Spouses of Bipolar in Active Relationships

This was coming up on another thread but I thought it could use a thread of its own. There is a great article at Psychcentral about a 2010:

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/06/14/link-between- bipolar-and-hypertension/14542.html

Basically, they found that a bipolar person with high blood pressure will have more mania.

About half the patients being treater in a psych ward for BP had hypertension.

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We also know that some psych meds can cause hypertension, too.

Who all has seen this problem? What do the pdocs and MDs say? Is your SO exercising and eating healthy (we should never forget that these two things are important to both mental AND physical health and don't cost a thing and have NO side effects)?

Thank you for the article. I found it very interesting to read a study done that links the two.

Like I mentioned in the previous post her blood pressure has been through the roof since about the end of July/ beginning of August which is right when she went manic and it hasn’t come down since. And like I said in the other post for someone that got what they wanted. Why is her blood pressure so high?? 3 different medications since August to treat hypertension, she said to me its high enough that she could stroke out. For a 29 year old woman that’s nuts!

I’ve talked to her MD about hypertension and BP but her MD dismisses what I’ve told her. Saying she seems perfectly normal when she sees me. I’m sure my wife told her some other story that she is happy and fed her some half twisted truth about what really is going on. Just like she tells them she is exercising and eating healthy. I’ve seen the inside of her car and the McDonald’s/ Duncan Donuts wrappers and soda bottles in her car. As for exercise I don’t know what she does since she no longer lives with me. But when we were together to get her out to exercise was like pulling teeth. She’d go for a few days and then stop.

As for a pdoc she still refuses to go and gets quite angry and agitated whenever I bring up going to a pdoc or even a counselor. She refuses to be around people who do not side with her or question her.

Thanks married. My SO has thankfully always had blood pressure in the normal range that I know of. I don't know what his readings were when hospitialized. But he is also only 35.

He has gained about twenty pounds in the last six months. I also have gained some weight since I have quit smoking so I am trying to help decrease BOTH of our risk factors by making healthier choices and being more active.

Weight gain and diabetes are another serious side effect of many psych meds too.

There are a number of meds that do NOT cause hypertension or weight gain, so please don't let your SOs try to say "I can't take meds because I have hypertension" or "I can't take meds because of diabetes."

My husband has a congenital heart condition that reacted VERY badly with two of the most common mood stabilizers. He was very scared after flatlining with the second one and decided to "manage his bipolar without meds." Then came the worst mania he has ever had. It lasted over a year and it cost him so very much--money, career, friends. I wish I had known THEN what I know now, because I was SO blind and ignorant. My thinking was: "Well, it's your body, and you did have this major health scare. And you are very self-aware."

But to get back to hypertension, I am not at all shocked that people with hypertension have more mania. Mania--no sleep, brain moving at 100MPH, lots of stuff going on, self-medicating--is a mentally AND physically unhealthy state.

@lacs, I know your wife refuses a pdoc. It is absolutely tragic. (But is her MD dense? I guess your wife's mania helps prove my theory that mania always tries to protect itself and is careful about hiding when it can.)

Very good article. High blood pressure is never just an isolated condition. So important to treat it properly (where bipolar or not)

As I've noted in other threads, my husband has very little depression, so I can attest to the findings in the article.

This is a really difficult situation for me. I'm hoping to learn more next week when I can meet with pdoc.