Weddingbee boards

Let me first say that I do have a call into my doctor about this, but I'm waiting on him to call me back. I'm just wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this...

I've been on BC for about 2.5 years (Loestrin 24), and it's been great. I used to have horrendous exhausting 10-day periods that came every 3 weeks or so (horrible!), and it totally solved that problem. But, the past few times I've been to the dentist and OB (the last year and a half or so), they've mentioned that my blood pressure was high. No one ever said it was really bad or anything, so at first I figured it was just white coat syndrome.

However, the last time I went to the dentist they seemed a bit worried about it so I started to wonder if maybe I actually do have high blood pressure. I've been testing it on my own for the last couple months, and it turns out it is really high. My systolic varies from 140 to 155 (usually at least 145), and my diastolic is between 95 and 110 (usually over 100). 

I'm 22 years old, weigh 110 lbs, eat pretty healthily and exercise, so there's no reason my BP should be this high! I always had good BP before going on the Pill (under 120/80), so I suspect it's the BC that's causing it. 

Has anyone ever experienced this? Did your doctor take you off the pill, and did that fix it? Is going on a lower dose pill or a progestin-only pill an option (I'm currently on a 20 mcg estrogen pill, but there is a 10mcg version)? 

@mwitter80:yeah, I'm expecting to have to go off of it... we'll see what the doc says when he calls back!

@Eva Peron:well, I'm in law school, which I'd say is pretty stressful, but that's nothing new. Haha!

I just got a call back from the nurse at my Dr's office, who says she's "never heard of birth control raising blood pressure." Hmm. I asked her to have my Dr call me back. 

@Knubbsy-Wubbsy: yeah, it's on the pamphlet... although it says it's an "infrequent" side affect.

@Gemstone: Haha, no - I'd definitely go off of it before adding BP medications! I've kind of been wanting to try NFP anyway, but I'm afraid I'll go back to the horrible periods I had pre-BC.

@Eva Peron:oh, that's scary! I gained about 10 lbs when I went on the pill, but I never had trouble keeping my weight down before the pill so I would assume it would go back to that... I guess the worst case scenario is just to get back on it like you did. It shouldn't be this complicated!! Haha. 

Well, the nurse called back. She said she talked to the Dr and he "highly doubts" that the BC is causing my high blood pressure. Apparently he said that only happens to women over 35. 

I'm a little bothered by the fact that he didn't call me back himself (normally he has a great bedside manner and is willing to take time to answer my questions), and I still suspect the pill has something to do with it (I mean... it's listed as a side affect on the pamphlet). 

It just seems weird, since I never had high blood pressure before, and I'm otherwise pretty healthy. He did tell the nurse to tell me that I can switch to the lower dose version (LoLoestrin, 10 mcg estrogen instead of 20) if I want, but that he highly doubts it will make a difference.

I guess there's no harm in trying the lower dose pill? I dont know... I just started a new pack today, so I need to at least finish out this month before I change anything, so I have a while to think about it.

@Eva Peron:I'm on absolutely nothing, don't smoke, only drink maybe 2-4 glasses of wine a week. I'm healthy! Haha. Even Advil I take VERY VERY rarely.

I don't have a blood pressure thing at home, so I've just been stopping by Walgreens or CVS every few days and doing it there. I took it using my grandma's at-home one while I was visiting her over Thanksgiving. All of them have been consistent with each other within a few numbers (plus they always tell me it's high when I'm at the dentist/GYN).

@MsMonkey:hmm, I wonder if it was the change in medication or the extra workouts that fixed it for you. My gut feeling is still that it's the pill causing it... I'm considering going off of it for a few months just to see what happens...

@philabride2bee:that's interesting... I find it weird that he was so dismissive about it as well, but I've been seeing him for years and I really do trust him... it's just weird since it seems to happen to so many people. Maybe the specific pill I'm on doesn't usually do that? I don't know.

@SummerGirl21:I'm thinking I may be like you... definitely considering going off of it just to find out. I'm pretty freaked out about the numbers I'm getting (although it doesn't seem to phase the doctor!). Has BP gone back to normal for you?

This is sort of related in an odd way, but for years I had this frequent peeing problem. I was going 4-5 times an hour, 7-8 times during the night, saw multiple doctors for it, and no one could tell me what was wrong with me. I decided to see a naturopath because I figured I had nothing to lose, and when he found out I was on the pill, he mentioned that he saw a lot of side effects from the pill in his office. He told me bladder irritation was one of them, so I stopped the pill, and voila, frequent urination went away. I've told my doctors about it and none of them will acknowledge the link between the two. It frustrates the hell out of me because it was absolutely the pill that caused this problem, but the doctors won't admit it. I know this has nothing to do with BP, but I understand if you think there's a link between two things and your doctor ignores it!