Hypertension

[Jigfishn10]

Went to the docs about a week ago and found that my BP systolic number (top) was really elevated. I thought it was a fluke. It even fooled the doc because my BP is usually around 120/<80. 

 

He knows I work out regularly and eat pretty healthy, so he wants me to monitor and log my BP numbers, so got a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope. It came in last night and took my BP this morning. Well, it hasn't changed much. Systolic is high and diastolic is pretty normal - below 80. 

 

All I can think of is I must be eating too much salt and saturated fat? I'll start reducing salt intake and will eliminate red meat for a couple of weeks and hope that lowers my numbers. May even look into the Dash Diet. IDK, but it was enough to scare me.

 

Anyone dealing with hypertension?

 

 

[slonezp]

I was borderline for 10 years and finally went on meds 1-1/2 years ago. High number is now generally between 118- 124 and low between 70-80.

[MN Fisher]

I'm the other end - if they're taking my BP manually, sometimes it takes them a couple tries to find it.

 

My last checkup - 102/64

[J Francho]

Are they taking it manually or by machine?  I say this because this has happened a few times to me, and I've asked them to recheck.  I'm nice about it, "Are you sure?  I'm usually much lower.  Maybe a recheck?"  And sure enough it's a more normal read the second time.

[Deleted account]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

I'm the other end - if they're taking my BP manually, sometimes it takes them a couple tries to find it.

 

My last checkup - 102/64

Same here. It's "elevated" now cause I literally haven't done a lick of exercise in almost 2 years. 

I'm usually 105-110/65-70, and 52-56 BPM. When I get to 48 BPM, I make young guys cry on hills while cycling. I just took this reading.

[Jigfishn10]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

Are they taking it manually or by machine?  I say this because this has happened a few times to me, and I've asked them to recheck.  I'm nice about it, "Are you sure?  I'm usually much lower.  Maybe a recheck?"  And sure enough it's a more normal read the second time.

The nurse who set up all the vitals for the doc did it manually. The doc came in a few minutes later thought the nurse made a mistake and he took a manual reading.

 

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

I'm the other end - if they're taking my BP manually, sometimes it takes them a couple tries to find it.

 

My last checkup - 102/64

Really? Please forgive me, I thought you were a smoker? I've never seen those numbers. Not even during my HS playing days. Congrats to you man!

[J Francho]

Weird.  I'd be checking fairly frequently to see if it's isolated or a trend.

[Jigfishn10]

19 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

Same here. It's "elevated" now cause I literally haven't done a lick of exercise in almost 2 years. 

I'm usually 105-110/65-70, and 52-56 BPM. When I get to 48 BPM, I make young guys cry on hills while cycling. I just took this reading.

Good for you man!. At this time of day at work, I'd probably be around 125/80. My hats off to you bud.

 

2 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Weird.  I'd be checking fairly frequently to see if it's isolated or a trend.

Agree and started a log this morning.

[MN Fisher]

9 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Really? Please forgive me, I thought you were a smoker? I've never seen those numbers. Not even during my HS playing days. Congrats to you man!

I am a smoker - 50+ years - just that I do enough to keep in fairly decent shape...despite my 'six-pack' trying to become a 'pony-keg'.

 

20 years ago my 'normal' was around 96/57...so it's gone up as I age.

[TnRiver46]

11 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

The nurse who set up all the vitals for the doc did it manually. The doc came in a few minutes later thought the nurse made a mistake and he took a manual reading.

 

Really? Please forgive me, I thought you were a smoker? I've never seen those numbers. Not even during my HS playing days. Congrats to you man!

People from Minnesota have to be tough, they walk on frozen lakes! 
 

My mom has been on blood pressure meds for 30+ years and my brother just started taking them. I suppose it’s only a matter of time for me

[Deleted account]

3 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Good for you man!. At this time of day at work, I'd probably be around 125/80. My hats off to you bud.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about 125/80 mid day. If it's that consistently early in the am, maybe. It's genetic, so what is "normal" for one person, may be high or low for another. My medical folks tell me that a higher DIA # is more of a problem, unless the top # is crazy high. They recently changed the guidelines lower to what constitutes hypertension. 

[Jigfishn10]

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

My mom has been on blood pressure meds for 30+ years and my brother just started taking them. I suppose it’s only a matter of time for me

Tn, I'm really trying to avoid the meds. Not that they don't work, quite the contrary, my father has been on them for years. I very rarely get prescribed meds, but when I do, I forget, more often than not, to take them. Seriously, I'd be the worst drug addict.

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Tn, I'm really trying to avoid the meds. Not that they don't work, quite the contrary, my father has been on them for years. I very rarely get prescribed meds, but when I do, I forget, more often than not, to take them. Seriously, I'd be the worst drug addict.

Hahaha. From what I understand, you will have to pee very frequently if you take the meds 

[Jigfishn10]

2 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

I wouldn't worry too much about 125/80 mid day. If it's that consistently early in the am, maybe. It's genetic, so what is "normal" for one person, may be high or low for another. My medical folks tell me that a higher DIA # is more of a problem, unless the top # is crazy high. They recently changed the guidelines lower to what constitutes hypertension. 

My systolic number was crazy high at the docs. 

May have been from shoveling 31" of snow a Sunday followed up with a hard workout the next night...IDK...It's never been crazy 140 high.

[Deleted account]

2 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

My systolic number was crazy high at the docs. 

May have been from shoveling 31" of snow a Sunday followed up with a hard workout the next night...IDK...It's never been crazy 140 high.

Yeah, I wouldn't worry unless the monitor shows it consistently elevated, but for sure keep an eye on it and keep the docs on it. Lack of sleep and/or stress can cause it to be high as well. 

[GReb]

The machines always read mine high in the 140/100 range. Then the nurse checks it the old school way and it’s normal. This has happened since the machines rolled out. 

[Ski213]

Yep. It’s medicated now but prior to that it was pretty typical for me to be 150s/100. Medicated it is usually 120-130/80. If I’ve been staying up on cardio it’ll dip to the point that I have to taper the meds down, same deal if I’m off work for 3-4 days. 

[rgasr63]

I would increase my hydration a bit and keep up with it real close. 

[Jigfishn10]

42 minutes ago, rgasr63 said:

I would increase my hydration a bit and keep up with it real close. 

This is good advice that I forgot to mention above as one of the things I was planning on doing. I do pretty well with hydration, but have noticed that my fluid intake has gone down in the winter months.

 

Thanks for the reminder.

1 hour ago, Deleted account said:

My medical folks tell me that a higher DIA # is more of a problem, unless the top # is crazy high. They recently changed the guidelines lower to what constitutes hypertension. 

This is what my doc says as well. I guess there's a correlation between the diastolic number and LDL's?  

[N Florida Mike]

I was feeling rough over a year ago and stopped at a fire station to get it checked. I had been having headaches and feeling flushed ,  and felt  weak. They said it was 148 over 100?.So I go to the doc. and he perscibes 10 mg Lisinopril. Since then Ive felt much better but if I eat too much salty food it flairs up. Drinking a lot of water really helps, but the problem is the frequent bathroom stops. Im going back to the doc again soon. Heard there was a substitute for lisinopril. Gonna tryto get it changed because it makes me cough… the good thing about lisinopril is it’s free !

[J Francho]

Interesting, I take Lisinopril and was under the impression it was for liver and kidney function.  I'm also on Atorvastatin for cholesterol.  My combined cholesterol is under 100, so I assume it's working.  There is definitely a link between high cholesterol numbers and heart disease.  Anyway, I don't think those numbers for Jigfishn10 warrant any drugs, barring any other health issues, but I'm no doctor - I just play one on the forums.  Just keep looking at it, and do the common sense things you mentioned you were doing.

[Jigfishn10]

Yesterday, I was able to keep sodium down to below 2,300 mg - a little less than a teaspoon. Had about 1,500 cals which included canned tuna, egg whites (hard boiled), apple, banana, oatmeal with blueberry, 2 salads (lunch & dinner), 2 coffees, 2 green teas (yesterday was cold) and I'm missing a few things here.

 

Overall, my systolic was down 8 mm Hg and diastolic was the same. Still stage 1 hypertension, but heading in the right direction.

[RB 77]

Last few Dr visits my BP has been high and just yesterday the Dr finally convinced me I need some medication. Its no secret why its high though, I'm about 60 lbs overweight! I have been eating and drinking like a hog. I hope the scare of a heart attack or stroke is finally enough to scare me straight on to the road to a healthy lifestyle change. Good luck to the rest of you with your journey as well. 

[Log Catcher]

I have ben on blood pressure medicine for several years. At my age being 70 The Dr. is satisfied if I keep mine at 130/80. It has been creeping up a little bit lately. Being on one medicine for it isn't bad. My wife is on three blood pressure meds but it is finally reading pretty good.

[PressuredFishing]

Ha! Don't have to worry about that because I have a heart rate of 35-40ish, lower when sleeping, so the doctors encourage me to eat things like pretzels and peanut butter, but I promise you it's better to have high blood pressure and take a medicine and low heart rate and get a pacemaker installed (fingers crossed we won't have to do that)