Whos on high BP meds?

[Ray H]

My question is, are you suffering any side effects and what are they?
The reason I ask is Im considering going on meds for my high BP. I dont want to do it and Ive been putting it off but Im running out of options here.
My BP varies alot but is usually around 140/90. I believe that with some regular exercise and weight loss I can get it down 10 to 20 points.
The catch 22 is that my job depends on getting it below 140/90 consisitantly and my job is also the reason why I dont exercise like I used to or like I should.
Has anyone had luck getting their BP down through lifestyle changes?

 

[Gerr]

I tried to change my diet (low sodium) and it went down a couple points, stopped snacking and it went down another couple, got a new job and it went down a couple more. That only lasted a few months so the dr put me on a low low dose of a bp med (can't remember the name) and my bp was down to a perfectly normal level no side effects at all. 2 years later still no issues at all and my bp is steady AND I feel better now too

 

[XJ&CHZ4ME]

Hey Ray,
I am 32 and have a high stress job working for the GOV, and to add to that I am sitting behind the desk about 85% of the time now a days. A couple of years back I had started to gain weight (about 25#) over my regular weight, and added with a poor diet and stress, my BP went crazy high for a while, not to mention my cholesteral was like shy of 300. I was having numbness in my extremities and could not sleep worth a damn. The doc put me on a diet and exercise routine and a low dose "water pill" and that got my BP back to normal in just a few weeks, and then the change of diet and taking fish oil pills (organic) helped to drop my cholesteral by about 55 points over 6 months. I have been off the BP meds since right after Christmas and have been feeling great. I also bought Bowflex in Janurary and that has helped out a lot as well. Like the commercials say, 3 times a week for 20 minutes

 

[JNickel101]

x2 on exercise, high fiber diet, low sodium and fish oil

Look for Nordic Naturals - their Cod Liver Oil is ultra pure (no fishy smell/taste) and is flavored. I take it every day. Make sure you get it with Omega 3 and Omega 6 (you need both) and vitamin D!!!

on another note, my mom has taken BP meds for a couple of years, she's not even 50 yet, just one of those hereditary things, b/c she's very tiny and exercises very regularly (she's also a registered nurse, so has kind of a stressful job...). No side effects at all from the meds.

 

[Wayne Sihler]

Ray ,
Its the water here that causes the problem
All the above suggestions will help,my BP is the same as yours and the Dr,s have tried several combinations of medicines.The best, for ME ,was weight loss, got off the water pill and now only take 1- 5/20mg Lotrel per day.

Wayne

 

[XJ&CHZ4ME]

I believe the water pill that I was on was HCTZ. The only side effect that I had from it was that I dprooed about 10 pounds in a few weeks due to flushing the water out of my system and peeing all the freakin time.

 

[TRNDRVR]

BP = Blood Pressure meds


At first I thought you meant BP = Bipolar and I was wondering to myself why there wasn't at least a hundred replies already.

My bad! :doh:

 

[Bent]

BP = Blood Pressure meds


At first I thought you meant BP = Bipolar and I was wondering to myself why there wasn't at least a hundred replies already.

My bad! :doh:

I knew what he meant.

 

[Ray H]

So it looks like reducing it through lifestyle change is possible. Thats the way I would like to do it but the doctor who does my DOT physical is pushing meds and the company I drive for is pushing meds and they arent really giving me a fair shot at losing weight or exercising.
On my last DOT physical it was 146/92. I only got a 3 month card, now my company keeps pushing me to go on meds, they've set me up for two physicals, one was just a couple weeks after the first one and the other is about 5 weeks after. The first one they set me up for, I told them to get off my back and give me more time to get it down. Of course, their reaction was "whats the problem, just go to the doctor and get some meds for it". The second one they set me up for is coming up next week and I probably wont have my BP down far enough to where I wont have to worry about it by then. If its higher than 140/90 this time, I off the road. Oh well, thats probably the best thing anyway, at least then I can get into shape and actually enjoy my summer (which has not happened since I started driving for these people)

 

[XJGrl]

I have had variably high BP for a while now -- anywhere from normal (120/70 or so for me) up to 140/95. Doctors always yell at me and I try to tell them that it's white coat syndrome (which I partially think it is). But -- I did drop some weight and my blood pressure and every other bad number did drop along with it. Losing a few pounds can definitely help.

I would be very hesitant to go on meds since I am so young......thats a pill a day for the rest of my life.....not really something that I want.

Eat more veggies? Get a little exercise? Could help more than you think....

Oh and...being a truck driver could make this tough...but quit with all of the pre-packaged foods. They are the devil!!!

 

[Rev Den]

Been on meds since I was 22.

Currently on Diovan and Atenolol.

Went from 150/98 to 125/75.....about.

Took about a few times to get the meds right, but now I have no side effects at all. High blood pressure is the "silent killer", if you want to try diet and excersize more power to you....but if you and your MD do not see good numbers in a short time, go on the meds.

This is nothing to mess with.

Rev

 

[Prepmech]

I've been trying the diet and excersize routine, but it isn't working. My thought was that as young as I am, if I went on meds now then it doesn't leave me many options later if it gets worse. My blood pressure and cholesteral have been pretty high for a while now, working on the road and eating out for every meal doen't help much.

Two weeks ago one of my wife's close friend's husband died of a heart attack. He was 29, she is 27 and now the single mother of a 14 month-old. That could be me in two years.

Next time I'm home I will be going to the doctor and getting a prescription.

 

[8Mud]

The side affects are there, the main problem is the dose. I've tried a sliding scale timetable for taking the meds. Or in other words an hour or so later everyday so the dose remains more constant. Meals have an affect also, as the pill works differently after a meal and than before a meal.
Main side affects are occasional dizziness, a really dry mouth and nose if I get my dose messed up enough. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and have the driest mouth you can imagine or other times a bladder that is on the verge of explosion.
Tried the same ingredients from another manufacturer, which actually worked out better, the dose seemed to be more constant.
I had to stop my allergy meds. which messed with my lifestyle a bit. I have to be careful about, what over the counter meds I take. Aspirin is a no no,
Weight loss isn't really an option for me, my weight is good. I get enough exercise. I've cut way back on meat in my diet. Don't drink much alcohol anyway. One thing I refused to do is stop drinking coffee.
When I'm dialed in and the dose is good, the side affects are minimal. For some strange reason I've become a grapefruit juice junky, never had the urge or a taste for the stuff, before the med's.

 

[HaleYes]

I've been trying the diet and excersize routine, but it isn't working. My thought was that as young as I am, if I went on meds now then it doesn't leave me many options later if it gets worse. My blood pressure and cholesteral have been pretty high for a while now, working on the road and eating out for every meal doen't help much.

Two weeks ago one of my wife's close friend's husband died of a heart attack. He was 29, she is 27 and now the single mother of a 14 month-old. That could be me in two years.

Next time I'm home I will be going to the doctor and getting a prescription.

Damn Trav. That's scary.

I've lost 25lbs. However, I've kinda gave up on it and have gradually been packing it back on.

A local guy my age had a heart attack last month. He's 32.

I've never had any of my stuff checked. Never.

Maybe we need to turn the pig gig into a health fair.

 

[Ray H]

The side affects are there, the main problem is the dose. I've tried a sliding scale timetable for taking the meds. Or in other words an hour or so later everyday so the dose remains more constant. Meals have an affect also, as the pill works differently after a meal and than before a meal.
Main side affects are occasional dizziness, a really dry mouth and nose if I get my dose messed up enough. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and have the driest mouth you can imagine or other times a bladder that is on the verge of explosion.

Its these side effects Im concerned about. Ive talked to others who have the same issues, not bad but enough to notice.
It doesnt make since to me, The government is telling me that mild hypertension (140/90) makes it dangerous for me to drive, so they encourage me to take medication that could cause dizziness and the feeling of a suddenly full bladder.
I except that hypertension will probably shorten my life or cause a stroke or kidney damage over time but my life expectancy isnt really their business. If it were, there wouldnt be 350 lbs truckdrivers, or truckdrivers over 70 or truckdrivers who smoke and drink. I mean good grief, you can be a diebetic and drive now. (no offense meant to diebetics but you know what Im saying, mess with the insulin or food a little and you're down for the count.) It just doesnt make since. Sorry about the rant.

 

[8Mud]

Its these side effects Im concerned about. Ive talked to others who have the same issues, not bad but enough to notice.
It doesnt make since to me, The government is telling me that mild hypertension (140/90) makes it dangerous for me to drive, so they encourage me to take medication that could cause dizziness and the feeling of a suddenly full bladder.
I except that hypertension will probably shorten my life or cause a stroke or kidney damage over time but my life expectancy isnt really their business. If it were, there wouldnt be 350 lbs truckdrivers, or truckdrivers over 70 or truckdrivers who smoke and drink. I mean good grief, you can be a diebetic and drive now. (no offense meant to diebetics but you know what Im saying, mess with the insulin or food a little and you're down for the count.) It just doesnt make since. Sorry about the rant.

Heart attack and stroke aren't the only issues, kidney function, blood flow to the brain and other vital organs. General wear and tear on the whole circulatory system and a whole list of associated conditions, that can pop up if you try to ignore it long enough. Many of them a whole lot more uncomfortable than an occasional dizzy spell or dry mouth. Gout won't kill you, but will sure enough get your attention, right up there with kidney stones on the pain scale if it gets bad enough. You really have to figure quality of life into the equation also. It may not be all about dieing younger than necessary, but just how painful your last years are going to be.
Life is really nothing more than a race to the grave anyway, you have to decide whether it's worth it to finish first. I've seen a whole lot of people die richer than I am. The wife is always telling me I should be more like this guy or that guy, when they die young, she finds a replacement roll model for me.
I also had a buddy younger than me, but somebody I looked up to as having all his chit in one sack. Bundle of energy, who had a heart attack at 35. I'd watched how he lived and it seemed kind of obvious where he might be going wrong. I changed my lifestyle to avoid much of what he eventually had to go through. The less painful lessons are the ones somebody else has had and you learned from their pain. He never did slow down for long though, he fell right back into the same routine and eventually had bypass surgery at 45.
It's been over a year now since I started taking the meds. and like I said, if you get the dose right, many of the side affects disappear. Consistency seems to be the key.
Last piece of advice, slow down, avoid manic activity, avoid wasted effort. I learned a valuable lesson from my brother, few lazier than him (he called it energy conservation), but he was always a good planner and had enough drive to turn most of his ideas into reality. He always managed to get the maximum results with the least amount of stress, tension and wasted energy.

 

[CantonXJ]

I've been on BP meds now for about 25 years. Back then, I went in for a physical and my BP was 170/140. The doctor absolutely freaked and started babbling about strokes and such. 2 months after turning 40 I had my first heart attack. I've never been terribly overweight, do watch my diet and exercise somewhat regularly. I had my 4th heart attack this past January. All 4 were treated with angioplasty and stent implants. I now have 9 stents. My BP on meds now runs ~125/80 and my total cholesterol is 118. I currently take:

• Atenolol 50mg
  
• Lisinopril/HCTZ 12.5/10mg
  
• Plavix 50mg
  
• Vytorin 10/40mg
  
• Asperin 325mg

I take each of the above once a day. I've really had no noticeable side effects with any except perhaps the Plavix which causes me to bruise quite easily and bleed forever if I cut myself. However, Plavis isn't generally prescribed solely to treat high blood pressure.

As the Rev stated, this is nothing to play around with or ignore. High blood pressure meds will not kill you, but a heart attack or stroke might. The real key is to report to your doctor any ill effects you may have so that he/she can either adjust your dosage or switch you to something else. There are dozens and dozens of different ACE inhibitors and BETA blockers available. If one isn't working for you, your doctor has many others from which to choose.

Dave

 

[Gerr]

WOW you survived 4 heart attacks good lord man that is a feat in it self.

I've been on BP meds now for about 25 years. Back then, I went in for a physical and my BP was 170/140. The doctor absolutely freaked and started babbling about strokes and such. 2 months after turning 40 I had my first heart attack. I've never been terribly overweight, do watch my diet and exercise somewhat regularly. I had my 4th heart attack this past January. All 4 were treated with angioplasty and stent implants. I now have 9 stents. My BP on meds now runs ~125/80 and my total cholesterol is 118. I currently take:

• Atenolol 50mg
  
• Lisinopril/HCTZ 12.5/10mg
  
• Plavix 50mg
  
• Vytorin 10/40mg
  
• Asperin 325mg

I take each of the above once a day. I've really had no noticeable side effects with any except perhaps the Plavix which causes me to bruise quite easily and bleed forever if I cut myself. However, Plavis isn't generally prescribed solely to treat high blood pressure.

As the Rev stated, this is nothing to play around with or ignore. High blood pressure meds will not kill you, but a heart attack or stroke might. The real key is to report to your doctor any ill effects you may have so that he/she can either adjust your dosage or switch you to something else. There are dozens and dozens of different ACE inhibitors and BETA blockers available. If one isn't working for you, your doctor has many others from which to choose.

Dave

 

[cwstnsko]

I had a scare last year. Sometime shortly after my 40th birthday, my BP went from borderline, mostly white-coat related, to scary high in less than a year. Not just high, but die of a stroke tommorrow high, 220/140 :wow: I went straight from the doctor's office to the pharmacy and started Lisinopril that day. It helped a lot, but for me, the 1st med was just a starting point, to keep me from dieing. The Doc tried about 3 meds before we ended up on Caduet (also has a cholesterol med), He supplements the Caduet with a very low dose of Lisinopril to protect my kidneys (I'm told BP meds have very specific mechanisms and affect specific parts of your body) The Caduet got my BP locked in at 120/90. He added a very low dose of Atenelol to lower my resting heart rate to get the last 10 points on the 2nd number. All of the side effects for me have been positive. A lot of people feel like comment the Atenolol nake s them feel sluggish, but I can't say it had that effect for me. The Atenelol is probably the 1st med I'll drop if I get back in better shape. The resting heart rate is largely due to my lack of exercise.

At the BP you're seeing, you could probably get through the physicals with great numbers with some simple relaxation techniques. Get an automatic BP machine and test yourself to experiment with it, the improvement with relaxation is pretty impressive for me, As far as whether to take any meds or not.... after you get the BP machine test your BP right when you wake up. Don't even get out of bed, don't go pee 1st, just sit up and test it. If your waking BP is still a little high, then I wouldn't be afraid of a low dose of meds just to avoid the risk of BP related complications. If your morning numbers are good, I wouldn't worry about the meds, just focus on changing the things that contribute.

Meds are a reality for me, and I don't have any issues, but the most powerful tool for anybody is to get a good machine, use it, learn more about what your BP is really doing at differnt times and make you choices from there.

 

[Ray H]

Yea, Ive got four BP machines (two digital and two with guages) and I check it regularly now (at least two or three times a day. Ive noticed that the digital machines tend to read lower than the manual strethescope ones.
Using the digital ones it averages around 128/86 or so and the manual ones I average 138/90. For instance, I checked it this morning when I got up and it was 130/90 on the stethiscope. For a long time all I had was the digital one, which read low and I went by that until this last physical and the doc kept getting higher readings so I started using the manual ones. I think my BP goes up just trying to wrestle the cuff onto my arm.