I"ve been taking two generic meds (metoprolol and ramipril) that both have an effect on bp for 20 years with no side effects.On the one hand I think it’s typically good to start with conservative measures such as diet (eg smaller portions, less grazing, less salt, less caffeine etc), exercise, weight loss, minimizing stress (eg work, home, NEWS FROM DC, etc). On the other hand since a result of high bp could be stroke, I would be talking to a MD sooner than later. Also especially if under stress, try purse breathing for a few minutes where you relax your neck and shoulders, breathe in slowly through your nose for 4-5 seconds, then breathe out slowly through your lips.
Regarding exercise, for many people, it may take much more exercise than the usual recommendation (150 minutes per week moderate or 75 minutes per week vigorous) to bring blood pressure down to the desired range without drugs.
However, even if one cannot get to the needed amount of exercise, or genetics makes it impossible, more exercise may help reduce the amount of drugs needed.
Due to severe cardio problems I am not able to engage in a great deal of exercise, but W and I walk our dog every night and just talk about issues going on in our lives and general craziness in the world… So simply from a stress relieving aspect and getting/venting stuff out, I think even a dog walk can be beneficial to bp.
New guidelines for what is considered high blood pressure means almost half of adults have hypertension.
http://time.com/5022440/high-blood-pressure-guidelines/
So, according to the new guidelines, your BP is still higher than “normal.”
I am older in my late 60’s and have been on blood pressure meds for 15 years, DH as well but less than 10 years and he is in his low 70’s. I had an allergic reaction to the first med but I am fine with what I take now. Just watch that you take on the same schedule every day. I go the doctor to be monitored every 4 months or so. I probably need to exercise more than I do but the main thing that you need to do is watch your diet. I never cooked with added salt or used a salt shaker and we don’t currently eat any processed foodsm gave up those Near East brand rices 15 years ago as an example. I am really the salt police and am extra careful with everything that I eat. My blood pressure is usually around 135 to 140 over 78 or lower, sometimes less. My issue has always been the top number. I switched doctors about 2 years ago and one of the reasons was that my original doctor insisted that I come in every 6 weeks to have my pressure taken and that made me really stressed, raising my pressure higher as it made me late for work all the time.
classic white coat syndrome
It made me stressed because he would schedule my appointment for 8 AM but he never arrived at his office until 8:15 and then I would be seen 15-20 minutes later and that made me miss a 9:03 train to NYC from Long Island so I had to wait for a 9:44 train and so every 6 weeks I would arrive to my office at 10:30 or later- talk about being annoyed. Some of that was classic white coat syndrome but I saw it as being disrespectful of my time… especially while he would be chatting me up about what he was watching on TV or reading or anything else under the sun… don’t schedule appointments for 8 AM unless you plan to arrive at 7:45 AM
I understand how a professional (eg MD) can run late. if say a MD schedules patients for say 15 minute appts and one or two appts run longer, and/or one or two patients show up late, it can be hard for MD to grow back time. But you’re right, if MD starts his day at 8, he/she should be ready to see patient at 8. I’d be angry too if this was normal practice for MD’s first appt of day. MD was being disrespectful to you and your time.
I’ve had high BP for decades. It runs in our family and starts at a relatively young age. Over the years I’ve kept it pretty well controlled with either a diuretic or a beta blocker and for a short while both. I never had any symptoms from the hypertension except for an increase in the frequency of headaches. Getting the blood pressure down reduced the headaches to one every couple of months instead of 2 or 3 a week. I never noticed any particular side effects of the meds except of course the diuretic made me pee a lot.
One good thing is there are a lot of blood pressure meds out there, so if one doesn’t work or produces bad side effects, there are a dozen more to try.
I am definitely getting the recommended amount of exercise. I think that is why I am so miffed. I think it is my genes. I am going to try to watch the sodium and coffee and see if that helps. My recent BP is high under both new and old guidelines
Thanks everyone
Very helpful and also just making me feel “normal”
Anyone can respect a doctor running late or an emergency but I made the right call… so happy with my new practice. Actually they are a much busier office than my first doctor who had always scheduled me at 8 and most of the time I was the only patient there waiting to be seen first or when I was leaving the office to run for me train.
I changed doctors for my younger d years ago when she was seeing a specialist for a scoliosis consult. After two visits for 4 PM after-school and waiting until 6 PM to be seen in a very busy office I asked the front desk and I was told that their practice scheduled 4 patients at the same time every 15 minutes apart. No wonder you always waited for your 10 minutes of time for a minimum of 2 hours… this for a specialty in which the majority of those waiting for adolescent girls coming after school. The doctor was nice and apologetic and I didn’t doubt his medical capability but I found this practice to be so thoughtless and my daughter was only being monitored not really undergoing treatment I had to switch.
@veruca I do take a very low dose of Losartan. I was hoping to not have to take any meds with the increased exercise but that didn’t happen.
I am 58 and just went on BP meds a couple of months ago. I fought it, but my aunt died of vascular dementia and she had high BP for decades.
The first med I was given was Losartan. At around the same time, I was given a Surface Air for work. I developed back pain so excruciating that I was in tears by the time I reached Penn Station every night. My office is a 12 minute walk but I had to stop so often it was taking me closer to 30 to get there. I complained about the computer and stopped carrying it day to day, but the back pain just kept getting worse. In desperation, I googled Losartan side effects and found that a relatively rare one is extreme low back pain. I stopped taking the med immediately and within a week, the pain subsided. I was then switched to Metropolol and have had no problems. I take 25 morning and evening because I have difficulty swallowing large pills so I can’t take the 50.
I am an extremely fat pig (PLEASE don’t write back and tell me not to talk that way about myself. Your thoughts are appreciated, but it is the truth and sugarcoating it doesn’t make the issue go away) and also have thyroid issues. I am hoping to lose weight but haven’t had too much success.
Thanks @techmom99 - that is the kind of thing I am worried about. As I get older I seem more prone to side effects and allergic reactions than I used to be. Or maybe I am just exposed to more drugs ?
I read Breitbart while taking my BP and it jumps 10-15 pts every time. Same with listening to NPR, despite the soporific voices. No change with the Onion. So to get a more accurate reading, I just close my eyes and do nothing for 10 min prior to using the machine.
Water, sodium intake, holiday stress, and seemingly anything can make your BP rise.
If a lot of things are making your blood pressure rise than that means a lot of your life is spent with elevated blood pressure. Therefore, get on the meds. It means you have high blood pressure all the time you’re not meditating and relaxing which isn’t a good thing for your body.
I had a window rattling cough with Lisinopril but now take amlopidine with no side effects whatsoever.
Does switching to decaf. help? I like the taste of coffee but do not need the kick of caffeine
@tom1944 this is what the mayo clinic has to say:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/expert-answers/blood-pressure/faq-20058543