Is this just symptoms of my medication and pain disorder or could I have hypoglycemia?
Out of nowhere some days (completely erratically without warning) my blood pressure rises and it weakens me completely. For example, currently my pulse is about 110 bpm my hands are blotchy (as in the blood is all weird) and my veins are popping (which I know says my blood pressure is high as it has been happening so much). sometimes when I eat something like a piece of cheese or something, it stops, but it doesn't always help. I just drank some OJ and it lowered it (it was a lot higher and I could not stop shaking) but it is still at the 110 now and I am still slightly shaking. It has happened several times before as I have said, but there is no pattern. I take cymbalta, darvocet, robaxim and concerta on a daily basis (so it can't exactly be the medication since the spikes are not in relation to when I take the medication). I have fibromyalgia. I just don't know if it is simple side effects or if i should be checked for something else because when I get these spikes, it is really debilitating, breathing becomes a severe task (it can even cause asthma attacks...yeah I have asthma too). could it just be a symptom of my constant spaziness (i.e. my disabilities). Are there any quick fixes like specific foods that should make it level faster?
I have had this blood pressure problem my whole life. FMS was diagnosed when I was 11. Before then we tried to see what was wrong with me, 1000000 tests later and no answer but after a car accident at 11 I was diagnosed with FMS. It has not been any worse since the stimulants were prescribed (both cymbalta and concerta are stimulants) it just gets worse when I don't eat as much and that is why I think it could be my blood sugar.
Public Comments
1. be sure it really is FMS to begin with--it is highly overdiagnosed whenit really is anotehr condition...you could have 2 differnet problems---or it could be the meds
thecymbalta can make you shaky--its a stimulant
2. Reactive hypoglycemia is very common in fibromyalgia. You can be tested for it, or you could just change your diet and avoid the problem altogether. The test is a 3 or 5 hour glucose tolerance test. The dietary changes are easy. Just eat very small frequent meals , low carb, emphasis on lean protein. Basically you will be eating small servings of food all day long to keep your blood sugar even. Protein keeps you from crashing. Carry nuts (if you aren't allergic to them) to eat a few when you start feeling yourself crashing. Eat lots of non starchy veggies, lean dairy , and protein always before any kind of whole grain. Moderation is the key.
About your blood pressure, high blood pressure can be a result of untreated pain. Your blood pressure goes down after eating cheese because of the calcium in the cheese. You could consume more calcium rich foods to help lower the pressure. Talk to your doctor about your blood pressure, you really need to be monitored.
