High BP Meds and Dieting Warning

Greyhawkk

So ....in march 2010 , I went to the doctor complaining of feeling like crap....weighing 327lb...bp was at 150 over 95...colesterol was also high ... i was 39 y old. He told me id be dead with in 5 years if i kept it up...forgot to tell you..i had smoked for 20 years as well...I was seriously on my way out !!.

Anyhow, he put me on high BP Meds , told me lose weight, quit smoking..yadda yadda yadda ...... scared me enough i listened. A week ago i hit 80lb gone (30-40 more to go)and celebrated 6 months without a ciggrette ( the gum company has started to send me thank you notes).

BUT ..... Yesterday as i was writing nasty emails to people who needed em....i got a blurry spot on my right eye....figured it was from looking at a computer screen to long...so closed my blinds and shut my eyes for a moment.. That didnt help......flushed my eyes with bottled water...but it just got worse...then i noticed a that when i closed my eyes, i could still see the spot!.. So about now im getting scared...thankfully , where i work is staffed with a full time doctor, so like a bunny off i go. By the time i got to his office, the spot had left and a halo around the vision in my right eye had appeared. First thing he did was check my BP....and lo and behold - 80 over 55 HR of 46 bpm....i doubt my BP has ever been that low......ate a candy bar ...drank some juice.....checked it again an hour later 90 /60....and again 1/2 hour later 100/65. This morning without meds 110 over 70.at 58 bpm....no more meds for me....YAY!!!!!!

So this is my message...if you are dieting for BP control, be carefull, get checked every 20 lb or so.......sucks to die from being to healthy.

pammbroo

Thanks for this. I've often wondered how one knows when they can get rid of the meds.

Congrats on your great accomplishments!!

ShellyMacchi

congrats!!!! that is what i want to reach as well.... off BP meds!

JMRGrant

WOW! GREAT JOB!!!!!! Congrats on the weight and "med" loss. Thanks so much for the post. Glad to know those things as I'm also on those dang "meds" for the same reason! Hope I can have the same luck as you. I'll find out in June when they do my regular blood work (make sure the "meds" are working). I hope I send my MD's heart rate up when he sees how much I've lost since the time I was in to see him; heck I hope he won't recognize me when he walks in the room (I hope to have lost approximately 30lbs by then). Anyhoo keep up your good work!

ShakenWithJoy

great post!

Greyhawkk

My doc in Canada ( I spend 6 months a year in the Middle East and im there now) wouldnt listen to me when i told him i needed a lower dose...so about a month ago I started snapping my micardis pills in half and taking a half dose...glad I did....needless to say i will be looking for a new doctor when I get home.

I should also tell you that i keep my soduim levels between 1000 and 1500....sometimes lower depending on the day.

BSheff11

Did the doc at your work tell you to stop taking your meds? Please see the doctor who is prescribing you your BP meds before stopping. Most BP meds need to be tapered off (no quitting cold turkey), especially if you are on two meds or a combo pill. Abruptly stopping your BP meds can lead to rebound hypertension or a hypertensive crisis, which is life threatening.

It may be true that your medication dosage should be lowered to reflect your new healthy weight and lifestyle, but this should only be done through your med prescriber. One or two days of lower blood pressure does not necessarily mean that you don't need the BP meds anymore.

I absolutely agree with getting your meds (BP, cholesterol, etc) checked every 20lbs lost. But do it in a safe way, under managment of your health care provider.

Didn't want to rain on your parade, but I need to do my nursing duty to keep you safe & healthy! Congrats on the loss (and quitting smoking)!


Source: I'm a Registered Nurse

scoboli

Thats what happened to me also. I got very dizzy one evening after running 5k on a treadmill (I was still on blood pressure medicine). I called the doctor the next day and they lowered my medicine. Now I am off it and am very thankful that I have my health back the way its supposed to be.

Greyhawkk

Actually Starzie101 , Ive been weening myself off them because he wouldnt listen to me....the body knows best....fortunetly for me, Im surrounded by doctors or paramedics where ever i work ,so i can constantly monitor my bp if i wish....so..he had me on a full dose...i went to a half, then this happened, over the next five days my bp will be monitored 4 times a day off my bp medication, when i get home in a week ill be seeing another doctor with this information in hand.

I would just like to say Starzie is right tho...do this only with the approval of a doctor, not everyone has one ten feet away all day long like me.

Thanks for that Starzie101

SabrinaJL

Thanks for the warning and congratulations. One of my goals in doing this is to get my bp to normal and get off the meds.

Smokenmirrors

Thanks. Great advise. I'm trying to get off B.P. meds as well. I think it's time for a trip to the Doctor.
Great job on the losses too.

ShrinkinMel

Yahy! Great to get off them. I need a home meter so I can monitor from home. I know exercising can really lower you BP a lot.


I've quit mine cold turkey several times in past but I've been on a baby dose since its mostly just over borderline. I definitely can't wait to get off mine. I had the darn water pill ingredient added and a dose increased a little over a year and retain so bad when I miss a pill.

billdavismqt

Over the past several months I have lost about 45 pounds (mostly before MFP). I had some similar experiences with feeling lightheaded. When I saw my doctor last Monday she cut my BP meds by 50%. I think that should help plus it was a nice NSV.

mikeyml

Thanks for your post. I'm on BP meds and honestly I just haven't been feeling right...basically what you're describing. I had a physical a few weeks ago and my BP was 112/60. Usually it is 130/90 at the doctor's office. I'm getting blurred vision, white cloudy vision, dizziness, confusion, tiredness....I know it's from low blood pressure. I need to start tracking it daily I guess.

emma6978

Thanks for your story, I'm on BP meds and you just never think you'll ever be able to get off of them. Keep up the great work and congrats on getting off the meds I bet it's a relief.

Shei12285

Wow!! Congratulations on your great Success!!!

anna_b1

Thanks for sharing this story with us.

I'm on bp meds and often wonder about when and if I'll every be able to ditch them. My doctor told me I may continue to have to take them even after I lose weight because bp isn't always entirely associated with being overweight. In fact, my mother has been on them for years and years and, while she was a bit heavier years ago, she's thin as a rail now.

I'm going to keep my eye on this because I long for the time when I can not take my pills. Hopefully, I'll get there one day.

Xav8tor

Wow. Until reading all these posts, I have never thought I could ever get off the "meds". At least knowing someone has, reinvigorates my motivation level...........