Beta Blockers prescribed, but had low BP for years before PE in Jan...

[chocolatecoveredpeanut]

Had a call this morning to say recent blood tests showed I have a B12 deficiency and over active thyroid. I've been struggling to breathe properly since a PE late Jan and only came off the thinners a couple of weeks ago (3 months as hematology said no other risk factors).

Prior to PE my BP was dropping to 40bpm at night and waking me, and generally quite low, 60/70bpm - I was told about 5 years ago I have vasovagul syncope by a private cardiologist and to eat more salt. I'm assuming this is all in my NHS notes.

Since PE I get moments of racing heart - up to 130bpm just sitting, but feel and hands feel warmer than they have done in years. I can feel heart is racing at times so presume BB will stop that and the anxiety. What I am worrying about is the breathing - I get so tired going up and down stairs I have to sit for 30mins. I am due to start BB today but nothing has been arranged for B12 - which I presume is causing breathlessness not lung capacity issues from PE? I am worried about not being able to breathe more than I am struggling with now and taking a pill before sleeping and possibly having low heart rate returning.

Should I be sorting out the anemia first? I am also not 100% convinced my lung function is back (PE stopped function of 1/4 of lower left lung) so not sure if breathing issues are anemia or lung!

Can someone confirm it is OK to take BB's tonight?

Can't answer your final question but it sounds as though you should follow up with the GP on both B12 and thyroid.

BP is usually an abbreviation for blood pressure but you're quoting heart rate. Both are reduced a bit by beta blockers. You need to come to a view, with your doctor, whether this is the best way to tackle the fast beats given your history of slower rates overnight. It's not always an easy answer.

Can you get a lung test to fill in the gaps on function after the PE? That will again give you something to work with.

And finally, it's hardly surprising that all this is causing anxiety but the symptoms of anxiety can be indistinguishable from the symptoms of some of these medical problems, so it is worth your working on the anxiety as well as the medical side. I have a book called Mind Over Mood which is a CBT text and I found very helpful. But try everything and see what works best for you.

Thank you for that. I think I will try them and see how I feel on them after a few weeks. I have had anxiety diagnosed before and know the mental signs and have had some therapy. I did see a respiratory consultant after the PE because he was worried I had no other causal factors than a flight, but he couldn't hear anything and didn't send me for another lung scan because he said the clot was being treated by the thinners and that's all that would show up. I've another blood test coming up in 2 weeks to get detail on the B12 and endocrine so I guess the over active thyroid is more important to sort out first or she would have given me a B12 injection before starting them.