Blood Pressure and HH

[Jezza]

Hey guys,

I was wondering, since most of us have a couple of things in common already (like HH, but also oftentimes either cold/clammy then warm/red/clammy extremities, some amelioration om symptoms when drinking booze), whether any of you guys also have a fairly high blood pressure. Me personally, I have had a couple of BP measurments by medics and my BP is fairly high at anywhere between 140/90 till 164/104...
I'm 23, 80Kg, 190cm, non-smoker, so that is significantly higher than you'd expect.

I just read that BigZ has a high BP as well, so any more of you? (especially from people who recognize themselves in the other above-mentioned symptoms). Personally I'm taking some medication for it now, mainly because I think it just might work against the HH as well (I made another thread about it called 'something new').

 

[kingflab]

I had a blood test last year, and apparently my results came through as perfectly fine, so I'm clear on that one.

 

[Jezza]

Hi KF,

Well it depends grately on what they test of course, but if it was in relation to HH I'm assuming thyroid hormones and maybe cortisol. Those are really the basic tests that everyone with HH should get from their medics but many sadly don't get.

But in this case I am particularly interested in blood pressure. I don't know if you meant to indicate that that was fine as well...?

 

[bellbottom666]

Funny you should bring that up. I've been going to my family doctor for visits recently on an unrelated note. She decided to take monitor my blood pressure, as it was a little high. She had me going back every other week in the end, for about 4 different visits, because it was always a tad on the high side.

I'm 29, had plantar and palmar hyperhydrosis since about 14, I'm in good health, not overweight, I do smoke, but aside from that nothing out of the ordinary.

I kept trying to tell her that I flush easily and my body temperature tends to zig zag because of this condition (you know, the tingly sensation and the heat just before the sweating starts). Being stuck in a small consultation room (hot) and having someone poke at me tends to put me on edge, everything heats up and my blood pressure spikes. She didn't seem to understand that, or know anything about the condition, and, looked at me like I was mad when I tried to explain itonopherosis to her.

oh well. However, to answer you question, yes slightly higher than normal blood pressure, but in my (non-medically trained) opinion, related to a symptom of hyperhyrosis rather than general health reasons.

 

[Cato]

Hey Jezza,

Nope, no high blood pressure for me. I actually got a TON of tests done when I was about 14, to try and figure this thing out. I had full exams, blood work, urine, ekg, etc. It was all perfect. So whatever the cause of mine is, the doctors can't find it. I get blood work done once a year now and everything is still fine, I'm 31. Now, I do think anyone with HH who hasn't been to a doc, needs to go. There are quite a few things that cause HH and they need to be treated. At the very least, get a full blood profile done.

 

[Videotape]

i love blood pressure. it is cool. how are you today

 

[Jezza]

Cato,

I've had a fair deal of tests done too (only after me insisting unfortunately), not all were clean but also not indicative of anything definitely causing HH, however the tests only covered the basics. Do you remember exactly what tests were done for you or not? If HH was caused by any of the standard stuff there wouldn't be HH now, because there would be a treatable underlying condition. But apparently, most of the times, it's not. So apart from the 'basics' like thyroid tests, catechols and cortisol, do you know of any other tests they did...?

I'm thinking now about PTH/calcium and also sodium (ADH-->hyponatreamia) and kalium. Calcium plays an important role in transeferring the nerve signals into action, but I don't know if hypercalcemia itself could be responsible for 'too much signals being transferred' since they are 'voltage gated calcium channels', and how that works exactly I don't know (is the amount of signals put through only dependant on voltage or also on the amount of calcium readily available from intracellular space?)...Anyway it would be interesting to know if they checked any of that with you.

At least, calcium, just like sodium/kalium (if those are the right names, in dutch it's different) play important roles directly in the proces of getting nerve signals to glands (just like acetylcholine).

The acetylcholine is another thing...There are some case reports in people with a thymoma that endured excessive sweating because they created too much acetylcholine or something like that (it was a little more complicated, with antibodies against acetylcholine etc, I don't recall the exact mechanism, but I have that study on my cpu somewhere, you can probably find it on google too). These people basically had no clearly identifiable symptoms except for the excessive sweating and complaints about occassional 'psychotic' behaviour. The latter wasn't ever present upon examination though...1 guy eventually died ('unrelated cause') and they only found the small thymoma upon authopsy, eventhough he was scanned during life (only to indicate that scanning just isn't adequate sometimes). Acetylcholine was originally called vagusstoff because the German guy who found the substance thought it was made by the nervus vagus ...

Something like that wouldn't normally appear on a blood screen.

 

[albarosa2008]

Hi Jezza. Thanks for sharing the info, though I don't really know what it means. In regards to BP, strangely enough, my doctor says mine is a little bit low (!) It certainly doesn't feel like it to me! Maybe it fluctuates..idk I've been taking avert for about 9 months now and works very well for me. My hands and feet still swell up when the temperature is high. (This is more misery compounded onto the hh when I don't take the avert) I've always experienced this as well as the hot flashes/tingly kind of feelings. I get hot a lot, and blush easily. I went to get my thyroid checked last week, on the suggestion of my dermatologist but have yet to get results (I hope it's okay) I am a long-time smoker so I'm not sure if that made my hh worse. I've had it since childhood but I don't recall it being so severe or so generalized. I also find that alcohol lessens the hh. Not pot, just booze. Weird huh? I am just grateful for the relief the glyco provides me but have fears of tolerance build-up like some on this forum have experienced. Have you tried it? How is the moxonidine(?) working? I pray it's working for you!
-albarosa

 

[Cato]

Dear Jezza,

My apologies for not replying to this sooner. I'm been swamped! Let's see, I was about 14 when I went through all of my tests. I don't recall specifically what I got tested, but it was quite comprehensive. I probably saw 6-7 different specialists and had a few series of blood tests. I now get blood tests done about once a year, just to keep an eye on what's going on in my body. Here's a link to exactly what I have done: The Roby Institute - The Roby Institute Male Series option B


It's interesting to see your theory about calcium, as I know calcium channel blockers have been used in a couple of cases. As I've read more and more about HH, I've come to believe that it may very well be a case of the body producing too many chemicals, namely acetlycholine and norepinephrine. I mean, the whole reason Robinul works so well for many is that it blocks the acetylcholine from activating the receptors. If it is a case of excessive neurotransmitters, then I don't think we'll ever be able to find an exact cause. It's the same reason they can't figure out why some people have severe anxiety or depression. Doctors simply don't know that much about the brain and why it does what it does.

I'm personally becoming very interested in alpha blockers. I've heard of 3-4 accounts of people with HH responding very well to Dibenzyline. It seems to me that there is a definite connection between HH, blushing, Raynauds, and even anxiety. Not everyone will have all of those symptoms, but it does seem that the excessive chemicals is what is causing each of the problems.

 

[iDShaDoW]

My blood pressure came in as normal when I got mine done last year. Thyroid levels were normal too.

Never knew to ask for cortisol though and I no longer have insurance, wish I knew to ask while I still had it lol.

I think even though my blood pressure came as normal, at times it spikes even when it shouldn't. Like if I'm watching TV or a movie eventually I start feeling my heart beat really strong in the back of my head and neck and it feels like it's making my head twitch rhythmically almost like sort of having jitters even though I have no reason to be nervous.

 

[tbanner523]

My BP is high, though I don't think it is directly related to my HH. I had HH prior to having high BP. I think the anxiety and depression that has come with having generalized HH over the years has helped increase my BP.

 

[Bridge]

Just thought,

If you got high blood pressure and hyperhidrosis have you had your adrendal gland checked out to make sure there is nothing wrong there.

Adrendal gland problems cause anxiety, excessive sweating and high blood pressure.

 

[Jezza]

Hi there,

Been a while since I checked back...

Cato, Norepinefrine levels were fine in my case (I've had them checked twice in the past), or at least, the daily averages were. Urine catecholamines (breakdown products of adrenalin) are a measure for this, so I think you've had that test too.

Acetylcholine was never checked but I don't know if they can get a useful test for that since acetylcholine is made by nerves...I don't know if there is a level (like blood level) they can check to identify abnormalities.

Still, I was thinking along the lines of 'how does a signal from the brain ultimately get translated into sweating, so what can go wrong that causes too much sweating?' aside from the known diseases like tumors etc. and I came up with:

-brain signal (too much signals?)
-nerve ganglions (damage?)
-Voltage gated calcium channels (high voltage? amount of calcium?)
-fluid needs to be available (too much intracellular fluids?)

All of these (particularly what causes the amount of brain signals; autonomous? disbalance of indirectly related substances in the body?) can of course be broken down into a lot of different questions...but you have to see what you can actually help/measure. For instance, there are treatable causes of hyper or hypocalcemia/natreamia/kalemia (these are part of the protocol you posted though), but if it's nerve damage we're pretty much screwed either way, because there's no way that will be identified/treatable (although, half serious; maybe we can trick the body into thinking it's freezing by implanting some kind of cooling device on sensory neurons, some bionic enhancements can't be a bad thing, right?)

The moxonidine didn't do much in the end by the way...In fact, they are supposed to lower BP and they didn't really. This morning I checked back in with my GP and BP was still quite high inspite of me taking another tablet 40 min before. I'd almost think they gave me a placebo, but that's being paranoid. So, no luck unfortunately. I don't know about a-blockers (clonidine, I guess), it's one of the things I didn't try yet...might be a good idea to do so.

Bridge; yeah the adrenals secrete (nor)epinefrine, dopamine, cortisol and maybe some other things as well. I've had the important ones checked with mixed results. Have follow up tests in a week, results in maybe 3 weeks (optimistically).

 

[anxietyalways]

I'm pretty sure my BP is consistently high. Under stress it's through the roof. I cut my finger a few months back and had to go to the ER cuz it wouldn't stop bleeding. Probably because my BP was 180/120. The nurse's eyes buldged when she saw the numbers, then she accused me of being on drugs. I hadn't taken anything and I don't smoke. Also I'm only 24.

Anxious mess.

 

[wethandsandfeet]

Im 27, Male, 5'11", 70 kg with palmar & plantar HH. Took tests twice in the last year....no BP & no sugar disorder either.

 

[albarosa2008]

My thyroid checked out ok. (bp low) Someone mentioned the adrenal gland? I guess I'll get it checked when I have a follow-up appointment w/ my dermatologist in April. (beta-blockers? hmmm..) Avert is working well for me right now and as much as I hate taking medication and having my life revolve around it; it is a godsend. It's like the red pill from the matrix except I still don't understand what the heck is wrong with my body that it sweats like it does or why this chemical works. I'm in my 30's now and just started taking this med. not yet a year...still trying to get my life in order as I have psychic scars left over and have other anxiety/insomnia/fatigue issues. I'm grateful it's working for me but of course, like you all, I want to see a definitive cure found. My life revolves around sweating and timing my medication around my life. Also looking into ionto, in particular the DIY version; posted by a fellow sufferer on this forum. They do not offer ionto at the derm's or at the hospital anymore here in T.O. because they don't give a **about us. The glyco isn't covered by ohip either and that's just a slap in the face. I'm stuck taking avert and it's side effects (dry mouth/tiredness) for the rest of my life and if they stop making it or it stops working: I'm screwed. btw Jezza, you seem very well educated on biology, hopefully you or someone like you can find out what is up with h.h.. Or maybe we can all move to a dry cool island and set up an h.h. society..we could have a blast without worrying about *#* sweating...I bet we're nicer than the average population because of the hell we go through. Wish you all the best and hopefully you can find something that works for you soon. Thanks.

 

[tbanner523]

Clonidine typically works well for HH, although you have to battle side effects, similar to those of ditropan. I tried it for a while, and it made me drier, but as usual, my body got too hot and red, and it made me drowsy.

 

[Stuckwithme]

I do have a high blood pressure and Im sure it has a connection with the HH. Probably because the over activity in the nervous system.