Keep an eye on your blood pressure:

[Premium Parrots]

Don't be freaked out. I'm insistant that anyone with high BP go to a doctor and take their meds. So many ppl simply shag it off any never go because they don't feel ill. But its important to get medical help asap. You aren't gonna have a heart attack today. {I hope not anyway}.

The thing is that I was already on BP meds for several years, ate right and got exercise and one day, after some tests, I found out that my BP had slowly risen over the course of about 9 months and part of my heart was dead and now it can only pump at 50%.


sometimes you have to scare ppl to get them to the doctor.

[Christi]

I guess that is true.

I am sorry that you are having issues with your heart that is very scary.

[Christi]

@ 1:30pm my BP was 136/88. I am ok with that. Now after the kids get up and I have my afternoon cup of joe, I had better not take it, haha.

[shikitohno]

Last time I had my blood pressure taken, the intern at the clinic looked at me like I had two heads. I'd gone to the school's health clinic to complain about my undiagnosed insomnia. Well, undiagnosed at that time. Said I'd been up for 6 days straight (which was true with the exception of a couple 30 minute naps), and they decided to take my blood pressure. 80/60. Proving the genius that doctors so rarely demonstrate, she told me I might be feeling so tired because of my low blood pressure. I pointed out I'd been awake for so long I was hallucinating (not the fun kind of hallucinations, either), and she said, "I think you might have insomnia." Thanks for the insight, doc.

[Premium Parrots]

Thanks for the back-up Ulsterman.

Another thing to consider is to check your BP when you are relaxed. If its high when you are relaxed then you can assume that it is higher when you are stressed, after a workout, etc. Example; if you check it and its like 135/82 and it is always in that range everytime you check it then you need to get the numbers down somewhat. If its usually in a normal range and you check it and one time it 145/90 don't worry too much. But keep checking it often untill it gets back to normal. Usually when I check it I do it 3 or 4 times in a row. During that time I'm just sitting here relaxing and the numbers always go down.

Another thing to remember is that when you go to the doctor most ppls BP will be a few points higher than normal and most doctors take that into consideration and say its ok. I have found that my BP actually goes down at the doctors office [and curiously enough also at walmart] and at home it goes up. This may be one of the reasons why I have such heart problems now. The doctor [and I] just didn't realize how high my BP was at home. Now he knows to go by the measurements I take at home and not his.

FYI, My cholestoral has been and is perfect and my arteries are clean. After having an angiogram the doctor came into my room to let me know that those two things were fine. I was excited untill he said to chill out...This is serious.....it would be great if you needed a stint or to simply get your cholestoral down. Your problem can't be fixed. You wore your heart out and stretched the arteries out and a portion of your heart has died. He said if I do what he says I can live another 10 years or so. If I don't....I won't. I'm only 58. At that time I was already on BP meds for several years, eating right and getting some exercize. That why my cholesterol was fine and my arteries were clear. IT WAS SIMPLY STRESS THAT F*CKED ME UP THIS BAD. And I didn't have a clue it was even happening. That one of the reasons its called the silent killer.

I recently had my yearly blood tests done to make sure all the meds that I take for all my health problems aren't screwing up my organs. Doc told me last week that I need to follow a diabetic diet also from now on. Otherwise by this time next year I will be on meds for that too. Sucks big time.....no salt, no sugar, no fat, no flour, no alot of things. However, he did say that sex was a good workout for me. Luckily there is one part of my body that still works well. And the wife is pretty happy too.

[Christi]

I recently had my yearly blood tests done to make sure all the meds that I take for all my health problems aren't screwing up my organs. Doc told me last week that I need to follow a diabetic diet also from now on. Otherwise by this time next year I will be on meds for that too. Sucks big time.....no salt, no sugar, no fat, no flour, no alot of things. However, he did say that sex was a good workout for me. Luckily there is one part of my body that still works well. And the wife is pretty happy too.

LOL, Next time I go to the Dr. I will ask her about BP meds. Thanks for all the info guys.

[MojoQuestor]

I'm not even gonna say what my numbers are.
I just get so irritated and stressed over it. It's such a hassle taking meds, and getting the meds is just as bad. I hate the process of getting them, and last time I went, they didn't have me down for one of them. I hate seeing a doctor too.
I do have a dietary plan I want to do next year, just hope I make it till then, I think I will.
I have noticed my BP goes to normal if I cut out the carbs, but my carb addiction is terrible and I need an intervention and an inpatient rehab for it. I have issues with my parents about this, but don't wanna go into that, because if someone is not in my shoes they would not understand.
But I think my new years plan should have a positive effect.

Tom, best of luck with all that.

It's been stress, smoking, and obesity for me. Now my blood sugar's creeping up (family history of type 2 diabetes), so I'm taking meds for that, plus I've stepped up on the exercise & weight loss, and being extra-careful on the eating. Eating issues are tough; it's not like other things where you can just abstain--gotta eat. No more cigarettes what with the snus, and my blood sugar, weight, and blood pressure have all come down a bit since four weeks ago. My BP is stage one hypertensive if you go by the top number, but the diastolic is borderline. I'm hopeful that I can get it down a few more points by diet and exercise. Now if I can just get out from under some of the stress....

[tom502]

Eating is very hard to control for me. Yes, you can't abstain from food, but you "can" abstain from foods that affect the blood sugar and pressure, but these foods are highly addictive, and I am a big addict, and they are the main foods of our modern society. I have tried many times, but always fail, and end up binging like mad and then totally off any diet plan.

[Premium Parrots]

Tom, Christy and the rest.........I have used the Alli weight loss pill with my main meal everyday for about 2 years now. I've lost 35 lbs without hardly trying. There is only one side effect but it can easily be overcome simply by mostly eating the right foods. I receive another benefit form taking Alli but I won't go into that.

Alli prevents your body from absorbing about 25% of the fat you consume. It works. If you eat way too much fat in a particular meal your ass will let you know the next day. All I can say is.....bring an xtra pair of pants. And keep a toilet close at hand. If you do eat right you won't be affected by this side effect. Good luck.

Tom take your meds bud.

[sth]

interestingly enough, my blood has pretty consistently been 90/60 or 100/70 the entire year of 2009. Doctors never said anything about it being low.

edit: BP meds are really inexpensive, and they work. I don't see why someone wouldn't take them. If you experience side effects, you tell your doctor and they can switch you to one of the many many other BP meds that they have. If you are constantly stressed out like PP, there are ways to cope with stress, and it may even been anxiety, which they can also help with. PP is right though, not keeping your BP in check is silly because its not really that rough to do. Most people disregard it because they dont feel sick, or look sick, and can't see it manifest itself. Meanwhile, it's slowly screwing you.

edit again: that alli pill should only be used if you are severly overweight, i dont know how PP is, or was, but it's not to be used for shedding "a couple" lbs, although PP said he lost 35 so thats pretty damn good for him. gj guy

[Mordred]

Despite 17 years of smoking and being somewhat overweight, last week, my doc took my blood pressure and it was 120/80. So a tad high, but still much better than I'd feared.

And I'd just spit out an 02 prior to going for the checkup.

[Karanya]

interestingly enough, my blood has pretty consistently been 90/60 or 100/70 the entire year of 2009. Doctors never said anything about it being low.

Low blood pressure generally doesn't require treatment unless it causes symptoms -- mine does, so I've been advised to eat more salt and take medication to raise it with a target of about 110/75 or so.

The problem is low blood pressure in some people drops quite a lot when you stand up, the temperature is warm, or you stand in one place for long periods of time. This drop (postural hypotension) can provoke a fun array of symptoms including tunnel vision, dizziness, nausea, profuse sweating, and fainting. I'm also what they call a "vasovagal" person so if I'm injured (even slightly) or stressed out, my blood pressure goes down rapidly and causes me to faint.

I went into shock after a minor in-office surgical procedure a few years ago because of this... amusingly, a lot of things seem to have an opposite reaction on my blood pressure compared to other people. Stressed out or in a lot of pain? My BP drops instead of going up. Once it was 60/40 at the hospital due to severe pain and they were afraid to give me morphine because it lowers blood pressure and they thought I might bottom out.. finally the decision was given to go ahead and give IV morphine but to monitor me closely and be ready with a crash cart. As soon as the pain was under control, my BP stabilized at 100/70! Nicotine withdrawal raises my blood pressure, sometimes to abnormally high levels, but popping in a good strong snus (or smoking) drops it back to normal levels.

As for BP meds, I agree with you -- there are plenty of inexpensive, effective BP meds around, many of which (in practice) cause no side effects and the only difference the patient notices is that their blood pressure numbers improve. I would definitely take one myself if I had high blood pressure.

--K