archer70

Well I went to the Doctor today for a spot on my foot. Found out I have a ear infection in both ears one almost to the bursting point. I also had slightly high BP 152/87. He wants me to take it for a week or so and then come in and see him again. Now a brief history of whats going on in my life: Iam nursing student whi has 2 test this week, my family has been sick for over a week now, so I have had a lack of sleep, I am sick , I have a inuree foot with either an infection of some calcification going on in it. I do not want to go on BP meds. I feel that it is ust life right now doing it to me. I cannot fing my automatic BP cuff at home to take it and the school has small cuffs that do not fit. So do you think diet and excercise will et it down. What else can I do? I am 5'10 300# and 37 year old male.

Thanks Greg

Tom Stormcrowe

Get better, get through the stress and your BP may come down on it's own.

Drop the salt for now and see what happens, no coffee, or caffeine either.

archer70

Thats what i am thinking most of the students when we did our vital signs test was high and the instructors were like it is stress. I am thinking that is what it is. Iam going to start riding alot more also.

Thanks Greg

Tex_Arcana

I have a high BP (the highest reported was 218/126 but that was after I was pistol whipped after an armed robbery at work, I went back to work the day after I had trouble sleeping with fresh lumps on my head) and it was totally treatable with diuretics (oddly they also tended to cut down on the frequency of urination). There are some mild herbs you might try that have a diuretic effect like corn silk. For a more calming effect you might try chamomille, and if you have trouble sleeping need rest before your test, there's good old valerian.

Roody

Well, first things first. You have to figure out a way to take your blood pressure so you'll know if it's a problem or not. All we're hearing now is excuses why you can't check it. So figure out a way that you can check it! If you're smart enough to be a nurse, you're smart enough to figure this out.

Roody

I think you know that if you weigh 300 pounds there's a very good chance that your BP is high.

archer70

I have kept track of it last year for 2-3 months and it only went into the 150's when I was doing something physical. Other wise it was in the 130-130 over 70s range. Ani I weighed more then than I do know. So I am not totally with the I weigh 300# it will be high crap.

Greg

cohophysh

Ya know, Tom is right, cut salt. However, what you have described can increase your BP...what did he put you on...it takes some meds several days to work

archer70

Nothing yet. I do not want anything. I want to be able to do it with excercise and diet. He wants me to monitor it for a while than come back in. I do need to find my BP cuff and do this. I will start excercising more I know that wil help a great deal. I do not want to start on meds I have been told that they are hard to get off of once you start them. So I am trying to avoid starting them.

Thanks Greg

revolator

to add to what has been said, buy one of those bp monitoring devices and take the measurement at least 3 times a day if not more. Get a baseline, and when you make changes, can see if there is any affect. My dad had a high blood pressure and a stroke. Once he got back, the bp machine was very helpful information.

archer70

I am working on finding my machine. I believe it is in storage form our move. I will hopefully find it tomorrow.

Thanks Greg

Roody

True, but it does take a higher pressure to push blood through a bigger body. Us overweight people also tend to eat foods that reduce the elasticity of the vessel walls. So big people do tend to have higher BPs, although there are occasional exceptions. Also, isn't 130/70s a little high for a 37 year old? The current recommendation is for "less than 120/80."

dahoss2002

My blood pressure always registered a little high even when I was in my 20's weighing in the 160 range. This last summer after riding for about a year, i registered 120/80 and even less on a few occasions. I really believe cycling has improved my blood pressure.

archer70

Roody, I agree with you, but I definately like my BP down in the low 130s than the 150s. You are right it does take more effort, but there is always and exception. I would love to be able to get it down to 120/80 that is my goal. For right now I will take 130s.

Greg

Roody

I totally agree that lifestyle changes will help lower BP in many or most people. This is based on personal experience and the science I've read. For Greg and others, here are the standard suggestions:

1. Don't smoke!!!!!
2. Lose weight. Losing even 10 or 15 pounds can help.
3. Exercise. The minimum for BP reduction is 30 minutes a day, every day. The intensity should be moderate, meaning you are able to talk in short sentences, but not carry on a conversation.
4. Improve your diet. The "DASH diet" has been shown to reduce BP. Google it. Basically, it's heavy on fruits, vegs, whole grains and low-fat dairy. Low on salt and fat.

If I was Greg, I'd ask the doctor to give me a few months to try the lifestyle measures, with the agreement that I'd try the drugs if that didn't work.

archer70

Roody

Thasts what I am thinking of.

Thanks to everyone for there advice and comments.

Greg

wrk101

I had a similar experience. Doctor tested me and I was high, at about 150/95. Since this was much higher than other BP tests I had prior, he agreed to a retest in one week. My retest was 125/81. Doctor was quite surprised, and admitted had he put on meds the first time, he would have attributed my drop to the power of the meds.

No substitute for weight loss, exercise and diet.

neilfein

Diet and exercise didn't bring my BP down enough, and I found out that not all meds are nasty or even that strong. My doc put me on hydrochlorothiazide, also known as a water pill. It lowers your BP by making you pee more. They work very well for me with no other side effects.

Tom Stormcrowe

Wait til you get up near 50 and get to enjoy the horrible side effect of HCTZ and ANY other blood pressure med.... Ya see, a reduction in ability to raise the blood pressure reduces the ability of certain organs to raise blood pressure sufficiently for all functions to be able to occur.......

Pamestique 

I'm going to tell you my BP story for what it is worth. A year ago, not long after my cancer surgery and I was just getting back on the bike and riding, I went to a new doctor. My BP (in the office!) was 135/85. Just slightly elevated. I explained it is normally 120/80 but my exercise has been off and it will probably go down once i start riding again. The doctor insisted on putting me on meds. Long story short, the meds made it almost impossible to ride. I basically stopped (my legs would be heavy, my heart rate slow to increase and I would get severely dizzy, passing out several times). I gained 20 lbs, my BP is now something like 150/95 with meds and I see no improvement at all.

Just my take - all the medicine stuff is overrated. I wish I had told my doc no thanks and stayed off the meds. I probably would not have gained the weight (I had been losing when I went in) and gotten my BP down to normal. Now I am a big couch loving slug. I have no energy and can honestly say I have never felt this bad in my entire life, not even with cancer!

Not that my story was helpful in any way - just saying sometimes it's better to make things go away naturally. BP meds are not good for riders!

Roody

Man, you sure have been through the wringer! I wonder if you only tried the one BP med. There are many different meds, and each has different side effects. It seems like your doctor should have taken your complaints seriously and maybe put you on a different med, or let you try to control your BP with diet and exercise. I took a BP med (beta blocker) that made me lightheaded and possibly caused a bike crash. The doctor took me off it, but left me on a different BP med (ACE inhibitor) that has caused me no side effects in 5 years.

Does your doctor understand that exercise and weight control are important to you? Maybe you could try to talk to him.

archer70

Roody,

Do you still take your BP meds even though you ride. How much do you ride? I really watched what I ate today and no caffeine at all. I am a big fan of energy drinks and diet pepsi max ( douoble the caffeine with ginseng) so yea I like caffeine.

Greg

Roody

I take Altace for BP every day. My BP is quite low. I take the Altace to keep my pressure low, but I also take it because I had a heart attack in 2000, and Altace helps reduce the risk of a second heart attack. I don't have any side effects from the Altace. I ride an average of about 90 miles a week all year long. So roughly an hour a day on the bike. I also walk 5 to 10 miles a week.

I drink coffee in the morning. It seems to increase my heart rate but not my blood pressure. I eat a pretty good diet. I am a diabetic, but my blood sugar is in good control from my diet and exercise.

If I was a young man of your age, I would be very serious about diet and exercise in order to avoid some of the problems I've had. I think the DASH diet is a good diet for you to look into. I think gradually increasing exercise is good too. Try to make this a lifelong habit. I have been able to do this even though I didn't get started until I was about 10 years older than you. As for the medication, I think many doctors will give you 6 months or so to get your BP under control with diet and exercise. That should be long enough if you're motivated (and I think you are). Find your BP cuff and get to work! I hope you won't nee to take medicine. But if you do need the medication, be brave and work with your doctor to find one that won't cause you side effects.

justinb138

I didn't have to wait til 50, I'm 24 and take a beta-blocker for IST (Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia). My BP is normal with no meds, and will drop way low (70/30) if I take the meds for more than a day or so in a row, so I only take them on days that I ride (can't get more than a few miles if I don't take them). I really wish the doc would have mentioned that little side effect ....

Pamestique 

I think at first the doctor did not understand. When I said I rode bicycles I'm sure he thought I did a nice slow cruise 2 - 3 miles on weekends. He had no idea the level of althlete I was. And that was an issue. Some medications don't work well if you exercise at a high level (which I was doing at the time but now I've become said slug). I was placed on different doses and different meds. Right now I am just on a water pill and unfortunately it's not affecting my BP. It remains high.

So I made a deal with the doc. I will stay on the water pill and I asked him to give me 3 months to make some changes. First change, lose the weight. Second forced myself back up to a high level of exercise. It's been tough but I'm finally getting back into the gym (spin class).

I think the key is making sure your doctor does understand how important fitness and exercise is and how the BP meds affect it. Most people were couch potatoes to begin with so no biggey. Just make sure the doc knows and understand what you do.