Nothing to be done for high blood pressure?
I have had high blood pressure for several years, in the 137/90 range. I have dysautonomia, MCAS, Addison's Disease and a whole bunch of other things. My first cardiologist gave me hydrochlorothiazide, even though Addison's is a salt-wasting disease and I take fludrocortisone for that. She dismissed it when I asked about it. It didn't help anyway and made my lipidema worse. I weaned myself off and now I am on nothing. BP is low when I am lying down with feet elevated. Otherwise it is high, even when I am sleeping.
Current cardiologist, when he finally got back to me, prescribed a small dose of amlodipine, noting that dizziness was possible. I researched this med and it is specifically bad for lipidema due to swelling and water retention. I pointed that out and he didn't address that at all. But this is what he did say:
^(Yes, the dysautonomia is undoubtedly an underlying foundation of difficulty controlling BP since the body and the blood vessels are not consistently responding appropriately to the signals the brainstem typically sends to dilate or constrict different arteries (and occasionally veins as well).)
^(Therefore, there are often wild and inappropriate swings in BP.)
^(The brainstem is very carefully and minutely constructed to change vascular tone as needed in all vessel areas at all times of the day and night for our entire life. With autonomic insufficiency that constant regulatory function does not work well. It is extremely hard (and impossible) to use crude medications to replicate the minute and nuanced changes in vascular tone that our bodies usually do continually all day long.)
There is nothing to be done? I'm a high stroke risk genetically. I am turning 60. What am I supposed to do?
Posted Jul 30, 2026, 2:08 PM UTC