Teens having High Blood Pressure

ExplorinLauren · September 2012

My son (at the time15) went to the DR for a normal checkup, and it was discovered he had high blood pressure. It was checked SEVERAL times over the span of 30 minutes, in all positions.... It was so high, that they immediately ordered an EKG, Tested his blood, and put him on meds. He was on meds for about a year...and got his BP under control.... and we went through various referrals to finallyyyyy meet up with a Cardiologist. Once there, the heart dr said he wasn't convinced it was a heart problem, and took him off of the meds, and ordered a kidney ultrasound. Maybe it wasn't a heart problem... but the DR managed to convince my son in 10 min that there was probably "no problem at all" and that he can do whatever he likes now (at least this is how my SON heard it, being a teen!)
I don't deny that the doctor knows more than I do. lol... Obviously he does. But my son loves Caffeine... Monsters, Mt Dew, Coffee...etc... ALL THINGS I NEVER ALLOW HIM TO HAVE, and ESPECIALLY after hearing he has HBP!.... But by the Dr saying he isn't convinced he has a problem, and taking him off his meds, my son has now "decided" it was never a big deal to begin with. He can have anything he wants and do what he likes... but he will "moderate" it. Mind you, my son is now 17 almost 18 and going to be an adult with NO rules anymore about what he can and cant drink, eat or do.
I find this terribly disturbing. My son, even at 17 doesn't know that much about general life. He is still learning. He DEF doesn't know ANYTHING about the medical field (which I worked in!) and has NO clue about how things affect his body. Or the fact that HBP at 15 is def an issue... And something that should ALWAYS be monitored... whether "he" thinks so or not! I feel like this Cardiologist we went to, mixed with my sons "I know everything" attitude has led him on a path that now he thinks everything is cool, and a problem never existed. Instead of realizing he needs to take notice and fix it! Not give himself excuses to have Monsters.
I'm PISSED at the Dr for even mentioning it in front of my son... but I also feel helpless that now I can't seem to make him focus on his health!
UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH what do I do?

springermad · September 2012

Me, Ok I am not a teen but when I was in my teens I always had high blood pressure but my GP just ignored it and said stop worrying about it, I am now 26 and still have very high blood pressure it is around 200/110 on the lowest average day. My pulse is 180-200 on average.

I am now under an endocrinologist due to it, I was picked up in December 2009 when I was taken to hospital with acute pneumonia and he saw I had very high blood pressure and pulse, he asked me was it normally high and I said yes but my GP just ignored it, I was discharged a few days later but had to go back and see him in four weeks.

My consultant checked my blood pressure again and noted it was really high, I was clammy, pale, flushed, severe palpitations’ (My pulse was about 180) alarm bells in his head was ringing so he wanted to keep me in but I refused (now I realised I should of as I could have gone into hypertensive crisis) with that he placed me on medication and requested me to do a 24hr urine collection and saw me a few weeks later.

When I walked in to the consulting room, my head felt like it was going to explode along with my heart, he took my blood pressure again it came in stupidly high again he said that I had raised adrenaline it is meant to be 100 mcg in 24 hours and mine is 900-1000 which can be caused by a mass on the adrenal gland. he changed my medication and requested another urine to make sure it was not a false reading, he ordered CT scans which was marked as urgent, I was in the following week having that done.

I saw him two weeks later, walked through the office door and collapsed on the floor, he admitted me straight away and I spent 4 days on critical care and 4 days on an acute endocrine ward, the medication I was on caused me to go hypovolmeic side effect of the medication, so my blood pressure went from 220/120 one minute to 75/50 the next my pulse was 200 and he had me on heart medication. (This is the start of me taking about 20 tablets a day for the rest of my life)

I was discharged and had to see him the following week and he said that he was going to refer me to a specialist hospital and they wanted to see me due to my symptoms, so off I went with more medication and off to the specialist I went.

I had read up about this mass and read that if they operate there is a chance I could die on the table 50/50 chance, in my head I already had said I am not having the surgery, when I got to the specialist, they kept me for a week, several adrenaline attacks later and acute renal failure they confirmed that I had a PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA and they could operate if I want but it’s a risky surgery and as the mass is so small and not cancerous they advised for me leave it and treat me with medication, I was more than happy with that option.

I have to see my consultant every 2 months, I am admitted at least 2/3 times a year with severe attacks, I feel like I am about to die due to the severity of them.

I take my medication everyday like a good girl, sadly this condition has caused me to give up my dream of becoming a nurse as I am to ill now to practice.

I have changed my diet, I only have decaf tea, coffee, coke, I am now veggie I don’t have added fats. The only time I have caffeine is when I have a cluster headache come on as I have been told to take them by the neurologist consultant.

My medication list is

Phenoxybenzamine20mg- 10mg twice a day
Doxazosin 8 mg- 2mg four times a day
Verapramil 480 mg- 240mg twice a day
Bisoprol 5 mg -2.5 mg twice a day
Cyclizine 50mg three times a day
Metroclopamide- three times a day
Indocmetacin- three times a day
Paracatamol- three times a day
Omerprazole- 40 mg once a day
Fludroctorisone 1mcg a day
Oral morphine as needed
Imigran injection as needed for cluster headaches

Teens having High Blood Pressure

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