High Blood Pressure

KFen725
KFen725 Member Posts: 108 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Mom is on Folfox & Avastin and ever since they started the Avastin about 4 weeks ago has had a bad headache off and on, especially right after treatment. This morning she had a bad headache again and checked her blood pressure and it was like 230/100! They got her on BP meds right away.

Has anyone else here had high blood pressure from various chemo treatments and/or biological agents like Avastin? My gut tells me the Avastin may be the culprit here but just curious to hear anyone else's experiences.

Thanks!

Comments

  • eric38
    eric38 Member Posts: 583
    #2
    Kfen
    I am on avastin and my oncologist warned me to watch my blood pressure because it could get high. He just put me on new drugs and did not specify which one could cause the high blood pressure but i`m guessing it`s probably the avastin. I`ll bet avastin is the culprit. It would make sense. I hope you and your lovely mom are doing well other than your little snag.

    Eric
  • KFen725
    KFen725 Member Posts: 108 Member
    #3
    eric38 said:

    Kfen
    I am on avastin and my oncologist warned me to watch my blood pressure because it could get high. He just put me on new drugs and did not specify which one could cause the high blood pressure but i`m guessing it`s probably the avastin. I`ll bet avastin is the culprit. It would make sense. I hope you and your lovely mom are doing well other than your little snag.

    Eric

    Eric
    Thanks for the info - yeah, I heard that Avastin can cause high blood pressure. Hers was somewhat high to begin with, but these numbers today were crazy. I'll be interested to see what he says next appointment.

    U hanging in there?
  • shrevebud
    shrevebud Member Posts: 105
    #4
    Hi KFen:

    I was on this regimine of drugs before and basically the whole time I was on chmeotherapy I ran high blood pressure - my diastolic number would be 95, 98 or sometimes 100 or 105. I never took anything for it while I was on chemotherapy. I cut back on salt. After I got off treatment (I'm in-between treatment right now), my pressure went back to normal range. Good luck to your mom and keep a watch on it. Sounds like she is lucky to have you watching out for her. Take care. Roy
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #5
    Avastin and High BP
    It's definitely the Avastin. We watched mine rise and put me on Lisinopril as soon as the bottom number inched towards the high 90s. Now that I'm not on Avastin, my blood pressure is back to normal.
  • PGLGreg
    PGLGreg Member Posts: 731
    #6
    About a year after chemo
    About a year after chemo (5fu+leucovorin), my bp went from 150-155 to 190 systolic. I don't know why, or whether chemo caused it. My oncologist prescribed a bp medication, Benicar, and now my bp is normal: 110-120 afternoons and 130-135 mornings, typically.
  • eric38
    eric38 Member Posts: 583
    #7
    KFen725 said:

    Eric
    Thanks for the info - yeah, I heard that Avastin can cause high blood pressure. Hers was somewhat high to begin with, but these numbers today were crazy. I'll be interested to see what he says next appointment.

    U hanging in there?

    Kfen
    I`m doing more than hanging in there, I am still swinging from the branches.

    Eric ( : . )
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #8
    yes, it's the Avastin
    Hi,

    Yes, it's the Avastin. I was put on Atenolol for the high blood pressure Avastin caused. I was actually on Atenolol even before Avastin for a fast pulse (90's or 100's) with just slightly above normal blood pressure 135/85). Interestingly, I've been off from Avastin for almost 4 weeks now (am going off it for 6 wks so I can have my colonoscopy in early Oct)- anyhow, my blood pressure has been coming down now that I've been off of it, even if it's just been such a short time. Now off of it for just the 3 weeks, yesterday it was 97/72 and 102/74 the day before. Interesting that it's now way lower than ever was on its own even before taking Avastin. My onc forgot to tell me I'll need to cut back on the Atenolol as the Avastin gets out of my system. Aren't doctors dumb sometimes?? Neglecting to tell a patient that could really be dangerous for patients who aren't up and aware of such things already. If I hadn't realized myself why I was starting to feel so tired and even a smidge dizzy at times, I could have ended up just continuing to take the full Atenolol dose and start to feel faint or have my blood pressure drop dangerously low. I remember what that was like back when I was in the hospital after my liver surgery & it wasn't fun, trust me. I've now weaned myself down to half my Atenolol dose and may have to go down even more. I'm checking my blood pressure at home daily. Have your mom's b.p. watched carefully & it sounds with it as high as you said, she should be put on a medication for it right away.

    Best wishes,
    Lisa
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #9
    More on Avastin
    Hi

    Catapres (not sure if I spelled it right) is a blood pressure patch applied directly to the skin that can greatly reduce high blood pressure...you just put it in different spots to keep moving it around.

    From the Avastin standpoint, one thing to also keep a watch on would be if your Mom's heart starts to skip a beat or 2...that began happening to me when I was taking it and happened for quite awhile after I stopped it. You would have to "grab" yourself when exhaling, felt really funny - and really scary.

    May not be an issue, but wanted to put this out there, in case - I know it was tied to the Avastin, but the onc never thought there were any issues - but the patient always knows different.

    Take Care
    -Craig
  • KFen725
    KFen725 Member Posts: 108 Member
    #10
    lisa42 said:

    yes, it's the Avastin
    Hi,

    Yes, it's the Avastin. I was put on Atenolol for the high blood pressure Avastin caused. I was actually on Atenolol even before Avastin for a fast pulse (90's or 100's) with just slightly above normal blood pressure 135/85). Interestingly, I've been off from Avastin for almost 4 weeks now (am going off it for 6 wks so I can have my colonoscopy in early Oct)- anyhow, my blood pressure has been coming down now that I've been off of it, even if it's just been such a short time. Now off of it for just the 3 weeks, yesterday it was 97/72 and 102/74 the day before. Interesting that it's now way lower than ever was on its own even before taking Avastin. My onc forgot to tell me I'll need to cut back on the Atenolol as the Avastin gets out of my system. Aren't doctors dumb sometimes?? Neglecting to tell a patient that could really be dangerous for patients who aren't up and aware of such things already. If I hadn't realized myself why I was starting to feel so tired and even a smidge dizzy at times, I could have ended up just continuing to take the full Atenolol dose and start to feel faint or have my blood pressure drop dangerously low. I remember what that was like back when I was in the hospital after my liver surgery & it wasn't fun, trust me. I've now weaned myself down to half my Atenolol dose and may have to go down even more. I'm checking my blood pressure at home daily. Have your mom's b.p. watched carefully & it sounds with it as high as you said, she should be put on a medication for it right away.

    Best wishes,
    Lisa

    Lisa
    Thanks, Lisa. Yes, they actually did put her on a blood pressure medication yesterday, and we're hoping that will make a positive difference. And they do have an automatic bp cuff at home so they are keeping a close watch on it.
  • KFen725
    KFen725 Member Posts: 108 Member
    #11
    Sundanceh said:

    More on Avastin
    Hi

    Catapres (not sure if I spelled it right) is a blood pressure patch applied directly to the skin that can greatly reduce high blood pressure...you just put it in different spots to keep moving it around.

    From the Avastin standpoint, one thing to also keep a watch on would be if your Mom's heart starts to skip a beat or 2...that began happening to me when I was taking it and happened for quite awhile after I stopped it. You would have to "grab" yourself when exhaling, felt really funny - and really scary.

    May not be an issue, but wanted to put this out there, in case - I know it was tied to the Avastin, but the onc never thought there were any issues - but the patient always knows different.

    Take Care
    -Craig

    Sundance...
    ... you hit it right on the head, "the patient always knows different!" I know that the HIGH bp numbers are having to do with the Avastin, as she has NEVER had numbers like this until now, only 4 weeks after adding that drug to the mix. We'll keep a close eye on it. Thanks for the input!

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