Has anyone had their blood pressure go up due to using Preservision ?

There is a very informative discussion on the side effects of AREDS2 on this site. I recommend reading all of the posts.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/areds/
I don’t remember if anyone else has mentioned rising blood pressure, but several people have had other side effects, including stomach upset/digestive track issues.

That is the issue I personally had. It was horrible and scary. I thought there was something seriously wrong with me. But the day I stopped taking the Preservision AREDS, the symptoms stopped.

Thank you for the information. What do you take instead of AREDS?

I don’t take anything. First of all, I don’t have any confidence that supplements have any effect. I linked an article as to why I have concluded that in the discussion I gave a link for in my previous post.

Secondly, when I told my retina specialist that I had stopped taking the AREDS, he said to at least take a lutein supplement. I researched it to see which foods contain lutein and I try to eat more of those.

Thirdly, I had both my optometrist and retina specialist appts. about six months after I had stopped taking the AREDS. They both noted a very slight improvement in my macula. I didn’t even know it was possible to improve.

Now, I do not attribute the improvement to the cessation of taking AREDS. But I do think it is proof that the AREDS was having no effect.

(I said all of this in more detail in the aforementioned discussion).

I’m past due for my yearly opthalmologist appt. But hope to schedule that soon. I’m curious to know if there has been any change over a year later.

I have taken it for years - no problem

I have been taking Areds for AMD for about 2 weeks twice a day as recommended. I noticed that my blood pressure is running 150 / 90's which is high. I'm wondering if this is due to taking the AReds?

Hi mikaylar,
How long have you had AMD? At what age? Has it progressed at all?
Just curious. I was told in 2022 but learned by reading my records that I actually had drusen as long ago as 2018 but the Drs decided not to share that information with me even tho the records show it. I just turned 57, I see a retina specialist 2x per year, I still have a vision Acuity of 20/20. I've been told it's very possible I may never progress and that many patients retain great central vision for decades. I'm hoping to find people that can relate to what I'm writing so I can have true optimism in this diagnosis and prognosis.
I'm very afraid but I don't want to be.

Hi Praying,
I have had AMD for 10 years. I am 78. I have had 72 eye injections which are saving my vision. As a side effect, I got glaucoma in the one eye being treated so now I have an eye drop for that. My vision on last visit was 20/60, but that is because of the fluid buildup. With the injection, it should improve. You are young and if you keep seeing the retina doctor, you will be fine. ARED did not effect my blood pressure. I also see a neuro eye doctor for my glasses and the glaucoma. She monitors my optical nerves too. Make note that a regular eye doctor (other than a retina doctor) actually will have a different vision calculation than your retina doctor. I was told that is because the retina doctor does not do refraction. My eye doctor actually got a better vision reading. Good luck on this journey which, yes, is very scary. But, just keep up with yours appointments.

Thank you so much for this information.
I'm curious, have you been getting injections for 10 years? Or were you diagnosed with drusen 10 years ago and it progressed to late stage AMD?
Yes, I'm told I'm young for this but I was also told that I have drusen not actual AMD yet, but drusen is a Hallmark for AMD.
I take AREDS 2, Walmart brand they have the same ingredients as preservison but less expensive. I have had no issues taking them.
So, I see a retina specialist every six months. One is at the Elman group and he is only a retina specialist who specializes in retinal disease. I see him once a year and my other retina specialist at UMMC also has a primary eye doctor. I see them once a year so I spread them out where I'm being seen every six months I've been told by both that my VA is 20/20. I've also been told I may never progress and many people remain stable for decades. I hope that is true for me.
I'm thinking I've had drusen for about 7-8 years but was only told about it nonchalantly almost three years ago. I'm so grateful it didn't progress to late stage during that time because I would not have known what hell was going on.
Please keep in touch I would love to continue this conversation.

I'm sorry you developed glaucoma. Thankfully, it is very manageable today with the eye drops. Are you still driving and reading, and recognizing faces? That's my biggest fear losing my independence. And losing all of my hopes and dreams I've had for when I retire. I keep praying every day for a cure or treatments that stop or get rid of drusen.

I have been getting shots for 10 years. I don't drive because of a daily persistent headache/dizziness that docs cannot figure out. And now adding these eye issues into the mix is debilitating. My mother and grandmother became blind in one eye. There were not the meds then that there are now. Just keep an eye on it, eat well and take the vitamins.