Anyone dealing with high blood pressure???

[Judy]

I can feel my pressure being up, too. However, it can also be up when I don't feel a symptom. I think that is the point of saying there are no symptoms. It's more like, there may be none, even if you had some the last time it went up too much.

I'm not overweight and rarely eat much salt or grease, mostly eat a healthy diet. So I just take the dang pills. Also take flax seed oil to help control cholesterol, and vitamins.

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

My paternal grand parents both had strokes and heart attacks when they were in their 40s. Both were dead before I met them, they died at 52 and 55. My dad had HBP and MS. He had several "small strokes" before the big one that led to complications that killed him.

I was diagnosed with HBP in my 20s, when I was young and in shape. Sometimes weight has nothing to do with it. I am on lisinopril and a water pill. I have to take both. Just the HBP pill doesnt help.
I know when I have forgotten to take one or the other. My fingers swell. My head hurts. It's awful.
Exercise helps keep it down as well. But I have to make sure that I follow all the "steps"
I also have pulmonary valve stenosis, which wasnt diagnosed til I was in my early 30s

I do have to let you know though. I was 37 when I had my cardiac event. ie "minor heart arrhythmia" I had been taking my pills daily and exercising.
I had two friend lose their fathers to massive heart attacks. One was an avid runner that ran the Boston marathon yearly. He dropped dead in the town center when he was 42. The other was a lobsterman. Gods that man was in GREAT physical shape. He thoguht he had the flu and shrugged feeling tired off to "flu" He had a massive heart attack when he was plowing a parking lot.

No one know exactly what is going on in the body all the time.
While I do not want to die young like my dad and his folks did. I am aware that I still might. Despite the pills, exercise and weight loss

 

[vicschics]

Thanks everyone for the input and a lot of sound adivice. My heart goes out to you all as I knew I was not in this alone. One thing that really rang a bell that I really wasn't paying attention to was the POP. DUUUUHHHH!!!
I do often run on caffiene overload.

Thanks again everyone for the support and sound advice. Your time to tell your side of things really helped me get through this trying time.

You're the best!!!!

 

[English Chick]

..... firstly try to stop worrying that will only send your BP up...

Take your meds and never ever forget them...and yes you can feel you BP going up... I know when mine is, due to the headaches (back of head only) and the slightly disorientated feeling. My story..

Mine is all inherited...my father had his first heart attack at 45 he died at 50 (after his 5th attack), my mother had her first at 46...survived 3 more and died 5 years ago aged 77and had also suffered numerous mini strokes due to her BP...but the cholestrol, high blood pressure and heart conditions all stem from them. I was told at 46 that I would not survive to 50....I am 56 this year, I take my meds regularly, eat well, no salt and drink lots of water, I also have two small glasses of red wine nightly.... it's good for you.

But a couple of months back I decided that I had had enough of taking meds and stopped all of them, within 6 days of stopping I had a mini stroke.........that really knocked me for six!.. it taught me a big lesson...... my BP usually runs at 150/95 and that's with medications............

SO take your meds keep healthy, watch the cholestrol, and if you can drop salt intakes all the better. I only use sea salt in cooking and never ever add salt to the food afterwards........I also don't put salt on the table when the meal is served........

Good luck. we are all here for you if you are worried about anything...........

 

[AK Michelle]

I'm not a doctor and have no medical background. Please read the whole story.

You definately CAN feel your blood pressure.

I used to weigh 300 lbs, then my doc suggested Medifast. I was amazingly sceptical, this stuffs been round for 28 yrs, I've heard of it before why should I try it, it won't work for me.... the usual. Then I saw a friend who lost a ton of weight and I thought, I should try this. So I looked into it. Here's what I found by talking to actual people I know.
Janet had genetically high blood pressure a heart condition. In 8 weeks she was off all her meds. All of them.
Joanne had blood sugar raging out of control, only about 20 lbs over weight, but had lost all feeing in her feet and was starting to think an amputation wasn't too far down the road. Her blood sugar is under control and her feet have feeling.
Georgia has significantly reduced her meds for blood pressure and depression.

3 fo 3, ok, so I thought I would try it. I have a nearly non-existant thyroid. Can't lose weight no matter what, I've tried it all. Have plantar fasciitis (horribly painful foot condition)

My pantar fasciitis is gone, my weight is coming off, 100 lbs down, 50lbs to go, my husbands blood pressure went from double what it should be to normal. I have more energy than my kids and I just completed a triathlon.

Yes, I'm a coach for this company now, wouldn't you be if all this happened to you? But that's not why I'm posting this. I'm posting this because it is so important for me to let people know that in some cases there are options. I was lucky my doctor believes in treating the cause not the symptoms. So many just keep throwing pills at the problem. I've watched so many of my clients achieve such great changes in their health, above and beyond losing weight.

If you won't more info you can PM me.

Please investigate all your options. Not every treatment will work for everyone. We are all biologically unique. I seriously hope you find something that works for you.

Wishing you health and happiness.

Michelle

 

[MagsC]

I do take high blood pressure medicine. I can always feel when mine is up. They are going to have to change my med though as the current one isnt working as well as it used to.

 

[vicschics]

My meds aren't working as well either. Think they might have to up the dosage a bit. I hate taking medicine. I think my weight is playing a really big part in all this as it has showed itself before. My weight has always been up/down/up/down. When I was near my ideal weight my doc took me off the meds as he saw no need to continue then when I started putting the weight back on roughly 30 lbs. I had to start all over again.
GRRRRRR! I have always had a terrible time with weight. Not good at dieting either but the Atkins diet worked really well for me but I hear that's not good for you either. I do watch my salt intake~I use Mrs. Dash. Caffiene is another biggee I need to get control of.

Again thanks everyone for the sound advice and input. I knew I was not going through this alone. It's nice to know how everyone deals with an issue like this.

 

[ceadar post]

I started bp meds when I was 23 and 43 now. I can feel when I don't take a pill on time. Nobody likes taking meds

but this one can save your life. Take care.

 

[joedie]

At least 95% of hypertension is benign or essential HTN meaning no known causes. The other causes may be renal artery stenosis or pheochromocytosis which are pretty uncommon. Family history has alot to do with it. Lifestyle changes that you can do are weight loss if needed, increasing exercise, decrease caffeine and sodium intake, and if you smoke-STOP! Make sure your cholesterol is where it should be because that increases your risk for heart attack or stroke.
What uncontrolled HTN does is cause"end organ damage" after a long period of time. Because your heart is a muscle and like any muscle if it works hard it gets bigger (just like a weight lifter). When it becomes big, it also becomes weak and can't pump effectively and return the blood from the extremities back to the heart thus the swelling in the lower legs, etc and can also leave fluid in the lungs. This is known as Congestive Heart Failure which is a chronic condition. This end organ damage also effects your eyes, kidneys etc if left untreated. SO, we want to prevent these things from happening by keeping the BP within normal range.
If well treated, these things can be prevented. Family history you can't help.
I like people to know the basics of the disease so they hopefully will be more compliant with the meds and lifestyle changes to be made instead of just Take this med. Then the decision is yours. Also be careful of many OTC herbals and meds as they can interact with prescription medications. Hope this helps!

 

[hearthnsoul]

1/4 almonds a day help