HRT with high blood pressure and underactive thyroid

[hallwaypaint]

I have high BP managed with a low dose of Ramipril. I also have an underactive thyroid and take levothyroxine. I suspect the BP and thyroid issues are related as the GP hasn't managed the thyroid issue very well.

I really want HRT which the GP was reluctant to prescribe previously because of my blood pressure issues so she put me on the progesterone only pill which was fine for a few years and helped with terrible hormonal headaches. Meno symptoms are worse now though and I generally feel pretty rubbish. I'm keen to go back and push for HRT. Has anyone else been successful in having HRT with high bp? If so, what do you have? Things I've read suggest that it's fine if your bp is well managed but I think I may need to be quite assertive as I have a feeling she won't agree.

I would print out one of the articles from say, the British Menopause Society or similar which clearly state you can take HRT as long as your hypertension is being treated and under control, and go in armed with that. And don't take no for an answer!
Good luck!

But don't forget to ask for the gold standard body identical HRT- patches or gel/spray and Utrogestan progesterone

With the shortage of gel at the moment, you may have to accept alternatives in the short term.

I know that a lot of posters do want gel/patch and Utrogestan, but it's personal choice. Plenty of women do get on fine with tablet type of HRT.

Transdermal is safer re. blood clots but the risk is so tiny anyway with HRT that tablets are fine for many women, especially younger ones.

(The rule is to change to transdermal no later than age 60.)

OP- high BP that is managed with meds is no reason to refuse HRT.
There is a lot of ignorance about HRT because it is not the same as the Pill.
The dose is far less, and HRT is body-identical, (same as your own estrogen) and the Pill is not (that's why it can cause blood clots and the dose is 5 x more.)

HRT is simply replacing what you have naturally. It's not an artificial hormone like the Pill.

I hope your GP knows this, so be prepared to state your case!

Thanks everyone. Good idea to look around for evidence and bring that with me. Fingers crossed!

My blood pressure has actually come down in the six months I've been taking HRT. I'd been on antihypertensives for three years and it reached 'borderline' level that wasn't ideal but my GP was okay with, but it wasn't until I started on HRT that my blood pressure properly came down to a healthy normal level.

My GP wants me to give it another few months, but if my blood pressure continues in this direction we're hoping that I can reduce my dosage of antihypertensives, with a view to coming off them - obviously this will all be under GP guidance.

See this from bloodpressureuk.org:

How does the menopause affect your blood pressure and heart health?
Estrogen helps to keep your blood pressure down because it has a vasodilative effect, meaning it allows your blood vessels to widen so that blood can flow more easily. It also helps keep your cholesterol levels down. Like high blood pressure, high cholesterol can lead to heart disease, as it can be laid down in the artery walls, clogging them up.
Estrogen has other roles in your blood vessels too. It reduces inflammation and does all the ‘good things’ like improving nitrous oxide levels, a chemical which is known to relax and widen blood vessels.
These effects are the reason women have a low risk of heart disease before menopause then it suddenly rises afterwards. Plus, the change in hormones can make you feel tired or low, so women sometimes turn to things like unhealthy eating, which raises the risks too.
There are other factors involved in disease development too – simply growing older and the changes in lifestyle – but it’s surprising how little known the roles of female sex hormones are, even among many GPs.

That's great news MrsBagshot. Really good to hear that yours has come down. Thanks for all the info. I'm definitely going to use that.

I tried HRT. I am well managed but my BP bad with hormones. Could never take the pill.

I was on low dose. Didn't help my symptoms. ( Now diagnosed as me/CFS). They tried a higher dose and BP went sky high very quickly.

Take low dose and monitor is my advice.