Hi everyone 
I’ve just returned from a contraceptive pill check at the hospital where they’ve had to change my pill after having ‘sky high’ blood pressure. They weren’t sure if that was linked to MS and suggested I saw the doctors to get it monitored. Does anyone know if there’s a link? Part of me just thinks being newly diagnosed in a new job may be what’s making it higher than usual but I was just curious Thanks! Xx
Hi, as far as I know there isn’t a connection. I just had a quick google and found only one site that said there was a connection… but not a site I would trust.
However it is possible that some drugs for MS might increase blood pressure so that’s certainly worth taking a look at if you are on medication.
It’s a tough one really because anxiety increases blood pressure and of course being newly dx will make you anxious and with a new job as well that’s a double whammy.
Check the ‘user info’ of any med’s you are on. See your GP and have it monitored and think of ways that you could possibly lower stress and anxiety levels.
Good luck… don’t forget to rest and relax when you are able to… even with a new job!
Pat x
Thanks for the info I’m yet to be given any meds as I’ve got to wait for my neuro to finalize that i’ve had every test done possible to rule out anything else so he wants to re check what bloods I’ve had taken etc. Could be another month or so but I’ll keep him updated for definite.
Luckily the new job have been very supportive with my MS and especially as I got sacked from my last job because of my illness they have been really good to me giving me extra screenbreaks and such.
Just need to learn how to relax and chill a bit, feeling the new dx is making me very anxious about the future and maybe thats a factor.
xxxx
I don’t think there’s a connection either.
I have to have mine checked because of the pill, too, and last time they weren’t very happy, and want to check it again in three months. I think, if it’s not better, I might not be able to continue on the pill.
The irony is I’m not using it for contraception, but only because of MS in the first place.
For years, I’ve been putting up with what I thought were just really bad periods (laid out on the floor kind of bad!)
It was only after I was diagnosed that I found a lot of female MSers find the monthly period makes it worse, so they weren’t just “bad periods” - I was having a monthly MS-flare. Coupled with that, they were getting very close together, now I’ve reached middle age - every three weeks instead of four. And they lasted a whole week, as well. So basically I was only getting two good weeks, before I started again, and the MS kicked off too.
I went on the pill to get them properly spaced again, and to make them shorter and lighter, so I wouldn’t be feeling rough so much of the time.
They have worked very well for that, and I wished I’d done something about it years ago, instead of suffering in silence.
But it looks like I might not be able to continue anyway, because the rule book says I shouldn’t, if my blood pressure doesn’t improve.
Personally, I’d be happy to chance it, as I don’t smoke, am not overweight, and am otherwise fit. They’ve made such an improvement to quality of life - I’d hate to go back to how things were. Add to that, I’ve got a bad case of “White Coat Syndrome”, which means my blood pressure rockets as soon as anyone tries to measure it. I’m positive the reading they get at the surgery isn’t representative of how I am on a normal day, when I’m not at the doctor’s!
Tina
Sounds like me Tina! Mine were unbearable which is why the Drs put me on the pill in the first place. Went to the doctors today for them to double check my blood pressure and typically it was only sky high on 2 out of 3 readings so have said they’ll check it again in 6 weeks. Though they recognised that the high blood pressure may be because of anxiety of being recently diagnosed, getting the sack and starting a new job all within the same few months. They have now given me anti depressants to calm me down but I feel hesitant to take them as I have yet to be prescribed my DMDs and wouldn’t want anti depressants to stop me from getting the medication. 
so confusing!
Thanks for your thoughts though, I never know if these symptoms or new things cropping up are anything worth mentioning to my MS nurse in the future or if its something unrelated to my MS!
xxxx