Weight Loss and Hypertension What is your Experience?

Casaorso

Hi all

Anyone losing weight with the the intention of reducing Blood Pressure? I am being assessed for hypertension at the moment, but refusing to take medication to lower diastolic pressure. It is my belief that these meds contain chemicals which overall are detrimental to general health and that the side effects are too great. All too often GPs just want to issue a prescription for tabs which treat the symptoms but do not address the underlying cause. I am scared to take the tabs for these reasons. I understand that 48% of females over the age of 50 have hypertension in the UK, therefore there are lots of people taking these meds. What are your experiences and any advice you can give me? I am looking into alternative homeopathic therapies, do you have experience of these? I am currently trying to lose 94lbs but this will not happen overnight, meanwhile my blood pressure is running high. Should I consider meds in the short term? Sorry for going on but this is really important to me. Thanks.:flowerforyou:

KatrinaG2012

I am anxious to see any responses as I am dealing with the same thing. I did start the meds this morning but I am not happy about it.

cappri

Well my experience won't be encouraging to you. My blood pressure has not improve since losing 100 pounds, since starting medication, since increasing said medication, since adding a water pill to the other medication. Still yesterday at the doctor's office my blood pressure was 159/91.

Casaorso

Hi thanks for your response. Congrats on your brilliant weight loss that is excellent and I want to lose similar amount. How long has it taken you?

As you say your response re BP Meds is not encouraging, in fact it only re-enforces my belief that medications are chemicals which will ultimately have detrimental side effects,leading to further meds to deal with the problems created. None the less, thanks for sharing your experience it has given me food for thought.

algebravoodoo

I had a brief bout with hypertension about a decade ago. Weight loss allowed me to go off meds after 6 months, or maybe a year, I forget. Now I am battling it again, mostly due to stress and genetics. Being able to keep a consistent workout routine does me the most good.

catwomanclaws

I am 52...was diagnosed with high blood pressure 5 years ago. I did not know I had it...but I was having problems with my vision in one eye. Found out my bp was consistently running 180/120...and as a result, from all of that pressure, I suffered damage to that eye. I immediately went on bp meds.....at first, I had to take 2 different pills. I managed to lose some weight and now only need 1 pill. However, I still have problems now and then with that eye. My advice....take the medicine. There are sooo many different types of bp medications now, it may take some tweaking to find the one that works best for you. It is extremely important to have your blood pressure in a normal range, and to have it there consistently. There could be damage happening inside your body that you don't know about...until it is too late to help it! Luckily, I can still see out of my eye, but I also have a shadowy area in part of the lower right area of my vision that will never go away. If I do not keep my bp under control, there is a good chance the shadowy area will spread to the center of my vision. So....take the medicine is my advice.

KarieOlmstead

I am on hypertensive medication and actually do not experience any side effects. I have lost 18 lbs with a different weight loss program, but did not have any decrease in my blood pressure. I have a strong genetic disposition to hypertension so it does't matter what I do, I will more then likely still be hypertensive. Having said that, I will do everything I can to lose weight and get more fit so that I have every advantage I can get.
Have you done any research on the consequences of hypertension? Hypertension is the silent killer. It puts you at great risk for heart disease and stroke. You can always go off the medication if your blood pressure comes down with the weight loss. It's not worth the risk.

KristiLeighS

I have had issues with my blood pressure and like you decided not to take the pills any longer because they were making me feel terrible and it wasn't actually fixing the problem. I do know that when I lose weight I do feel better but even more important, I think, is what you eat. I notice that when I eat a clean whole foods diet and drink smoothies and fresh pressed juices my blood pressure is MUCH better. Stay away from sodium. That is a big one.
The thing is, you know your body best and when things start to change you will feel it and you will know what it is you need to do.

cappri

Hi thanks for your response. Congrats on your brilliant weight loss that is excellent and I want to lose similar amount. How long has it taken you?

Thank you. Just under a year for 96 pounds, the last 4 have taken me 3 months. :laugh:

I should add that I have no side effects from my meds, other than a slightly rumbly tummy from the water pill. Now if they would just actually bring my blood pressure down!

amaysngrace

Yes, I would recommend you changing your diet, as you can have this calorie counter track your sodium intake. Then, take your blood pressure medicine, because once you lose the weight, that will lower your blood pressure and they will probably take you off them because you will not need them any longer. My blood pressure was 140/60, now it is 111/65. I have lost nearly 50 pounds and my A1C dropped from 5.9, which was elevated blood sugar to 5.6. I still tend to go over my sugar, but at least it is not by much and I choose to now eliminate sugar from my coffee, as it is already some sugar in the creamer. I will also eliminate the sugar in my oatmeal, if my fruit is sweet enough, although sometimes my fruit is not sweet. With sodium, if my meat or protein is well-seasoned, then I will leave my side items plain, like my steamed veggies, etc. I will use butter with my baked potato, but I will substitute the sour cream for greek or plain yogurt in any recipe.

Willowana

I was diagnosed with hypertension several years back. Losing weight has helped, but I was able to get it in control rather early on. It had been getting so high my doctor was threatening meds, but luckily, I never had to go on them.

I'm still 218 lbs., so I don't think it was my weight affecting my BP, exactly. It was probably the amount of sodium I was eating. Higher calories = higher sodium content, unless you are eating whole foods and very little bread. Getting my calories in control was the key for me. I think my last BP reading was 115/68. I still eat crap food, just less of it.

alexalaurel

I work in emergency medicine, and every. single. day. I see patients in their 30s and 40s having strokes and heart attacks. One guy is 26 and has had two heart attacks. I see people stroke out before they are 40, pt's wheelchair bound for more than half of their life because of strokes. Dialysis? Not fun, but keep letting your BP run high and you will blow your kidneys.
All of this because of uncontrolled high blood pressure. Do you have kids, family that loves you? That will be stuck taking care of you because you refuse to take blood pressure medicine? Seriously, just one day of seeing the reality of uncontrolled high blood pressure, and maybe you would change your tune. It was a huge eye opener for me. Just take the meds while you are losing weight, then hopefully you can drop the meds because you will be in a healthier place overall. I don't say this to be mean, I say this to be realistic. It is very hard to see every day. And it is all so avoidable.

jenilla1

If your BP is so high that it could be doing serious damage, I would suggest using the meds temporarily as you work to lose weight and improve your fitness. Hopefully , over time, your need for the meds will decrease or even stop. It's best to avoid meds whenever possible, though, and get things down the natural way. I, personally, would do whatever I could to avoid the meds in the first place. I've seen the nasty side effects of the meds on family members, but I've also seen the damage done by uncontrolled BP, and it REALLY devastates your quality of life as you age.

Years ago, at age 31and still within the healthy BMI range, I had borderline (and rising) high BP and the cholesterol of an overweight 65 year old male. My doctor said I must have hit the genetic lottery jackpot, since I ate healthy foods, had plenty of fiber in my diet, and was active and fit (running for decades.) I was always very slim, but over time I had packed on some extra pounds (not even close to overweight).

A couple of different doctors told me that sometimes certain body types just need to be slimmer than others to stay healthy. Sometimes being the "normal healthy" weight is not low enough, and sometimes being a little overweight is fine. For example, my older, overweight and out of shape cousin is as healthy as a horse, yet I'm not ok.

So, after dropping down into the lower quarter of the healthy BMI and using strength training to decrease body fat and increase lean mass, as well as eliminating certain foods that trigger my digestive disorder, I now have a healthy BP and normal cholesterol. So glad I was able to get it under control naturally. The last thing I want to do is resort to meds. Good luck!

vingogly

I have been on and off hypertension meds since the mid 1980s. My blood pressure closely tracks my weight; the fatter I am, the higher my blood pressure (salt doesn't particularly affect me; from what I understand, salt sensitivity has a genetic component). I developed paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in 2000, probably as a result of my years of hypertension. That means I'm on Coumadin to keep my blood thin, in addition to the hypertension meds. The doctors and cardiologists have fine tuned my meds, and I have been in the normal range for several years. As a result of losing weight and exercising, I've managed to go off one of the meds.

My family has a history of hypertension on my father's side ... most of them died of heart attacks or strokes. My father died of a massive heart attack at the age of 51; I am convinced working with my cardiologists over the years has kept me going. I wish I had kept the weight off when I lost it back in the early 90s, maybe I wouldn't have developed atrial fib. But that's water over the dam. My hope is that I'll be able to go off other meds as I get down to a more normal weight for my body size (though I'll likely be on Coumadin for the rest of my life). I see my doctor twice a year, go to the coumadin clinic once a week, take my meds religiously, and see my cardiologist only when something changes.

I would suggest thinking long and hard about the meds, and if you choose to take them, go off them only under your doctor's supervision. This stuff is nothing to mess with ... I buried my dad when I was 25, and I've now outlived him by 15 years. At least he went fast, I've seen people linger on for years after a massive heart attack or stroke, and they're never the same again.

Meds are a hassle, and some of them have side effects ... but do you really want to experience the alternative?

alliemarie77

I work in emergency medicine, and every. single. day. I see patients in their 30s and 40s having strokes and heart attacks. One guy is 26 and has had two heart attacks. I see people stroke out before they are 40, pt's wheelchair bound for more than half of their life because of strokes. Dialysis? Not fun, but keep letting your BP run high and you will blow your kidneys.
All of this because of uncontrolled high blood pressure. Do you have kids, family that loves you? That will be stuck taking care of you because you refuse to take blood pressure medicine? Seriously, just one day of seeing the reality of uncontrolled high blood pressure, and maybe you would change your tune. It was a huge eye opener for me. Just take the meds while you are losing weight, then hopefully you can drop the meds because you will be in a healthier place overall. I don't say this to be mean, I say this to be realistic. It is very hard to see every day. And it is all so avoidable.

^^^^^^^THIS!!!^^^^^^^

Your blood pressure while you may not think it may be serious... IT IS! Get it under control before your to sick to care for yourself or DEAD!

I understand you want to take a homeopathic approach. I get that. I really do! A lot of times people don't realize how serious it can be. I have seen people stroke out, have heart attacks, and even develop congestive heart failure.

Here let me make a clear picture for you! Your heart is a muscle, and the higher your blood pressure the harder your heart has to pump. All the while your heart is growing inside your chest (which has limited space) until you either die of a massive heart attack, or your heart eventually gives up and stops pumping because it has no more room. It is in your best interest to take the meds until you are healthier. Then maybe you can drop the pills.

phytogurl

I was diagnosed with hypertension when I was in my early 20's and have been on meds every since with little side effects. I have attempted to lower my dosage or get off meds completely several times since then, and have had short periods of success. I exercised on a regular basis, really restricted processed foods, ate lots of fruits and veggies, had low cholesterol levels, and lower body fat. However, my blood pressure never really stayed consistently normal, thus I continue to take meds.

My friend who is in her late 30's and a mother of 3 beautiful children, just had a minor stroke. In fact shes still admitted in the hospital so they can run all types of tests. She was extremely lucky that it was minor stroke, and that her brain functions came back. She was diagnosed a few years ago for hypertension, but she had decided that she wasn't going to go on meds, but rather control her bp thru diet and vitamins.

High blood pressure is not something you want to take chances with. If you diligently eat well, exercise, and monitor your blood pressure yourself everyday, you may be able to manage it with a smaller dose of meds or no meds at all, but these are decisions that should be made together with your doctor.

darwinwoodka

I've lost weight, exercise regularly, and still have hypertension. Take two medications with no side effects. No big deal.

cappri

I've lost weight, exercise regularly, and still have hypertension. Take two medications with no side effects. No big deal.

It's nice to know I'm not the only one! I hate that people assume just by losing weight you will lower your blood pressure, so not true!

ktliu

Depends upon how gungho you are about losing that weight, If you are going to lose it quick probably doesn't matter if you don't take it right away, if you want the weight loss war to be like the Afghan war, then maybe take the BP meds, no big deal.

Since I lost about 15 lbs in 2 months, my dosage of my BP meds needed to be cut in half, or else I experience "woozyness" or almost black out, so when I did cut my BP meds it was good. I am on track to cut it out altogether,

Casaorso

I just want to thank everyone for their responses, varied as they are. I take on board what you all say and am very aware of the risks I am running, I am a registered nurse and know the implications. Basically all meds have side effects, which eventually need to be remedied by taking further meds, it is a vicious circle. However, equally I do not wish to have a stroke or heart disease, but I am so scared, I don't know which road to take. I am still being monitored to decide if I have hypertension BP running around 145/90 or under, seeing doctor next week. Meanwhile I continue to follow a healthy eating plan and increase my daily exercise. I am very grateful for your opinions and it has given me food for thought. Thanks.xxxx

SmangeDiggs

What can be worse....a couple of pills with the possibility of some minor side effects or if left untreated the risk of serious non reversible medical conditions or maybe death?
I work in emergency medicine as well, it is frustrating seeing such pointless not to mention preventable waste of life all because people don't want to take pills. Weightloss may work for you but often hypertension is genetic so no amount of weightloss will help.

Just be sure you research all aspects of your concerns, not only side effects etc of the pills but what untreated hypertension can and does result in so you can make an informed decision.

Good luck with your journey.

LilMissDB

I also vote for taking the pills as a preventative measure. You may be able to reduce your BP with lifestyle changes and come off the meds but also keep in mind that for some people, it will be purely genetic. Either way, the longer your BP is high, you will be damaging your arteries and heart and putting yourself at unnecessary risk.

Incidentally, I remember doing a uni assignment on the effect of lifestyle interventions on blood pressure and reading that exercise could potentially lower it by up to 35%, weight loss could lower it by up to 25% and reducing sodium could lower it by up to 5%. Of course, combining all 3 would have the best results.

Good luck

siqiniq

I'm 58 and have been taking meds for high BP for maybe 6-7 years now.Since taking off some weight and getting exercise my BP has gone down into the normal range, and after consulting with the doctor, we will attempt to take me off them in a few more months. Like so many others have said, take the meds, work with your doctor. Perhaps some medications will cause adverse side effects, but there are lots of others. Not controlling BP will almost certainly lead to grief.

oskybosky4

I too have high blood pressure and take tablets for it. I have lost over 22lb slowly over the last 5 months or so and now do an exercise class once a week - aquamed - I do other exercise such as the walking at home Leslie Sansome and walking outside when I can but as I also have psoriatic arthritis so it depends on how good a day I am having what amount of exercise I do.

However I went for my 3 month bp check up last week and fully expected it to be lower but in fact it was higher so loosing the weight and the increased exercise had made no difference at all.

I am trying cutting down on salt and foods that have high salt content, and drinking more water. The only side affect to the tablets I have noticed is the frequency of which I need to run to the toilet and the urgency too at times when I have drunk either coffee or a diet coke.

I have to admit that lowering my bp was not the primary reason for wanting to loose weight but I had hoped that it would come down as my weight came down. Having said that I still have a long way to go being 18st 2lb when I started so maybe in time I will see health improvements.