Anyone got high blood pressure....

[carole]

I am asking this question because it appears i may well have high blood pressure, last two visits at the doctor suggested this,but both times i was unwell and very nervous, i just had it taken in the mall, and it was 159/90,again i was told visit your doctor.

I am getting a little concerned,and thinking it is time i had it evaluated again by the doctor.

My mother had the same problem at about my age,however i do not want to be put on medication if i can help it.

I only have three factors,(i guess that is enough, as i was told you only need to have one for it to effect your blood pressure) my mother having it,i am a bit overweight but not heaps, and i need to exercise more, i have also stopped having salt on my food, although i was never heavy handed and do not really eat a lot of salty foods.

Ok so just wondering if any of you are on medication, and how it effects you etc, as i gather this might be my only option, i will endeavour to continue my weight loss battle and up the exercise in hope that will sort it,but i am realistic enough to know in my age group and with my mothers history, it might just be something i can do little about.

Anyhow welcome your comments and advice, cheers.:)

[Pam]

Yep I do! About two to three years ago my primary doctor picked it up when I was in to see him with extreme knee pain. He thought the pain was elevating my pressure so he let it pass. Then maybe a few months after that I had a dental visit. My dentist takes BP prior to beginning any procedure and it was up again. He thought, too, that it might be due to "dental anxiety" even though I am completely relaxed there. (He has never hurt me! :) ) He said to keep an eye on it. Well, the last straw was when I went for my routine OB-GYN appointment and it was high there 150/90. My OB-GYN was alarmed even though, once again, that type of visit can generate anxiety. When I told him about my other two times he sent me right back to my primary doctor where it was once again 150/90.

I have been on BP medication ever since and my blood pressure is terrific. I had no side effects with this medication (Diovan) and couldn't be happier to have this under control. There is a history of stroke in my family so I am very relieved. Please don't be fearful of beginning medication. It could save your life and prevent a stroke.

[carole]

Thank you so much for your input Pam, i know what you are saying, yes i am not afraid to take medication,but if i can lower it by continuing to loose weight, and exercise more then so be it ,I will, but i am realistic enough to know that might not be all that is needed, it is just that i already take two medications, so not keen to add another, but yes i certainly do not want to suffer a stroke, i nurse aided a stroke patient, when i was 16 and i have never forgotten it,my uncle has one at 68, so i am not going down that road, if i can help it, great to hear you had no side effects,that is the worst about medication eh.?

[Pam]

Thank you so much for your input Pam, i know what you are saying, yes i am not afraid to take medication,but if i can lower it by continuing to loose weight, and exercise more then so be it ,I will, but i am realistic enough to know that might not be all that is needed, it is just that i already take two medications, so not keen to add another, but yes i certainly do not want to suffer a stroke, i nurse aided a stroke patient, when i was 16 and i have never forgotten it,my uncle has one at 68, so i am not going down that road, if i can help it, great to hear you had no side effects,that is the worst about medication eh.?

At least it has been brought to your attention so you know to keep monitoring it. Many people who don't go to see a physician very often have no idea. Good luck with the weight loss and exercise. It may very well make a difference, and it is always better to adopt positive life changes rather than rely on medications if you can help it. :)

[Karen]

My parents both had high blood pressure, though both were overweight as well. My dad has been on blood pressure medication since I was a little kid, and never complained of any side effects. I am just glad he knew about it, and has taken care of it as, at a healthy 78, he is several years older than his parents were when they died, both from conditions that may have been caused by high blood pressure, I don't know.

[slick]

I've very familiar with this and I've had HBP for years now. Ask your doctor if you can try a diuretic (water pill) first. I will make you pee more but it gets rid of excess water in your body. I think it's alot easier on your body than BP pills. I take two pills for my HBP - Atenolol and Cozaar - each once a day and they have done wonders.

[carole]

Thanks everyone, yes Slick my mother was put on diuretics when she was about my age, very mild one i believe, i did not know if they still did that, hey does it help you loose weight then? lol, would be nice plus wouldn't it? I heard they can deplete the potassium out of your'e body,well i love my bananas, so i guess i will just have to eat more of them, yum.

I am not that overweight, but i am sure if i lost what i need to it might benefit my BP,but the exercise i am not good at, i really need to up that one for sure to see if it all helps.

I am willing to try these first, i think i would tell the doc to give me six months and see if there is a change, if not, then i will opt for the meds i guess reluctantly though.:)

[sirrahbed]

Yup - in our family in seems to be hereditary and may be related to thyroid?? My bloodpressure is due to kidney disease and so I take medication. I had hoped that the weight loss would help me but it did not in my case. My current med is Micardis. Have been on a few others too.

Glad you are on to this possible problem early Carole!

[pomtzu]

I am fortunate and do not have HBP altho everyone in my family had/has it. How is your cholerterol by the way?
A little story about my brother who had HBP - he hated taking meds of any kind so didn't take what his doctor prescribed for him. He wasn't overweight and was VERY active and looked like the picture of health. But at the age of 59 he suffered a massive stroke which he never recovered from - never worked another day in his life - was confined to first a wheel chair and then bed - and passed away at 64 due to complications. Don't let this happen - if your doctor wants you on meds - then you really should be taking them! Good luck!

[Freedom]

Dad and mom both have / had HBP. Dad uses Diovan, as someone else mentioned He has not side effects. And yes it often goes along with hypothyroid, which may well be part of the weight issue.

My brother (only sib) also has HBP, but it not taking any meds for it.:(

I have low blood pressure, go figure. :confused: Not low enough to need meds for it, but slightly below normal ALL the time.

[Logan]

I have it too and take 3 medications every day. One is a diuretic (Lasix) and I take that in the morning. It offsets some of the side effects, fluid retention, that results from taking the BP meds. I take Lotrel and Clonidine every night at bedtime. My BP has never been high again since I started taking the medication. Carole, I do remember that I had a few dizzy spells the first week I was on the Lotrel. Had to be careful about standing up too quick or bending over, but my body adjusted and I can't tell the difference now.

My doctor contends that no matter what, I'll probably always be on the BP meds. Mine went up when I turned 40. But, he said the only way that he would consider taking me off is if I got into a regular exercise program and lost weight, neither of which I have done. I think I would probably lose weight if I would exercise more!

[jazzcat]

I have slightly high blood pressure and have bad symptoms from it. I get ringing in my ears and pressure in my head like a migraine when it goes up. My dr. put me on the water pill Hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) and it has worked great for me for years. Even when I lost weight and was exercising every day I still needed it but sometimes it would drop too low so we just lowered my dose. Worked great.

My husband has high BP and takes Diovan with a diuretic in it. It's been working well for him but boy I can tell when he forgets his pill - he is cranky! He's lost weight and still works out every other day and it's made no difference on his BP. He still needs the meds.

BTW, it runs in both our families and we started taking meds for it in our mid to late 30s.

[carole]

Hmm again very interesting reading, my mother also has a thyroid condition ,maybe that contributed to her high blood pressure, i also read for some reason menopausal woman often find their blood pressure rising,i fit into that one alright.

BTW my cholestrol is absolutely great, very low, was 3.3 last time i had it taken,although my good HDL could be better, prob the exercise will improve that, or as nurse said some people cannot get it better no matter what they do, which was about six months ago,my hubby is the one with that problem, and he is skinny as a rake,however he has changed his diet and we are just going to get his re-tested next week, hoping for a good result for him, there is always something to worry about isn't there, my diabetes is good(both my dad and sister have type 2 diabetes), cholestrol but BP up.

[pomtzu]

BTW my cholestrol is absolutely great, very low, was 3.3 last time i had it taken,although my good HDL could be better, prob the exercise will improve that, or as nurse said some people cannot get it better no matter what they do, which was about six months ago,my hubby is the one with that problem, and he is skinny as a rake,however he has changed his diet and we are just going to get his re-tested next week, hoping for a good result for him,

Just a side note on cholesterol and your hubby.........My "bad" cholesterol was somewhat high - 230 and it should be below 200 - so my doctor put me on Omega 3 Fish Oil capsules (2400 mg per day total - one 600 Mg with meals and one at bedtime) - and within a month it was down to 203. Inexpensive and over the counter and it works! Also oatmeal will lower it - however I just can't go oatmeal or Cheerios everyday for breakfast - it gets old real quick!!! :(

[Grace]

I've had hypertension for years, and have been on meds with no problems. I take Lisinopril and HCTZ. I am a Type 2 Diabetic, and it is imperative that I keep my BP in a normal range.

I'm also on Lipitor for cholesterol. No problems with that med, either.

You could try it on your own for awhile - exercise, no salt, lose weight. Do you have a BP monitor at home? They're not terribly expensive and you can keep track of your numbers on your own.

[shepgirl]

Just the opposite, I have low blood pressure and I mean it falls low enough to send me into shock. And even with that I still have a cholesterol problem and I would need to gain a few pounds..

[K9karen]

My BP is exceptionally low too. The only concern a doctor ever mentioned was before surgery on my wrist. They made my lay flat on the guerney before they operated. Even when I'm stressed or upset, it's still low. I take after my dad. My mom's side of the family has high BP, hence, strokes and heart attacks. My brother has to be careful.

John's BP is so high, it's frightening. I won't even mention the numbers. He doesn't have medical insurance and stupidly won't go to the local Vet hospital. I care, but he's a grown man.

Good luck Carole. I hope you go to the doctor and start a medication regamine. I know I would if I had to. I've seen the results of too many stroke victims in my family because they didn't take their meds. I don't want anything to happen to you.

I know it's hard to eliminate salt. It's so good. I don't use it in my house..well maybe a pinch to boiling water for veggies or pasta. I got books on seasonings and love experimenting. I remember my mom using a salt substitute for my nana.

[Felicia's Mom]

I stopped using salt when I had high BP. I have had no trouble with it since then.

[lizbud]

I've very familiar with this and I've had HBP for years now. Ask your doctor if you can try a diuretic (water pill) first. I will make you pee more but it gets rid of excess water in your body. I think it's alot easier on your body than BP pills. I take two pills for my HBP - Atenolol and Cozaar - each once a day and they have done wonders.


I have HBP too & am not overweight. I take Atenolol & 1/2 of a water pill
every day per Doctor's orders. The scary thing with HBP is you can't tell
you have it by symptoms. There aren't any.

I too, hate taking any medication if I can get by without it, but HBP is too
dangerous to ignore.

[Grace]

I too, hate taking any medication if I can get by without it, but HBP is too
dangerous to ignore.

Absolutely!! And once you start any medication, don't stop without your doctors approval. That's what happened to Cindy McCain. She stopped taking her meds for hypertension - didn't check with her MD. Then she had a stroke. Fortunately for her, it was a mild stroke.

[carole]

Yes i am taking it seriously,will make an appointment to see about it soon.