HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE NOW ON MEDS

Kelly_2013

Well today I went to the DR and my blood pressure was 150/101. It's been high for awhile and my doctor said she doesn't want to hold off on getting me on meds. I hate being on medication and honestly it terrfies me but I can't put it off any longer. I start taking it tonight before bed. I really believe my weight is the issue. I have gained almost 100 pounds in the past 4 years (only really took me like 2 years to gain it I just have never lost any) Now I want to make a change... I have to go back to my dr for another check up next Friday and I'm going to ask her how much weight I need to lose before we try to take me off the medicene. When I left the dr office today I cried because I had to get on this med and becuase I let myself get this far... Now I'm done feeling sorry for myself and time to get my life back in order. It's going to be hard and a day by day struggle but I am determined to do it! Anyone have any advice?

Tujitsu56

To be honest, your weight may be the issue. I was told by the doctor after 2 visits that if I came back and my blood pressure stayed high, I'd have to be put on meds. I'm only 24yr and while I think it does run in my family, I don't see why it would effect me so young.

Anyway, I started eating better and exercising. Mostly cardio. Guess what, my blood pressure is perfectly normal now:) I don't have exact numbers to provide you, but your overall health is effected by weight and healthy eating.

I suggest you consult your doctor to ensure that you can participate in intense (or maybe not intense) exercise. From there, start eating healthy, try to limit sodium, exercise, and hopefully you'll be able to eventually come off the meds.

Warning, do not crash diet. No need to buy into any of the fad diets out there that could potentially cause more medical conditions. Just eat responsibly (controlled portion w/in a good calorie range), and limit sodium.

Good Luck

CaptainGordo

YOU CAN DO THIS! :flowerforyou:

katcena

I think you are on the right track! You are here, you are motivated, and as long as you are ready and willing to put in the work....you will be successful! And, yes, more than likely, once you lose weight your blood pressure will go down. More importantly, if you exercise it will too!
Feel free to friend me if you are looking for friends....I am always willing to chat and offer suggestions!

Minnesnowtagurl

Wow, I was riding the high blood pressure line for a little while and I am only 26! I think you are doing an awesome job by letting this be a turning point for you instead of feeling sorry for yourself. Start out by making small changes first. If you drink soda maybe you start cutting back? I wouldn't recommend making a lot of large changes all at once. You may become overwhelmed and become discouraged.

Find a workout routine that works for you. You don't need a fancy gym memebership to lose weight. There are a wide array of workout DVDs out there. I dropped my first 30 with P90X and watching my food portions. Do tiny things that help keep you active.Try parking farther away from the grocery store. Little things help. Also Keep at it. It takes a while to lose it. After all we don't put weight on over night.

Mickyboo1

I've lost 101 lbs and I was put back on them. =( My BP was 138/102, 163/100 and 155/95 at the end of Sept. Started taking the BP meds and its now 114/74. = )

fanceegirl75

I too have high blood pressure...unfortunately mine is due to genetics. Both of my parents have it. My sis started on bp meds before her 30th bday. Once I had my son 7 years ago my bp went up and never came back down. When I started this journey in Jan. I hoped that regular exercise and weight loss would eliminate my need to be on meds. Well after going off the meds in June I got back on them in Sept. Wasn't the case for me. But as I stated...for me its all genetics. Best of luck to you. Hopefully your efforts will be a double pay off and you won't need to remain on the meds. Keeping sodium low and lots of whole grains and fiber are good to do.

TheirEllie82

I have high blood pressure also and mine is caused both by genetics and weight. I found that after I lost about 10% of my weight that my doctor was willing to try to start taking me off the BP meds. Good luck with your journey

LTRUITT3

Hang in there Dear, you can do it!!!

bcattoes

Losing weight should definitely help. Do you eat a lot of sodium? That can alsoreally raise BP for some people. You might try tracking it for a while to see if it's high (if you don't already know). One word of warning though, if your BP med is a diuretic and you plan to cut your sodium intake be sure to let your doctor know so you don't drop your sodium levels too low.

Good luck!!

astul

I was in the same situation this time last year, the doc sent me way for a few weeks and I started gentle exercise, cut out salt, ate more healthy and when i returned, the blood pressure was lower and I'd lost some weight. I do get higher readings due to "white coat " syndrome ( i hate the practice nurse who does the readings..smug cow!) but after 9 months I'd lost 4 stone and she only wanted to see me next feb! I've since given up alcohol, picked up the cardio exercise and by the time I see her again, I WILL have lost at least 8 stone or more in total and wipe that smug smile off her face!! lol

0PhAtDaDdY

Loose da weight and you will loose the meds.......

0PhAtDaDdY

Loose da weight and you will loose the meds.......

_Timmeh_

On HBP meds as well, take em at night and it controls it very well. Dr. said it could be genetics and may have to be on them my whole life. Being over weight doesn't help.
Weight isn't the sole factor determining blood pressure.

PhiloVance

Kelloyal, I've been on BP meds for the last 10 years. Losing weight helps, but it may not be enough to allow you to quit the medication. Your doctor will take you off it only if your BP responds to the weight loss to the point where you don't need it.

There are *many* effective medications for hypertension. If the one you start with has any side effects that you don't like, you can ask your doctor to try another one. The first one I was on made me retain fluid. The second made me drowsy. The third is brilliant! No side effects at all and it's the most effective of all three!

Watch your calories, lose the weight, get a little exercise, don't obsess, be patient. When you feel like snacking, remember how you felt when you got the news about your BP. I have found that just eating less of the things I like is far more effective than eating plastic "diet" foods. I have yet to try a "Weight Watchers" product that I felt was worth eating.

Good luck.

Kelly_2013

Thank you all for your motivating words! I think a lot of it has to do with the "white coat syndrome" My doctor had me check my bp for 2 weeks and it was a lot lower when I wasn't at the doctor and my mom checked it at home. But I also checked it at walmart and it showed pretty high... I feel my heart rate speed up when I'm out and about doing anything physical. That's another reason that has me upset is it's only high at certain times. My parents both do have high blood pressure but I'm still holding on to faith that after I lose the weight I can get off this med. I talked to a coworker and she said she was on the same meds and it made her so naseous she couldn't get off the couch... so hoping that doesn't happen either!

Carlton_Banks

I went through a similar experience. I felt like I let myself and my doctor down because he expressed a concern about my BP and I told him I was going to try to lose weight. A year goes by and my weight didn't come down enough to effect a change in my BP. I think I went from weighing 260 to 245. I'm 5'11", so that's enough to put me in the obese category on the old BMI scale. My doctor went ahead and put me on Diovan/Valsartan, and he gave me the impression I would be on it for the rest of my life. I took it as prescribed for about a year. I'm not an expert, but I think it is possible to get the dosage reduced and eventually come off of it as you lose weight, improve your diet, and exercise fairly regularly. Some people may be predisposed to it due to heredity. Since I've been using MFP and participating in fitness challenges/groups on the message boards and at my gym, I was able to come off the medication completely. My weight range is down to 185-195 now. I believe I'm down to approximately 8-10% body fat now as well.

I keep a weekly record of my BP to show to my doctor because my BP still tends to rise slightly when I go to his office (e.g. 128/75). He attributes it to "white coat syndrome". I'm a little bit of a techno-geek, so I use a couple of WiFi devices from Withings. I have a Withings body weight scale and a BP monitor that sends my daily/weekly stats to a server where I can see the details and charts on my computer or iPad.

Kelly_2013

I am going to start taking the same meds. The diavon. Someone had told me that it made her very naseous and she couldn't even get off her couch so I'm desperatly hoping I don't have the same effect. My doctor told me that if I lose weight she will try to take me off... So when I go back next week I"m going to ask how many pounds I need to lose before she will start reducing the dosage!

Carlton_Banks

My doctor told me that medication may cause some swelling in my ankles. I didn't really notice any swelling, but I felt a little light-headed, but not really any nausea. I did have to let the doctor know that my blood pressure dipped extremely low after my workouts. He told me to start taking just a half a tablet at that point. About 6 months to a year later I think I was able to come off of it completely. I showed him I was keeping record of it and it appeared that my BP was running too low from day to day when I took the pill as compared when I went without taking it.

Kelly_2013

That is awesome that you are off of it!! My doctor wants me to get a digital arm cuff blood pressure monitor to check it every morning... apparently she thinks I am making a doctors paycheck lol the one she wants me to get is close to $80!! The Oron HEM or something to that sort...

Carlton_Banks

You may be able to have some of the cost for the electronic monitor covered by your health insurance. If they don't cover it, an inexpensive manual one can probably be found on amazon.com or at your local drug store.