High Blood pressure

ToadstoolBetty · July 2022

Yesterday I had a Dr tell me I had high blood pressure.
The day before it felt like my head was going to explode.
I've been full of stress and obviously it tipped me over the other day.
Has anyone on here had the same thing and found the best way to deal with everything.
It's been the usual combination of family problems,worrys over the kids health and work.
Zero time for myself other than sleep or having a shower.
No time to have nice walks along the coast where I live like I use to.
My hormones are all over the place too which just adds to the problems.
Obviously I need to make some changes to my diet, but it's definitely stress that is the massive offender.

IAmTheGlue · July 2022

If you need prescription medication, please do take it while working on your health. High blood pressure is serious. My mom has poorly managed hers her whole life and is paying for it now.

In the meantime, like you said reduce stress. Try to lose a few pounds if needed. Eat a heart healthy diet & exercise.

As a mom, I get it. There is no relief especially as your kids get older. My 18, 20 and 22 year old stress me out way, WAY more than even my 5 year old. I have a app that has some meditations on it and I do one of those at bedtime to just try to bring it down a notch.

But here is where we kind of differ… I do take me time. I demand it. We do go for a walk every evening. I start my day with coffee and my exercise bike. I do yoga for me every morning (20 minute video) and if you have a problem, it can wait or you can join. My exact words are “ if you are in this room, we are doing yoga. Join or get out “ Girl, it was hard at first, but people act around you the way you let them.

You cannot take care of everyone else if you fall apart. I think a lot of times moms do put everyone else first and then suffer with their own health.

Find 5 minutes to do a meditation or deep breathing app. Learn to say “no” as a first response to can you?…. I used to run myself ragged trying to be everything to everyone. Look at my user name. I literally feel like the glue that is holding everything and everyone together.

Sorry for the novel here but I’m passionate about not giving a *kitten*. I’m passionate about taking time for oneself and not running yourself to a medical crisis. Hang in there. Take some time for yourself. As they say, you can’t pour from an empty cup.

joans1976 · July 2022

I have high blood pressure and am on meds. It’s much lower than it used to be but it’s still high. It causes me to get dizzy and I can feel my blood pounding in my ears when I lay down some nights. I have a Type A personality and have a pretty severe anxiety disorder. I’m hoping to be at a normal BP and off the meds by next summer. I am currently 75 pounds overweight and up until 4 months ago, my diet was terrible. Now I walk every day, swim every weekend, do yoga 4 times a week and meditate nightly. I eat better and watch my sodium intake. My stressors aren’t like yours, I have no kids but my aging parents and my job stress me out. My BP literally goes down on the weekends. It’s really hard to do but setting boundaries with your time helps. You might have to repeat yourself like a broken record but eventually, people will realize you’re serious and that boundary will be put up. Saying No is such a small word but also hard to do. It takes practice. I practiced on strangers before I started saying no to family and co-workers. My life is not perfect now and my head still feels like it’s about to explode some days but those days are fewer and farther between now.
I wish you the best of luck.

HoneyBadger302 · July 2022

I found out I had high blood pressure this past winter, and like you, stress was my main factor. I had gone in to donate plasma and couldn't because my bp was too high, and I asked what the numbers were expecting something very different than what they told me. It was a wake up call!

Shortly after that I started a daily "Win the Day" critical task list. I knew I couldn't change the big things in my life, and I also knew trying to do it all was part of the stress, and I also needed this to help keep me focused on the things that would have the biggest impacts on my life in the long run. For example, the floors not getting mopped one week has no impact on my life down the line, but not spending any time on my business and/or career skills WOULD have a big impact someday.

So, every morning, would write a very manageable list of 3-5 items aka "touches" on the things I really valued. Health, fitness, career, business, mental well being. They could be SMALL touches sometimes just a "choose a salad while out" or "five minutes of walking the dog" - but the idea is that if I complete my list, I have "won" the day. Sometimes, if there was a house chore that needed to get done (or it's lack of being done was causing me stress), that would be on the list as one category.

This has been HUGE - like massively huge - for my stress levels, because at the end of the day, even if there's something sitting around that "should" be done, if I have "Won" the day, it doesn't matter because I have spent time on the most important things.

It wasn't overnight, but that, coupled with losing a little weight (a by product of some of my tasks), and my bp stabilized around the high end of normal for me. Not great yet, but it is slowly dropping from there, but stability and at least in kinda normal-for-me range let me know I was on the right track.

That initial drop took about 4.5 months, and since then it's slowly continued to creep down, and I haven't seen a crazy high number in months (like I was regularly at first).

All of this was NO meds - if things wouldn't have improved I would have looked into meds for sure, but I knew stress was killing me (some major, major life stressors over the past couple years), and knew getting a grasp on it would help.

Extra bonus is that the things that were causing my stress, have all started to resolve, and even when big stressors hit, I've come to realize that as long as I "touch" it each day, I can control the situation, and it isn't the huge deal I thought it was at first. That daily progress though, and looking at where I am now vs when I started my list on December 28th is radically different for it just being just over half a year....

mpapa1856 · July 2022

I had the same experience with giving blood and finding out I was too high to give. Then my doc put me on a calcium blocker that helped control it. I have since lost 25 lbs and am trying to loose another 15 lbs before going back to doc to see if my pressure might allow me to drop the pill in half or get off it altogether. I took prescription vitamin D because my levels were low and it really helped me feel better and seemed to reduce stress.

PizzaPowerlifter · August 2022

I didn’t have the symptoms you did, but my anxiety and panic have been sky high for the last couple of years. In addition to the pandemic, we had a couple of deaths in the family, etc. I think it was feeding my anxiety and vice versa. I finally went on a low dose medication (I’m fortunate that’s all I needed) and it’s helped so much. I’m still on it almost a year later, and things are pretty manageable.

It’s really hard to just “find a way to reduce stress” when that’s not entirely possible. I’d say maybe see your doctor, take their advice on a medication if they offer one and then see if you can find ways to incorporate regular self-care into your life. Good luck ❤️

ToadstoolBetty · August 2022

Thanks everyone.
I had been talking my blood pressure readings like the Dr asked me too after seeing him (that was how I found out in the first place).
It continued to be high a week since that appointment so I phoned and talked to a Dr. They proscribed my medication which is definitely working.
I had a letter too from my bloodworks saying I was pre diabetic.
So it all ended up very seriously and I started cutting the calories instantly.
I work in care and seen gangrene and strokes up close.
Fingers crossed they don't find anything else.
But it may be not be just stress and I possibly have had high blood pressure for some time but just didn't know , I hadn't slept well for a long time and hormonal changes have caused problems over the years.
We'll see what happens.
I have a follow up and more bloodworks in 3 weeks.

joans1976 · August 2022

@ToadstoolBetty Sorry to hear you got bad news. Since you work in care you probably know what you need to do. Hopefully the BP meds help you feel better. There are a lot of pre-diabetes threads on here, just type it in the search bar. Take care!

Fuzzipeg · August 2022

I second reading the pre-diabetes threads.

I'm sorry to read you are also having hormone issues, these can cause/contribute to being prediabetic, having high blood pressure, stress too. Stress its such a broad term, it can really mess up hormones regardless of the cause of your stress. I hope your doctor is someone who is able to look at your personal health situation as a whole rather than this snippet or that. I'm thinking, being restricted to 1, being blood pressure, 2. being pre-diabetic, 3, considers things which can amplify stress, as being independent health problems which they are not, they are all integrated issues, poor sleep crosses the boundaries.

Please look into the Holistic view of health. Its time to make time to invest in yourself. Have that shower, you will feel better. Breathing deeply is beneficial, practice it, do it when you think of it. You will start to feel better promise. Even if you live in a highly prescriptive health system there is so much you can discover giving you the opportunity to take care of yourself beyond just taking this or that drug. Could be as simple as adding some different foods to your weekly total even cutting somethings out, it could necessitate taking good quality supplements. I'm sorry you have needed a wake up call but even without your doctors active help you can improve your future health dramatically. I for one have a better quality of life than I had in my mid to late 30's. I decided "life" had to be better and found ways, probably could be identified as building resilience, having identified possible root causes.

All the very best, take care of yourself, self is vital to your others, they are fortunate to have you. Looking after you is the way to ensure they have the support they need.

ALilCountryMouse · August 2022

I, too am on BP medication. It wouldn't hurt to have a second opinion with a Cardiologist. That's when I found out about my 2 mini-minute strokes I did not know I had. You really do need to take time out for yourself. Whether going for a walk or a soak in a tub when the kids are in bed. Those mini Mom stuff is taking care of you. You have a lot to be thankful for. What's inside your circle is what you can control. Changing your lifestyle is a commitment....do it slow and invite the family to take a walk on the beach with you. Make some sand castles.

Lietchi · August 2022

My had a high BP diagnosis over a year ago: not after a single reading at the doctor's office, but consistently high readings at home as well.
He got a prescription for it, but decided he wanted to try a different strategy first (he's young, and has no specific risk factors, and his BP was only slightly high): he increased his exercise (mostly strength training).
But at the next doctor's appointment, his readings were still high, so he started taking a small dose of BP medication. In the meantime, he has lost weight (he wasn't technically overweight, but had some excess fat) and increased his cardio. And due to anxiety issues, he is now also doing breathing exercises daily to manage his stress.

II'm curious to see what the results will be for him, but I think his strategy is a good one:
- first check if the issue (high BP) is systematic, not just one or two high readings at the doctor's office -> it does seem to be the case for you
- try to fix the issue by other strategies (weight loss, stress management techniques, exercise)
- in case of high health risks, do this while taking BP medication; if if the risk isn't high, you could ask your doctor if you can hold off on the meds until you've tried the other strategies

I recommend looking into for stress management:
- breathing exercises (my BF does this 5 minutes per day but it does help him
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: my BF got info on this through his kinesiologist/physio (but we are based in Belgium, different healthcare system), you can probably find some resources online or via a health professional you have access to

ToadstoolBetty · August 2022

*New update*

I was prescribed BP medication after phoning the doctor again.
This was due to my limbs becoming numb on the right side and prickling sensation.
The prickling spread to my face and one side of my head was in pain.
I had tried to work but it was completely taking me over.
Things calmed down once on BP meds but after a weeks leave and extreme reduction of hours I started working again and found every time I drove pain was running into my head.
I was given to much work last Saturday and found the pain/headache would not go,it was constantly there.
I declared myself on sick leave on Tuesday(23) and that day had a follow up with the Dr who originally saw me.
He took me through all the stroke tests again and some extra ones.
I explained how I couldn't eat sugar or drink caffeine as it caused pain, a mint tea caused an horrific headache for 8hours.
He looked confused and was going to refer me to a neurologist and prescribe pain meds for my head.
He phoned me later after talking to another Dr who was who diagnosed me with atypical migraine.
I didn't believe home at first.
They ruled out strokes of any type,brain tumor and said neurology wouldn't see me with on a months history and the waiting list was 1.5 years.
After looking it up(as we all do), I found atypical Migraines are have the same symptoms as stroke and are mistaken for this.
So I'm relieved it's not strokes I've been having.
My BP is now under control and very good now and I start strong meds for my headaches once I get them.

I've realised a few things that had probably caused my prdiabetes too so even more changes from today.

Fuzzipeg · August 2022

I'm so very sorry you seem to have gone through the mill recently. Its so good to know you are feeling better. Its frightening to be told you do not have long enough experience of those symptoms.
Take great care of yourself.

littlesnowyone · September 2022

I was consistently having stroke-level blood pressures (200-something over 120-something), so the doctor put me on two blood pressure medicines. It’s helping, but I know that losing weight would probably help.

A lot of it is also stress, but I’m unsure as to how to make my life less stressful.

MaggieGirl135 · September 2022

Google mindfulness exercises and try some. If you find you need more help, consider counseling. Best wishes

ThankyouNo1 · November 2022

I got the same diagnosis 4 years ago.

Why: Your arteries are less elastic than before. This may be due to all the factors you listed and more.

Meds: Get a wrist blood pressure monitor. Take your meds consistently at the same time each day. This is vital.

Stress: It sounds like you’re pouring yourself out constantly without taking time to recharge. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you need to take care of your children’s mother. Think about it - you wouldn’t choose a tired, worn out babysitter over a fresh one to watch your kids so taking time for yourself is part of the process in taking care of them. Obviously, the solution is better nutrition and more exercise. Easier said than done I know.

Foods: You need antioxidants - red and green foods. You need potassium - spinach and bananas. You need nitrates - beets. Ginger also helps.

Sodium: Reduce sodium by reducing salt and carefully looking at sodium content before consuming sauces. Potassium offsets sodium.

Sugar: Obviously, sugar isn’t healthy for anybody. I didn’t change my sugar consumption but you might be better at this than I am. I did find that bitter melon supplements help.

Zinc: Many blood pressure meds deplete zinc so you may need to supplement it.

Supplements: Supplements like the high blood pressure formula sold at GNC work wonders but monitor your levels before trying to reduce meds.

Weight: I lost 35 pounds since my diagnosis, not because I was trying to lose weight but just because I was following more of the guidelines that support blood pressure control and swapped a few servings of meat with plant based meat each week. I like Impossible plant based sausage especially. It’s good in spaghetti, sausage gravy, dirty rice, tacos, etc. and my family can’t tell. The others they could tell, although Gardein items are still a hit. Yeah they cost a little more than meat but I think it’s worth it.

More help: If you’re serious about getting off the meds, the best source for additional help is probably a naturopath or acupuncturist. I haven’t seen one yet due to budget constraints.

High Blood pressure

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