Nursing trauma, night sweats and blood pressure

[Throughtheroof]

I’m 37, last year I witnessed awful things at work (I was a police custody nurse working on my own in a busy crazy place) and after losing 2 close family members to Covid, by December I was frazzled with PTSD, grief and Stress and on the way home from a normal extremely stressful shift where a patient banged his head open over and over again whilst simultaneously screaming in my face, I swerved in front of a lorry then back again and sat at the side of the road sobbing and realised it was time to see my GP and get a new job, all my mental health is slowly under control with further counselling etc. Doing well there. But I got a few problematic physical symptoms of PTSD including night terrors and the worst drenching night sweats. I mean I was up at 3am every night changing my pyjamas and sheets I was soaked through, with the window and fan on and a light blanket. Awful. Constantly exhausted. This went on from December to March and still happens occasionally but much more mildly now. In March I started to get headaches and hot flushes in the day, I was worried it was menopause but I avoid the doctors like the plague and prefer to google for myself. I had an episode of chest pain and a really red face and temperature and was persuaded to go to the hospital and my blood pressure there was 240/160 and didn’t go down and they discharged me after my second troponin and I was to call my GP. I was tested as an out patient with bloods and ECG and no heart issues, no menopause or adrenal gland tumours, just essential hypertension. I had bought a monitor and measured it at home and it was consistently over 200 at various times of the day, during a night sweat it could be up to 240. My pulse was always 67 throughout.

Anyway, I’m on Ramipril 5mg and Amlodipine 10mg now, I am physically weak, I drop heavy dishes out of the oven and I get more breathless easily, I have asthma which is well controlled.

My blood pressure sits around 130 - 160 which is much better. I think the doctor has sort of given up a bit, let the tablets work etc, stop measuring it now, shhhh, lose weight and do more exercise etc etc.

I still get milder night sweats but daily hot flushes. I secretly think there is still something very wrong with me.

Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.

[tigerjuz86]

Hello I’m so sorry you have experienced what you went through ,, and I’m so sorry on your loss especially through hard times where can’t be close to them ,, I lost my mum too last June not covid related but count myself lucky as I was her carer but can’t imagine what it’s like not to be able to do that through a really hard time ,, that really did sound like a stressful job especially when trying to deal with your own things ,, I’m really glad you took that swerve back and took the help you needed and slowly Gettin under control well done 👏,, that sounds awful have the drs not told you what you can do to prevent it happening have you tried calming music to fall asleep to and I can imagine how tired you are feeling ., I am same hate any health place and rather avoid but slowly learning to ask for help even if not for long eases your mind for a bit to cope a little good thing is at the moment it’s telephone or video consultations which I find much easier then face to face as I’m in comfort of my own home safe place ,, oh my days that is high did they not give you blood pressure medication before they let you leave ,, do you constantly check it I am also guilty of doing this but think I make it worse as see number over 140-160 and panic has set in ,, just try stick to couple times a day like a routine just gradually reduce and miss a reading if you overtest every hour like I did ,,

I am physically drained too and short of breath especially on waking ,, I’ve noticed a lot of others on this forum are too some people have asked for dosage to be reduced that is my next step as I tried to persevere with it but just don’t have strength and makin my anxiety fly ,, that’s Definetley much better bp reading that’s good it’s coming down ,, I’m the very same always thinking the worst but I’m thinking is it coz it was so high mine was 220/114 in a&e now 130-150 some off days spikes but think that’s panic ,,

i hope there is nothing wrong hoping you be fine but think we overthink things but I try to think like :

After medication like our body’s getting used to the difference like I don’t know how long I’ve had hypertension before went to a&e so like a drastic change it’s getting used to if that makes sense or I tell myself that helps a little ,, anyway really hope you feel better real soon and good luck on your journey won’t always be easy but if ever in any doubt get phone appointment and this forum good real people with real experiences that help hugely ,, take care n good luck 🤞 x

[jeanjeannie50]

You have my sympathy, it sounds as though you've just been through one of the most stressful periods of your life. No wonder your BP went up so high.

Now must be you time and you need to let calm wash over you. I'd suggest walks in the countryside. Listen to the birds and admire the flowers and trees. Above all do everything slowly, no racing around.

My BP can be brought down by deep breathing. Deep breath in and then blow out quickly. Do this a few times and then check to see if it helps you. I think at times we can fall into only doing shallow breathing and forget we at one time took deep breaths naturally.

At your age I had night sweats too, but oddly didn't get them at menopause time. So perhaps that's just a normal pre age 40 thing.

No medical experience here, buts lots of life events.

Wishing you well.

Jean

[Retirement65 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Hello everyone just wanted to say hope everybody is coping ok with what we have to cope with I can relate to so much of what has been discussed each time I’m thinking I’m getting somewhere the rug seems to be pulled I do think there is an element of quote ‘you need to be calmer stop worrying relax more’ which I get totally but when you don’t see yourself improving I find this difficult I’ve prayed so hard to just have slight improvements- thank you for talking about taking bp on monitor I’ve had a few days where mine had been fine but had bad headache yesterday and recently gone on another bp tab so have still been monitoring but just twice a day but today the systolic is raised it’s never usually both so feel a bit a square one ‘do you monitor do you ignore’ thank you to everybody who puts messages on here I’ve found it all so helpful sorry that people are feeling poorly but don’t feel on my own take care everyone saying my prayers for you all 😘

[Blackcatsooty]

Thank you for taking on those essential nursing duties. You have done your time and now i hope you can settle and take on other duties, nursing or otherwise.I defined night terrors as being so real that they stayed with me during the day. I defined nightmares as horrid dreams that i could forget. I will not dwell on nightmares and not talk about them. They seem to ease more quickly if i follow that idea.

Amlodipine did not agree with me. I switched to ramipril which is ok for me. However i am 72 and maybe thats relevant.

PTSD needs specialist counseling and perhaps you could access this counselling via the police force.

My counsellor, by sheer coincidence, was PTSD specialist to the army. She was wonderful and helped me through difficulties after a stroke. Worth her weight in gold.

Strangely but delightfully my moderate asthma has eased a lot. I use revlar and its worked wonders for me.

Best wishes

Colin

[marypw]

Just a couple of practical things to help with night sweats- a Chillow pillow that's been in the fridge really helps to keep you cool. Also try sleeping on a bath towel - more absorbent and a lot easier to chuck in the wash than changing all the sheets!Night sweats are horrible.

[Qualipop]

PLEASE, first of all STOP GOOGLING. Yes I'm shouting because I'm guilty of it too and it's he worst thing you can do. There is so much utter rubbish out here you could imagine you have every illness under the sun. You are still suffering from PTSD and probably health anxiety too and you need help. Your description of your symptoms sounds exactly like I was when I had a breakdown many years ago; the high BP, the sweats and shakes, tears, I had panic attacks which shot y BP off the scale. Take your BP only once a day after sitting down for 10 minutes and relaxing. Ask your GP for counselling. If you can afford it, try self hypnosis. You know there is nothing else wrong with you. It's a long slow slog to recover. You know your heart is ok and it's stress raising your BP. Over time your BP will go down and you may come off he tablets but for now you need them If you feel your GP isn't bothering, ask around friends and change GP. Not all GPs are sympathetic or properly understand what PTSD can do. It can cause many physical symptoms. Doesn't the Police Force provide counselling? It took me 3 years to fully get over my breakdown but it's still left me wit occasional panic attacks and health anxiety when I get new physical symptoms. A GP simply treating your BP isn't enough. GO for counselling and do try hypnotherapy and relaxation exercises.

[Ascb]

Sorry you experinced such horrific events at work. The physical symptoms you are experiencing might well be due to PTSD and I'd recommend, as well as obviously still seeing your GP, trauma focused therapy, either trauma focused CBT or EMDR to help you process what you've been through. Sending best wishes to you.