Whos on high BP meds?

Ray H said:
Just an update for those who replied.
I was in fact forced to leave my job. They told me to get my BP under control in a week or quit, so I quit (Ive never been fired from a job and I didnt want to break the streak). Its all good anyhow. A couple days ago I got a call from the local Community College and I started work there as a CDL instructor. One of their instructors suddenly quit and they needed someone ASAP. Three days into the job and Im having a blast. It was a little stressful at first because I walked into the class already in progress with no idea where to start but its coming together pretty good.
I still need to get my BP down to pass my DOT physical but I have some time to work on it before the students get on the road. Ive lost a couple more pounds and Im walking, biking or jogging daily and my BP is gradually going down. Im pretty confident that if I scheduled my physical just after one of my brisk walks or a jog that I could easily pass. My BP averages around 131/90 when I wake in the morning but gradually drops throughout the day and for a few hours after exercizing, its as low as or around 116/76.
Im happy with the way my Systolic has dropped but my Diastolic still needs some work. Any suggestions on that?
Im off of fried foods, Ive cut way back on red meat, no salts, no soft drinks or coffee, no smoking or drinking. My diet now consists of more fruits, veggies, cereals and dairy products.

Good for you!
Keep it up!

:thumbup:
 
Another update.
Im at a loss. Ive lost a total of about 10 lbs in the last couple months, Im eating right (mostly) and Im exercising pretty regular. My BP has gone down to an average of around 125/83 and its getting better by the day. So My efforts are paying off. Now for the bad news. I thought I had things under control so I went to try to get my DOT physical again last week and my BP during the physical was 160/100. So I scheduled an appointment with my family doctor to check that my BP machine is accurate (and it is) Again, at the doctors office, my BP shot up to 155/100. Ive been back from the doctor for a couple of hours now and my BP is currently 124/82.
Its official, I have White coat syndrome. My BP is artificially elevated while at the doctor's office. The rest of my life, its nearly perfect. Its frustrating.
My choices are, do I get a perscription for BP meds and only take them before my DOT physical, do I get a perscription and take it all the time, even though I dont need it, or do I just say "screw it" and get into another line of work?
I hate to mess with my body chemistry, even temporarily, just to appease the government and their dumbass rules. My first instinct is to just say screw it and get out of the trucking industry all together. I never really liked driving anyway although I do like my current job (CDL instructor). The practical side of me says its not a good time (economically) to be looking for a career change.
 
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