Losing weight/exercising but BP won't go down

Jackson4590

I am 5'10" 168 pounds - so within healthy BMI. I don't eat a ton of junk food other than some M&Ms at night, for example, or Chinese food when we are out of town.

My blood pressure is in the pre-hypertension range and no matter what I do I can't get it to go down. I monitor it several times per day and it's obviously high after workouts and in the pre-hypertensive range at all other times.

I eat a salad and fruit protien shake for dinner most nights, exercise 5 times/week, don't smoke, don't drink alcohol, and don't use other drugs. What could I be missing?

juggernaut1974

Jackson4590 wrote: »

I am 5'10" 168 pounds - so within healthy BMI. I don't eat a ton of junk food other than some M&Ms at night, for example, or Chinese food when we are out of town.

My blood pressure is in the pre-hypertension range and no matter what I do I can't get it to go down. I monitor it several times per day and it's obviously high after workouts and in the pre-hypertensive range at all other times.

I eat a salad and fruit protien shake for dinner most nights, exercise 5 times/week, don't smoke, don't drink alcohol, and don't use other drugs. What could I be missing?

Genetics...do you have a family history of high BP?

elphie754

High levels of sodium can also cause high blood pressure.

Have you seen your doctor? That should be the first step. If it can not be controlled through diet and exercise you may need to consider medication.

DASH diet (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) might also me something to look into.

callsitlikeiseeit

I would consult with your doc.

Yours may be a case of genetic propensity to it, and a healthy lifestyle may help, but medication may also be needed.

In the case of my husband, even meds don't lower his to normal levels. lower than what they WERE but still high. But he also has a lot of other health issues so.....

Jackson4590

I am adopted so I don't know any family history of high BP.

I went to my doctor and she gave me some some type of beta blocker and it caused my leg to swell up so I had to be taken off of it. So basically my options are a lifestyle change (which I have made by not smoking/drinking/eating healthy) or medications that cause my legs and feet to swell to the point I can't walk on them.

Pawsforme

Jackson4590 wrote: »

I am adopted so I don't know any family history of high BP.

I went to my doctor and she gave me some blood thinners and it caused my leg to swell up so I had to be taken off of it. So basically my options are a lifestyle change (which I have made by not smoking/drinking/eating healthy) or medications that cause my legs and feet to swell to the point I can't walk on them.

There are a LOT of medication options for high blood pressure. I'm surprised your doctor put you on a blood thinner. That doesn't sound right at all, unless you have some other medical issues? The first line medication for uncomplicated high blood pressure is almost always a diuretic. Which of course does the opposite of making you swell.

elphie754

Jackson4590 wrote: »

I am adopted so I don't know any family history of high BP.

I went to my doctor and she gave me some blood thinners and it caused my leg to swell up so I had to be taken off of it. So basically my options are a lifestyle change (which I have made by not smoking/drinking/eating healthy) or medications that cause my legs and feet to swell to the point I can't walk on them.

Blood thinners and anti hypertensive medication are two very different classes of drugs.

Jackson4590

Pawsforme wrote: »

There are a LOT of medication options for high blood pressure. I'm surprised your doctor put you on a blood thinner. That doesn't sound right at all, unless you have some other medical issues? The first line medication for uncomplicated high blood pressure is almost always a diuretic. Which of course does the opposite of making you swell.

i have a swelling disease in my legs so any beta-blocker that can cause swelling is a no-no for me. Which is every beta-blocker. the point of this is to ask what other lifestyle adjustments can i make to control this because going on medication is a last resort for me. certainly i'm not too out of shape but i'm wondering how long it takes for these changes to produce positive results.

cwolfman13

Jackson4590 wrote: »

I am 5'10" 168 pounds - so within healthy BMI. I don't eat a ton of junk food other than some M&Ms at night, for example, or Chinese food when we are out of town.

My blood pressure is in the pre-hypertension range and no matter what I do I can't get it to go down. I monitor it several times per day and it's obviously high after workouts and in the pre-hypertensive range at all other times.

I eat a salad and fruit protien shake for dinner most nights, exercise 5 times/week, don't smoke, don't drink alcohol, and don't use other drugs. What could I be missing?

heredity...hypertension is sometimes able to be treated with good livin'...but often, it's a matter of heredity as it is with me.

dubird

There's lots of options for BP meds, why a blood thinner? I'd ask for a second opinion to be honest. If you're genetically inclined to high BP, exercise and diet only go so far. And since you don't know if you are, best to get what information you can from multiple sources. Do some research and make a list of questions to ask. We're forum posters, we're not exactly qualified to give medical advice! All we can do is make suggestions to talk with your doctor about.

callsitlikeiseeit

Jackson4590 wrote: »

I am adopted so I don't know any family history of high BP.

I went to my doctor and she gave me some blood thinners and it caused my leg to swell up so I had to be taken off of it. So basically my options are a lifestyle change (which I have made by not smoking/drinking/eating healthy) or medications that cause my legs and feet to swell to the point I can't walk on them.

there are a LOT of medications. don't let a bad experience turn you off. hubby has tried basically all of them, and some have HORRIBLE side effects!

callsitlikeiseeit

and dont be afraid to find a new doc! We've went through 4 before we found one that was able to get his bp as much as he DID. the others just kept prescribing high $ stuff that made him feel HORRIBLE!

frankiesgirlie

Some people, like myself, are not just hereditarily predisposed to high blood pressure, but are also salt sensitive.
I didn't need to lose weight(as far as blood pressure goes,only for vanity). My doctor wanted to put me on medication after several high readings. When I asked if I could wait and see if I could bring it down myself he said he wanted me to take it but would give me 2 weeks. I gave up salty snacks and it went down 10 points in 2 weeks but he wanted it lower,and mentioned about stress and blood pressure. He recommended meditation, which I couldn't get the hang of. I thought of the most stressful times of my day and realized that they were right when I woke up and everyone in my family was on me for things(breakfast, keys, where's this where's that) and late at night when everyone else in house was asleep and I was trying to get caught up on work emails,lunches for next day,laundry,etc)
Had a family meeting and decided that I WAS going to get 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night to be Left alone (took some time for everyone to get it) . Making changes to look after myself and not think go go go all the time was what it took to get my blood pressure under control. That and taking 3 deep breaths several times a day. Sounds too simple to work. But it worked for me .No medication.

jgnatca

I vote for finding a medication that works.

ashliedelgado

There are a lot of alternatives for blood pressure. And just because one from one class doesn't work, doesn't mean they all won't. Same thing with side effects. You likely have a genetic pre-disposition to high blood pressure. Talk to your MD and if you can't get on the same page, find another one.

goldthistime

My husband struggles with somewhat high BP, and is 6' 168 lbs. Other than discussions/minimal research with him on the topic, I have no medical training/experience so take my advice with a grain of salt. I think you are wise to look for a solution other than medication. You are only prehypertensive, and studies show that medications change bp readings but not necessarily mortality rates. The salt and stress reducing suggestions seem like good advice. What is your exercise regimen? Do you track your macros/salt consumption here? If not, I would strongly consider doing so.

TheyHateUsCuzTheyAnus

You really should be asking your doctor about this

SMKing75

I am curious why they are jumping on the medicine bandwagon at this point. If you are only in the pre-hypertension range, then you are not technically in a situation that calls for medication. You are not saying your age so I can't tell if you are older or younger. I struggled with pre-hypertension for a couple years after the birth of my third child when I suddenly developed high blood pressure as a complication. After the birth my BP was higher (130/83) but no where near medication levels. My doctor said we would watch and see as that could have been my new normal. However, after weight loss my BP has gone back to its normal range of 110/76.

slideaway1

Hi mate, it does sound like it might be a stupid genetic thing. My lifestyle is similar to yours. My blood pressure is always high when tested at the doctors (white coat syndrome I think), but is a lot lower if I test it daily at home. Not scary high, but higher than I would like it to be. My Dad takes Statins to control his and has not had any of the horrible side effects that have sometimes been reported. My blood pressure actually drops significantly for a few hours after exercise but obviously my heart rate increases. My blood pressure on average is usually around 127 over 90. It's the lower number that I would like to get down to below 80. Maybe tablets are inevitable in later life but I'm fu*ked if I wont do everything to avoid it.

LKArgh

Jackson4590 wrote: »

I am 5'10" 168 pounds - so within healthy BMI. I don't eat a ton of junk food other than some M&Ms at night, for example, or Chinese food when we are out of town.

My blood pressure is in the pre-hypertension range and no matter what I do I can't get it to go down. I monitor it several times per day and it's obviously high after workouts and in the pre-hypertensive range at all other times.

I eat a salad and fruit protien shake for dinner most nights, exercise 5 times/week, don't smoke, don't drink alcohol, and don't use other drugs. What could I be missing?

Salt. Are you taking care to be at a very low sodium diet?

slideaway1

To much caffeine might spike it to0 mate. Other than that, it's time to give up the M&M's. Life is very unfair.

dhimaan

Yes there is a big genetic predisposition. I drink anywhere from 5-10 cups of coffee a day, and am a heavy smoker. 50% of my family has high BP. I try to do 3-4 hours of cardio a week along with weight lifting. My BP stays around 110/70. If you are concerned see you doc.

knittnponder

Mine was getting pretty high so I looked into it and was surprised to find that OTC medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can cause your BP to rise. I stopped using any OTCs unless I'm miserable and have tried everything else. I also upped my potassium levels dramatically, like to between 4,000-6,000 depending on the day. This is through food though, not pills and I don't have any potassium retaining issues. That helped quite a bit. I also drink hibiscus tea everyday as that's supposed to help. My BP has dropped from high (160s/90s and even higher at times) to under 120s/70s and I'm still overweight.

There are a number of other things you can do outside of prescription medications if you choose to explore those options. Just make sure that if you're going that route you keep a close eye on things and if you're not having any success you'll probably want to enlist your doc's help.

skydiveD30571

A diet high in sodium can cause high BP especially if you are genetically more sensitive to sodium. Also, there's studies out there that show sodium-to-potassium ratio is a large cause of hypertension. I started paying more attention to sodium intake and made sure to get more potassium and my BP has dropped from 145/100 to 118/82.

pauladavis968

Hi I'm a sister in a gp surgery. Go and see your practice nurse who should monitor your bp once a month for 3 month. She will take into consideration family history Etc. Ideally if raised for 3 consecutive month you should have an ECG and bloods so that a cardiovascular disease risk assessment can be carried out. Also if you are healthy and raised bp and under 40 you should be referred to urology to ensure your kidneys are functioning properly. Hope this helps

Sunny_Bunny_

Look into the possibility of sugar/fructose being a link for you. There's quite a lot of credible research that make a connection. And it's certainly something you could test to see if it has any benefit if you gave it a try for a couple months.

rhtexasgal

Have you had a full blood work-up? I mean the kind that tests everything including calcium, vitamin D, c-reactive protein (one of several that tracks inflammation), etc. In a some cases, lower vitamin D levels can raise blood pressure. Some people require a calcium and magnesium supplement because they are deficient which manifests as high blood pressure.

I don't believe some of the gluten hype as of late BUT there are some individuals who don't have a problem with grains, gut-wise, but do show signs of intolerance in other ways such as a higher than normal blood pressure and prolonged muscle soreness or even acne. If you eat a lot of grains, try reducing the amount and see if over time your blood pressure reduces. Sugar is also a major culprit, and not necessarily just the added white sugar or high fructose corn syrup found in many foods. Having too many fruits and vegetables can present issues as well.

Examine your diet. You may think it is good but there are always things can be improved upon. Also look into natural remedies too. After all, civilization lasted for thousands of years with natural treatments before our chemicals and drugs came along! Herbs like olive leaf extract and basil are just a few of many. Most of my input is from previous research and purely anecdotal in terms of effectiveness. Do your own research and learn to read your body cues better to determine what might work for you and what may not.

elphie754

Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »

Look into the possibility of sugar/fructose being a link for you. There's quite a lot of credible research that make a connection. And it's certainly something you could test to see if it has any benefit if you gave it a try for a couple months.

Link? Never heard this before.

rhtexasgal wrote: »

Have you had a full blood work-up? I mean the kind that tests everything including calcium, vitamin D, c-reactive protein (one of several that tracks inflammation), etc. In a some cases, lower vitamin D levels can raise blood pressure. Some people require a calcium and magnesium supplement because they are deficient which manifests as high blood pressure.

I don't believe some of the gluten hype as of late BUT there are some individuals who don't have a problem with grains, gut-wise, but do show signs of intolerance in other ways such as a higher than normal blood pressure and prolonged muscle soreness or even acne. If you eat a lot of grains, try reducing the amount and see if over time your blood pressure reduces. Sugar is also a major culprit, and not necessarily just the added white sugar or high fructose corn syrup found in many foods. Having too many fruits and vegetables can present issues as well.

Examine your diet. You may think it is good but there are always things can be improved upon. Also look into natural remedies too. After all, civilization lasted for thousands of years with natural treatments before our chemicals and drugs came along! Herbs like olive leaf extract and basil are just a few of many. Most of my input is from previous research and purely anecdotal in terms of effectiveness. Do your own research and learn to read your body cues better to determine what might work for you and what may not.

Yeah no. Too many fruits and veggies do not elevate blood pressure. Natural treatments can actually be more harmful than good. Civics toons may have lasted, BUT life expectancy was significantly lower. Life expectancy increased with modern medicine. Extremely poor comparison.

slideaway1

I might be wrong, but I've heard that supplementing with garlic (raw cloves or tablets) can be a decent natural way of lowering blood pressure.

daniwilford

Is there a reason you can't take an ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitor? These drugs block a hormone that constricts the blood vessels. They are usually the first choice drug class for treating hypertension. The only people I know who take Beta Blockers are those who have had a cardiac event as Beta blockers work directly on the heart. Blood thinners work at decreasing clotting agents and are prescribed for those who have had strokes or other blood clot issues. Diuretics reduce fluid retention. ACE inhibitors, blood thinners, Beta blockers and diuretics are all different classes of drugs with different side effects. They are all used to treat various cardio-vascular diseases but each acts on a different part of the system.

kshama2001

slideaway1 wrote: »

Hi mate, it does sound like it might be a stupid genetic thing. My lifestyle is similar to yours. My blood pressure is always high when tested at the doctors (white coat syndrome I think), but is a lot lower if I test it daily at home. Not scary high, but higher than I would like it to be. My Dad takes Statins to control his and has not had any of the horrible side effects that have sometimes been reported. My blood pressure actually drops significantly for a few hours after exercise but obviously my heart rate increases. My blood pressure on average is usually around 127 over 90. It's the lower number that I would like to get down to below 80. Maybe tablets are inevitable in later life but I'm fu*ked if I wont do everything to avoid it.

Ya, my ex's BP was always high right when he got to the doctor's. They'd wait for a while and do it again and it would have gone down significantly.