I had an eye exam this week and my BP was up. So my husband (family doc) brought home a BP cuff from work last night and checked it again -still high.
I will be seeing my physician soon. I am so surprised. I exercise all the time and I am not overweight. I am 51.
I guess I mostly just want to vent but also was hoping hear from others about your meds? I am worried I won’t find one without side effects. I seem to get them with almost everything.
Also what kind of lifestyle changes you made and if you feel it made a difference.
Thanks
It’s probably because you’re 51.
I lost a substantial amount of weight a few years ago and I wondered whether it would be possible to decrease or discontinue my blood pressure medication. It turned out not to be possible. My doctor said that the benefit of weight loss was probably offset by the impact of growing older.
I was kind of annoyed because my husband had been able to decrease his blood pressure meds when he lost weight. But that happened when he was in his 30s.
I take a beta-blocker, metoprolol. It doesn’t bother me at all.
That is good to hear @Marian -do you feel any better? My husband said the same thing -about 1/2 people over 50 get it.
DH and I have also seen a rise in our BP with age. Not high enough yet to warrant meds, but I have my colonoscopy today and really hope it isn’t elevated as another poster said they wouldn’t do hers b/c her BP was slightly elevated.
From what I’ve heard, high BP has no symptoms, so by bringing it down chances are that you won’t feel better. But you didn’t mention that you don’t feel well right now.
Having more headaches -but that could be anything. @VeryHappy -yes I understand the same thing -but have also heard some people say they feel better with BP meds. Just wondering if anyone had personal experience
I used to take BP med. I dropped coffee from my morning routine and my BP dropped about 20 and off the med. Now it measures 125/80 most of the time. I am fit and physically active. My doc didn’t think there’s much I could change in terms of lifestyle.
I don’t think one time of one high reading warrants medication. Home monitors are notoriously off as are the ones in the grocery stores. I’d try exercise and diet changes before just agreeing to medication.
Two high readings so far. I would love for it to be normal next time. I exercise about 8 hours a week. I teach it
It wasn’t a home monitor -it was a regular BP cuff taken by my husband a physician. 
@veruca - I thought that practicing yoga 3x / week and running would bring my BP down (I am at a healthy weight), but it has not helped. I really think it is age and genetics. I wish I could give you better news.
I do drink a lot of coffee. @FallGirl that is what I was afraid of. Are you on meds?
I have certifiable high blood pressure, but it would probably be a lot closer to normal if I exercised more, and if I bothered to lose about 30 pounds.
One thing that you might try to make sure your data is right: insist that multiple readings be taken over say a five or ten minute period at short intervals. I find that my pressure declines rather rapidly after the first reading. By the third or fourth reading, its still high, but no where close to the first reading. This happens even if there is no physician present, so I theorize that I have some sort of adrenal response to just the act of measuring it, even if I’m totally alone. You might be surprised at the results.
If you do need medication, they usually try a diuretic first. Its the simplest, most effective, and has the least side effects. A number of the other therapies have side effects that will materially diminish whatever feeling of energy you normally have. Good luck
Thanks!
Glad you have doctor husband to monitor you! You are in good hands! What your husband told you about age echoes what I’ve always heard - that and genetics.
Pretty much everyone in our family over 50, regardless of fitness level, is now on BP meds (including some not related by blood). None have reported ill effects of medication. Most are on a beta blocker and/or diuretic. Lisinopril is common, usually only 5-10mg with no noticeable side effects. There are many BP meds out there so if one doesn’t work for you it is easy to try out something else until you find a good match for you.
At home monitoring systems have come along way and are quite accurate these days.
High BP has always been called the silent killer but I can actually feel when mine is elevated so I do feel better on meds.
So, we’ve been cursed with bad BP genes but we all have excellent cholesterol. You win some, you lose some. Thank goodness for relatively benign and inexpensive BP medication. It can be a genetic wheel of fortune in life.
Thanks -I think I am having trouble with the idea of it. Just kind of disappointed. Glad to hear that most of you don’t seem to have side effects.
@veruca - Your story is my story. I went to my endocrinologist two weeks ago (I have Type I diabetes) and my blood pressure was way high (this is after years of having a BP of 100/60). After a week of multiple readings at multiple times by multiple people, it still wasn’t appreciably lower.
So I went to my family doctor, who put me on meds. There wasn’t much I could do lifestyle-wise; I don’t need to lose weight, my diet is good, I don’t drink coffee (or much caffeine at all), I exercise 45 minutes a day…I tried blaming the rise in BP on the political climate (!), but that doesn’t negate the fact that it’s high. My GP said I was the healthiest diabetic person she’d ever had; however, in her practice, most people over 55 (I’m 57) have some degree of hypertension.
The first med I tried (…not a diuretic…) caused my blood sugar to plummet, which was an uncommon but not unknown side effect of that medication. I’m on antihypertensive number 2 now (Lisinopril), and so far so good. No side effects that I can discern, no problems with fatigue or light-headedness, and my blood sugars are fine.
At first I was really really angry that my BP was high – really? Another pill? My reaction was kind of irrational, especially since I already take multiple meds for my diabetes. I guess this is just one more bit of evidence that I really am getting older…
I don’t feel better. I don’t feel worse. I didn’t have any symptoms anyway. I just take my blood pressure pill every morning, along with a couple of other pills for other problems, and I don’t give it a second thought. I have no objection to taking pills; I just have to remember not to waste money on junk when I go to the CVS to pick up my prescriptions.
Re diuretics: They were never prescribed for me. But my husband took one for a while and found it unbearable. Diuretics increase the frequency of urination, often during a specific period of the day. His diuretic interfered with his ability to commute to work and to attend meetings at his job.
I was diagnosed about three years ago (I’m 61 now) and have been on a Lisinopril/Hydrochlorothiazide combo pill since. I’m not overweight, and exercise moderately. My doctor said it’s genetics and there’s really nothing I can do about it, but mine skews very high if I’m not on the meds. Not worth the stroke risk, so I’ve learned to take the meds. I have had no side effects from the meds, and the dose of diuretic is quite small so I don’t seem to have the issues often associated with that.
Thanks everyone. Trying to get used to the idea. Will keep taking it for a while and see if it stays up.
@scout59 - I have cut back on my news consumption. It was making me anxious.
Certified high blood pressure. I found that other medications were affecting my BP. Suggest you research side effects of the other meds you are on.
Lisinopril has worked for me. Started with lowest dose of 10 mg/day. Do not feel any better or worse having lowered my BP.