Blood Pressure

[tjsc1]

Hi All
Just joined and need help/advice.
At the doctors last week (first time in 7 years), to get some cream!! They asked about taking blood pressure, I said OK!.
She was really shocked, wouldnt let me out of the surgery without taking a pill. she took it 4 times, the first was 212 over 116.
Anyway to cut a long story short we settled on 196 over 112. So next week am off to have a load of tests done, she said it might have damaged your kidneys/liver!!
Anyway, I want to get back into regular exercise........I know...I know....after the horse has bolted and all that!!
For my sins I drive a black taxi in London and the only exercise I get is with the dog once or twice a day.
I am thinking of getting one of those 'Moulton' bikes or something like that, I am on the small side (only 4ft 10ins) and need a bike with adjustments!!
Used to have a 'Ridgback' but that was years ago.
So, apart from telling you about my sex life, which, by the way is zero, thats it really.
So any help you experts could give me would be appreciated very much.

Terry

 

[The Jogger]

Hi Terry, welcome to the forum.. I'm no doctor but I have to say that looks very high to me. You need to talk to your doctor before you begin to exercise and probably wait for the results of the test. If you do get the go ahead ( and I hope you do) I think it's a case of, do it, easy does it and don'y over do it. It's also about consistency. Keep posting on here and let us know how you are getting on.

 

[ThePainInSpain]

This is unfortunately a subject I can comment on with some knowledge. September 2009 I was diagnosed almost the same 200/89. I had gone to Urgencias with swollen ankles, and a couple of friends who used to be nurses had urged me to do so. Thinking I would just be given a pill and sent home, I was rushed into high dependence/recovery ward, drips up, monitors on, tablet under the tongue etc, etc. Scared the crap outta me and the missus, whom they would only allow in to see me every couple of hours.

My stats are:..... I'm nearly 62, stopped smoking Christmas 2008 (after a lifetime on 30 a day)(I said to the cardiologist 'I stopped smoking 12 months ago' she said' maybe, but it's the previous 40 years that's done the damage'). I had ballooned to over 16.5 st and was living a very sedentary lifestyle. I have lived in Spain for the past 10 years.

I was sent home after a day in hospital under observation, and 2 weeks later had an ultra-sound scan by the senior cardiologist. Probably, after some of the worst news 2 weeks earlier, some really good news.

The high blood pressure had caused the walls of my heart to thicken and in turn a valve to not close properly. BUT the good news, it's reversible........lose weight - cut down on alcohol (not possible, don't drink anyway) - low fat, low salt diet - exercise. Plus 4 lots of medication.

I took all this seriously, I started doing the cooking at home (the wife's a rubbish cook, and we lived on meat pies and mash), now it's smaller portions, and properly balanced. Everything is tastier, and so much more healthy, loads of veggys.

I started exercising by walking the dog, started slow and short distances, and gradually increased both pace and distance.

10weeks ago I bought a mountain bike from Decathlon (Rockrider 6.2). Again started slow and short distance, an gradually increased both.

I get out at least 3 times a week now, I have done 40kms today (and that's including some pretty evil climbs). I'm aiming for the 50 kms over the next couple of weeks.
I still take our bigger dog for at least 3 long walks a week, and all three get a walk every morning.

Result:......... My medication is down to minimal from what it was 14 months ago - I'm now 89 kgs from 107 kgs (that's just under 14 st from 16.5 st). Blood pressure 120/50, resting HR 60.

My last visit to the cardiologist was 6 weeks ago, he was full of praise for what I had achieved, he commented that my cholesterol was now optimum (the range here is 0 - 1.3, mine was 1.89, and now down to 0.5). And the ECG was as good as a sportsman's.

So don't despair, the answer is in your hands and believe me I feel better now than I have for years, I'm fitter, leaner (still about 8 kgs to lose), my skins in better condition.

Good luck and keep us posted..............

 

[The Jogger]

TPIS brilliant post and well done on what you have achieved, it's an incredible tale.

 

[tjsc1]

Hi Jogger
Hi Pain Tks for your words.......
Like you Pain, I am 60, dont drink, only smoked in my teens for a few years. Always been fairly healthy, she mainly put it down to being 60/overweight and not much exercise. She has said that I should do a bit of exercise that is why I was asking about getting a bike.
But thinking about it, will wait till Thursday for results. Already cut out fizzy drinks and sweets etc. Have put in the order for a more 'healthy diet' to the wife!! I think she would prefer the insurance!!

Terry

 

[The Jogger]

I wouldn't go for a moulton, I'd be looking at a small spesh sirrus if I was you.

 

[tjsc1]

Thanks Jogger, will look into those!!
Terry

 

[tjsc1]

Hi Jogger
Thanks for the info on the spesh sirrus the x-sm looks good, have been looking at websites and Fleabay there approx £600 new. Would you take a chance and go s/hand for the first one, £600 a little expensive for my first one!!.
Is there any special reason why you 'wouldnt recommend getting a Moulton/look-a-like?? Was just thinking it might give me more 'adjustments'.
Thanks for your time
Terry

 

[mcshroom]

Hi Terry and

Don't worry about the horse bolting or it being too late. You can't do anything about the past so don't worry about it just work on improving where you are.

I'm another who started cycling because of high b.p. (mine was 154/98) and basically being fat and unfit. I'm not much thinner (need to work on the diet) but 11 months on I'm definitely feeling fitter and my b.p. is lower.

What sort of riding do you feel you would want to do? And what sort of budget would you be looking at?

Moultons and bromptons are nice pieces of engineering, but do be aware that they tend to be rather expensive, and the imitations though cheaper can be very heavy.

In London there are a lot of different shops, and my advice would be to try and find one that is prepared to work with you to find one that suits you and fits you. I'm afraid I don't know much about Local Bike Shops in London but one of the larger chains that has a big shop in London is Decathlon (Surrey Quays) which tends to have a lot of different sizes of bike in (they only stock their own brands, but they build decent bikes).

Unless you want to do some serious off road (not just potter down canal paths) then I would avid suspension, as it doesn't really take out the bumps too much and does add a lot of weight. Same with tyres, a slicker tyre will actually grip the road better and roll more easily than a knobbly one and a low pressure tyre drags just like a low pressure car tyre.

Good luck, and as a warning it does get addictive

 

[tjsc1]

Hi mcshroom
I think it will be riding with a friend 2 or 3 days a week, there is a good cycle path where we live and runs for about 5 miles, just to start with. Then maybe join a club and go off for rides over the weekend, but just the cycle path until I get my cycle legs again!!
@Jogger' on here just recommended specialized sirrus, just seen a nice one for approx £360, we have 'Evans' bike shops down here so all I have to do is persuade the wife (or maybe not) and have a couple of house in the shop.
Thanks for getting in touch. Will let everyone know what happens.
Terry

 

[The Jogger]

Terry this is a bargain but obviously you would have to try it out to see if you found it suitable. They come highly recommended and I also had one and enjoyed it.

They are an awful lot cheaper than the Moulton, the price of those would send your BP rocketing.

 

[mcshroom]

The sirrus is a good bike, and it's £330 at Evans at the moment - link

 

[Garz]

Awesome stuff ThePainInSpain, I tip my hat off to you!

Keep it up buddy. In addition see Gaz's thread about losing weight and cycling, he too is an inspiration, and most of all.. start logging your mileage on My CYling Log and join the team!

 

[tjsc1]

Hi Jogger.
I certainly dont want the BP to get any higher......I would'nt a bike!!
Looks good, there is an evans shop about 5 miles down the road, if I can I will pop in there tomorrow, if I can get near the shop.
Thanks for looking out for me. Will keep you informed.
Terry

 

[buggi]

Hi

I really think you need to wait to see what the doctor says before undertaking any exercise straight away...That blood pressure is extremely high.

that is not to say you shouldn't exercise... you should... but i think at this stage the first thing should be to find out what your blood pressure actually is and if it really is this high they will want to bring it down through medication first, as exercise will take it higher when you are performing it. That pressure is what most people would be when they are doing vigorous exercise!

The top number is the pressure when your heart actually beats. The 2nd number is when your heart is resting (between beats)

Blood pressure should be 120/80. Anything above is 120/80 but below 140/90 and they want you to bring it lower through exercise and changing diet.

Anything above 140/90 usually needs medication to bring it down, and anything above this number is considered as "high" blood pressure. Only one of the numbers has to be higher than this for them to consider it to be medically "high" and yours are both high.

Anything below 100/70 is considered low blood pressure, but is not as serious as high blood pressure and they don't worry about it unless there is something causing it (like another illness). Again, only one number needs to be lower for it to count.


They will now run a series of tests on you because many things can affect blood pressure. They will take some tests over a number of weeks, to ensure the result is accurate. For instance, having a cup of coffee within an hour of having your blood pressure taken can raise it to "high", so although your readings were high on the day it's not surprising that they all turned out similar, even though she took more than one, as the stress of the tests could increase it after the first one.

So wait for your tests and take the advice of the doctor. Loads of things can cause high blood pressure, including being overweight, or unfit, but some people are both and don't get high blood pressure. Other factors are age, diet, stress, caffeine, other illnesses... and the BIGGY is ethnic origin... asian and affro-carribean people are prone to high blood pressure.

i know all this because i did a whole week of blood pressure testing at work and learned all the basics... and true to form the asian people were the worse off!

Anyway, hope it all works out for you. at least you know about it now and they can do something about it, which is the main thing.