I'm wondering if any NON-smokers have had problems with birth control pills & high blood pressure? I'm in my mid-thirties and have had some high BP readings at the doctor's office lately. My primary doctor is trying to determine the cause but he suggested it could be the birth control pills. He said that if they can't find a cause he'll take me off them for a month to see if it returns to normal. Has anyone had this type of experience?
I just wanted to let you know that a friend of mine (34 years old) had a stroke back in October. Thankfully, she's fine, but the doctors determined the cause to be her birth control pills. She didn't have any warning signs for the stroke.
I couldn't take/be on birth control pills because I always was a little prehypertensive in my teens/twenties.
Yes, it is very possible to get high blood pressure from birth control pills. They cause all sorts of vascular problems, including stroke and blood clots.
In fact, any type of pharmaceutical drug you take can and does have side effects. And when you add one pharma drug to another, you open up a whole coctail of a variety of problems and issues.
Wow, first I've heard of this. I have extremely low blood pressure and have been on the pill over 20 years.
I just had a similar conversation with my doctor (my doctor's sub since she's out on maternity leave) and at age 42, I take birth control pills and suffer from severe migraines and do not smoke. In the last year, the frequency and severity of my migraines has slightly increased and so did my blood pressure readings. Even after a physical, no reason could be found. I then started taking my pressure at home and recording the data for my doctor, but the elevated readings in the doctor's office didn't stop. It was assumed to be white-coat syndrome. Then recently at home I took a few higher readings and went back to the doctor, a little more concerned.
Then it was suggested that maybe the recent migraines were at fault for the sudden bp readings. I started taking the very smallest dose of a bp medicine to see if that would reduce the migraine issues and lower the bp. The verdict is still out. It was only during a recent follow up visit that we touched on the birthcontrol pills - vascular issue, which was not previously explored. I am now considering an alternative birth control option given the risks and might consider going off for a while to see if that might be the cause given my age. Who knew my forties would be so medically exciting!
Birth control pills can elevate your blood pressure as does smoking. That is why they advise not doing both since it doubles your chance of having high blood pressure and potentially a heart attack.
I have never had blood pressure issues so my birth control pills do not effect my blood pressure.
I had this same problem after having my son. I was on BC for 10+ years before stopping to conceive my son. When I was ready to start BC again I started the exact same type that I took before and for some reason had BP issues within about 2 months of starting again. My doc switched me to a different brand and that still not help. I have never had BP issues even when I was pregnant. Within a month of stopping BC my BP was back to normal and has not been an issue since then. I am also in my mid-thirties.
Good Luck
I have not had this problem, but I would recommend that you get a blood pressure wrist cuff and take your BP every morning and every afternoon, and chart it. Then take the cuff to the doctor with you and let them take your blood pressure with it. Then take it with their cuff. That will tell them how close the two cuffs are. Then they can look at your records.
It will also differentiate between the "white coat" high BP and your regular BP.
Good luck!
Dawn
Birth control pills have raised my blood pressure, definitely. It was confirmed by doctor. By choice I'm staying on them because changing pills messes up my body too much, and these particular ones prevent the adult acne I always experience without the pill. :) Good luck - my doc recommended blood pressure medication, but I haven't consented yet.
Hi, 2 daughters:
Have you looked on line to see the side effects of your BC pills?
If not, do so.
Yes, BC, can cause vascular problems.
Take care of yourself.
D.
I, too, got high BP in my 30's on the pill. I switched to an IUD which worked fine until they took them off the market (many years ago). Then I had my tubes tied at age 40. The pill must show a predisposition to high BP in people. The problem with high BP is that it causes vascular damage if you don't control it: kidneys, eyes, heart. So it is best to keep your BP normal however you have to do it. (I now have to take BP meds.)
no-but medicine is not 100%-stop taking the pill-figure out something else-for the sake of your family and yours!
