2 replies to this topic

[LeeMarie]

I am 50 year old female who is a 36 year veteran of quadriplegia (C4, C5). I have been pretty healthy but have been battling osteomyelitis for the past two years. It spread from my hip to my sacrum and now to my lower lumbar area. I've also been recently diagnosed with abscess on my sacrum, which was successfully drained, and fluid in the L4-L5 section of my spine. As a result I am dealing with dysreflexia, my BP consistently running either too high or too low. Are there any suggestions anyone has to help me regulate my blood pressure?

[brockit79]

hey Lee-Marie,

I'm sorry to hear of your woes sounds pretty awful . Are you in hospital with osteomelitis and receiving intravenous antibiotics? You probably know this but you needing to be relieving any pressure by turning; and ensuring bladder bowels and toenails are kept well.

As for stabilising blood pressure; it is best to consult a doctor and possibly a dietician. You probably have a number of factors which contribute to the fluctuation in BP so it is best to seek the advice of the pro's. Noxious stimuli (infection) can cause high BP as well as activity levels and diet. My BP fluctuates but I don't want to say something which may have an adverse effect on you because it is personal to me if you get my drift.

I sincerely hope that this helps you and I wish you all the best,
Broc

Edited by brockit79, 16 January 2012 - 08:26 AM.

[LeeMarie]

Broc, thanks for reply. I have been in and out of the hospital for the past 2 years and also did hyperbaric chamber treatments. I am at home right now and receiving intravenous antibiotics. Unfortunately, I live in a rural area, but even in the closest city (El Paso, TX) the doctors don't have any experience treating people with spinal cord injuries and the complications that come with it. When I was in the hospital recently, they put me on fluids because of the severity of the antibiotic on my kidney (I only have one) and it kept my blood pressure consistently high. They wanted to put me on high blood pressure medication but I was afraid it would make it go too low. Now that I am at home on off IV fluids, my BP is fluctuating a lot again. With the abscess and fluid it complicates the blood pressure even more. Just wondering if other SPI patients have gone through this and if there was anything I can do at home or any suggestions I can make to my doctors to deal with it, because honestly they don't know what to do.