100 lb. Club - Prehypertension and Hypertension Questions

Looks like the blood pressure has goen back up to where I am borderline for high blood pressure. The doctor who treats me for my back was very direct about how if I don't do something about it in 10 to 20 years I will be dead. Pretty direct eh??? Anyway since I am still borderline (in the 140s/80s) I asked for sixth months to beat it naturally and not have to use meds. I really dislike meds.

My point is do any of you have this problem and what is your story? Do you take meds? Have you controled it other ways? Any books or websites you reccomend? How about the DASH diet?

Thanks Chicks in advance I am always amazed at the great support and advice here.

Hi Dolly. I am sorry that you are going through this. Hopefully in 6 months time you can make a dent in your weightloss efforts and that will keep you off of meds. It's certainly worth a shot. Good luck!!

Here's a link to a thread that was talking about blood pressure recently. Maybe there will be some more info for you. Why not take a look?

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111067

Looks like some good information and I also just ordered some books from amazon for DASH diet and hypertension.

Hey - I am sorry you are having to go through this...

I am actually on 2 different meds for the same thing...

But, I have managed to bring mine down and I am hoping that I am eventually going to be able to get off of the meds altogether one day.

Exercise is really going to help, reducing your stress is going to help, eating healthier is a big thing. I only use sea salt now, there is enough iodized salt put into foods as it is.... I have also cut out a lot of the overly processed foods, I use very little canned veggies or fruit. I have tried salt substitutes in the past and just did not care for them. But between using different seasonings and sea salt - I don't miss regular table salt one bit.

Good luck - giving yourself 6 months to turn things around - I think you are really going to impress your doctor. You can do it!

I use meds. I am on Lisinopril 40mg every day. Exercise will help, removing the salt from the table will help, and making your own meals will help you be in control of how much sodium you consume. Also knock down the caffeine consumption, too, if you consume any, that is. :)

Thanks for the comments. I am going to talk to my regular doctor this summer and see if I should just go on meds as a precaution and wean myself off them if things go well......

Mine was borderline high also about the same as yours and my doctor put me on a water pill. He said that alot of people with high blood pressure are sodium sensitive. Just a thought and something that you may want to discuss with your doctor.

Good luck to you!

Oh yeah. Before I started the clinical trial, I was using Lisinopril mixed with a diuretic in the same pill. It was lisinopril/HCTZ, which is hydrochlorothiazide. It worked nice, nicer than what I'm on now.

See what the regular dr says, absolutely. Uncontrolled HBP isn't something to mess with, then again, I have seen that coroner's show (Dr G Medical Examiner) one too many times. ;)

mine was always low then as soon as i lost weight 140/110 I found out i do not have high blood pressure, I just hate Drs..lol Take it 3 times a week and get a average, mine sits at 108/78 last week, I was crazy when i knew it was so high,,,so take it 3 times a week and write it down :)

I don't think giving yourself 6 months to get control it is a good idea. A lot of damage can be done to your blood vessels in the meantime. I would take the meds, and work on getting things under control ~ THEN go off the meds. Not worth the risk IMO. (had a cousin who died trying to just "control" his BP without meds)

My mom had high blood pressure but it was related to her kidney disease. She had a kidney transplant and that took care of her high blood pressure. She still has to watch her pressure though and she reads a lot of food labels. It is unbelievable how much sodium is in practically everything that is canned especially canned soups.

My mom had high blood pressure but it was related to her kidney disease. She had a kidney transplant and that took care of her high blood pressure. She still has to watch her pressure though and she reads a lot of food labels. It is unbelievable how much sodium is in practically everything that is canned especially canned soups.

I've begun noticing that same thing! In fact, so much so that I've started buying only fresh vegetables right now and this winter I'll switch to frozen. I'm also inspired to start a garden next year!

My mom had high blood pressure but it was related to her kidney disease. She had a kidney transplant and that took care of her high blood pressure. She still has to watch her pressure though and she reads a lot of food labels. It is unbelievable how much sodium is in practically everything that is canned especially canned soups.Same here, so even if my weight goes down considerably (Onderland & below) there is no guarantee for me that I could go off the meds.

I use this for a snack at work, have not tried using it in recipes yet.

http://www.amazon.com/Herb-ox-Sodium-Instant-Broth-Seasoning/dp/B0005ZZ4DI

because soup is the WORST for sodium & I love soup.

I don't think giving yourself 6 months to get control it is a good idea. A lot of damage can be done to your blood vessels in the meantime.

Except that the OP said her BP is 140/80, which isn't actually dangerously high. It's classified as high-normal (US) or borderline (WHO). It's the warning period before you're creating health problems.

i believe mariamaria is right 140/80 is basically where they really want to start monitoring you. i have high blood pressure and am on meds . 140 is not great but 80 is nothing to sneeze at . and i beleive the bottom number is usually what they look at the most . i have been on a few different meds so far . luckily i am pretty sure my doc will have to adjust mine to something less because lateley when i check my b/p it is significantly lower . 110/67 thereabouts . for me that is really low and my head just starts to spin when i get up to fast . i have lost 40lbs in the last 3months and i really saw the my bp go down when i started excercising regularly . 30mins treadmill 3 to 4 times a week. plus watching what i eat . and drinking loads of water . dont forget to talk to your doctor they do know what is best . even if sometimes they sound like they just want to scare the poop out of ya . totally understand not wanting to take meds i hate them too . but remember as you get on top of your life changes the numbers will change and then you can always see your doctor again to have them adjusted and eventually not have to take them anymore

When you start the meds do you have to be monitored? I was reading somewhere that you have to be watched for a few months to make sure it is working? Also to see if the meds are hurting anything else.

Sometimes - if you have a BP monitor at home- they will have you take a weeks worth of readings and bring them in. When I first started they had me come in at one week and then one month for readings to see how I was doing, after that I had to come in every three months to get a new prescription and a quick check-up. I was switched from a Beta Blocker med to an ACE inhibitior (actually one of my meds is Lisinopril too, the other is Hyzar) because of damage to my kidneys, the HBP and diabetes were starting to take it's toll. The Beta blocker can be hard on the kidneys but it takes time and you are supposed to have a test done periodically (like once a year) to check on that. I was on BP meds for a few years before it started showing - but I also had undiagnosed/untreated diabetes for over year (I finally found a WONDERFUL, ATTENTIVE doctor).

my doc had me come in every couple of months until she felt the meds were working for me and then adjusted them . she had to up my meds for a while and then i got pregnant so we had to change them again and then due to my bp i had to see the ob/gyn within 4months of being pregnant . also had to have ultra sounds a few extra times wich was nice to see baby but felt bad that my bp could be hurting baby. thank goodness both pregnancies turned out fine. i now have to go see my doc again . i just stopped breastfeeding about 1months ago . returned to work 3weeks ago. i actually cut out my morning pill til i see doc . i know i should not but i was getting so light headed due to bp dropping . i know the signs of it going up so i am just looking out for the tell tell signs . 1- fuzzy head , feeling like there is just lots of pressure
2- pain in my arm 3- pain in my back around the shoulder blades. 4- feeling tired all the time. these are some of my symptoms when my bp is up . the highest it has ever been was 175/110 this was during pregnancy. they took me off work for 3months . but now i feel great . especially since i lost the 40lbs and excercise regularly . when i told my doc that i was starting a weight loss program she did not seem to worried , i asked her if i should make some appts to keep an eye on my bp . but she just said if i can feel it and if my readings start to change to come see her otherwise to come back in 3months sorry i kind of went on and on for a while . i hope to get better at getting to the point in the future

annette
http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/bar-ost/bee01/lb/258/125/218/.png (http://www.3fatchicks.com/weight-tracker/)

When you start the meds do you have to be monitored? I was reading somewhere that you have to be watched for a few months to make sure it is working? Also to see if the meds are hurting anything else.Yes, you will go back to the doctor once a week, to see how you are doing until they get you where you need to be. Then once a month or so.

Good luck in whatever you decide. :)

You see my problem is being overseas. I have to rely on the base hospital or somehow go to the hospital about an hour's car ride away to have my bp checked each week.....

I will have to work out something because of this. My doc in the states will see me this summer and we can talk about all of this. It can be a pain being overseas and having some health issues. I guess I have to deal with it since I chose this life.

If you are a smoker, QUIT NOW! I was placed on meds with severe high blook pressure (I was a stroke waiting to happen), and saw only a moderate reduction in the numbers.

I finally managed to quit smoking with the help of Zyban and the realization that my days really were numbered if I didn't quit. I was already obese, and I gained about 30 lbs. over the course of the next year as I struggled to control the nicotine demon. Despite the weight GAIN, I still saw my blood pressure numbers plummet once I stopped smoking.

I am now working on weight reduction, and my numbers are in the normal range (last check 124/70). I still take Toprol XL and probably will for some time to come.

Quitting smoking was so worth it, even though I did add more lbs. I'm at least alive to try to get healthy again.

Gina

I don't smoke and hardly drink (one to two drinks every two weeks at the most) ...so I am ok there. I just have food as my worst enemy.