What Causes Dizziness When On BP And Anxiety Medication?

Posted on Thu, 5 Jun 2014

Question: the past six months i have had some panic attacks as well as my blood pressure increased. i am on some bp meds as well as 50mg of zoloft. i get really light headed and cant think clearly. i am wondering if my doctor has mis diagnosed myself and if you have some other thoughts that might be causing this. i am 35 and have never had any health issues in my life.

Thanks
XXXX

Answered by Dr. Manisha Gopal (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
check BP meds, can be due to hypotension

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Whenever there is increased blood pressure readings along with newly diagnosed case of panic attacks- it is wise to start with blood pressure lowering meds only and after some days we see if there is any need of separate panic meds or not.
One may however give the patient some SOS medicine which can be taken during the period of acute panic attacks.

The feeling of light headedness after drugs can be due to strong blood pressure meds, this usually resolves either by lowering the dose or by revising the timings.
Also, increasing the fluid intake will help in making you feel better.

Propanolol is one drug which is used commonly for treating both these conditions but many times poses problem of light headedness or palpitation or dizziness. So, check what all BP meds you are taking, get the blood pressure monitored three to four times a day, get it checked in both sitting and lying down position ( to check if there is orthostatic hypotension)- these few points will make the situation clear for you.

Please donot worry, you will be compleletely fine soon, after only some dose revision.

Do ask if there are more queries bothering you.

Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Psychiatry

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

Follow up: Dr. Manisha Gopal (12 hours later)

so my bp meds are coversyl plus 4mg/1.5mg i was on zoloft 25mg medicine, i do have adavan to help if i cant get my mind straight and feel uneven. here are some symptoms i have been having this whole time, i get minor chest pains on both sides of my chest which my doctor believes it is caused by anxiety, i have become a lot more active again exercising and the pains have seemed to become more mild i get a slight burning in my nose when the anxiety is rising(this is what i think is causing it) and like i said my thoughts aren't clear and it becomes hard to focus and concentrate. my blood pressure sits around 130/90 pretty consistantly and I am 6'4 240 pounds. any other thoughts you may have would be awesome

thanks XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Manisha Gopal (26 hours later)

Brief Answer:
its anxiety, hike zoloft & you will be fine surely

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Looking over the details of your current treatment for blood pressure and its readings, its almost ruled out that hypotensive episodes are causing this feeling of lightheadedness & even that feeling over nose ( I have seen this symptom in my patients with anxiety disorder as well, it is --I now think, someway common to anxiety, so nothing to worry about).

This is related to anxiety only. Your current 25 mg zoloft is not helping at all in this sitiation. There are several good meds which are highly effective in treating anxiety, but as you have hypertension this drug zoloft- is safest to start with.
The dosage of zoloft should be increased, 25-50mg is suffiecnt for treating depression but not anxiety and that too of your level ( where you need an SOS ativan for panic attacks).

So, please ask your doctor if he could raise the dose of zoloft to something like 100-150mg ( and this is not a high dose; so dont start worrying on it please!). Do this hike with 25mg or so weekly monitoring the response. Im hopeful that with this your symptoms of anxiety should subside and you will not need ativan at all.

Contine with hypertensive treatment, it is controlling the blood pressure adequately. Also do keep up the exercise and other lifestyle routine!! They help in both in long and short run..

Hope the reply is useful for you.
Please feel free to ask more questions for clarification.

Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Psychiatry

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

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