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Suggest Treatment For High BP, Tingling Feeling In Arms And Feet

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Posted on Mon, 13 Jul 2015
Question: I am diabetic with high blood pressure. I recently starting having this condition (not every day) where I try going to sleep and the moment I try to move my side (both right and left side), I feel a head rush or blood rush going to my head and a tingling in my arm and fingers and feet with a slight pressure in my head. My blood sugar is at 132 and my blood pressure is at 147/93 heart beat at 70 (and yes I have taken my medication-Actos, Janumet and Atenolol). It is making very difficult for me to fall asleep.

My doctor states that it is a diabetic condition (I forgot what name he called it) when my sugar is high. However, my sugar is not relatively high and I still feel this way. Within a few seconds of laying on my side (again both right and left) the onslaught of the symptoms come on.

I had a both a EKG and Echo done this year-negative and a CAT Scan of my head mid last year-negative.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Albana Sejdini (4 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Monitoring of blood pressure&sugar levels advised;diuretics to add...

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I have gone through your medical history carefully and understood your concerns.

You are reporting to be a diabetic with high blood pressure, currently taking medications for both.

For the moment, you are having a feeling of a head rush/blood rush going into your and tingling in your arm and fingers and feet with a slight pressure in your head at the moment you try to move your side (when going to sleep).

As per your doctor's saying, this was related to diabetes.

Now, let me explain you a few things:

a. you are saying that you are doing good efforts in maintaining your blood sugar levels (bsl) within normal range. And from the figures you are reporting, that's true.

However, please bare in mind that bsl do fluctuate depending on various factors:
- food you eat
- stress
- physical activity, etc

When trying to move your side while going to sleep, that's considered a "slight" physical activity from your body; which of course requires more "sugar". This is felt as a blood rush into your head from your body as bsl might have been raised at that particular moment.

Furthermore, you get stressed by feeling this head rush; which is also affecting your blood sugar levels too the same way.

b. During sleep, bsl itself might fluctuate depending on the food you consumed at dinner and the medications you take and how effective they are. This fluctuation is also felt as a head rush from your part.

c. Diabetic neuropathy is a common condition among diabetics. It might affect all the nerves of your body including those of extremities. This explains why you feel tingling in your arm, fingers and feet.

A more thorough evaluation by neurologist is advised. I also recommend to take some supplements containing magnesium, fish oil and B complex vitamins (B1, B6, B12).

d. As you are also having high blood pressure, fluctuation in bp might be also another possible cause as you try to move aside and while being stressed due the episodes of head rush. I am happy that all your cardiac tests resulted ok. That is excluding any cardio-vascular event.

However, Atenolol itself I think is not enough to optimize your blood pressure. I advise to measure your bp at bedtime and once you wake up, record the results to refer to your doctor. Based on the average results, another medication might be added (e.g. diuretic in the morning).

Hope it was of help! Let me know if you need further assistance!
Dr.Albana
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Albana Sejdini

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2006

Answered : 7312 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For High BP, Tingling Feeling In Arms And Feet

Brief Answer: Monitoring of blood pressure&sugar levels advised;diuretics to add... Detailed Answer: Hi, I have gone through your medical history carefully and understood your concerns. You are reporting to be a diabetic with high blood pressure, currently taking medications for both. For the moment, you are having a feeling of a head rush/blood rush going into your and tingling in your arm and fingers and feet with a slight pressure in your head at the moment you try to move your side (when going to sleep). As per your doctor's saying, this was related to diabetes. Now, let me explain you a few things: a. you are saying that you are doing good efforts in maintaining your blood sugar levels (bsl) within normal range. And from the figures you are reporting, that's true. However, please bare in mind that bsl do fluctuate depending on various factors: - food you eat - stress - physical activity, etc When trying to move your side while going to sleep, that's considered a "slight" physical activity from your body; which of course requires more "sugar". This is felt as a blood rush into your head from your body as bsl might have been raised at that particular moment. Furthermore, you get stressed by feeling this head rush; which is also affecting your blood sugar levels too the same way. b. During sleep, bsl itself might fluctuate depending on the food you consumed at dinner and the medications you take and how effective they are. This fluctuation is also felt as a head rush from your part. c. Diabetic neuropathy is a common condition among diabetics. It might affect all the nerves of your body including those of extremities. This explains why you feel tingling in your arm, fingers and feet. A more thorough evaluation by neurologist is advised. I also recommend to take some supplements containing magnesium, fish oil and B complex vitamins (B1, B6, B12). d. As you are also having high blood pressure, fluctuation in bp might be also another possible cause as you try to move aside and while being stressed due the episodes of head rush. I am happy that all your cardiac tests resulted ok. That is excluding any cardio-vascular event. However, Atenolol itself I think is not enough to optimize your blood pressure. I advise to measure your bp at bedtime and once you wake up, record the results to refer to your doctor. Based on the average results, another medication might be added (e.g. diuretic in the morning). Hope it was of help! Let me know if you need further assistance! Dr.Albana