High Blood Pressure

[Drew99GT]

Does anyone else here suffer from HBP? I've become a lethargic turd for the most part over the last 5 years and last year my blood pressure was in the 160/110 range.

BAD.

I refuse to take medications for this type of thing and resorted to working out. I've been lifting weights, doing calisthenics, and going out for walks for about the last 3 months. I had my blood pressure checked yesterday and it was 139/81. YAY! Still high, but MUCH safer, and I need to keep it below 140/90 if I plan on getting my CDL and trying my hand at proffesional truck driving.

It sucks because HBP is rampant in my family (as is a lot of serious illnesses and cancer) - my grandfather passed away from a heart attack and his blood pressure was like 220 over 150.

When I was at the hospital ER to see if I had appendicitis a few years ago, it was 175/115! I almost fell over, but I was freaked out about surgery.

 

[Nick R]

Sounds like me, I need to start excercising more. I'm 200lb @ 5'11" just a bit over where I want to be. Regardless, last I checked my blood pressure was 120/65 with resting pulse of 75bpm. This past summer my grandfather (not the one I bought the car from, the other one) had blood pressure of 210/160. He had woken up in the middle of the night with a terrible headache and then DROVE HIMSELF TO THE HOSPITAL. Even though his daughter lives 2 houses down.

But they gave him some medication and it came right down to normal. He's had 2 heart attacks in the past 30 years but he's doing ok.

 

[crinkles]

yeah myself being overweight and inactive it has gone to 145/90 in the last few years. actually i think its primarily work related because when i gave blood at the end of the year, just before holidays, i was really relaxed, and pulled off 130/85 which i was happy with.

]my wife is the blood pressure king, it never moves from 120/75,.

 

[John_K]

Mine has always been 120/80 so I was shocked last year that the doc said it was 150/90. On some generic meds and I'm back to normal. Old and fat, I guess.

John

 

[SrDriver]

4 years ago next month ended up on the heart ward.

Worked hard to get off of high blood pressure meds, heart meds, fluid pills, etc.

Have been off that stuff now for over 3 years between diet and exercise.

No red meat, low fat, no salt diet. No more than 6 oz of meat a day. No things like bacon, eggs no more than a couple of times a week.

Lots of fresh vegetables and fruit.

Blood pressure now runs around 123/70.

Had some Thyroid issues too which is often overlooked by doctors when they order blood work.

Will be 68 in a few months and feel great.

 

[jcwit]

Any REAL reason you refuse to take Meds?

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Does anyone else here suffer from HBP? I've become a lethargic turd for the most part over the last 5 years and last year my blood pressure was in the 160/110 range.

BAD.

I refuse to take medications for this type of thing and resorted to working out. I've been lifting weights, doing calisthenics, and going out for walks for about the last 3 months. I had my blood pressure checked yesterday and it was 139/81. YAY! Still high, but MUCH safer, and I need to keep it below 140/90 if I plan on getting my CDL and trying my hand at proffesional truck driving.

It sucks because HBP is rampant in my family (as is a lot of serious illnesses and cancer) - my grandfather passed away from a heart attack and his blood pressure was like 220 over 150.

When I was at the hospital ER to see if I had appendicitis a few years ago, it was 175/115! I almost fell over, but I was freaked out about surgery.



Drew, how old are you?

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
Any REAL reason you refuse to take Meds?


Because I can fix the problem by exercising and eating better, and I'm not lining a doctor or a pharmaceutical companies wallets. Plus, blood pressure meds can have serious side affects. I'm generally don't agree with prescription medication and it's overuse in today's society. I know people, to include my father, who gets prescriptions and takes pills for EVERYTHING, and they're generally not healthy at all because they and their doctors are trying to solve problems with pills instead of fixing root causes. It's a giant money making scheme if you ask me.

Obviously some meds are legitimate, and as I age, if I can't keep my HBP under control, I'll take meds.

But I can't believe you can watch a TV commercial advertising a prescription medication, then go to your doctor, and get it! That's insane. Make it OTC if you're going to commercialize medicine that much. Or legalize narcotics for crying out loud - can't do that or the Pharmaceutical companies lose big. That's the number one reason why narcotics are illegal.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: tpitcher
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Does anyone else here suffer from HBP? I've become a lethargic turd for the most part over the last 5 years and last year my blood pressure was in the 160/110 range.

BAD.

I refuse to take medications for this type of thing and resorted to working out. I've been lifting weights, doing calisthenics, and going out for walks for about the last 3 months. I had my blood pressure checked yesterday and it was 139/81. YAY! Still high, but MUCH safer, and I need to keep it below 140/90 if I plan on getting my CDL and trying my hand at proffesional truck driving.

It sucks because HBP is rampant in my family (as is a lot of serious illnesses and cancer) - my grandfather passed away from a heart attack and his blood pressure was like 220 over 150.

When I was at the hospital ER to see if I had appendicitis a few years ago, it was 175/115! I almost fell over, but I was freaked out about surgery.



Drew, how old are you?




30

 

[hate2work]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I've become a lethargic turd


Is there another kind of turd?

They call HBP the silent killer because there are no symptoms, I'm glad you're getting it under control. Deep, controlled breathing can help lower your BP, but you have to be consistent doing it.

 

[endeavor to persevere]

I take two pills a day. Exercise, diet will not help. It now runs around 130/80. I've seen it 180/120. I was laying down in the emergency room at the time. I have been fighting this for 15 years. I am now 65.
Its not something to play with. My neighbor who is 45, worked out and was in perfect health but was in denial about his blood pressure, is now partially paralyzed on one side due to a stroke.

Take care of it....

 

[Turk]

Sorry Drew, I hear ya, but you need to the THIS problem resolved by a doctor.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Any REAL reason you refuse to take Meds?


Because I can fix the problem by exercising and eating better, and I'm not lining a doctor or a pharmaceutical companies wallets. Plus, blood pressure meds can have serious side affects.


Drew, refusing to take BP medicine until you can get your BP under control by natural means makes no more sense than refusing a wound dressing because you might stop bleeding naturally.

Several generic BP meds are very inexpensive. For your amount of high BP, one or two of the least intrusive ones should get things under control until you accomplish your getting in shape goal.

Take care of yourself.

 

[mechtech2]

Diet is important.
This includes supplements.
You know, stuff like garlic, fish oil, etc..
They can help quite a bit, and also have incidental benefits.
Dive into the WEB and see what appeals to you.

 

[Drew99GT]

I was at the Dr. yesterday and he said keep on keepin on with exercise as it has lowered my BP 30 points in 2 months. He said doing that will be much better then taking medication, but if I can't keep it under control naturally, that I'd have to resort to pills.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I was at the Dr. yesterday and he said keep on keepin on with exercise as it has lowered my BP 30 points in 2 months. He said doing that will be much better then taking medication, but if I can't keep it under control naturally, that I'd have to resort to pills.


Kewl, stick with it.

 

[Boomer]

Many blood pressure meds like lisinopril or atenolol can be purchased for $10 for a three month supply as they are generics. I take both to control BP. I exercise heavily six times a week and do weights and have a resting pulse of 55-59. I take the meds as I had open heart surgery about 5 years ago; quad bypass. Blood pressure is one of the easiest things there is to control with meds and h it does have a sttrong genetic component. So if you need meds, don't deny them to yourself. they could really extend your life and help avoid some major problems.

 

[Drew99GT]

He said if I can naturally get my systolic down to the 130 range and keep the diastolic at 80 or below, I'll be good, but if it stays above that, I'll be taking pills. So maybe saying i refuse to take pills is an overstatement, but when I saw my BP in the 160 range a couple months back, I hit the gym that evening!

 

[CivicFan]

Pills should be your last resort. Making changes to your lifestyle and diet are the first thing to try. It's un-American not to take pills but you need to do what's good for you.

Also try to reduce the stress in your life.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Being overweight and out of shape can cause high blood pressure?

Who would have guessed that!

If you're planning on driving for a career then plan on taking the blood pressure medication-you will put the weight back on. All you do is eat, sleep and sit in a seat going down the road. You've already made it easy for your body to put on weight by being overweight now. Unless you can manage to keep to a rigorous diet and exercise routine then you'll be back to being fat within a year of starting a driving career. That type of lifestyle, while not impossible, is extremely difficult for a career truck driver.

Walk into a truck stop and take a good hard look at the drivers. See very many that are in shape and healthy?