BP Changes with Getting Healthy

fitterpam

Although I'm a bigger person, my blood pressure has always been a perfect 120/80. The only time in my life my BP was low I was at the hospital for an asthma attack and was admitted for a week. I know my BP is a good indicator for my health - when it's out of whack something is wrong.

I've noticed that since I've been eating clean and trying to stay away from processed foods, my BP tends to show on the low side. I'm not yet concerned enough to see my doctor, but I check it at the drug store or my parents house (my dad had a stroke and needs to check his BP regularly) a few times a week and in the last month it's been anywhere from 109/72 to 117/55 to 105/79 to 115/60.....but there have also been a few times that I've been okay too - 122/85, 117/78, 118/72

I am not going under on sodium a crazy amount (it's typically between 1500 and 3000 daily). I did recently add potassium to my food diary because I was startlingly under there and I know since it's an electrolyte, there might be some tie in.....

I haven't been getting dizzy or had any other symptoms of low blood pressure per se, but then I also have sinus infections regularly and attribute it to that if I do.....Just wondering if I should be getting concerned (like my husband seems to think) or if I should wait until it is consistently really low. I know only my doctor is qualified to dicipher the results, but I don't think there is anything too bad yet since I'm not feeling ill and I know it's probably related to me getting my sodium under control. Thoughts?

alienblonde1

When I was a healthy weight my blood pressure was always low. I remember one time going to the dr and it was 102 over 55 and she looked at me and asked if I was even alive. But she never did or said anything more about it.

Best thing is check with dr.

potluck965

There is no substitute for asking your doctor for medical advice. That being said, I regularly run BP that is sub 110 and even sub 100 systolic. The diastolic numbers are proportionately lower, as well.

abbigail_r

Mine is usually 115/60 and I have never had a BP problem. My doc always says great BP!!

MakingAChoice

Although I'm a bigger person, my blood pressure has always been a perfect 120/80. The only time in my life my BP was low I was at the hospital for an asthma attack and was admitted for a week. I know my BP is a good indicator for my health - when it's out of whack something is wrong.

I've noticed that since I've been eating clean and trying to stay away from processed foods, my BP tends to show on the low side. I'm not yet concerned enough to see my doctor, but I check it at the drug store or my parents house (my dad had a stroke and needs to check his BP regularly) a few times a week and in the last month it's been anywhere from 109/72 to 117/55 to 105/79 to 115/60.....but there have also been a few times that I've been okay too - 122/85, 117/78, 118/72

I am not going under on sodium a crazy amount (it's typically between 1500 and 3000 daily). I did recently add potassium to my food diary because I was startlingly under there and I know since it's an electrolyte, there might be some tie in.....

I haven't been getting dizzy or had any other symptoms of low blood pressure per se, but then I also have sinus infections regularly and attribute it to that if I do.....Just wondering if I should be getting concerned (like my husband seems to think) or if I should wait until it is consistently really low. I know only my doctor is qualified to decipher the results, but I don't think there is anything too bad yet since I'm not feeling ill and I know it's probably related to me getting my sodium under control. Thoughts?

Lack of potassium and calcium has recently been tied to a potential cause of high blood pressure. In your case it is already low so I would not be increasing your potassium as it might lower your blood pressure more. Do you feel fatigued at all when your pressure is low? If you don't feel well at times of low BP I would go to the doctor and see what he has to say.

jhardenbergh

I think if your range is anywhere from 110/70 to 120/80 there isn't anything to worry about. When I take mine at home in the morning it's usually around 115/68 but then when I go to my dr it's usually 125/72. I have one of those wrist bp checkers. I don't think it's 100% accurate, but its close enough. I am over 100 lbs overweight now. It makes me feel good, every week the nurse that checks it asks me if I am taking any medication for BP. When I started my weight loss program with the local hospital, my bp was 146/88. The dr actually said it wasn't bad for someone my size (150 lbs overweight at the time). It was prehypertension. Now that I have lost close to 60 lbs it is better than most of my friends who aren't overweight. It makes me feel good.

fitterpam

I am always fatigued, but I have PCOS so everyone knows that's normal for me.....LOL I'm actually finding less fatigue...


I have to go to my doctor in a few weeks anyways for prescription refills so I'll bring it up. Hubby thinks I should be going tomorrow.....LOL

Thanks All! Congrats to those that have managed to reduce through diet & exercise !!!

SusieB01

You sound a little concerned. Maybe it's just your husband...It sounds like he cares, though. My BP has been being just the opposite. When I was young and exercising all the time, it ran about 90/60. I'm not kidding! Once my father needed blood and the lab wouldn't let me give it because my BP was so low. I have my own suspicions that my thyroid was acting up even then. Then as I got larger, and less healthy, the BP went up some. Until recently it consistently ran at 130/90.Sometimes it was a little lower than that, but rarely. I see a lot of doctors, and they're not generally concerned unless my BP goes up. Low BP hasn't seemed to bother them. (Once when I was expecting my daughter, I walked in and they took my BP and it was 70/40. That did concern the nurse who took it, but she talked to another nurse who'd been an OB nurse for years and she asked me if I felt OK, and since I did, she didn't seem to think it was a problem.

Anyway, to make a potentially long answer a little shorter-I don't know about your BP. If you're really concerned-see a doctor. Most weight loss programs say to see a doctor first anyway before you start them. I think I've seen it on this site, too. They could tell you if it's a concern. Have you talked to a nutritionist about how much sodium and potassium you need? It's expensive, but there are sometimes nutritionists who work at health clubs (gyms), who don't charge the members as much. Sometimes it's even free now because gyms are getting more competitive and offering services that they didn't used too, just to get members.

You didn't say what kind of stroke your father had. Most strokes are generally because of high blood pressure. But there are lots of kinds of strokes. Guess I'm answering your post because my BP was "the last straw" that caused me to decide that I REALLY do need to eat healthier-even though one of my doctor's has been telling me that for years. Recently my BP went up to 205/102. Now that was scary!

fitterpam

He had a major stroke and didn't seek treatment for over 24 hours though. Luckily, it hasn't caused too much to his cognitive ability but he has some serious mood swings now. He's diabetic, hypertensive, high cholesterol and all those other health related things.

My GP is fully aware of my change in lifestyle (I've been doing it for a year now And she's happy with the progress and besides a few aches and pains that I manage with chiropractic care....I really haven't had many complaints. In fact, most of the complaints I've had have been resolved because of the weight loss). My Fertility doctor is actually making most of my medication changes that have attributed to most of the weight loss (Metformin, Synthroid, etc.) and she`s aware of the issues too.

BP has never been a concern for me and I know when you lose weight and eat healthily that it`s natural for the BP to go down, which is why I`m not so concerned. Since I started at normal, it would be normal for it to drop a little, but when is a little too much?