spiriva11275 months ago

Hi Slowpoke. Not sure it's a co morbitity, but a lot of the medications tend to raise blood pressure/pulse. What inhaler are you using? I use Spiriva Respimat that works well for me.

garshe in reply to spiriva11275 months ago

I Have always used Spiriva for 12yrs but theres a new one out manufactured by AstraZeneca. Getting that today,worth a try supposed to be excellent for lungs. It will replace Spiriva and Sirdupla . Will let you all know how I get on.. been told if I'm not satisfied can revert back to Spiriva so nothing to lose .xxSheila 💕

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spiriva1127 in reply to garshe5 months ago

I would appreciate the name of the inhaler when you get a chance. Thank you

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Slowpoke000 in reply to spiriva11275 months ago

My inhaler is Seretide 50. Thank you for your. previous replies.

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garshe in reply to Slowpoke0005 months ago

The new medication I am having today replaces my Spiriva also one of my inhalers Surdupla. The Surdupla replaced a previous inhaler which was Seretide . I don't like change and have been on same medication for 12yrs. I have a Respiratory team who are very supportive but recently there is a new team called The COPD team who called to see me on Thursday. Spent over 2hrs here at my home and very knowledgeable as only specialize in COPD.

I have agreed to try the new medication as hopefully can improve my breathing. My GP telephoned me 8 30am Friday morning as the team had e.mailed her. I was surprised to say the least as usually cant speak to GP but she was really helpful. She arranged for my prescription to be delivered today. Will let you know the name and how I get on with it . Fingers crossed AstraZeneca have come up with an improvement on previous medication . I did not have a problem with theIr vaccine but did with the Moderna so hopefully this medication will be an improvement on my breathlessness. Take care xxSheila💕⚘

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lesley2 in reply to garshe5 months ago

Hallo. Please could you also advise me of the name of the new inhaler as I seem to be working my way through the list. Thank you

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garshe in reply to lesley25 months ago

Being delivered today . Manufactured by AstraZeneca.

New inhaler also comes with device to administer

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SickpeoplewithCOPD in reply to garshe5 months ago

WOW ...oh for a surgery with treatment like that - are you sure you are not getting private treatment .

I have been hospitalised three times due to passing out through lack of oxygen - and never once has anyone from our surgery contacted me.

My last hospitalisation found I was a carbon retainer - for which I was given a machine to use at night - and a card to give paramedics how to treat me - as I am not to be pumped full of oxygen ..as I was during the three occasions.

As to blood pressure - my GP changed my BP tablets for no reason - I have only managed to contact a junior GP informing her that with these new tablets - when I stand up my BP diastolic shoots up to the 200 mark. She actually said that "she was told in training college that as long as it dropped to normal when I sat down for ten minutes- it was alright". I asked - what happens if I wanted to do some gardening or such for an hour with pressure that high ..?? no comment except "I can put you back on the old tablets if you want" - unbelievable.

I'm not usually a moaner - but at 86 this COPD has just become a problem since numerous jabs for COVID and my GP changed my blood pressure tablets.

Tried talking to the nurses but don't seem to want to help.

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garshe in reply to SickpeoplewithCOPD5 months ago

its all thanks to my Respiratory Team and now a new team added The COPD team. I have direct telephone numbers to both these Teams. I can contact them between 8.30am and 4.30pm daily, If they are all out theres an answer machine and they will call me back that day. I can call to chat for advice or If I'm concerned they will call to my house following day. any Problems they e.mail my GP and sort out medication and anything else required . These teams work directly with my Consultant at the Hospital and have even had him to call at my house.

 there is also another Team The Acute Nursing team. They call 3 times a day if you have a serious infection etc. It is to prevent being admitted to hospital and can have antibiotics administered intravenously. Drip if dehydrated etc They also take blood samples and get results same day. .they call morning ,afternoon and evening from 8am to 10pm .very highly qualified and give same treatment as hospital but at home which means less likely to catch other infections on hospital ward.

 You should make enquiries to see if any of these teams operate in your area. Once you are on their books they keep in close contact and make regular checks

Hope you are able to get sorted, as having the correct treatment and most of all support is so reassuring. These also run the Pulmonary Rehab Courses which you can gain a lot of knowledge. xxSheila 💕⚘ Good Luck.



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SickpeoplewithCOPD in reply to garshe5 months ago

Thank you very much Sheila for your very helpful reply. I am not aware of where you live .. and I have found from other COPD sites I have discovered ... that after care varies tremendously even within the UK ... and other countries that rely on insurance. I assume your experience is of the UK health service.

At 86 I have only had the seriousness of my condition and hospitalisation since the time COVID hit the country. Which means a 20+ mile journey to hospital - for which I waited (unconscious) for 7 hours .. plus the time I became unwell and the drive to hospital .. a total of some 10 hours. No wonder my wife thought I was a gonna. It was only then they decided I was a carbon retainer - gave me some eight days in hospital on their machine - then provided me with a machine to take home .........then silence. Not a word from my GP or Nurses - but one appointment with the hospital consultant.

No wonder AandE are busy .. when one cannot get an appointment with my local surgery only about a mile away - and have to end up in AandE.

Sorry for my rant - but looks like the only way is to complain - perhaps at my age I have grown used to the professionalism of the old family doctor service.

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garshe in reply to SickpeoplewithCOPD5 months ago

I live in UK South Wales, Swansea area xxSheila 💕⚘

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spiriva1127 in reply to Slowpoke0005 months ago

Thank you.

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garshe in reply to spiriva11275 months ago

being delivered today. Will keep you updated this replaces my Spiriva and Sirdupla. Also comes with device for administering xxSheila

Prescription

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lesley2 in reply to garshe5 months ago

Thank you

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garshe in reply to garshe5 months ago

waiting on prescription being delivered. I will then pass it on no problem xx Sheila 👍

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pegbl in reply to garshe5 months ago

very interested to see how you get on with the new one by Astra Zeneca Sheila. Do please cKeep us updated. X x Peg

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CDPO165 months ago

Hi, I have emphysema but no problem with high blood pressure. My COPD reviews tend to vary in quality but are often short and very basic. It's good that your high BP is being monitored now. I have learnt a lot from this site too so you aren't alone in that respect.

Grayjay5 months ago

I shouldn't think that your BP is affected by COPD it will be a different problem unfortunately.

Ergendl5 months ago

I had raised blood pressure for a while before COPD. It was treated with a beta blocker which was stopped on diagnosis of my lung problem. I had problems with a lot of the blood pressure medication and could only take the water tablet indapamide without problems. So I lost about a stone in weight, going from the top end of a healthy BMI to a middling BMI which brought my BP down to OK levels. I also avoid having too much salt as that causes fluid retention which raises weight and BP.

anng185 months ago

Hi Slowpoke,

Were you nervous about this appointment? If so, your blood pressure could have gone up - it's good they are monitoring it over 24 hours - my sister in law had this done and she was fine - it was white coat syndrome. Also if the person does it too quickly after you have entered the room, it can show an elevated blood pressure. When I use to go for hospital appointments, they took my blood pressure immediately I arrived and after puffing up a hill - as such, it was always higher than normal. Let's hope yours is ok.

Slowpoke000 in reply to anng185 months ago

yes, I was nervous beforehand so this might just be the reason and will find out for sure soon. Thanjs gfor your response.

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Hidden5 months ago

With the caveat that I’m not medically qualified. I had to go off and do a bit of reading after seeing your question, but the short answer is yes, high blood pressure, or hypertension, is actually a common comorbidity of copd. All the information I found from reputable sources, including some published studies, said it’s currently the most common comorbidity for people with copd. Obviously for some people, they would have developed high bp even without copd, so it isn’t necessarily causative for everyone, but for others researchers say it is a direct effect of having lung disease over time. I will also just throw out, though, that bp is majorly effected by stress, and some people, myself included, have a propensity towards the medically recognised ‘white coat syndrome’. My bp at home is generally 120/80ish, although occasionally does head up towards 140/90, but in any medical setting it’s typical for it to be above 150/100 without fail. In my own case, a 24 hour ambulatory monitor is currently high up on my holy grail of medical wishes, so I would take reassurance from the fact they’re doing one and checking the extent of the situation.

If you do have persistent elevation, managing any hypertension will go a long way towards helping to protect against cardiovascular problems. One of the reasons they keep an eye on bp in copd is because for a minority it can represent a more serious form called pulmonary hypertension, so again, managing the situation appropriately helps to identify those that might have PH and need more help. More generally, though, as Ergendl said, losing weight is helpful for managing bp if you’re overweight, along with exercising and reducing salt intake. Getting out of breath through activity is actually a broad positive for most lung conditions, and it’s possible to reduce the rate of lung function decline by exercising. In some cases, people can even significantly increase their fev1 by becoming more active and exercising more.

Slowpoke000 in reply to Hidden5 months ago

Many thanks for such an informative response😊 I will be having the bp test soon so wi find out more then but my thinking is that it may well be related to my copd.

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Mavary5 months ago

Hi! I’ve had high blood pressure all my life. I think a lot of mine is what they call white coat syndrome. I see a Dr and my blood pressure jumps up. I am on bloo pressure medication now I got older. All my Mothers family were the same and all lived until well into their 80s.

Slowpoke000 in reply to Mavary5 months ago

I am hoping it is just white coat syndrome.....

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adenough5 months ago

hello, have just read your piece, yes it’s not much fun the emphysema bit.. mine is at the very serious stage so every day I wake up is a bonus even though I am so frustrated as I cannot function much at all.. one thing to suggest to you & all is eat plumbs.. President plumbs are available now but not for long.. they are so good for us, quite astonishing at just how they are full of goodness… Have a lovely day xx

Slowpoke000 in reply to adenough5 months ago

thank you for your response.

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Izb15 months ago

I wonder if us lunggies suffer from high bp due to coughing so much, just a thought. I have been on so many different meds for this as its so hard to control, on good days it can be 123/98 on bad days 145/112 . I have stayed on Bisopralol as it seems to suit me better and Bendrflumathiazide (which I dont always take, spend enough time on the loo) have cut my salt down and try to get enough exercise. I think on lung disease, the doctors just dont give enough information and it seems to be a matter of fact to them, we are left to get on with it and gain information from sites like this and the internet. Luckily for me i found this site and the lovely people on it x

Slowpoke000 in reply to Izb15 months ago

Tthsnk you....J am very glad to have found this site.

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peege5 months ago

I can't add to replies especially CharlieG's excellent one.

just to say, when a close friend was dx with high BP the doc advised that just losing 4lbs would fix it along with avoiding salt, fatty & processed food. She doesn't have copd though did smoke a good few years.

Slowpoke000 in reply to peege5 months ago

Thank you for your message...much appreciated.

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Kate1245 months ago

they’ve never took my BP on COPD review. If they had it’s always low. So I doubt related. I’ve had COPD for 5 years.

Karenanne615 months ago

I have read that high blood pressure and high cholesterol are not uncommon in patients with copd. I checked cuz both mine are high but I'm now on meds for both.

Albertdog3 days ago

sorry to say Slowpoke000 - your experience seems par for the course throughout the UK.

I was diagnosed with COPD in the early days of the COVID outbreak. At 86 years old - all I get is a cursory glance by my GP or Nurses.

My hospital consultant gives more attention to my BP - and during my last visit some 3 months ago - wrote to my GP requesting a 24 hour BP monitor - as he was concerned about my high reading.

As I am now on a DNR order following my last hospital stay - which took 8 hours to get an ambulance - no one at my Surgery is interested in providing a 24 hour machine.

I am told - your on the list. It's broken we don't know where it is Finally my Surgery tell me to ask my Consultant to supply - if he is so keen for me to have a machine. Informed my Consultant - and it is now over three months and still no result.

It would appear that should I have a heart attack while on a DNR order - my wife will be left to manage the best she can - as we have had no instructions or medication as to what action we should take.

It appears that they would all be happy for me to become another statistic - 😡😡😡