Posted 2/8/2012 8:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,
I'm really interested in this question as well.
As far as I understand the general concensus is that lyme causes a drop in blood pressure. This said I have come across a number of instances, including I believe mine, where an increase in bp has been observed.
In my case my bp has probably always been on the slightly high side - what they call prehypertensive, generally reading between 120/70 - 140/90.
Having contrated lyme and unbeknown to me at the time, over the course of the following year my bp increased considerably peaking at 200/105.
I have since been on doxycycline for 2 months in addition to starting Singletons anti-inflammatory diet and my bp has dropped back to the prehypertensive range. I used to be very physically active, but now with lyme hardly do anything, so this has happened in the absence of my usual high level exercise regime.
Another thing that occurred to me was the possible influence of coinfections and/ or anxiety. In the case of the former I believe my primary infection to be Bartonella which often has cardiac involvement and causes vasculitis. Might it be that this being the overriding infection it was responsible for my high bp? I believe doxycycline is partially effective against Bart and adjusting my diet significantly can only of helped. Interestingly one of the main symptoms of bart is anxiety. My anxiety levels have certainly skyrocketted over the past 2 years. I suspect this is/was both a combination of Bart/Lyme and initially knowing there was something wrong but not knowing what, but it has improved with this understanding, treatment and changes to my diet. Often knowing and understanding the cause of a symptom, especially being able to recognise a psychological symptom as a biological one rather than it being all in your head, is paramount to overcoming it.
I'm also aware certain symptom lists include increase and decreases in some things, e.g. Burrascano lists both weight gain and weight loss as symptoms of lyme. There is an explanation for this based on how a person is suffering/ responding to the lyme.
In short I think it is entirely plausible that lyme &/or coinfections are responsible for changes including increases in bp.
As for medications I would read the label and refer to the prescriber. Side effects listed on my leaflet information for doxy seem to include all the symptoms of lyme and low blood pressure but not high!
Love to know what everyone else thinks,
Hugh