Mine is also high at 140+/120+ can't remember exactly now ...
I smoke but don't drink much at about a pint a week if lucky.
Cholesterol is also high due to one of the component of blood sugar spike.
A bit overweight so I have dropped about a stone for the last three months and cut most sugar and salt out of my diet.
Doctor prescribed me a course of Atenolol 50mg for my blood pressure but I have not followed up for a second check yet as I was told to go back in 6 month's time.
At one point I could feel pressure on my heart beating and my heart was beating a bit fast but now better.
Oh ya ... I need to sleep more. 🙁
p/s: I think overweight is the main cause for me ... can't shift the fat from my belly ... hmmm
how do you avoid stress?
I've dropped to a single coffee a day, very rarely add salt and reduced beer drinking to once or twice a month (though still have a ciouple of gins and half a bottle of red a week)
I'm generally around 130ish/80 though sometimes I get really weird readings like 140/55, which generally is when my resting hr drops right down to 40 - 42 and i get cold. GP doesn't seem bothered, and is putting it down to anxiety.
I get alot of headaches, but I put that down to tension, if i take some time out to try to relax I can feel the muscles between my eyes are too tense
how do you avoid stress?
You can help avoid stress by considering things like your job, how much pressure you are under, whether or not that is self-induced, how to reduce it by choosing other options, maybe cutting expenditure to allow that etc. Sometimes it's simply by learning to say "no". A skill many seem to lack.
You can handle stress through some simple things like walking and meditation.
Mine's spiked from 120/80 to 120/90 recently.
Huge amounts of stress going on right now. Fit and dont drink or smoke. Hopefully it'll reduce when this sh1tty period is over soon....
(and my resting HR rate is around 40)
Not sure what heart rate has to do with blood pressure
Mine bp was similar, maybe higher than yours, there weren't any lifestyle changes I could make..mine is genetic. Been on Ramapril for c10 years..no side effects, bp normal.
Don't know what mine is, but had it measured by the Dr a few weeks ago. She said it was low and whether I was feeling ok. Not sure if I should be worried, but I wasn't given anything.
All that you said, drop caffeine, drink water, eat well, exercise and drop any excess weight if you can. I was feeling generally low, aching, nausea, headaches, couldn't sleep, living on coffee to keep me going at work, lots of stress there too.
After doing the full 50-year medical checks, blood pressure suspected, as on occasions (but not always) was high. Put me on a 24 hour monitor and it was spiking to 187/106. At night too, which is weird.
Also there's family history - all my blood relatives have had heart probs, strokes etc. so for me GP said get on Ramipril as a preventative measure. No side effects.
6 months later lost a stone, BP average currently 128/75 and much of the symptoms are now gone.
Got into the habit now of taking my BP daily to keep an eye on it. If you do end up managing BP a Omron monitor is a good investment. I just email my readings in now to the nurse at the surgery.
White coat syndrome is very definitely a thing too.
I had that, which tickled me, as I work in practices every day and conciously felt zero stress being there, but had two nurse-taken slightly high readings, they put on the 24 hour doobrey and it was fine.
Your all over thinking this.
It's an easy one really.
Its a pump, pipe & fluids system... just remove some of the fluid and the pressure will drop.
Not sure what heart rate has to do with blood pressure
Neither do I just thought I would mention it in case somebody had a useful comment to make plus my BP monitor measures it whilst taking my bp so thought it might be a factor.
Not sure what heart rate has to do with blood pressure
Me neither, but I'm sure reducing your RHR will have at least a little effect on your BP. I stated the effects of alcohol on my RHR merely because I don't measure my BP every night, like my RHR.
It's also occurred to me that on top of stress levels being off the clock, I'm in a state of long term fatigue (comes with the job sadly) but I've been relying on massive amounts of caffeine lately to get by. A triple espresso prior to my last test probably didn't help 😂
Heart rate shows your fitness and a low resting heart rate I suppose indicates that you are relatively active and fit. Essentially this just rules out that aspect as a cause of high blood pressure! There is no link between HR and high BP..
jamze - sounds very familiar scenario to mine, I suspect I may likely get put on the meds too, also have family history of high BP on my mother’s side.
I had a guy at work day he was trying to increase his BP as "surely higher BP will mean more oxygen to the muscles so I'll run faster".
For low BP, there is nothing they can do unless there is an underlying medical issue. Mine was 100/60 at the last Dr visit, 95/55 is my record, both with the old style manual guage. I get lightheaded regularly when I stand up, especially after exercise. I just need to pause before I walk off else it hits me harder. Thankfully I've not actually fainted yet, come close a few times.
Unlikely to help many others, but, I lowered mine from high to normal.
I was drinking several cups a day of liquorice tea, had high bp, and low rhr. after doing some research online, I found some reports of liquorice tea affecting bp.
A week or two after I stopped drinking it, my blood pressure was down to a safe, normal level, and strangely my resting heart rate increased from low fifties to low sixties, so I believe the two can be connected.
If you think about it, a pump running at a higher pressure would pump the same volume with less pumps, or beats, as a lower pressure one would with more pumps, or beats, so my theory is, the body may compensate for high blood pressure by the heart beating less often.
I've been battling it for a year (I was in the heart attack range ffs) and have managed to get it to normal by doing a few things -
No alcohol
Meditation (head space app is great)
A lot less caffine (i have maybe one or two cups of green tea with lemon a day)
Reduced and switched to himalayan salt
More exercise
Garlic extract - i get this from holland and barrett but be warned it gives me crazy lucid dreams! https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-odourless-garlic-capsules-3000mg-60031525?skuid=031525
It's doable but you'll be fighting it the rest of your life. Once it gets hold of you it never lets go
Thanks for all the info. belfastflyer, that sounds impressive reduction. Is that without meds ? It must have been pretty high !
Doc has me on 10mg of lisinopril to be safe. I'm looking to come off it asap but the dr is (quite rightly) wanting to see if I can maintain the lifestyle change long term.
I found out when i went for my yearly Bupa check, I could tell there was a problem as they did an ecg etc when it wasnt part of the check. They told me to see my GP asap 🤣
Good you caught it I guess !
you’ll be fighting it the rest of your life. Once it gets hold of you it never lets go
I disagree
himalayan salt
Of course there's lower pressure up there, I like your thinking.
Mine measures fine but I still get a bit dizzy when standing up sometimes, so I wouldn't want it any lower.
41 here and I reduced mine through more exercise. Too young kids meant I was only getting out on the bike sporadically. Joined a gym and do a high intensity circuit class, boxing, core and functional fitness classes. Way more work than MTB and has made a huge difference. Feel much better too.
I'd listen to what the GP says. For me, I'd got to a position where I wasn't exercising/biking because I felt so crap combined with no free time 'cos of work. Vicious circle, and GP advised me against launching into lots of exercise. Use the pills to get the BP down combined with healthier lifestyle, and you then feel up to exercising. I was dead against the pills, but on a very low dose and no issues with them.
Now enjoying the MTB again. Bought a new bike yesterday - first in 10 years 🙂
24hr test could turn out to be fine. Tests at GP induce "white coat syndrome" with higher than normal levels. Had a 24 despite a little high at GP, and no problem.
Still though, family history of high BP and I've been top end of normal (in US would be diagnosed with prehypertention which is a non condition but gets people to pay for drugs).
Exercise has kept BP in check. Resting HR can be high and I know that's the booze. Trying to cut down as that's causing other issues. High HR itself shouldn't be much of an issue I think. Though if I've not been drinking the resting rate freaks me out as it's 40 something and I feel like it's going to stop!
Beetroots, I think my dad has been told he can't eat them. He's on a cocktail of drugs ever since a bypass op and some change in drug means he can't eat them now. Maybe lowers BP too much for him.
If you think about it, a pump running at a higher pressure would pump the same volume with less pumps, or beats, as a lower pressure one would with more pumps, or beats, so my theory is, the body may compensate for high blood pressure by the heart beating less often.
If that was true my resting heartrate would be low...it isn't, never has been
I was going to mention liqorice, as it is a quite well researched as a blood pressure raiser...but didn't think anyone could be taking enough of it to be affected...i was wrong
^^ actually reading above about liquorice, it might have been that he's not allowed. Sure he'd talked about beetroot also.
Thanks for all the advice, thoughts. Will be seeing GP sometime this week so have a lot more info now.
.....oh, and I got some beetroot tabs from Amazon, worth a punt !
24hr test done and daytime ave 144/97. Seeing GP on Monday and expecting to get put on Ramipril. Have a good mate who is a GP and he agrees that is likely outcome. The Omron I bought from Amazon ties in pretty well with the 24hr NHS one, so will be good for keeping an eye on it. My mother and her father were both on meds from their mid 50’s so genetics seems to be at least part of it.
Stress is a key thing here. also learn biofeedback - sit with the monotor on taking regular readings ever few minutes and learn how to relax and drop it. I got bored on nightshifts and did this. You can drop your bp by 10 - 20 pts just by thinking about it
Also as above, mindfulness, / meditation / deep relaxation stuff. It does help
For low BP, there is nothing they can do unless there is an underlying medical issue. Mine was 100/60 at the last Dr visit, 95/55 is my record, both with the old style manual guage. I get lightheaded regularly when I stand up, especially after exercise. I just need to pause before I walk off else it hits me harder. Thankfully I’ve not actually fainted yet, come close a few times.
I run 100/ 60 normal. Lowest I have seen is 78 / 42. I have fainted quite a few times and have the scars on my head to prove it. I have had to teach myslef to get out of bed slowly!
Stress is a biggie. My sister has been on BP meds for years, since her early 30's. I got away with my 24h test as my BP dropped massively once home relaxing and asleep. Goes through the roof with the drive to work and work (used to cycle to work until my back was broke).
Beetroot extract tablets might be worth a shot - it does help apparently - certainly helped when I was tested. If you are constantly high, and changing diet etc hasn't worked then it's best on the meds. Some folk are genetically more likely to get it. I have to keep an eye on it now, but had a particularly stressful few years.
Yeah, I found at home I could bring it down a good 5 plus points but having some calming meditative thoughts an direction sitting for a few minutes. When I had the 24 test on I tried to live as close to normal a pattern, so work, kids (no biking) and a beer (just one) in the evening, plus a coffee both days. Did t see the point in getting it artificially low to stop me going on meds that might prevent a stroke !
Best of luck Iain. 💪🏻
I have just finished my first week on meds. Taking 5mg tablet of Amlodipine. No side effects at all. I suffer from white coat syndrome too. I had a pre op for an impending hernia op and BP was 160/118. My Omron at home has been measuring around 140/95. The doctor said that white coat syndrome or not with s BP reading of 160118 in the morning of my op they would send me home.
So to lower it for my op I’ve gone on the meds. Im carrying 10kg more than I should be , drink maybe a little more red wine than I should , but also exercise lots (mtb, rowing , karate , ccts, - something everyday). However I don’t think I can lower the BP naturally- I should have gone on the meds 5 years ago!
Couple of thoughts...
The test is very dependent on body position. Feet need to be flat on the floor and back supported. Together this can add 15 inHg to the reading if wrong.
Mine is inversely correlated to heart rate. At 35bpm it's 130/80, at 60bpm it's 110/70. Cold extremities will push up blood pressure. Go for a run around the car park before the test?
Potassium supplements will lower blood pressure.
geologist - I feel your pain - am actually seeing hernia man on Monday as a repair from a year or so back has I think failed. My first knowledge of possible high BP was pre biopsy for prostate cancer 4 years ago. I dropped enough in an hour that they were able to proceed...
oh, and the hernia was an incisional one, from where they took my prostate out !
edit, nobeer, appreciated, thanks
iainc - good luck with the hernia. Mines also a second , a simple small umbilical this time though.
^^^^^ cheers, hopefully simple and a month or so off the bike over winter ! Good luck on yours too, and on getting the BP down. I have tried all I can without changing jobs, which isn’t really what I want to do, and with it being genetic I am kind is ok with going onto meds.
I had crazy high blood pressure last time it was checked.
I simply opted never to have it checked again which has served me well in the decade or two since, but then I don't have a wife or children to worry about.
Haven't read the thread but my pops has had high blood pressure for years. Been on prescribed meds for it and altered his diet. They kind of kept in check but it dropped dramatically when he started eating beetroot. Not the jars in vinegar (bleurgh!) the boiled and vac-packed stuff. He just eats it raw (?) but i've made him a few beetroot curry dishes which are pretty tasty. Might be worth a shot as it's bound to be better for you that drugs.]
TLDR...Beetroot!
^^ you can get concentrated beetroot juice from Holland and Barretts in 100ml bottles if you can't stomach the normal stuff. Anything with a high dose of nitrates will help, as it relaxes blood vessels. Celery, spinach and lettuce are all high nitrate foods too*.
*since beetroot is disgusting.
Flaperon, not a fan of it myself but the curry was pretty good. Second effort was better than the original. Wasn't sure what would happen to the beetroot first time after cooking so cut the beets 'rustic' thinking they would shrink or crumble or something. Nope...felt like each mouthful was just a big lump of beet 😀 . Cut them much smaller (sugar cube sized) and went for a stonger curry and it made all the difference. Purple poops aren't everyone's cup-o-tea but it was gorgeous colour and smell (the curry that is, not the poop)
I bought some beetroot concentrate tablets from Holland and Barrett and have been on them for a few weeks, probably not long enough to make a difference..
Oh well, Perindopril prescribed, back in a fortnight for check and kidney function. Apparently low risk, 9% chance of an ‘event’ in the next 10 years if unmedicated....
