Was anyone able to get off the blood pressure meds since losing weight?

I have been on 2 bp pills for around 5 years now. before starting my weight loss journey, my bp was all over the map, even with the meds. My highest reading before taking meds was 194 / 104!!! On meds and obese, I averaged around 130-150 / 80-90.......since losing 58 lbs so far, my bp has been averaging around 105-113 / 60 - 75 .... I see my Dr in Oct for 6 month check. I'm hoping to get off the meds. the only problem, one of them has a water pill and has helped with getting this water off my body. I know that has a lot to do with sodium intake too, which I am TRYING to watch.

Replies

  • btsksw1
    btsksw1 Posts: 1 Member
    I was on 9 meds and I am down to 1 which is Bp. I am down to 210 and was 254. I should be off bp pills around another 15 lbs. Good luck in yours my friend. Walt
  • mae7365
    mae7365 Posts: 66 Member
    I was on bp meds for years. I has 221 lbs at my highest weight and by the time I got down into the 170's, I was taken off bp meds. I had to take my bp everyday at home, and log it for my doctor, but once I showed her the log, I was off for good. It's been over 5 years, and my bp is still normal on my every 6 month visits.
    It doesn't take a ton of weight loss to improve bp. You should offer to check it at home if your doctor will agree to take you off the medication. Good luck.
  • gottswald
    gottswald Posts: 122 Member
    I dropped hydrochlorothiazide. I want to drop the propronolol er next, though I was put on that for migraines. After coming off the water pill I am holding at ~107/72. I still have another 50lbs to lose I think, about that anyways.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    Best wishes to all wanting to come of medications.

    I feel for those who are normal weight/lower end good bmi but still have high blood pressure problems, have always had problems - like years/lifetime. I wish they could be told their underlying cause/causes, there must be some, especially when the medications taken have not regularised the problem.
  • gottswald
    gottswald Posts: 122 Member
    A lot of the things I was told were caused by my 'weight' are now explained as 'genetic' to me by my doctor. Weight can contribute but it doesn't cause. I'm not sure how much losing ~90lbs so far changed vs. my consistent strength training over the last 7 months. My A1C is down to 5.3, hoping to decrease that too. Everything is getting better (except neurology). How much of that is from weight loss and how much is from doing the right kind of lifting? I certainly couldn't say.
  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 2,024 Member
    Deanner03 wrote: »
    I went off BP meds. I was experiencing orthostatic hypotension when I was on it after losing weight (BP dropping when I went from lying to standing). Took my BP for several days and it was normal-low. Called my PCP, and he advised going to half a dose for a couple of weeks. It got better. After more weight loss, it was happening again. We discontinued the lisinopril, and my BP is within normal limits and the hypotension stopped.

    I'm glad you mentioned that. I have been experiencing dizziness when getting up from a chair after being on the computer for awhile..I wonder if that is the cause?
  • pandareads
    pandareads Posts: 18 Member
    Deanner03 wrote: »
    I went off BP meds. I was experiencing orthostatic hypotension when I was on it after losing weight (BP dropping when I went from lying to standing). Took my BP for several days and it was normal-low. Called my PCP, and he advised going to half a dose for a couple of weeks. It got better. After more weight loss, it was happening again. We discontinued the lisinopril, and my BP is within normal limits and the hypotension stopped.

    I'm glad you mentioned that. I have been experiencing dizziness when getting up from a chair after being on the computer for awhile..I wonder if that is the cause?

    Definitely get a home BP monitor. I’m trying to ditch the meds too, I’m on two. I keep a log of my BP when I wake up before I take my morning pill, sometimes in the afternoon if I’m really dizzy, and then before I take my nighttime pill. I used to be 130/90 with both meds but now I find myself 110/80. I get dizzy easily now just going from sitting to standing... like I have to hold onto sometime and my vision goes a bit. I’m hoping my doc will approve dropping at least one pill at my next appointment in a month and then hopefully the other six months after that of I can keep up the weight loss (down 40 lbs so far).
  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 2,024 Member
    pandareads wrote: »
    Deanner03 wrote: »
    I went off BP meds. I was experiencing orthostatic hypotension when I was on it after losing weight (BP dropping when I went from lying to standing). Took my BP for several days and it was normal-low. Called my PCP, and he advised going to half a dose for a couple of weeks. It got better. After more weight loss, it was happening again. We discontinued the lisinopril, and my BP is within normal limits and the hypotension stopped.

    I'm glad you mentioned that. I have been experiencing dizziness when getting up from a chair after being on the computer for awhile..I wonder if that is the cause?

    Definitely get a home BP monitor. I’m trying to ditch the meds too, I’m on two. I keep a log of my BP when I wake up before I take my morning pill, sometimes in the afternoon if I’m really dizzy, and then before I take my nighttime pill. I used to be 130/90 with both meds but now I find myself 110/80. I get dizzy easily now just going from sitting to standing... like I have to hold onto sometime and my vision goes a bit. I’m hoping my doc will approve dropping at least one pill at my next appointment in a month and then hopefully the other six months after that of I can keep up the weight loss (down 40 lbs so far).

    Yes, I have BP monitor. Glad I am not the only one to experience this dizziness, although it sucks as you know!
    Thanks for your post and great job on the weight loss!

  • gottswald
    gottswald Posts: 122 Member
    Deanner03 wrote: »
    I went off BP meds. I was experiencing orthostatic hypotension when I was on it after losing weight (BP dropping when I went from lying to standing). Took my BP for several days and it was normal-low. Called my PCP, and he advised going to half a dose for a couple of weeks. It got better. After more weight loss, it was happening again. We discontinued the lisinopril, and my BP is within normal limits and the hypotension stopped.

    That's a good point. I find that even when the Dr's remark on 'how much you're losing' they don't seem to think about adjusting medications for your new size unless pressed on it.
  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
    No longer on my diabetes med and no longer on the 2 BP meds. 1 of which was the water pill.
  • JennJ323
    JennJ323 Posts: 646 Member
    edited July 2019
    Fuzzipeg wrote: »
    Best wishes to all wanting to come of medications.

    I feel for those who are normal weight/lower end good bmi but still have high blood pressure problems, have always had problems - like years/lifetime. I wish they could be told their underlying cause/causes, there must be some, especially when the medications taken have not regularised the problem.

    This is me! I'm 122lb 34 yrs old and have very high bp and am on medication for it. Both my parents are too, so the only thing my dr can think is, it's genetics. It always ran a little high, when I was pregnant it jumped up a bit, then came back down after having my daughter. But just recently (this summer) I noticed it was getting higher again, 160/90 when I finally went in to talk to my dr about it (I've seen it as high as 174/110!!) I had all the routine blood work done, an echo and ekg and all came back normal. So we're just chalking it up to genetics. It sucks.. but I'm fine being on the meds if there's nothing else I can do about it.
  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,532 Member
    I have been on 2 bp pills for around 5 years now
    Do it for your BP.

  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 2,024 Member
    edited April 6
    I have been on 2 bp pills for around 5 years now
    Do it for your BP.

    I am only on one pill now and will probably stay on that for rest of my life. But, yeah, losing weight is a must to keep it all in check!
  • lmb133
    lmb133 Posts: 1 Member
    Hi, I love that you guys can go off your meds. I unfortunately did as suggested, lost 10kg (22lbs) and my blood pressure increased. For context the weight was more than 10% of my body weight. As I have previously had a stroke this was not good. So now I happily take my medication, walk, eat healthily and be grateful for every day.
    Be blessed.