General Chat

ADVICE PLEASE. i went to the drs as she wanted to change my medication, for my spinal condition,and arthritus, while i was there she did my blood pressure and said its got to be watched as its high at 97 when it hits a hundred you have to take medication. I'm 42 almost 2 stone over weight, and have limited walking mobility, due to the pain. i eat healthily, is there any advice you can give to try and get the pressure down, thankyou sandra

Hi Sandra, It sounds like you need to rest for abit that might bring it down. Maybe go on holiday and see if you relax enough to bring down your blood pressure. Hope you feel better soon nat

Hi Sandra, I know that you probably don't want to hear this but you need to try and get your weight down. You say you eat healthily, do you eat much salt. Cutting down on salt might help. Buy processed food, baked beans etc that have lower salt added, don't put salt on food, don't add it to vegetables when cooking. also eat a low fat diet, that might help, cut down on red meat, cut off all visible fat etc. i hope you can get it down i take medication and it is a nuisance although it does the job. but then I am 63, you are relatively young. i suspect the fact that you are not very mobile doesn't help. I hope you manage to get it down. Ann Glos

hi im 43 and overweight (although not to much) i have high blood presure too i have an active job and do go walking sometimes im a veggie so my cholestorel is ok my doc put me on medication bout 2 yrs ago it has been altered a few times...doseage etc and now blood presure is ok my doc told me that although my weight wont help my problem is mainly thats its hereditary so theres not much i can do about it i say take the medication and get ur BP down cus there r so many risks of having high BP get lots of info from ur Gp PS i had an active job and went walking and was a veggie before i took the tablets so they didnt help get it down at all....... good luck lou x

Sandra...I am 5'4" and weigh 8 stone 4lbs. I have to take medication to keep my blood pressure down. Weight isn't always the problem!

Hi Sandra Have you tried taking up swimming? This way you get the exercise in without pain. Cut down on your salt intake ( although don't forget you do NEED some in your diet ) and increase your water intake. Trouble with High Blood Pressure is we don't have it checked on a reg basis - so it's not always a good indication on just a couple of readings. I'm sure your GP will be monitoring you on a reg basis and if not just pop into the Surgery's Nurse and have her check it - only then can you be sure you have true high blood pressure. Perhaps seeing a herbalist would help too - they re address natures balance. Much happiness Debi

thankyou all for your advice, i will take note and try your suggestions thankyou again sandra

Hi Sandra, I'm 43, two stone overweight and taking medication for high BP. Checked it today and registered 152 over 97. That's with a job that involves a lot of walking and lifting and walking at the weekend. WHOOPS!! Just follow orders from GP and it will come down-mine is never usually anywhere near todays high. Take care, Andy

Sandra I don't have anything to say that you don't already know. You need to lose a bit of weight, take some exercise, cut out as much salt as possible (makes the biggest difference!) and increase grains in your diet. I have had high blood pressure too and cutting out salt is by far the most effective strategy. But making a real effort to have a healthy lifestyle and to eat the right things in the right proportions is also important. Watch out for salt in processed and pre-prepared foods. Angela

you have got a lot of good advice ,which i use myself ,as i have high blood pressure .The only thing which hasn,t been mentioned is smoking which is very bad for people like us ,hopfully you don,t anyway ,but would be worth trying to give up if you do,Best of luck Fred.

sandra i only found out i had high blood pressure on a routine check up which gave me a bit of a fright!i was asked if i suffered from stress which i did and how much salt i had.well to be quite honest i had salt with everything.i was told firstly to cut down on the salt.i substituted this for a salt alternative called lo-salt which is more expensive then salt but with using that and taking more exercise,trying not to get stressed and losing some weight i cracked it.my blood pressures back to normal.i also have family members which have high blood pressure which also it can be herditary.hope this helps

I advice you to buy your own bp machine if you can my bp was over 100 and i am plls for it and when my doc takes it its about 90sbut at home my husband says i wll take it now and it has been inthe 70s when you know the doc is going to take it yuo can panic they call it the white coat syndrome

Sandra, That's exactly what my GP says-you can always safely subtract 10 from a surgery reading for the white coat syndrome. Thats why I bought my own monitor and it does make a difference. Andy

I have high blood pressure too and have to take two lots of tablets to keep it right. As has been said, watch your salt intake. Also do you smoke or drink alcohol? That really increases your blood pressure, so be careful. They normally take a few readings to try and see how it is before giving you medication. I do hope you will be ok, thinking of you. Jo.

Hi Sandra, Have you tried `meditation`. If you can give yourself just a short while each day, ( on your own ), close your eyes, and go any where in the world, that`s calm. Gentle waves, bird song, white fluffy clouds,soaring birds, etc. You might be surprised at how you feel afterwards.

As Andy has said - there is a "White Coat Sydrome". See a Doctor/Dentist/hospital worker and pressure rises. Can only echo what others have said. Liz

Oh blow! I like a few glasses of red and a fag. No wonder my blood pressures high then! Guess I'd better keep taking the tablets! Well....you've gotta have some pleasures in life!!!

Hi, I have had consistently high BP for years though I am a lot older than you & have a family history of stroke. I have been taking Diuretic medication for a long time which has more or less controlled the problem but have found a way to beat it (for me) at last. You can buy a product called Lo Salt instead of ordinary salt, this helps, reduce your weight & increase your exercise even a bit makes a difference. Cut out fatty foods but take a multivitamin suppliment especially if you dont eat red meat like me. I too have athritis, who doesn't at 70 but just making that bit more effort to walk a bit further each day improves that too. It has worked for me & I no longer need medication for my blood pressure. Above all, don't get too anxious about it. Anxiety is a major cause of Hypertension. Best of luck, Valerie.

thankyou everyone, i stopped smoking, i will try all your suggestions, the excerise bit is difficult due to the spinal pain, my legs give out, but i do walk up and the garden a few times its 160ft and always have my mobile in case i collapse. i drink loads of water, and eat veg if i cook in salt i don't put in on the meal. but i will try that lo salt, some days i'm bright red in the face after just hoovering,so there is definately something wrong, losing the wieght is a constant battle, i use everything low fat, cut out bikkis chocolate cakes etc begiinning of the year, don't use sugar,cook meat in the george foreman or in water never add any oil, always eat my 5 pieces of fruit or veg. i do like swimming so i will give that ago, and i will try everything else. and hope i can get some sort of result even if its only small have a nice day, its lovely and sunny though a bit nippy sandra

Your blood pressure may be linked to the pain that you are suffering. I work at the hospital and if my ladies have a high reading the nurses aren't usually too concerned as they are normally experiencing some pain. Julie