effect of menthol on blood pressure meds?

[nosaint]

I just recently switched to vaping, currently I'm at 5mg nic using about 20% menthol in a 67/33 pg/vg mix. My blood pressure has spiked. I've read conflicting reports that menthol cough drops might interfere with BP medication. Does anyone here have a similar experience or thoughts? I'm switching to blueberry for at least 24 hours to see if that changes anything. I wonder how long It will take the menthol to get out of my system. I didn't have this problem with the menthol light analogs, but they're not 20% menthol either.

I thought the ringing in my ears was a symptom of nicotine withdrawal, now it seems it's my BP. This really sucks, trying to get healthier is killing me faster. I have over 30mils of Menthol, luckily I have 10 mils of Blueberry. My only other flavor is creme d'menthe(notice a patern here)

Should have added, the only life stlye change was switching to vaping. My BP was under control with the medication and analogs.

 

[billo]

I use menthol and have had no noticeable problem. I DIY and use about 15 drops of menthol per 30ml of 36 mg juice.

You might be encountering the "white coat" effect, where your blood pressure is much higher at the doctors office.
This happened to me, so I bought my own blood pressure meter. As a result, my doctor cut my medication in half, since he
could then see that it wasn't as high as what we got in his office. (I'm now on only 20 mg Benicar and average pressure at home is about 115, but closer to 135-145 in his office !)

I bought an Omron BP-742, which is very nice, and costs under $50 at Amazon, and about $60 on sale at Walgreens drug store.

By the way, I can measure my pressure then chain chain vape for a minute and measure it again. I see only about a 2 average increase after chain vaping which is about the same as the variation in readings, so it's down in the noise. No big jump.

 

[fourthrok]

I've had high blood pressure since 2008...been on medication (two of them plus a cholesterol one). Quit smoking and started vaping in Sept of 2011. My blood pressure is stable (with existing meds I've been on all this time). No spikes, no increase. The doctor is pleased.

I ONLY vape menthol. Nothing but menthol. Always.

 

[Jerms]

I've never heard of menthol causing issues with BP, but maybe in some cases it does? The truth is, when you pick up vaping, you're also quitting smoking even though you still get nicotine, and quitting smoking can have different symptoms for people, from mild to heavy. If you're really concerned about BP spiking, one option is to just vape unflavored nic while your body adjusts to being a non-smoker, and add ingredients as you go along to see if they effect you.

Sent from my LGL55C using Tapatalk 2

 

[nosaint]

Thanks, no doubt there is some white coat effect. However, taking it at home it's been 165 over 95 all week plus or minus 10%

 

[nosaint]

I've had high blood pressure since 2008...been on medication (two of them plus a cholesterol one). Quit smoking and started vaping in Sept of 2011. My blood pressure is stable (with existing meds I've been on all this time). No spikes, no increase. The doctor is pleased.

I ONLY vape menthol. Nothing but menthol. Always.

Well our meds are similar. Maybe it's just me.

 

[nosaint]

I've never heard of menthol causing issues with BP, but maybe in some cases it does? The truth is, when you pick up vaping, you're also quitting smoking even though you still get nicotine, and quitting smoking can have different symptoms for people, from mild to heavy. If you're really concerned about BP spiking, one option is to just vape unflavored nic while your body adjusts to being a non-smoker, and add ingredients as you go along to see if they effect you.

Sent from my LGL55C using Tapatalk 2

There are warnings that menthol cough drops may interfere with BP medications, that was the basis of my questioning the menthol. I'm switching to a vg/pure grain alch. mix, blueberry flavor to see what happens(there are mixed reports that PG may raise or lower depending on the study, BP). Maybe I just suddenly got worse and the timing is coincidental? A few days should give an indication.

I've also heard, but can't confirm, that quitting smoking leads to a temporary increase in BP.

 

[fourthrok]

nosaint...for what it's worth...it could be some withdrawal things from vaping. I had some SERIOUS anxiety problems about 2 months after I quit smoking. So bad I thought I was having a heart attack and my husband called the 911 and I was taken to the ER. I had some issues...but it wasn't a heart attack. Really bad anxiety, however. In my case, unlike yours, I was vaping very high nicotine at the time. I immediately dropped down significantly after that incident, and have been okay. Might not have been the nicotine level so much as it was the final death throes of withdrawals from the chemicals inhaled/absorbed over 43 years of heavy smoking and I just didn't realize it.

 

[nosaint]

nosaint...for what it's worth...it could be some withdrawal things from vaping.

Just to finish this thread, it appears my increased blood pressure is due to withdrawal. Even though I wasn't conscience of urges to smoke, my body was. 3 analogs fri night, 1 sat. morning, my BP dropped 20 points. A few more analogs and the ringing in my ears diminished to nothing. Threw the pack away (a first for me, I'm cheap) 5 hours after the last analog, ringing in my ears returned, 20 hours after, a loud steady hum in my ears. No menthol vaped since friday morning. So it has to be withdrawal, not the menthol.

I still find it curious that otc cold medications that contain menthol are not recommended for people on BP medication.

 

[Ken_A]

maybe these will help?

Effects and Safety of Menthol on Blood Pressure and Metabolic Parameters in Prehypertensive and Mild Hypertensive Patients - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov

Using Menthol Cough Drops, And High Blood Pressure May Get Worse

 

[D4rk50ul]

Nicotine in general will raise your BP. If you find yourself vaping a lot out of habit drop down the nic level. This is what keeps me on the level. Expect withdrawal to suck it is called that for a reason, stay hydrated and try to exercise it usually helps me.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[oxygen thief]

Thanks, no doubt there is some white coat effect. However, taking it at home it's been 165 over 95 all week plus or minus 10%

Have you tested your BP device in your doctors office? A/B with theirs? I did, mine was testing 17 points high. It rated 4.5 stars on Amazon with 600 reviews. Not accurate though.

 

[Unforeseen]

Moved to General E-Liquid Discussion