AboutDomenic Sica Expertise All aspects of hypertension as well as any consideration in drug therapy for the management
of hypertension.
Experience Heavily published in the area of drug therapy in hypertension and renal disease. Primary management physician for a large multi-state referral practice for diagnosis and management of complex hypertension
Organizations Multiple including the American Society of Hypertension, International Society of Hypertension, American Society of Nephrology, American Heart Association, American College of Clinical Pharmacology amongst others.
Publications Over 250 publications (see PubMed)
Education/Credentials Board certified in internal medicine, nephrology, clinical pharmacology, and hypertension
Awards and Honors Multiple awards as clinical and/or teacher of the year.
Question Hi,
Over a year ago I was seeing an endocrinologist who was performing testing to look for a pheochromocytoma. I was spiking markers in my urine for a pheo tumor. I had higher than normal levels of catecholamines, epinepherine and norepinepherine. I had a Gamma scan with contrast and that test came up negative. I would have bad spikes in my blood pressure that would give me headaches, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and tiny bleeds and a twisted vein in my retinas (hypertensive retinopathy). I unexpectly became pregnant and all testing to look for a pheo stopped due to the pregnancy. I saw a high risk maternal fetal med OB and he started me on methyldopa during my pregnancy for the bp issues. Eventually the attacks stopped towards the end of my pregnancy. I have stayed on the methyldopa to this day because I am afraid to change to another medication as I understand that it blocks epinepherine and norepinepherine and those attacks I had made me feel like I was going to die. Do you think the issue resolved itself or do you think the methyldopa is masking the issue? What would you recommend I do now?
Answer It is hard to say without additional information about you. If you let me know where you live I might be able to recommend someone to see you who would be skilled in this area of medicine. If you are not close to someone who could see you then let me know and I will have a few other questions to ask and I might be able to provide some insight into your situation.
