Anyone on drugs for high blood pressure?

[yello]

I paid a visit to the docs this morning during the course of which he took my blood pressure. I was bouncing off the rafters at 170/100 (I kid you not). The doc was a locum but had he have been my usual, he said he'd have written me up for drugs for the rest of my days! Not keen on that.

I know my bp is high, has been for ages, but I'd prefer not to take drugs. Anyone here taking meds, or in a similar position?

Btw, my bp is usually around 150/90 but I've just come right after an infection and 'white coat hypertension' would have been a factor, so today's reading was irregular even by my standards. After a ride, it drops to a much more acceptable 130/80 or lower.

Edit: just googling around, it appears that it's not uncommon to treat it without drugs through diet, exercise and relaxation techniques and/or yoga. Anyone successfully doing that?

 

[ColinJ]

My niece was told that her blood pressure was too high last year and that she needed to take medication for it. She told the doctor that she'd rather try and get it down by a change of diet, weight loss and exercise.

She cut out junk food, drastically reduced her salt intake and started going to the gym and swimming 3 or 4 times a week. She lost 4 stone in weight in 6 months and her blood pressure is now normal.

 

[yello]

Cheers Colin. Better just mention that I'm not hugely overweight, a couple of kilo maybe, and that my diet is good though not perfect (no added salt, no processed or junk food, a lot of fruit & veg... but maybe a bit too much cake etc!). But I'll loose that couple of kilo and tighten up on the diet.

I'm of a naturally anxious disposition and get stressed easily. I reckon that's both the cause of my bp and, therefore, I reckon the biggest 'bang for buck' change I can make.... hence thinking of yoga, TM, relaxation etc.

 

[Auntie Helen]

Hi Yello, I think yoga would be beneficial. When I was very overweight I had high blood pressure too and a combination of diet (8 stone!) and yoga did help me a lot - mine is now normal.

If nothing else, yoga is very good for suppleness and feeling younger and more toned!

 

[col]

Just before I left my last job my bp was 150/90, my doc suggested a lifestyle change, so I changed jobs got more active and within weeks it was 130/80. lately its been 130/75, but Id like to get it to about 125/70 ish but The only things left to do is lose weight and stop smoking now.

 

[vandatubes]

Try eating raw garlic on a regular basis.Its good for so many other things you'll be amazed.

For example, the Romans would crush a clove to reduce tooth ache.My brother recently had tooth ache and he did exactly this and the pain went with in a few minutes.

He had tried all the known pain killers you buy from the shelf and was so grateful for his stash of Garlic he grows it in his garden.

What did the Romans do for us?

Good luck

 

[tyred]

My BP is always sky when the doctor takes. I've had one of those things that monitor it for 24 hrs fitted a few years back and it is much more accpetable in normal circumstances. I lost 4 stone in weight over the past few years and a recent visit to the doctor showed my blood pressure is still a little on the high side (145/83) when the doctor took it. I bought my own monitor and find about 128/75 at home if I'm relaxed. I'm also a very anxious, highly strung person who worries about everything. I'm not on medication for anything. I tried taking garlic capsules to see if they lowered my BP anything but I found they gave me serious indigestion so had to stop taking them.

 

[beancounter]

I also suffer from "white coat syndrome" and have to persuade the doctor my bp is never normally as high as when he takes it...

Fortunately I have it checked regularly at the chiropractor (120/87 last time, pretty reasonable for me).

I remember lying in a hospital bed a few years ago after a motorbike accident - bp 190/120 - I was slightly stressed...

bc

 

[Amanda P]

Mrs Uncle Phil is.. ahem, highly strung. At stressful times, her blood pressure goes through the roof, and this has caused medics some concern at times.

At other times, there's nothing wrong with her BP. We just have to try to keep her happy!

White coat syndrome is easily overcome by buying one of those little wrist sphygmoma sphig sfyg blood pressure monitors. You can use one of these on your own whenever you want. Do it once or twice a day (keep it by the kettle or by your bed) and write the results down and show them to your quack.

If there's nothing much wrong with you or your diet, it could well be partly down to stress. Try not to take life so seriously. In the words of Freddy Mercury, nothing really matters.

 

[TheDoctor]

Seriously, if you've got high BP get it down! You're risking a stroke, or a retinal vein bleed wihich bu**gers the vision in that eye.
Vasodilators have no side effects that I've noticed. Lifestyle factors can help, but get on the medication ASAP in the meantime.

 

[yello]

Seriously, if you've got high BP get it down!

But to take meds for life? Not keen on that.

I'll give it a couple of months, see if loosing a couple of kilo and a diet tweak helps. If not, then I'll go back to the docs.

Thanks for the advice people. I've already had my clove of garlic for the day!

 

[TheDoctor]

But to take meds for life? Not keen on that.

I'll give it a couple of months, see if loosing a couple of kilo and a diet tweak helps. If not, then I'll go back to the docs.

Thanks for the advice people. I've already had my clove of garlic for the day!

I wasn't keen on it. I'm a damn sight less keen on having an eye that will never, ever work properly again though

 

[BIGSESAL]

Try to exercise a little more. Elite athletes have really low BP and this is due to exercise. My biology textbook says that Hypertension (high BP) puts people at risk of coronary heart disease. Also a diastolic pressure of 90 puts you in the mild-moderate risk category.

Post-exercise hypotension is important, after you exercise your BP will be lower than your BP before exercise. This can last for about an hour and can be stimulated by activities as simple as walking.

 

[punkypossum]

Beet root juice is apparently very good for high BP...

 

[earth]

A friend of mine is on BP pills. I think they are called Statons. He has a BP monitor device that he bought for £10 from Superdrug. Over Christmas we all took turns measuring our BP. Mine was about right but his was way up, although not as high as yours (no offence). Then he took a Staton and within 15 minutes his reading was droping. It went so low we should have rightfully phoned for an ambulance!