a claim with Medicare to get reimbursed for ultrasound costs. Some woman posted that if you demand the ultrasound yourself, you're out of luck—but if the doctor deems it medically necessary, you should be entitled to a refund because you have a diagnosis. Basically, her take was that if the ultrasound uncovers an issue, you just submit the results and the bill to Medicare to get your money back.
It’s all just hearsay, and I know that (I mean, how do you even prove what the doctor thought was necessary?), but since I just had a checkup, I’m curious. Is there actually something I can do here, or am I wasting my time?
In practice, any experienced doctor will look at your home blood pressure readings—not just what you show them in the clinic. Even I know that much, and I’m not even a professional. For example, my own pressure would regularly drop from 160/100 down to 120/80 after just a few minutes of casual small talk with the doctor, without them giving me anything at all. What does that tell you? It’s all in your head. At home, my numbers were always perfectly normal. Yet, here I am, taking antihypertensives I don't actually need. Honestly, I'm fed up with doctors who refuse to believe me when I say my home readings are fine. Only one doctor actually took the time to listen to me; she said, "You don't need blood pressure meds, you need something for anxiety because you're stressed." After that, I felt fine. But I'm still on the medication because most doctors insist I need it. Ugh, I don't even know anymore. I'm just angry.
In my opinion, it's because they think the patient is overweight! Everyone I know who is a healthy weight gets the "oh, you're just a little anxious" excuse if their pressure is high at the office. But anyone overweight? They get slapped with a prescription immediately. And that's for blood pressure, obviously. I was put on meds after just one single reading—it was very high, sure, but I was in total shock that day, so... meanwhile, my brother went for his driver's license exam with 180/120 and nobody cared. Another friend of mine, a model, saw her pressure spike after losing her job—they rushed her to the hospital immediately to run every test under the sun, only to find out nothing was wrong. But for people carrying extra weight? It's just: "Here are your pills, now go lose weight." Great. Just great.🙄.
Doctors shouldn't take this personally. It isn't an attack on them. I truly respect the medical profession (even if it doesn't feel like it right now), but this blatant discrimination really burns me up. It has honestly shattered my trust in doctors. Sometimes I feel like I'm my own best physician. (By the way, that exact realization saved me from an unnecessary surgery once, so how could I think any differently?)
George Allen71 said:George Allen71... I completely agree with you. I already posted my own experiences with antipsychotics here today... especially with Zyprexa... they switched me over to Zeldox specifically because I gained over 65 pounds so suddenly... but even Zeldox had its issues... the sedation was just awful. Now, I'm refusing to take any antipsychotics at all. I have a question regarding the stabilizer Lamictal. I've heard rumors that some people gain weight from it as well. The official side effects don't mention changes in body weight... but I would love to hear if anyone else has dealt with that. I've been taking it for six months alongside my antidepressant for Bipolar Disorder, and I'm happy with the results. It's true that the weight you put on from Zyprexa won't just disappear on its own... haha... it definitely won't... but I just want to be sure that Lamictal isn't going to make things worse when it comes to weight fluctuations.
Someone mentioned here that they lost weight on Prozac... but everything is so individual... and antidepressants, or any psychotropic medication for that matter, aren't prescribed for weight management—they are prescribed to treat serious conditions. In my case, my psychiatrist wouldn't even prescribe Prozac because of its tendency to increase anxiety during the initial stages.
No matter how unpleasant the side effects might be... if the medication actually works to address the primary issue it was intended for... then that's a win. We can deal with the secondary stuff once the main problem is stabilized. I don't mean to offend anyone... but when a mental health disorder reaches a point where it's severely interfering with your ability to live a normal life, you stop worrying about the side effects or anything else... we just pray to God that the medicine works... that's what matters most.
Weight gain isn't any less dangerous than a mental illness, even if I see your point. If someone is already overweight—and they're eating because of their mental struggles—then they deal with psychosomatic issues, and then the medication causes even more weight gain while treating the mind... you're just stuck in a vicious cycle and nothing gets better. I've made that a bit messy, but I hope people get what I'm trying to say.
I'm not looking for a weight-loss miracle in psychotropic drugs; I just don't want them to cause weight gain. Honestly, if weight loss were a side effect, that would be even better. That's really all I care about.
Matthew White4 said:So, back when I was on a cocktail of Prozac, Ludiomil, and Sulpiride, I ended up packing on about 55 pounds. I actually went to my doctor specifically to get off the Sulpiride because I was gaining weight like crazy—I hit over 175 pounds easy. She told me the culprit was probably the Ludiomil, so she pulled both the Ludiomil and the Prozac, kept the Sulpiride, and swapped in some Wellbutrin instead... and within three days, I could practically feel myself shrinking. Don't even get me started on how I spent months starving myself, living on maybe one apple or a tiny bowl of muesli a day. I was hungry as hell, but I kept gaining weight, and it was clearly the meds doing it. My appetite hadn't even spiked. Anyway, just sharing my experience...
So, did you actually have an increased appetite or not? 🤣
From your post, I gather that you did, even if you weren't eating much. Basically, you're saying the pills caused the weight gain, not the food?
It’s obvious to me. It isn't the pills themselves causing the weight gain. It’s the food. 🤣It’s like that whole thing with appetite suppressants. But I’m asking specifically about the ones that actually work in the opposite direction—the ones that make you eat more. 🤣.
I still don't need antipsychotics.
Alright, thanks for getting back to me. 😉You didn't exactly make my day, but hey, it is what it is.
Jason Vaughn482 said:Honestly, that's all psychological; Xanax and Helex are essentially the exact same medication—just alprazolam.
It isn't like that for her, so don't try to convince her otherwise. 🤣
My dad always claims Neoofen works for him, even though standard-strength Ibuprofen does absolutely nothing at all🤣. If it works for him, fine. That's his business. But when other people try to lecture us about it, I just nod along. There is zero point in arguing with him.🤣.
Jason Vaughn482 said:Personally, I found that Prozac actually caused me to lose weight.
I think that’s the same thing as Zoloft, too (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). I know that much.
So, does anyone know of an anti-anxiety med that actually helps with weight loss? Or do they all just make you gain weight? Does everyone gain weight from psych meds in general, or is it just specific groups?
I assume they don't want to go on record saying something stupid. They're following that rule about not speaking on things they don't actually understand. It's smart.
Kenneth Scott41 said:What you're looking for might be Cymbalta. If you look at the prescribing information, it actually mentions weight loss and the potential for anorexia as possible effects.
I looked into 🤣. Honestly, this feels like it's meant for "extreme cases." I might be going through a lot, but I wouldn't call myself an extreme case, so...🤷
I’m curious if there’s any psychotropic medication out there that actually causes weight loss 🤣? I’m being serious here—is there anything that genuinely suppresses appetite? I read somewhere that Zoloft works that way initially, but then the effect reverses... so, does such a thing exist? If that's the case, what do doctors prescribe for patients who are already struggling with weight issues? It seems counterproductive to give someone medication when we know it might just make them gain more weight 🤔
I’d rather not say... but honestly, that specialist sees everything—all my medical history and every single medication I'm on. They know just as much as my primary care doctor does. But yeah, I get what you're getting at. Anyway, I'll just wait and see what happens at my follow-up. Though, they have to actually send me for the check-up, right? If the specialist says it's necessary, that's how it works, isn't it?
I’ve been doing great on this therapy. Ever since I started this medication, everything has been fine. Before this, I was constantly dragging myself to the ER... that's why I got so worked up just now. Maybe one of the doctors will be able to tell me for sure if she's actually allowed to adjust my prescription on her own.