Doctor refuses to write more blood pressure pills, my blood pressure high

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35 Comments

I have been out of my blood pressure pills for 5 days now, and my doctor is refusing to send another script for any more. When she first refused, I didn't have another appointment made, and I know that that's their policy sometimes when you haven't been seen in a while. But now I have an appointment for 2 weeks from now, which is soonest they had. So I called my doctor's office again to see if I can get more, but she still won't until I'm seen 2 weeks from now. I can't go that long, my blood pressure has already shot up to 150/105, and it was 170/120 back before I started taking the pills the first time, and I know that it will be that high again long before I get to my appointment in 2 weeks. I can't go to the emergency room, because when I've done that before on just high blood pressure when nothing else is going on, they just tell me "you have to wait and see you regular doctor". I can't go to one of those walk in clinics because they won't see you without an upfront $60, and I don't have that. I have the $20 I need for my script, but I don't have $60. I am out of options, and with my dangerously high blood pressure readings, I might not make it 2 more weeks. And strokes do run in my family. I am extremely angry at my doctor for refusing to write me another blood pressure pill script, even with an appointment made!! Wouldn't you be? Do any of you have any other ideas on what I can do?

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Comments ( 35 )
  • DIO
    4 years ago

    Don't be angry; as being angry will only increase your blood pressure.
    Try to adapt your diet to improve your blood pressure : https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322284.php

    Do meditation. At least 30 minutes everyday, more if you can. After a few days, it will help in ways you can't even imagine.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      4 years ago

      That's good advice, actually. Being angry does increase adrenaline, which raises blood pressure higher. It's kind of a catch 22 circle when blood pressure goes up, you see it's up, then you worry about it which raises it more. Then when seeing it raised more, you then worry about that which raises it more again, round and round you go. I'll try to break out of that circle while waiting to find a way to get my bp pills. And, I will also do all that you said, about eating well and doing yoga, while I'm waiting to sort it all out.

      I know too much salt hurts, so I'll limit that. I should also try to limit sugar, right? Because large amounts of sugar spikes insulin levels which also raises blood pressure, doesn't it?

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  • LloydAsher
    4 years ago

    Well I would start exercising if I were you. Cut back on sodium and caffine. Lose some weight if you have weight to lose.

    You can naturally decrease your blood pressure of course medication is the best way and you should be looking for other avenues maybe an outside hospital.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      4 years ago

      You are right. Well, I agree with you 100% on how trying those things definitely couldn't hurt, and may drop my BP somewhat until I can find the pills. The only thing about any hospital ER that I've been to is that with high blood pressure, the ER won't do anything for you on raised blood pressure alone if you're not at the time having a stroke or something else like that. And they won't prescribe blood pressure meds in the ERs here if you're not also getting a stroke or something. I'll just try the other advice you gave me, it will either keep my BP the same or lower it a little, it won't raise it unless I eat a large amount of salt or sugar, or get stressed, so I have to watch that

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  • DeadRatKing
    4 years ago

    You could see if there's an urgent care facility or doctor's office that has a "sliding scale". Or perhaps there's a clinic in your area that caters to people without insurance, there's one in the city where I live. A couple of them I think. Just look up "free clinic" in whatever city you're located in. That way I think you'd just have to pay for the script like you said

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  • FromTheSouthWeirdMan
    4 years ago

    You can die from suddenly stopping blood pressure meds. Its very dangerous. The great thing about capitalism is you can go somewhere else! Urgent Care takes walk in appointments and they're cheap even without insurance.

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  • ellnell
    4 years ago

    Cant you just go to the ER after your regular doctors office closes for the day? I've done that many times as well as people I know because the regular doctors here suck, they are way better at the ER and actually listen and help you.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      4 years ago

      I finally got my doctor to write me a script yesterday, so my situation has been resolved now

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  • Iszzy123
    4 years ago

    I here snake venom makes blood pressure low but might be the last thing you take

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  • Ellenna
    4 years ago

    This has to be the usa medical system, right? Nobody pays a cent in Australia if they go to emergency and no doctor that I know of makes extra money from a consultation to prescribe BP medication, that is just ridiculous! The only medication scripts my gp gets me in for are sleeping pills and panadeine forte about every 6 months, because I don't use them very often for migraines. Anything else I ring up and leave a message and then pick up the script.

    Can you just change doctors and see a new one? I'd change doctors ASAP anyway, that dr is risking your life for the sake of getting you in & being paid for a totally unnecessary consultation. In fact, I'd not only change doctors, I'd report the doctor for malpractice!

    The only non prescription ways I know of which can lower BP are meditation and beetroot, plus the usual stuff about avoiding salt and drinking lots of water. If you do some googling there are probably more - worth a try.

    Your BP is dangerously high (I assume you have one of those home wrist monitors?). Did you actually speak to the doctor personally when you called in or was it some receptionist following a stupid rule? I guess you could just go there and sit in the waiting room insisting something be done.

    I make sure I don't run out of any of my many medications (heart disease, emphysema, arthritis - all that boring old age stuff) but my doctor also checks on the computer to see if I need any scripts.

    Oh I have another idea: if you know anyone else with high BP, borrow some pills. I know that's not recommended, but better than a stroke or a heart attack eh?

    Good luck! I'm totally gobsmacked by your doctor's negligence and I hope you find a way to get your BP down before something nasty happens. Personally I wouldn't be going to a doctor where you have to wait that long for an appointment anyway, so I hope you can find a responsible one who can help you, especially if you explain it's an emergency and you have no money for hospital emergency.

    How much does your BP medication cost? In Australia most commonly used medicines are federal government subsidised for everyone on government benefits (welfare to you) and cost $6.50 maximum per script. But then we have one of those dreaded and dreadful "socialised" medicine systems: it's not perfect and people who can afford private hospital treatment (eg surgery) get sorted sooner than those without it, but it certainly has its advantages, especially if you're poor.

    Please let us know how you get on, I'll be thinking of you.

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    • Mammal-lover
      4 years ago

      Haha yea America isnt as great as some of the idiots here like to think.

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      • Ellenna
        4 years ago

        So being made great again hasn't created a medical system where you need to pay $60 in an emergency department? The solution is in the hands of ordinary people - VOTE.

        Ours is far from perfect, but if even our present happy clappy xian pm tried to introduce that sort of system here, it just wouldn't happen.

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        • LloydAsher
          4 years ago

          It's better to pay the 60$ in the urgent care than to pay the 1500$ meds they give you in the ER. Doctors and nurses are expensive people to get so the hospital needs to make money since most are privatized. That's why preventive steps in ones healthcare are needed.

          Of course there a city funded hospitals and federal ones but their services are lacking compared to the private sector. Because private businesses tend to do things more efficiently than goverment institutions.

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          • Ellenna
            4 years ago

            Even better if you lived in a country which had the dreaded "socialist" medical system and didn't have to pay anything at all or a low price for perfectly ordinary medicine like the one OP has run out of

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            • Anonymous Post Author
              4 years ago

              My doctor finally wrote a script yesterday afternoon, I got my blood pressure pills now

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        • Mammal-lover
          4 years ago

          I canf tell if you are being sarcastic in the first part of not. I haven't gone to th ed hospital in like 8 years so I have no idea on the modern costs. I got some podiatry done for 400 wich wasnt a bad deal but that was with no insurance and at a dedicated place

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    • LloydAsher
      4 years ago

      Sounds like this is just a small town problem really. Its not the fault of medical care in the USA if someone cant get meds in their own town. Some doctors can be dicks and not give you the meds you need and if it's really a problem the hospital the town over should be able to supply the proper prescription.

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      • Ellenna
        4 years ago

        I live in a small town in Australia and this problem just would not arise.

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        • LloydAsher
          4 years ago

          The op could of have this taken care of if they just paid the urgent care some extra money (60$ if I recall an earlier post) . You want fast service you pay more that's how it work. If your life is going to end in 2 weeks without the meds 60$ ain't that much. If not tough it out for 2 weeks.

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          • Anonymous Post Author
            4 years ago

            I don't have $60, so what choice do I have?

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      • Anonymous Post Author
        4 years ago

        I'm in Kansas City, that's not really a small town.

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        • LloydAsher
          4 years ago

          Medication can only be doled out when the doctor prescribes is it sounds like all you have to do it wait. No doctor worth their salt would turn down someone with high blood pressure.

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          • Ellenna
            4 years ago

            My GP faxes scripts through to my pharmacist if I ask for them by phone and leaves a hard copy for me to pick up & take to the pharmacist later.

            But then, he's probably not trying to make people come in unnecessarily so he can make more money.

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  • donteatstuffoffthesidewalk
    4 years ago

    can yall visit an urgent care clinic?

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      4 years ago

      I can't, they won't see you unless you pay $60 up front. All I have is $20 for my script, when I can ever finally get one.

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  • charli.m
    4 years ago

    That's fucked up. Can you see a different doctor at the practice? Or a nurse practitioner? Does your pharmacy have a NP who could prescribe based on your prescription history?

    I'm not overly familiar with the ins and outs of US prescriptions (assuming that's where you're from if it's that difficult) so Idk how viable any of that is, sorry.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      4 years ago

      It's ok. No, there are no pharmacies here that have anyone to prescribe blood pressure pills. I'd have to go to a doctor. But I don't have enough money for the fees. All I have is $20 to get me my script, whenever I can find a way to get one.

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      • charli.m
        4 years ago

        Fuck. I'm sorry. I wish I could help.

        I guess the best you can do for now is drink a lot of water, avoid stress and try to manage with diet for the interim - obviously it won't do the complete job the pills would, and you're probably aware of what you need to do already. And the stress of worrying about getting the damn pills can't be helping. Ugh. Your doctor is a POS.

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        • Anonymous Post Author
          4 years ago

          They have these policies, I've been told. The problem is that they sometimes seem to put policies ahead of someone's health, even when it's serious.

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          • charli.m
            4 years ago

            Yeah. That seems very common in the US.

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            • Anonymous Post Author
              4 years ago

              Yep. I'm American, but I definitely see alot of things wrong with this country today. Too many people here who don't know how to proiritize, who don't give a shit about what's really important, and who have their heads up their ass. Alot of us Americans are badmouthing our country today, so many things here have turned to shit.

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