High Blood Pressure. Any advice?
Discussion
Hi all.
I am now 50 and for the past ten years have been the absolute picture of health. Regular gym work outs, jogging and walking regularly, always feel good and not one visit to the doictor in all that time.
I thought that because of my age, I should have check up at the doctor.
Imagine my surprise, when he told me that I had second phase hyperention (high blood pressure).
My initial reading was 190.
He prescribed 5mg of Ramipril daily. After one week my blood pressure has dropped to 180, but he has suggested that I up the dosage to 10mg.
I must add, that I still feel fine, and unless I had the check up, I would be totally oblivious to my high blood pressure.
Does anyone on here have any exoperience with this problem?
What would you advise to get my blood pressure back to a healthy rate?
I do not fancy having heart problems at a later date, so am anxious to nip this in the bud asap.
I notice you used the word anxious. That may be a contributing factor. Ask yourself if your job / family life is exerting any forms of stress on yourself, and if so, try and find a way of reducing stress anxiety if that is the case.
I was a proper stress-head a few years back and my blood pressure was through the roof. You may consider buying a cheap pressure monitor (as I was advised to do) so you can monitor it during a normal day. Diet is also important, as is the need to reduce coffee and tea as for me, too much caffeine was causing me to get stressed out. Now I am almost flatlining I am so chilled out
I was a proper stress-head a few years back and my blood pressure was through the roof. You may consider buying a cheap pressure monitor (as I was advised to do) so you can monitor it during a normal day. Diet is also important, as is the need to reduce coffee and tea as for me, too much caffeine was causing me to get stressed out. Now I am almost flatlining I am so chilled out
My dad is the same age as you. Over the past 10 years he has bee in fairly good shape most of the time, going through periods of doing quite a lot of running. However (probably becuase of his work) he also struggles to get his blood pressure down.
Last year he went for the normal checkup type thing and was again close to being given pills. Since then he has basically cut out most salt from his diet and cut his caffiene too I think. His blood pressure goes back to normal. As soon as he has some salty food it's noticably higher. He has a bread maker so makes bread (normaly only he eats it) with no salt in it - tastes a bit 'different' at first, but it's not horrid. I'll ask him, but I think his blood pressure is now fine pretty much whenever he checks (we have a blood pressure machine).
HTH
Last year he went for the normal checkup type thing and was again close to being given pills. Since then he has basically cut out most salt from his diet and cut his caffiene too I think. His blood pressure goes back to normal. As soon as he has some salty food it's noticably higher. He has a bread maker so makes bread (normaly only he eats it) with no salt in it - tastes a bit 'different' at first, but it's not horrid. I'll ask him, but I think his blood pressure is now fine pretty much whenever he checks (we have a blood pressure machine).
HTH
It's very common for people of 50 to have high blood pressure. I'm glad it was discovered before anything serious happened to you. Buy a bread maker, BP monitor and exercise regularly. I swim and do long walks. The problem with BP is that it tends to increase with age, so even if you manages to avoid tablets now, you'll probably have to start taking them at some stage. You'll be amazed at how many of your comtempories also share the problem.
Edited by ianash on Wednesday 25th March 09:49
Edited by ianash on Wednesday 25th March 09:50
Diet and exercise. It could also be anxiety making it worse. You may want to buy a blood pressure monitor and check at home occasionally.
Have a look at the site for the british blood pressure association (or something similar).
Don't change your meds without consulting your Doc.
I'm not a Doc but I know it is very common. Nothing wrong with just continuing the meds if they work for you.
Good luck.
pp
Have a look at the site for the british blood pressure association (or something similar).
Don't change your meds without consulting your Doc.
I'm not a Doc but I know it is very common. Nothing wrong with just continuing the meds if they work for you.
Good luck.
pp
Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic 9 years ago and, as a Diabetic, they also keep a keen eye on blood pressure.
I'm also on Ramipril, as it was a little high, and have had no problems with the tablets etc.
Probably worrying about it makes it worse.
I get slightly stressed every six-monthly review and get a higher reading at the surgery, but it's fine at home.
White coat syndrome for me.
You'd be amazed at how many people have it, many without even knowing.
I'm also on Ramipril, as it was a little high, and have had no problems with the tablets etc.
Probably worrying about it makes it worse.
I get slightly stressed every six-monthly review and get a higher reading at the surgery, but it's fine at home.
White coat syndrome for me.
You'd be amazed at how many people have it, many without even knowing.
Rough_Diamond said:
Mr Whippy said:
SS HSV said:
too much caffeine was causing me to get stressed out. Now I am almost flatlining I am so chilled out
Will help no end I think, if the OP is a fairly heavy user of the substance.Dave
More than anything the caffeine made me stress, not actively realised by me, just sub-conciously I think I worried more and things. Real stress as well wasn't good, but I think the stress I had was loads worse simply because the caffeine made it worse. Now similar stressors just don't even show up on the worry radar
Anyway, needless to say since cutting back to 4 or 5 a day, with NONE after about 6pm unless I need it to stay up late (ie, long drive I'll have a brew), and everything is fine.
I think to sum up the point, caffeine stresses you out where normally there isn't stress, but it's weird because you think it's normal and not stress when it actually is because you are so conditioned to it.
Caffeine is dodgy stuff for the old ticker!
Dave
I'll concur about caffiene being an important part of the problem.
About 10 years back I went through a major upset and was stressed - my doctor prescribed Atenolol which brought my blood pressure under control ( too much until we worked out the right dose, my rest heart rate dropped to about 40 ) and then slowly weaned me off them.
Now I drink too much coffee and get told off for it. I had an exam by an external doctor for insurance, he took a look at my ECG trace and said 'You drink too much coffee' and pointed to a spurious blip and went on to say 'that goes away, and your pressures will drop if you cut down'.
I haven't, but still worry that I should!
About 10 years back I went through a major upset and was stressed - my doctor prescribed Atenolol which brought my blood pressure under control ( too much until we worked out the right dose, my rest heart rate dropped to about 40 ) and then slowly weaned me off them.
Now I drink too much coffee and get told off for it. I had an exam by an external doctor for insurance, he took a look at my ECG trace and said 'You drink too much coffee' and pointed to a spurious blip and went on to say 'that goes away, and your pressures will drop if you cut down'.
I haven't, but still worry that I should!
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