For me BP was a first symptom which caught the renal and the
cardiac valvular type probs.
I for one, have been on bp meds x 3 for many many years!
Anyone else?
fwiw.........hth from Shelagh

Hi Bev, I guess he'd have to define "BP problem". I could be remembering wrong,
but I think BJ's is low.

I can't find it in the FAQ. If it were a general rule, it should be there, but
I'm not sure that high BP is common in all Lupus patients...
maybe someone else can clear this up for us..
Hugs
J

Not I.  In fact, I run too low much of the time, resulting in brown-outs.
Certain meds can make this worse. Tricyclic ADs for example - I took
Trazadone as a sleep med for about a year and I just got tired of collapsing
every time I stood up.

I think probably what this doc is really seeing is the effect of medications
and not a general statement about BP in lupus patients. I've never heard of
any correlation which of course doesn't mean it isn't there.  I've just
never heard of it. Dr. Wallace doesn't mention it.

however, steroids can cause increased bp as can some of the
serotonin-reuptake inhibitors that some patients take.  There may be other
drugs that can cause this that are used in lupus patients.  Inactivity due
to the pain of the disease can result in weight gain and other problems that
might lead to subsequent blood pressure changes.  I just don't think there
is a *direct* connection.

Bev, according to Dr Wallace in "The Lupus Book"
pg 97-98
"Monitoring blood pressure during each office visit is a good medical
practice.  Hypertension, defined as blood pressure greater than 140/90, is
observed in 25 to 30 percent of patients with systemic lupus.  The most
common causes are kidney disease and long term steriod use.  There are no
special considerations unique to managing hypertension in lupus patients,
since it usually responds to conventional regimens.  Untreated or
inadequately treated blood pressure can minimally cause headaches, but
hypertension can also lead to stroke, cardiac failure, and heart attack."

pg 112
"Lupus patients develop strokes, hypertension, psychiatric disorders,
malignancies, aneurisms, and parkinson's disease at the same or greater
frequency as healthy people.  However, an established diagnosis of lupus
clues the physician into considering other possiblilites in evaluating CNS."

Sherry

I have it too. In fact funny that this is a topic since I am having a time
controlling it lately. Today I went to see my family doc cause I was having
chest pain when I was breathing in on my right side; I have a right bundle
branch block. My bp was 150/110! I am on Benecar with HCTZ in it. I am
thinking it is not enough and that I need to go see my cardiologist to get
my meds adjusted as well as mentioning my chest pain. My family doc did not
think much of it, but we all know how that goes...The other night I was
really upset and I was having chest pain on my right side that was stabbing
through like a knife then the pain went down my right arm. I think by just
writing this and putting this all together I need to go visit my
cardiologist again. I do believe that Lupus flares and BP go hand in hand.

RhondaM

Remember, I'm not lupie; just a person with similar symptoms and
reactions. I am in early kidney failure, and kidney disease is almost
always associated with high BP. Mine is currently 80/40 (very very low),
down from 90/50 and I am monitored closely because of this. I've always
had very low blood pressure, but it's been even lower than usual lately.  
It's good news for my kidneys, but the syncope, dizziness and added
fatigue are no fun.

This may not be as simple as it seems.. I know several lupies who are on
meds typically prescribed for BP problems, but the primary reason they
were prescribed it was "to thin the blood" (OK, one side effect of which
is to lower the BP)

I was on BP meds for a few years, still watch very closely - somehow with
diet and supplements I got it down, however there is also a cholesterol
issue that my doc says is also normal for us Lupies

Leslie

my bp is always normal, unless I am in a lot of pain, then it is only
slightly elevated.  never have taken meds for it.

I actually have low blood pressure. I did have high when I had to wait for
neurologist. It was a four hour wait and he suggested blood pressure meds. I
told him I was pissed off at him, and that it was elevated because I was
stewing.
It does go up when I am in pain.
V