ADHD meds and blood pressure?

[Isanny]

I am recently diagnosed and have bought myself a home OMRON BP machine.

I keep getting results in the pre hypertension zone, sometimes in the hypertension, so I haven't sent any reasons to the psychiatrist and can't get my meds started.

I'm going to call my GP (my BP is always high and they always say 'it's because you are here') but does this mean I won't ever be able to take ADHD meds?

Does anyone have any experience here? I was really positive about the change meds might make to me and now I just feel flat bc my BP is too high

There are non stimulant meds, so maybe those would be OK?

Looks like Clonidine might also be a good option:

https://www.verywellmind.com/clonidine-for-adhd-symptoms-4125406#:~:text=Reduces%20blood%20pressure%3A%20If%20you,help%20the%20symptoms%20of%20both.

It might be that the ADHD symptoms are causing stress which causes the high blood pressure. Or it might be as that says, the same thing is causing both high blood pressure and executive functioning difficulties, so it just looks like ADHD but the cause is something else.

Thanks I will have a look at that. It's definitely ADHD, I'm autistic also. The BP is almost certainly caused by the morbid obesity, which is in turn caused by the binge eating disorder which is why I had high hopes for stimulants. I'm usually anti medication but I realise this has the potential to help my physical health, I'm not too fussed about the functioning difficulties- I have lived with them for well over 40 years and rather well adjusted.

Can you make an appointment with the psychiatrist to discuss? It might be that they will do a risk/benefit analysis if it's likely that stimulant medication may be able to help you bring the weight down.

Might be worth finding out if you can get referred to a cardiologist as well?

I'm going to drop the psychiatrist an email but first I want to speak to the GP so I can go and have it checked in the surgery just to make sure it's right. They always say it's a little high but they are never concerned so they may not be seeing it as high as I am. Not sure about the cardiologist part, would the GP refer for high BP?

I don't know sorry. I was just thinking risk to heart would be from being overweight and from stimulant medication, so they may be able to weigh in if there is a decision to be made which might balance both? That's all I was thinking.

See what your GP says and try and get them to be in contact with your psych team. Am in a similar situation, my Psych team stopped my meds because of my blood pressure but at the well woman check I was told it was fine. So frustrating because I have been without meds for over a week and feel dreadful. I know EXACTLY what you mean about the binge eating but despite being on meds it's worse now, I hope you get everything sorted x