to just double my medication?

[DoraSpenlow]

I have a condition which causes high blood pressure and which high blood pressure makes worse, if you see what I mean I am supposed to keep my readings below 130/80. It has gradually been creeping up over the last few months to an average of 175/85. Impossible of course to have a GP appointment and I have now been waiting a month for a telephone consulation. They said they rang twice on Monday so I was taken off the list but there is no record of a missed call on either my landline - which I asked them to use - nor my mobile. I was in all day. This morning they have put me back on the list but of course I am now at the bottom again.

Would I be unreasonble to take two tablets a day instead of one to get the readings down until I can actually talk to someone? I'm really worried about it.

Don't know what else to do. Should I try and get back in touch with the consultant even though he discharged me to GP care? (I use the term loosely).

Don't change your dose without speaking to the GP or your consultant. Do you have any other symptoms associated with raised BP? E.g. issues with vision, palpitations, headache etc?

If you can, submit your readings online and request a review by the duty doctor. At my surgery readings as high as yours get flagged for immediate review.

Can you make an appointment directly with the practice nurse to do yourBP , some nurses will then have a word with GP re meds and some are able to increase themselves directly depending on their training?

Call 111, they can sometimes make you an appointment with the GP

No,no other symptoms.

Already submitted readings a month ago.

Practice nurse said I need to speak to the doctor.

Resubmit additional readings. Good luck.

Are you medically trained?

111 may be able to help, in some areas they can liaise with GP surgeries and get faster appointments

I would ring 111 and ask.

That is a high BP result and I’m very surprised the GP hasn’t just gotten you in for an appointment to discuss alternative treatment/increase dose.

What medication are you currently taking? How many days has your BP been this high and is it constant??

Did that today.

Keep calling them, or turn up there

No, but if no one at my surgery will talk to me at least I can get the levels down and not risk a stroke or heart attack until someone deigns to talk to me.

I'm on 5mg Ramipril daily.

Yesterday was down to 127/80 but back to 168/85 today.

I went in today but they just put me back on the list for a call.

Think I am going to have to do this if I don't hear by Friday.

No, I wouldn’t just double the dose. That may be too much for you or could take you over the max daily dose depending on which drug you are already taking and at which dose.

It maybe that would need an additional drug or different drug rather simply increasing the dose.

It's ridiculous that you can't get GP advice, while you wait it would be a good idea to speak to your pharmacist as they will be able to give you knowledgeable advice.

You would need your kidney function checked within 2 weeks of increasing the dose. So they really have to be involved. But they are failing you. Call 111 is my advice.

Don't double the dose. You could have complications from blood pressure becoming too low.

I'd consider 111 or whether your area does evening/weekend GP appointments. Ours does from a few central locations.

Can you ask a pharmacist?

The GP will more than likely double your dose to 10mg and possibly add another anti hypertensive medication. But as with all medications it should always be reviewed by the GP just so they are aware in case of an adverse reaction. In your case I would keep taking the 5mg at the same time everyday and measure your BP first thing in the morning to get a more true reading - if you don’t hear back from them Friday then definitely ring 111 and get an OOH appt instead. You shouldn’t go untreated too long with a with a recurrent BP of more than 140/90 let alone reaching 160+