Is there anyone needing to lose weight because of high blood pressure. If so, are you succeeding. I started with the Richard Simmons foodmover plan to lose because of my high blood pressure. Being overweight contribute to it being high and cause me to be on medication.Nut it is undercontrol with the medicine. Losing weight will lower the pressure so that is my goal. What about you?

Yep, me too! I'm doing Weight Watchers. It's worked for me after my pregnancies. But my youngest is almost 14! So, I've added a few pounds. I am 45, weigh 152.5 (as of last Friday!) and my pressure today was a whopping 152/100! Awful. So, I've been seriously on program since 1/13/01. I started at 155.

I'm trying to increase my excersising. I go to the Y and use the Nautilus machines, and I just started using the elliptical trainer. I walk about 3 times a week for about 45 minutes or more. Since this isn't working, I think I'm increasing the amount of excersise that I do. Let me know how you're doing!

I too have hypertension. And my BP runs with my weight. When I gain wt. my BP goes up and then I have to back on mediction. I do not want to have to take meds. all my life or worse, have a stroke. But hypertension is not the only problem I have that is caused by my obesity. I have stress incontinence, sore knees and can't bend over to tie my shoes without holding my breath. I am sick of these symptoms of my overeating. So I am back at Weight Watchers, counting my points and looking forward to feeling good again and hopefully having control over my eating. Good luck on your journey and whatever you do, please get and keep your hypertension under control!

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BEING FAT IS HARDER THAN ANY DIET!

I'm at WW too. I'm a lifetime member- but hadn't been for a while. So I went back 2 weeks ago. Have lost 5 pounds - but my meds have been increased. I go to the doc's on next Friday. Will keep you both posted.

Wow Pogo, that is a high pressure reading. I hope by now it is down some. Are you feeling ok? I remember those days. I would always have headaches. But now it is controlled with medications but I dont want to take them forever so I am trying to lose the weight. Its hard since it is not going to happen overnight. But what keeps me going is the fact that one day medication will be lowered, or stopped. Since I been on the Richard Simmons food plan, one pill has been stopped. Hallelujah! and was was halfen in dosage. So now I am aiming to get the 21/2 change or stopped.I just had a doctor's appointment to get medicine refilled and the reading was good. I keep check on it myself with a home monitor. Do you have one? Keep me posted with any change.

I've been using the Nautilus and the Elliptical trainer at the Y. I've been walking. And I'm back to WW with a vengeance. I've lost 5 pounds. My last few readings are creeping downward. Today's was 140/88. That's a big improvement actually. My goal is to cut the medicines too. I'm looking forward to my Friday weigh-in. I'll keep you up-to-date. Let me know how you do too.

Three years ago, at 45 years old, 225 lbs (5'5") I was losing circulation in my legs, approaching diabetes, and on my 3rd increase in high b/p medication, with chloresterol through the roof.

I initially lost 65 lbs on WW over 2 years, kept it off a year, and then, unfortunately, gained back over 20 since a total abdominal hysterectomy this past July. So I'm struggling to lose it again, plus the other 10 I needed to get to goal. I'm still 40 lbs ahead of my worst weight, so that's a good thing.

I am OFF high b/p meds...just recently started chloresterol, and I'm on estrogen therapy. But the fact is YES YES YES losing weight helps with b/p. And overall health, really...and I USED to brisk-walk 2-1/2 miles every morning...I have to start THAT up again...it makes you feel better, helps with overall circulation, firms and tones muscles, and helps burn calories better...

So, go for it!

I am so glad to see people say blood pressure can come down with weight loss. I recently had to switch doctors due to pathetic insurance choices. To make a long story short, the new doctor told me I would never be off of medication my entire life. I was so discouraged. I have decided I need a new doctor again.

Joetom, that was wise to think of the new doctor. Many, many doctors have told me and now I am seeing it to believe it. My medication has been lowered and one stopped and that motivated me to go on with this new lifestyle. So you do what you have to do to get satisfaction and results. I have heard that some have stopped medications completely after so many years. So you made a good decision. Good luck with you pressure and weight loss.

Hi, my name is Michelle and I am 31 years old and was just recently diagnosed with high BP. I am way too young for this. My PCP (since I was a kid) put me on bp meds but I decided to seek out another physician. I am scheduled for an MRI to look at the arteries around my kidneys. She wants to rule out the underlying issues that cause high BP, which is good, that's why I switched physicians. On December 22, 2000 I went in for a recheck on my bp, in October it was borderline and the nurse suggested that I have it rechecked. Well, over the course of two months, my father was in and out of the hospital with heart problems. So, I went for a recheck on the 22nd of December and my bp was 156/110!!! I was immediately put on meds and have been going once a month ever since. At first I was put on 20 mg and now I'm on 30 mg. My BP was 142/94 on Wednesday. I am about 70-80 lbs overweight and know that I NEED to lose weight for my health. This has really scared me! I'm trying to change my eating habits all at once and was doing really well for a while, losing 15 lbs in two months. I stopped eating meat, no caffeine, no alcohol, more grains, veggies and fruits. I also started an exercise routine at the local gym. But, I'm starting to slip. I think I may have changed too mnay things all at once. My short term goal is to lose 5-8 lbs before March 30th, my follow-up with my PCP after my MRI. I don't want to be on meds at all, but I also know that right now I need to be on then, until I can lose some weight and get more active. I'm sooo glad that I found this thread. I have a lot of fears about high blood pressure, which I'm sure I will share at a later date. I'm sorry to ramble on but will be posting more later. Thanks to everyone for listening.

[This message has been edited by luzcious (edited 02-23-2001).]