Has anyone tried ADHD medication and had a rise in blood pressure?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

I'm concerned about this, and wonder how common it is for these medication types to affect your blood pressure? I know it can do it to some people.

Anyone experienced this?

They're stimulants and related to amphetamines so they increase blood pressure and heart rate. I took methylphenidate 5mg tablets three times a day for a couple of weeks and felt like I was going to have a heart attack despite being on 80mg Propranolol each day. I had to come off them.

Not everyone is able to tolerate the stimulant meds. There are non stimulant meds for adhd.

Yes, I know the majority of options are stimulants, but the couple of doctors I've spoken to seem really unconcerned - they say not everyone experiences the blood pressure issue at all?

The doctor I spoke to most recently said it's fairly unusual to react badly.

The non stimulants have blood pressure issues listed as a side effect as well so this doesn't seem like a sure win either.

The doctor I spoke to most recently said it's fairly unusual to react badly.

It's very common to react to them and be unable to take them. A significant percentage of adhd people can't tolerate them, it's a very well known problem. The adhd online groups that I'm in are full of people unable to medicate due to intolerable side effects.

Ds1 is on methylphenidate and has been told to have his BP monitored at the GP surgery.

I'm sorry, I don't have any experience of the non stimulant meds.

@BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation

The doctor I spoke to most recently said it's fairly unusual to react badly.

It's very common to react to them and be unable to take them. A significant percentage of adhd people can't tolerate them, it's a very well known problem. The adhd online groups that I'm in are full of people unable to medicate due to intolerable side effects.

Ds1 is on methylphenidate and has been told to have his BP monitored at the GP surgery.

It's disappointing to hear so many have problems, but I suppose it doesn't really shock me! Although that doctor had sort of led me to being optimistic after hearing it was in her opinion, rare.

She sees mostly kids/ teens though I think so I wonder if kids generally have less problems with the meds.

I hope your DS continues to have no problems on it and does well

My blood pressure went up on Vyvanse. 10mg and 20mg was ok but once I titrated to 30mg blood pressure rose.

Currently taking 20mg while I wait to see the doctor again to discuss my options.

Thanks, I hope he can manage on them too as he says they're helping.

Are you on the meds at the moment?

@Rainbows89 can I ask how much it went up? Did it come back down to your normal range as soon as you reduced it again? I hope you can find something that works well for you.

I have type 1 diabetes and retinopathy (eye disease, very seriously affected by high blood pressure) so I'm extremely uneasy about even trialling medication. It's very frustrating!

Are you on the meds at the moment?

No. I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2018, but had to have a cardiovascular evaluation due to type 1 diabetes. Then I moved/ the pandemic began which delayed it all. But finally have done the cardiovascular tests, and that looks ok (at least for now!) so now really have to decide if I should try them or not.

My BP went through the roof on the slow release methylphenidate, but was totally normal on instant release.

I can’t try Elvanse as it’s a NOPE with some of my other meds.

Could you go on anti hypertensives to deal with any rise in BP?

[quote AbsentmindedWoman]@Rainbows89 can I ask how much it went up? Did it come back down to your normal range as soon as you reduced it again? I hope you can find something that works well for you.

I have type 1 diabetes and retinopathy (eye disease, very seriously affected by high blood pressure) so I'm extremely uneasy about even trialling medication. It's very frustrating![/quote]
It went up to 155/105. It scared me and I stopped it straight away.

Yes it came back down the next day. I already had high blood
Pressure and am on a medication for that.

I know it’s hard. The vyvanse really helps me so I was a bit gutted when it went up. Im hoping to maybe combine something else with the 20.

I've always had really low blood pressure so if mine goes up it's still in a stable range and they don't seem to mind.

Mine went up to 155/105 on 20mg fast release Adderall so I'm not taking that any more. It took about 6 hours to go back down to normal. I didn't bother trying methylphenidate as I was just a bit too spooked by how awful I felt.

My kids are fine on it, but they have below average BP generally.

Trying generic Strattera now - it's been OK so far.

My worry in your situation OP is that your doctor doesn't seem to be taking this very seriously. Mine has been great on that front. We actually discovered the BP issue when I went in about something else and my BP was unusually high, he immediately ran an EKG (which was fine), then had me monitor my BP for a week and come back in to review.