Gal danged blood pressure!

[Great White]

164/107 today. Been struggling with it for several months now. I don't drink or smoke. Have even cut coffee out of my diet.

 

They keep trying meds and I seem to drop to around 135/100 ish for a while and then start the march back up the scale.

 

Worst so far was 174/114.

 

Already have one chest pain scare.

 

Its a big scare for me, runs in the family. Grandfather died from malignant hypertension at the age I am now. Uncle blew out his kidneys from it. Other uncle and my father also fought with bp although they died of other causes.

 

Just can't catch a break....

[slowrollwv]

Man that bites, hope you get it under control soon. I have a couple brothers that have high BP and one of them has to take blood thinner meds as he has had two open heart surgeries. I am glad that I do not have that problem.

[uechi kid]

My Doctor and I struggled to get my blood pressure down as well. We tried several medication combinations. The combo that has worked the best is Lisinopril and Atenolol. They brought my blood pressure down pretty well but I was still above normal. Then I got a CPAP machine for sleep apnea and after using it for a few months my blood pressure dropped into the normal range and has been there for about eight years.

Hang in there and keep working at it.

[Great White]

So far we've tried HTZ and now ramipril.

 

They think there's also a psychological component making my genetics predisposition worse.

 

I'm diagnosed PTSD.....

[Yammer Dan]

My story is sure different. I quit the BP meds and gave up on the CPAP machine and mine is 125/84 right now. Don't try this at home!! OR DON'T do as I do!!

[cowpuc]

Prayers Up GW, sorry to hear about all this (medical stuff can be SO frustrating)..

Been a little over a year now with multiple doctors trying to figure what has been trying to put me in the grave (at least it felt that way). Long story short, it wasnt until I was jacked up with Prednizone (artificial adrenaline) during an ER Visit last spring that I actually felt better and, ironically - my blood pressure became controllable. Found out I was Adrenaline Deficient.. Ended up at an Endocrinologist.. After taking blood pressure meds for many years, this guy explained something I had never heard before.. One of the adrenal glands main functions is the control of BP - go figure..

Bottom line, if you haven't already done it (your pretty sharp - you probably already had this done) you might want to have your Cortisol levels checked just to be sure things between your Pituatary and Adrenal Glands are happening correctly, simple blood test and WELL WORTH THE TIME!!

My thoughts and prayers are with you GW!!

Puc

[Venturous Randy]

I just checked mine and it was 154/56 with a pulse of 47. I have always had a low Diastolic and a low heart beat. It has just been recently that my Diastolic has gone above 135/140 range.

Randy

[BlueSky]

I haven't tried that many bp meds but I have found that Triam/HCTZ is most effective for me. It acts as a diuretic as well as doing other stuff, such as MAKES MY ARTHRITIS MUCH WORSE. So, I won't take it any more. My wife who is very knowledgeable about homosexual, errr, homeopathic supplements started giving me Hawthorne and it appears to be helping.

[DblTrbl]

164/107 today. Been struggling with it for several months now. I don't drink or smoke. Have even cut coffee out of my diet.

 

They keep trying meds and I seem to drop to around 135/100 ish for a while and then start the march back up the scale.

 

Worst so far was 174/114.

 

Already have one chest pain scare.

 

Its a big scare for me, runs in the family. Grandfather died from malignant hypertension at the age I am now. Uncle blew out his kidneys from it. Other uncle and my father also fought with bp although they died of other causes.

 

Just can't catch a break....

 

 

I had high BP and was on meds......Of course I was married then.........once that was over, I'm off meds and BP is 114/70.........I guess for me, being single is the best medicine!

[BlueSky]

Great White,

You really ought to try Hawthorne supplements. The one I'm taking is the Natures Way brand. The recommended dose is 3 capsules 3 times a day with meals. I've been taking it for about a week now and it has made a dramatic difference in my blood pressure. I was taking a double dose of Losartan and it wasn't controlling my bp. Now with the Hawthorne supplement I'm taking the Losartan in the recommended dose. I'm sleeping better too. And, my arthritis is less than it has been in years since I've completely quit taking the Triam/HCTZ. My 2 cents

[Great White]

Thanks for the suggest, but I'm military and aircrew.

 

Basically, nothing goes in if they don't approve it....

 

well, nothing stronger than a shot of Wiskey that is.....

 

I also don't respond normally to most medication. No one in my family does.

 

We burn through anesthetic at a super rapid rate, we have atypical side effects, etc.

 

For example: they're currently trying to get an ear infection I currently have to dry out because I have some fluid behind the ear drum. They gave me a decongestant that is supposed to be a stimulant. I'm struggling to stay awake, my ears aren't draining and I've got an upset stomache.

 

Dentists have to hit me 5-6 times to get my teeth to freeze and then I only last about the length of one filling procedure. I laugh my way through cleanings and fillings because "it tickles".

 

I woke up in the middle of my gall bladder removal surgery (I don't remember it, I was 3 sheets to the wind, doctor told me about it). The anesthesiologist said it was all he could do to get me to go back under and was getting worried because he had to give me so much.

 

If something is supposed to make you drowsy, it doesn't for me. If it's a stimulant, I fall asleep.

 

When I get drunk, it's lucky to last an hour and then I'm damn near sober or at least clear headed. I don't get hangovers, even if I mix spirits with beer of wine. Doesn't matter how blasted I get, I wake up the next morning ready to go. I've even gone to bed totally blasted, woke up in the morning with a clear head and the wife got a hangover from being in bed with me.

 

If a drug is supposed to make you foggy, I go hyper-vigilant and vice versa.

 

My pain threshold is weird too. When i broke my wrist, the doctor could fully manipulate my hand. It was only when they xray-d it that a clean break was seen. I ripped my leg open at work and needed 14 stitches. I only went to the doctor because my boss saw it when it happened and when I looked at my leg under my coveralls it was torn open. The nurse looking at it got totally grossed out because it was torn open to the muscle and I was having fun with her twitching the muscle and watching it slide back and forth. They couldn't get it to freeze, so they stitched it up without anesthetic and all i felt was "tugging" as they stitched.

 

Homeopathic cures do nothing for me, I might as well drink a cup of tea, eat a gummy bear or go chew on the grass in the backyard.

 

Doctors just can't figure out my family......we're just medically weird.

 

Edited September 25, 2015 by Great White

[videoarizona]

My Doctor and I struggled to get my blood pressure down as well. We tried several medication combinations. The combo that has worked the best is Lisinopril and Atenolol. They brought my blood pressure down pretty well but I was still above normal. Then I got a CPAP machine for sleep apnea and after using it for a few months my blood pressure dropped into the normal range and has been there for about eight years.

Hang in there and keep working at it.

 

 

 

I'm on Lisinopril as well. Still a little high but no more "dizzies". And yes, Sleep Apnea was on my docket as well. Resmed S9 is now part of my nightly routine!~

 

Hope you can get a handle on your BP... GW!

david

 

[Yammer Dan]

Thanks for the suggest, but I'm military and aircrew.

 

Basically, nothing goes in if they don't approve it....

 

well, nothing stronger than a shot of Wiskey that is.....

 

I also don't respond normally to most medication. No one in my family does.

 

We burn through anesthetic at a super rapid rate, we have atypical side effects, etc.

 

For example: they're currently trying to get an ear infection I currently have to dry out because I have some fluid behind the ear drum. They gave me a decongestant that is supposed to be a stimulant. I'm struggling to stay awake, my ears aren't draining and I've got an upset stomache.

 

Dentists have to hit me 5-6 times to get my teeth to freeze and then I only last about the length of one filling procedure. I laugh my way through cleanings and fillings because "it tickles".

 

I woke up in the middle of my gall bladder removal surgery (I don't remember it, I was 3 sheets to the wind, doctor told me about it). The anesthesiologist said it was all he could do to get me to go back under and was getting worried because he had to give me so much.

 

If something is supposed to make you drowsy, it doesn't for me. If it's a stimulant, I fall asleep.

 

When I get drunk, it's lucky to last an hour and then I'm damn near sober or at least clear headed. I don't get hangovers, even if I mix spirits with beer of wine. Doesn't matter how blasted I get, I wake up the next morning ready to go. I've even gone to bed totally blasted, woke up in the morning with a clear head and the wife got a hangover from being in bed with me.

 

If a drug is supposed to make you foggy, I go hyper-vigilant and vice versa.

 

My pain threshold is weird too. When i broke my wrist, the doctor could fully manipulate my hand. It was only when they xray-d it that a clean break was seen. I ripped my leg open at work and needed 14 stitches. I only went to the doctor because my boss saw it when it happened and when I looked at my leg under my coveralls it was torn open. The nurse looking at it got totally grossed out because it was torn open to the muscle and I was having fun with her twitching the muscle and watching it slide back and forth. They couldn't get it to freeze, so they stitched it up without anesthetic and all i felt was "tugging" as they stitched.

 

Homeopathic cures do nothing for me, I might as well drink a cup of tea, eat a gummy bear or go chew on the grass in the backyard.

 

Doctors just can't figure out my family......we're just medically weird.

 

 

 

 

Weird is after my 1st serious bike wreck. In a coma for 13 days. Woke up with 27 broken bones. Grabbed a I V Pole in each hand and made it from 4th floor to the front doors on 1st (looking for my bike)when security got me took me back to my bed and tied me in!!!

[CaptainJoe]

My HBP is due, almost exclusively, to sodium. You'd be amazed how many foods and drinks are loaded with salt. Pizza with good mozzarella cheese is 450 mg sodium, diet anything, gator aid YadaYadaYada... Read the labels before you buy...

[Great White]

My HBP is due, almost exclusively, to sodium. You'd be amazed how many foods and drinks are loaded with salt. Pizza with good mozzarella cheese is 450 mg sodium, diet anything, gator aid YadaYadaYada... Read the labels before you buy...

 

Yep, that's what the meds limit retention on. Sodium uptake.

 

I laready limit my intake as much as I can, but it's not effective for me.

[Freebird]

I agree that sodium is the biggest culprit. I was on blood pressure medicine in my mid 30s. I stopped using a salt shaker. That's it. I do half try to watch what I eat but I don't search for low salt foods and etc. I simply don't ever touch a salt shaker. I was raised in a home where you salted everything before even tasting it so it was a bit of an adjustment for me. It was a very short time though before I never missed it and now foods often taste too salty. At any rate, I was off the blood pressure medicine about 60 days after that. I am 60 years old now and my blood pressure is still good. I know that it likely doesn't work for a lot of people but I would much rather put the salt shaker down than take a drug every day. I was about 35 years old when I quit the salt so it has worked for 25 years.

[Great White]

High stress job. Literally life and death decision making. 25 years has taken its toll.

 

Sodium restriction and pills are only moderately effective for me.

 

High bp is also genetic for me. Runs in the family. Grandfather died at 50 from malignant hypertention, uncle lost his kidneys, other uncle had high bp issues and so did my father.

 

I've kinda got the perfect storm scenario going on....

[BlueSky]

There are a multitude of bp drugs out there. Don't give up. High bp kills. Strokes, Heart Attacks, organ failure,

 

I've noticed that going for my 50 minute rapid walk in the morning will drop my bp by 10 or more points. A sedentary life style makes bp higher.

[Yammer Dan]

131/87 this morning and I keep a large salt shaker. With all I got going on I don't need BP acting up!!

[Great White]

Just got back from the doc.

 

BP true 129/89 , 88 BPM.

 

They're happy with that as it falls in teh "normal" range.

 

we'll see if Ramipril can hold it there.

 

I tend to level off and then climb back up as I get used to the meds.

 

I'm actually having dizzy spells and feeling faint after getting up from a seated postion as my BP drops and then recovers.

 

Just a matter of time for the bod to become acclimated to the new lower pressure and I'll be good to go...hopefully.

[GAWildKat]

I too know the dangers of Salt, growing up in the deep south, EVERYTHING is salted I swear, before it's brought to the table. I keep salt in the house, but not for me. I never salt stuff unless it's in a spice blend I'm using. I made boneless pork chops last night. Sprinkled some meat tenderizer over them and baked em in their marinade. I about killed over from how salty they are. The meat tenderizer has salt as the 1st ingredient! I remember this brand not having a lot of salt when I was a kid. Everyone else liked dinner, but I gagged on the salt.