After a recent health screening I have been diagnosed as having high blood pressure. The reading was 140/92.
I had a 24 hr blood pressure monitor check up in early 2020 and I did not appear to have any issues then. However it was just as Covid started and my doctors surgery were not very forthcoming on the exact readings. With hindsight I should have pushed harder to see the results.
I am 61 years of age. Moderately active (more so when I am out in the van of course). I do some light exercise a few times a week. Non smoker and teetotal. I am not overweight. Diet is now reasonably healthy (just) but was poor, and at times very poor, in my earlier years.
I am minded to try and get my blood pressure down by improved exercise and diet. If I get no joy with that I will go to the doctors and, presumably be put on medication.
Anyway, I was wondering how effective the medication is? Do some people have side effects? Did it affect your ability to get travel insurance? Any other issues?
The blood pressure meds I have had for about 20 years have been effective but you do need to keep a regular check on your BP and if it goes up or down speak to your GP asap.
Side effects for me are slight, a slight ache in my legs, a bit of brewers droop and a reduction in headaches.
I normally have to pay a small additional charge for travel insurance but so long as you state that the BP is under control it is not a great deal.
The underlying cause of the high BP is probably the most important thing to identify. Mine is mainly genetic but a high fibre diet and very low caffeine intake certainly helps as does regular cardio exercise such as regular swimming and cycling - check with GP first.
------------- 'A sure cure for sea-sickness is to sit under a tree'
Avoid added salt in your diet.
Get a home Blood pressure monitor and check regularly to monitor it.
My pressure is abnormally high when taken in a medical location but normal for my age when at home, they call it "white coat syndrome".
saxo1
The top reading is fine, the bottom one a little high.
I was diagnosed with high blood pressure when I was 25, I`m 66 now and I`m on the maximum dose of five different meds and have been for years. Do the meds work? Well, I`ve just done a couple of 4 x daily readings for 7 days and they are wondering what else the can give me, my average being 182/84.
Side effects? Dunno, been on them so long I don`t know what `normal` might feel like. I`m not on beta-blockers as they made so tired I couldn`t function and my slowed my pulse so much may home BP monitor wouldn`t work (didn`t work if my pulse was less than 36 BPM)
At 140/92 I`d not worry unduly, there sre several meds they can try, if you get any reactions let your GP know and they should find you something which suits.
You could argue that a doctor's surgery, a bit like hospitals, is not the best place to take a blood pressure reading, as per Saxo's comment above. I am in my mid seventies and have been on BP medication for nearly 20 years. I used to visit the doctors every six months for it to be checked but that has all changed since COVID. I do have my own machine and tend to get better readings (well within normal readings) on that than when I am at the surgery. Its always difficult to detail how the medication impacts on the person taking it and some medications have different effects than others. If you are given medication I would hope the surgery will follow that up, at least initially, with regular BP tests. There are lots on videos on YouTube detailing the effects that particular medications have. Probably losing weight is the best way to combat high BP but that is often not so easy as you get older. Take as much exercise as you can.
I too have white coat syndrome, but with a twist. If I have BP taken anywhere other than my GP, it skyrockets. I have been retained in Hospital until it drops, had operations delayed because of it.
The medication I don't know which is for what, I have had stents fitted, the blood thinning pills were recently stopped as I had constant nosebleeds and bad bruising. The whooshing noise in my ears alerts me if my BP is above normal so I don't need a monitor at home, but other than that I get called in reluctantly every three months for a blood test and reading.
I've been like it for that long I don't give it a second thought.
See NHS calm “plain English” information at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/
Everyone is different, we shouldn’t necessarily “read across” from someone else’s experience.
The NHS article explains the two numbers (—/—), what they mean, the implications of the numbers being higher or lower than ideal & suggests what to try before taking the medication forever.
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 24/11/2022
See NHS calm “plain English” information at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/
Everyone is different, we shouldn’t necessarily “read across” from someone else’s experience.
The NHS article explains the two numbers (—/—), what they mean, the implications of the numbers being higher or lower than ideal & suggests what to try before taking the medication forever.
I agree with this. I always felt fit and healthy. My BP was known to be a bit high but not of concern.
New GP arrives at the practice and takes over from my previous one. OH my goodness, you are ill, quick you must take these tablets. I have been ill from that day on.
My wife has had highblood pressure for years. It is controlled by medication and reviewed regularly.
Travel insurance accept it as a pre existing condition and do not charge extra.
------------- DS-There's more to life than football!!!
Thank you all for your very helpful and interesting comments.
I've started the process of trying to get my blood pressure down without the use of meds. I'm exercising more, reduced my salt intake, and have switched over to caffeine free tea and soft drinks. I'm also taking occasional potassium and beetroot supplements. I've got a decent home blood pressure testing kit so will monitor my levels to see how things go. Even if it doesn't reduce my blood pressure levels I'm sure it will be good for me in other ways.
If nothing changes after a few months I will talk to my GP.
As an aside, my wife, who is going through the menopause, had been suffering with quite bad hot flushes. She read about the benefits of caffeine free tea (she is an avid tea drinker) and after switching over her flushes have reduced considerably. It could just have been a coincidence, but worth a try if anybody is in the same boat.
In April this year I went to the hospital for a cataract operation, the nurse took my blood pressure it was 185/111,she said I'll wait and take it again, that's too high" after 7 more readings it went up to 247/174,the surgeon came in and said "you are on the verge of a hypertension crisis, you must go to A&E immediately", by the time I got there it had dropped back to normal!
I was referred to a Cardiologist and a Haematologist but found nothing untoward but they did advise me that caffeine in moderation,4or 5 cups of tea or coffee per day would not have any serious effect but If I did reduce the tea or coffee to ensure that I replaced the fluid with something else.
I purchased "Beet-it" beetroot juice and had a glass of that every morning and I did notice an improvement in my blood pressure but unfortunately it had an adverse effect on my blood sugar so I had to stop.
When I finally went to have my cataract op I had to provide a 7 day list of night and morning readings, the doctor prescribed Diazapam to calm me down for 2 days and doubled my blood pressure medication for 2 weeks prior to the op but it was still 184/99 but as my previous 7 day readings were OK they decided to go ahead.
Getting old is no fun but it's better than the alternative!
saxo1
140/92 is at the top end of the 'normal' reading of 140/90.
I'd get a monitor and take readings four times a day for a week. I'm surprised this wasn't asked of you after your screening. A couple of times as soon as you wake up and a couple in the evening.
Keep a record and present it to your GP. If its normal no need for medication, which is likely to be a low dose of Ramipril which does work and has little effect on travel insurance.
Don't assume a healthy lifestyle will reduce it, of course being correct weight for height etc helps. My boss is late 60s, looks 50, still plays five a side twice a week, walks miles, but he has very high blood pressure which is probably down to genetics.
I've got a irregular heartbeat,my blood pressure can be 155/110 then 5 mins later 70/60, my pulse can be 40 then 5 mins later 155,it can normal for 3 or 4 hours,
I've had 3 heart attacks that have damaged my heart, I don't think you should worry about you readings.
Several people have mentioned caffeine and I wonder if it would have the same effect on me, as it doesn't have any other effect. My wife daren't drink coffee after 2pm or she will struggle to get to sleep that night. I on the other hand could have a big mug of coffee at 10:50pm, go to bed at 11pm, and be sound asleep by 11:10pm. I've always been the same.
I am on Bisoprolol and have been for several years.
My husband had his blood pressure taken several years ago at the GP and it was high so the GP wanted to put him on medication. Being completely adverse to taking any kind of medication, my husband told the GP he would research how to lower it naturally and come back in a few weeks to have it checked again.
He went to Lloyds pharmacy and bought a Blood Pressure monitor and took his BP twice a day for a few weeks. It was always normal! When he returned to the GP it went sky high again but he had his own readings to show the GP and they checked his monitor against the GPs and they were reading the same so they just put it down to white coat syndrome. Getting a decent monitor and checking your own readings regularly will give you a clearer picture of whether your BP really is high.
Thank you for all the interesting comments. I know everybody is different but it's still interesting to read about other people's experiences.
Birder 99: Thank you for being so candid. You said "Side effects for me are slight, a slight ache in my legs, a bit of brewers droop and a reduction in headaches".
Can I ask, what meds are you on? And you say you had a reduction in headaches. Were headaches commonplace for you before you started on the meds? I always thought in many cases blood pressure meds increased headaches.
And as for the "brewing" issue. I know it's a bit of a sensitive subject but is this a common side effect of blood pressure meds?
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Topic: High Blood Pressure
via mobile 24/11/2022 at 10:57am
and a reduction in headaches.
