Posted by david_maclean on July 25, 2003, at 9:51:21
I am quite concerned about taking an MAOI but it really seems the right sort of med for me in terms of helping with my dysthymic mood so I don't really have much alternative.
I would welcome some advice on the rise in BP when taking MAOIs.
I am soon going to start the MAOI medication Nardil (phenelzine) at 15mg a day rising to 60 mg a day if tolerated.
I am a bit worried about the dietary restrictions. Some of the lists of foods to be careful with are so overly comprehensive that in the end they ask for rather too much. I suspect I will have to start to very carefully explore which borderline foods are ok for me and which raise my blood pressure significantly
My doctor who put me on Nardil has said I should monitor my blood pressure in the early stages of taking Nardil. He said that the raised blood pressure is not some sudden spike of blood pressure for 30 minutes or so (which is what I thought it was). He said it was a relatively sustained thing and that the blood pressure may be raised such that if I took two BP readings a day then that would be enough.
Now that is not what I thought.
I had thought that the tyramine content of some foods would interact with the MAOI and cause a blood pressure rise. I had inferred that this might occur 30 minutes or so after eating a meal.
Who is right? Does the rise in BP occur over a short period of time (an hour or so) or over a longer time (5 or 10 hours or so)
This migth sound trivial but it is imoortant for me to know how to monitor my blood pressure.
Thank you for any help!
poster:david_maclean
thread:245136
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030723/msgs/245136.html