Have you tried GLP1 medications and found it didn't work for you? We'd like to hear about your experiences, what you tried, why it didn't work and how you're doing now. Click here to tell us your story

High Blood Pressure

2»

Replies

  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    luluinca wrote: »
    BigGuy47 wrote: »
    The biggest thing that helped lower my BP was losing weight. Calorie deficit.

    This! Unless you have a genetic pre-disposition, and some people do, then losing weight will do wonders for your BP.

    My doctor first cut my medications in half, then in quarter and now I'm off any and all medications. It's really amazing to me!

    That's great. I told my doctor during my last physical in October I wanted to try to lose weight instead of continuing my med, Hyzaar. He told me the he didn't recommend it, but he could not compel me to keep taking it. I had lost 6 lbs. at that point now I'm at 8 and counting. Gotta go check my pressure today. <3 I also told him that I would come to the office to have it checked every 2 weeks also. I'm due for that Monday. I'm making decent progress. I'm not a spring chicken, so I have to shed this weight now.

    I'm 64 and had been on medication for about 10 or 12 years. My doctor gradually took me off. I monitored my BP at home and kept notes for her. It actually got quite low every time before she would lower it.

    I've lost over 50 pounds in about 14 months so it's been a slow process. I only have about 15 - 20 more to go.

    Good luck. It's funny because she didn't think I would get off completely either.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    How much weight had you loss when you began to see results?
    I think I was about 40 - 50 lbs down when my doctor said I no longer needed the BP meds.
  • NoMoreTwizzlers
    NoMoreTwizzlers Posts: 72 Member
    luluinca wrote: »
    luluinca wrote: »
    BigGuy47 wrote: »
    The biggest thing that helped lower my BP was losing weight. Calorie deficit.

    This! Unless you have a genetic pre-disposition, and some people do, then losing weight will do wonders for your BP.

    My doctor first cut my medications in half, then in quarter and now I'm off any and all medications. It's really amazing to me!

    That's great. I told my doctor during my last physical in October I wanted to try to lose weight instead of continuing my med, Hyzaar. He told me the he didn't recommend it, but he could not compel me to keep taking it. I had lost 6 lbs. at that point now I'm at 8 and counting. Gotta go check my pressure today. <3 I also told him that I would come to the office to have it checked every 2 weeks also. I'm due for that Monday. I'm making decent progress. I'm not a spring chicken, so I have to shed this weight now.

    I'm 64 and had been on medication for about 10 or 12 years. My doctor gradually took me off. I monitored my BP at home and kept notes for her. It actually got quite low every time before she would lower it.

    I've lost over 50 pounds in about 14 months so it's been a slow process. I only have about 15 - 20 more to go.

    Good luck. It's funny because she didn't think I would get off completely either.

    You're my HERO! Thanks for sharing.
  • NoMoreTwizzlers
    NoMoreTwizzlers Posts: 72 Member
    BigGuy47 wrote: »
    How much weight had you loss when you began to see results?
    I think I was about 40 - 50 lbs down when my doctor said I no longer needed the BP meds.

    My doctor actually told me that he would give me 3 months. He saw that I was serious with the weight I had loss already. I need to lose about the same. Need to get my BMI down in the 20s. It's in the high 30s right now. Thanks for sharing.
  • luluinca
    luluinca Posts: 2,899 Member
    luluinca wrote: »
    luluinca wrote: »
    BigGuy47 wrote: »
    The biggest thing that helped lower my BP was losing weight. Calorie deficit.

    This! Unless you have a genetic pre-disposition, and some people do, then losing weight will do wonders for your BP.

    My doctor first cut my medications in half, then in quarter and now I'm off any and all medications. It's really amazing to me!

    That's great. I told my doctor during my last physical in October I wanted to try to lose weight instead of continuing my med, Hyzaar. He told me the he didn't recommend it, but he could not compel me to keep taking it. I had lost 6 lbs. at that point now I'm at 8 and counting. Gotta go check my pressure today. <3 I also told him that I would come to the office to have it checked every 2 weeks also. I'm due for that Monday. I'm making decent progress. I'm not a spring chicken, so I have to shed this weight now.

    I'm 64 and had been on medication for about 10 or 12 years. My doctor gradually took me off. I monitored my BP at home and kept notes for her. It actually got quite low every time before she would lower it.

    I've lost over 50 pounds in about 14 months so it's been a slow process. I only have about 15 - 20 more to go.

    Good luck. It's funny because she didn't think I would get off completely either.

    You're my HERO! Thanks for sharing.

    LOL, just an old lady trying to delay the inevitable!
  • dasher602014
    dasher602014 Posts: 1,992 Member
    Also recommend looking for The Dash Diet. "Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension" not a fad diet - recommended by many doctors. Many books available but you can get the basic diet online for free.

    Good luck.
  • NoMoreTwizzlers
    NoMoreTwizzlers Posts: 72 Member
    Also recommend looking for The Dash Diet. "Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension" not a fad diet - recommended by many doctors. Many books available but you can get the basic diet online for free.

    Good luck.
    Thanks I will take a look at it again. MFP allows me to keep a good track of my sodium and potassium as long as I am honest in my entries. I'm pretty used to eating within my caloric count and my sodium is always slow. I believe the dash diet will help me out even more.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,072 Member
    Also recommend looking for The Dash Diet. "Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension" not a fad diet - recommended by many doctors. Many books available but you can get the basic diet online for free.

    Good luck.
    Thanks I will take a look at it again. MFP allows me to keep a good track of my sodium and potassium as long as I am honest in my entries. I'm pretty used to eating within my caloric count and my sodium is always slow. I believe the dash diet will help me out even more.

    Just a caution -- MFP does NOT allow you to track potassium unless you only cook from scratch and use USDA entries for basic foods (whole foods, commodity foods, whatever you want to call them) or the very few packaged foods that actually include potassium information on the label. The FDA (in the U.S.) does not require potassium information to be included on food labels.

    I used to look up roughly equivalent amounts of the main ingredient in packaged foods on the USDA nutrient database for potassium amounts, and do "quick add potassium" entries, but that got old pretty fast, plus my blood pressure came down with exercise and weight loss, combined with being a little more conscientious (I was already pretty good with my diet) about eating more foods containing minerals important in regulating your blood pressure: potassium (e.g., bananas, kiwis, potatoes, pistachios, avocados, swiss chard, etc.); magnesium (e.g., spinach, cocoa powder, pumpkin seeds, swiss chard, white beans, etc.); calcium (e.g., yogurt and other dairy, soy milk, collard greens, sardines with bones, etc.).
  • NoMoreTwizzlers
    NoMoreTwizzlers Posts: 72 Member
    I do cook a majority of my food. I have to. I am careful, it's my life I'm wagering. I know you know that lots of foods have unnecessary sodium added, so I have to cook fresh veggies, fish, meat etc. Thank you again.
  • Mudler
    Mudler Posts: 45 Member
    OK, this is a bit extreme but to my surprise, for me at least, it's working. I have a doctors appointment next week and will see what he says.

    I've had high blood pressure for 12 years. Nothing will change it. I take 3 pills a day since and still have to be careful.
    I read one of these weird things about juice and though, what the hell, nothing to loose, lets try it

    So, 3 raw beetroots
    2 apples and a large handful of grapes, juiced up. Sounds disgusting, taste surprisingly nice

    Drink one of those per day. I check my pressure results daily and since drinking this, almost a week I'm getting the lowest ever results I've seen in 12 years.

    Whether it's sustainable I don't know. Whether it works long term, I don't know
    Am I claiming this is the magic antidote for everyone, NO!

    Just saying, at the moment, for me, it appears to be working