[Closed] anyone successfully lowered their Blood Pressure ? tips ?

stress is most likely to be the first thing to attack unfortunately 🙁 .  I know from personal experience that lowering it is very effecting in lowering blood pressure but unfortunately a lot of stress can be outside your control or require an initial huge change in order to win the long battle

Change cereal to porridge oats, swap salted peanuts to plain (but tasty) cashews.

I'd be surprised if they didn't put you on tablets based on those readings.  They seem to want steady readings lower than 120/80 these days.

yeah I've been on meds with figures similar to that (a little higher) for the last 15 years. Cut down salt, eat less red meat, drop weight if you're over. Mine seems to hover around the same number regardless of what I do (meds included) but seems to spike less when I'm being good

great info, thanks. Doctor was suggesting medication best avoided if possible as some of the meds cause dizziness etc.  Will see what they say after the 24hr test, but I guess some are better than others for active sporty folks..

Stress.

I usually do my BP as part of my medical  when on duty and it's consistantly high

This time I did it after 5weeks off duty.

Slap bang in the middle of normal.

I am going through a similar process. Had the 24hr monitor and it really showed a lot of ups and downs. When down its fine (and my resting HR rate is around 40) but can spike higher than your SYS reading up to around 160 ish my Dia reading is never over 85.

Run almost every day, weight good. I probably couldnt do much more exercise! Diet generally ok but have a tendency to drink a few extra units than recommended per week (Red wine mostly)

Really wanted to avoid meds, what are the side effects btw other than dizziness?

My current meds don't cause me any issues (Candestarten).  Ramipril gives some people a cough and it gave me a bad back!

Rockhopper - good to know, thanks

As above. I also:

cut out salt

use bike rather than car for errands whenever possible

plenty of sleep - drastically improved "sleep hygiene"

5-10 minutes mindfulness meditation each morning - I used to really fret over stuff, now I seem to be much more stoic.

Do you get enough sleep Iain? Merely an observation, but you strike me as potentially a bit of a worrier? If so, there's not an awful lot you can do about that. You have an active lifestyle and diet etc seems good, I don't know if I'd be overly concerned, if I were you.

Best of luck.

nobeer - you have pretty much nailed it there.  More sleep would help I reckon too..

Aye, I reckon it's one area most people overlook, the sleep I mean, when considering health.

There are umpteen different types of meds (and combinations of two or more tablets) so you'll find one that works for you - might take a while though!  If its two tablets then get a prepayment card and save some money.

If its two tablets then get a prepayment card and save some money.

Scotland mate, free prescripitions, innit.

You are always on the go! Slow down and get some quality rest / decent sleep. Your ageing body needs to recover from the endless cycle of activity / work / travel / red wine you do and you know it!

I haven't ridden in anger for a year and my BP is 100/60. Stop drinking, eat clean and pick an easier gear.

They seem to want steady readings lower than 120/80 these days.

QOF innit...

Stressing about work I gave up drinking for a month. My BP dropped, my resting heart rate dropped 10 BPM and my sleep patterns got more consistent and better quality. This was from a beer at lunchtime and two or three of an evening.

now my alcohol intake has plummeted and I feel so much better.

Dunno about my BP (currently 120/70 at last measurement) but alcohol has a huge effect on my RHR. easily 10BPM higher if I have a beer, usually around 47-50, 50-55 if I run or ride of an evening, easily 60-65 if I have a couple of beers afterwards.

Mid 40's and been on ramapril for few years now. Fairly low dosage. No side issues for me. You get a kidney function check once  a year. Im fit & healthy, think its in me genes!! My mum has high blood pressure and grandad died young from heart attack. Probably best to cut caffeine & alcohol (which I dont at mo! ). Good luck.

great feedback, and lots to go at, and to aid my conversations with the medical people, much appreciated !

Mine is related to haemochromotosis.

I tried for 6 months - lost weight, started running, got rid of most salt, thought I wasn't that stressed etc.

I'm now on medication, even that has been put up and I am still in 'yellow' zone. Apparently I was nearly an ambulance job from docs first few times as they couldn't believe I was still walking and talking.... My weight and diet can affect it, stress particularly. But it has now levelled out at 'OK, but still higher than most'.

Been on meds for 10years. Mid 40s and no reason why. I did the obvious things like cut out all caffeine and lowered the salt intake and it made little difference. Ramipril works for me and keeps it down. Good luck with it all

^^ Interesting to hear matt - when the doc took mine initially I was well stressed and it was something like 170/110 - 3 days later the nurse took it and it was 142/84.....  the home tester seems to be fairly stable around high 140's over high 90's, with RHR around 57.

Interestingly, this is what NHS website says about treatment :

• if your blood pressure is consistently above 140/90mmHg (or 135/85mmHg at home) but your risk of other problems is low – you'll be advised to make some changes to your lifestyle
• if your blood pressure is consistently above 140/90mmHg (or 135/85mmHg at home) and your risk of other problems is high – you'll be offered medication to lower your blood pressure, in addition to lifestyle changes
• if your blood pressure is consistently above 160/100mmHg – you'll be offered medication to lower your blood pressure, in addition to lifestyle changes

I'd believe an old style sphygmomanometer over the newer electronic type anyday btw, Mrs reckons they have to retake loads of folks BP before procedures and the electronic one often reads high. White coat syndrome is very definitely a thing too.

^^ nobeer, that was exactly what the nurse, who was using the old school version said too.  And she is a mature sensible lady !

I don't have white coat, I've a whole freakin white truck full of ninjas in white HAZMAT suits... 🙂

Haha! Mrs Nobeer is neither mature, nor sensible!, but she's took a few BP's in her time.

Ramipril and amlodipine here for about 10 years. BP was similar to yours now tends to sit at around 125/85. They seem more concerned these days that the second figure is less than 90

Think I did get a bit of a dry cough to begin with but only for a week or two

Other than that no problems with the meds

Other than no ibuprofen/aspirin or grapefruit juice

As an aside, Ramapril gave me awful moods - like anger and frustration I have never felt before. It crept up, and only when I changed it did I feel the dramatic (within a fortnight) change.

Now on Losartin which has been more effective in BP lowering terms and I feel normal...

did any of you with high figures feel any effect from it, or a change when it came down ?   (and were you also put on the 24hr thing before being medicated ? - it seems a sensible approach to me as a non medical person !)

Not really. I feel like I used to get a lot of headaches which stopped after I started on Ramipril. Hardly ever get them now. Bit I'm told headaches are not caused by high BP

I was diagnosed in my late 30s with high blood pressure - 155/105ish if memory serves. Bad family history of stroke so high risk - doc gave me 6 months to sort it out through diet and exercise or on the meds. Got it down to about 120/80 and kept it at that ever since but doctor did warn me I was just pushing back the date when I would need to go on the meds. Early 50s now.

For me it was mainly exercise - going from reasonably fit for a desk worker to properly fit. Also cut down significantly on the booze  has multiple benefits - weight loss, lower stroke risk, more likely to exercise without a hangover etc.

I also have taken steps to avoid chronic stress - I don't think infrequent peaks of stress are not an issue but day in day out stress (and associated ack of sleep) very much is.

Going to docs in a month to have a serious chat about future as coming up to the age my dad had a major stroke  - and want to make sure I'm on track to do what is needed keep the odds as much as possible in my favour.

olddog - that's an impressive reduction you managed - if I can do half that I will be happy !

you sound on a par with me iain in age, activity and all the rest. my cholesterol is the main issue, thankfully - somehow - my blood pressure is pretty good. A-M however has taken meds for decades to counter hers. Recently she has got to the stage though of getting a much better control of BP by gradually - without drama - losing weight, and also taking long walks. Not always what can be done I know. That and reducing workload to that which allows a life and less tress - changing jobs when one became too stressful.

My intake of food is pretty good, alcohol maybe less so and sleep at the moment is problematic although not bad. Otherwise pretty fit.

I think it was the combination of factors and changes that  helped control with me - but as I said  I will go on the meds if and when required

Good luck Iain

I'd been high on two doc visits.  Ended up with a 24 hour monitor.  High at work, goes low normal on sofa, and very low in bed. Fine in the end.

Bought a home monitor as well.

Beetroot juice or beetroots themselves are good for BP - I had some before the BP tests as they weren't putting me on those meds.  You can also get it as an extract in tablet form.    It's also good for oxygen uptake on the bike as well.

End result, work is bad for you.  Mine shot up the minute I got into work, despite not feeling stressed.  Too many idiots to deal with.

Salt is a biggie no?

I think it can keep it higher than you'd like -- but I imagine I have much the same diet as A-M - probably more of the biscuits, salt and all the rest of it -- and yet my BP is consistently not a worry, hers has to be closely monitored. So I guess slat interaction with existing physiology..

regarding side effects; they're pretty variable and none is guaranteed (at least none of the things you might "feel").  You need to try them & find one that suits and stick with it*

*and that come with your other question Iain - most people with moderately raised BP feel no effects and don't noitce any benefit from reducing it.  For that reason, any side effects that they do get become their only "experience" of taking the stuff and frighteningly large numbers just stop taking the drugs (many of the studies were with older drugs/different doses, so the side effects were a bit more common but the point still stands today).

Read and re-read this.

www.cardiologistskitchen.com/top-tips/one-month-to-change-your-life-part-3/

If you are going to tweak a lifestyle you may as well start with a good baseline.

So I guess slat interaction with existing physiology

we don't talk about slats on here any more 😉

(try to estimate your current salt intake and then go over to a sensible resource to see how "high" it is and make some changes if needed; BHF does a booklet that'll advise on estimation and reduction, I think - among others, of course)

Cut salt, just don't add it to anything you make/eat.

For me it was job-related stress. I made a major change in that area, and no other, which completely fixed it.

Phhhh... started at 220/160 the nurse shat herself

5 years later 140/90

Max dose of 5 drugs that but cant even remember what they are, probably down to the micro vascular demetia caused by err high blood pressure.

Oooh a squirrel