I'm 54 years old. My blood pressure goes up to 152/90 sometimes, but most of the time it is between 123/80 and 135/85. In one occassion, it was 180/93 in doctor's office (I was under stress that time). I think my blood pressure goes higher (140/85 to 150/88) when I have hot flashes that last sometimes for 1-2 weeks. Is there any connection between menopouse and high blood pressure?

Hi, Susanna!

I don't know if there is any connection between menopause and high blood pressure other than the fact that many women develop high blood pressure as they get older, near or during the onset of menopause. But from personal experience, when I used to get hot flashes I did "feel" like my blood pressure was going up!! After getting hot flashes for a few months (about 12 years ago), I did some research and found out that taking supplements like Vitamin E and herbal menopause remedies could help reduce or get rid of hot flashes. I was lucky, because almost immediately after I started taking them my hot flashes went away entirely. I wasn't sure whether it was the vitamin or herbs that were helping. To experiment, I eliminated the herbs and just kept taking Vitamin E, and the hot flashes did not come back. Also, when I recently was advised to stop taking Vitamin E because it interferes with the metabolism of Coumadin (which I had to take for about two months), my hot flashes came back for the first time in 12 years! Then when I stopped taking Coumadin and started taking Vitamin E again, my hot flashes again subsided. You might try it; hopefully it will help you reduce or eliminate your hot flashes, which perhaps may also help lower your blood pressure.

Menopause is a time of endocrine tumult, and yes, high BP fluctuations. Remember your DASH dietary guidelines, get regular exercise (especially after meals), and meditate (especially with RESPERATE). It may seem incredible that aligning breathing with the rest of your body is so important, but it really can be.

Hi Susanna,

It's a good question. There is a connection between hot flashes and blood pressure. I understand from our Clinical Director that hot flushes during menopause indicate an increased level of cardiovascular reactivity to stress situations. Simply put this means that physiologic changes take place in the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) as a result of a physical or psychological stressor. Slow breathing and device-guided breathing are known from clinical studies to help both.

Has anybody found RESPeRATE to help improve their hot flashes?

Judy Chodirker
(Scientific Affairs)

Hi,
I absolutely believe the correlation between menopause and HBP. During the time of hormonal changes our bodies do alot of crazy changes and it was at the onset of menopause that I noticed several changes in the way I look and feel. The onset of HBP came at the very same time and my alternative medicine M.D. agrees that the cessation of some hormones and or the imbalance can raise havoc in our bodies.
I just received my Resperate machine 4 days ago and really feel it will be the KEY in helping my bodys system to relax during this transformation time and hopefully will lower my BP to an acceptacle range. This was my answer to the stress and anxiety factor of HBP.

Cherie (IMG:http://forum.resperate.com/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)