Blood Pressure

[Grog]

The general feeling was that since he was so fit, how could he have any blockages.... I guess the moral of the story is, if you have a bad family history, start exercising and eating right at a young age!

You are totally right.

I know a man who ran about 80 marathons in his life, a sports med doctor, with perfect health. One day on his Sunday morning 20-miler (run) he starts having chest and left arm pain. He's in disbelief: how can this be happening to me? But nonetheless gets (runs??!!) to the hospital only to learn that he needed a quadruple bypass immediately. Congenital heart problems can happen even to the fittest. I'm pretty sure this guy also had low blood pressure and a resting pulse of 40!!

I hope your husband is better now! Nothing provides perfect protection, but a good lifestyle and some education takes us forward.

[EvilTwin]

I have been on BP meds for almost a year now. My numbers weren't sky high, but I have a high stress job, and a family hx (both parents with HBP and CV disease), so my family doc didn't want to take chances. I'm on a low-dose combo drug and admit, that since I've been riding, I've been tempted to cut back. However, I have no bad side effects from them, so I guess I'll keep taking them. Better to have control of my BP than risk the stroke alternatives. My BF also is on meds, but his control is more variable...he takes his meds faithfully, yet on the days he doesn't ride or exercise, his pressure is on the high side. weird. We both eat healthy diets, and exercise, so sometimes we just need a little extra help.

[shadon]

and I'm struggling with what to do about it. On the ALC, I spent a day in the medical tent with dehydration, and the doc who cleared me to ride talked to me about my "high blood pressure" (Hello??? You dumped two liters of saline solution into my arm this morning!). She (an internest) said if I were her patient, she'd put me on meds right away...so I'v been checking it at the pharmacy every so often, and while it's not as high as that day, it's definetly on the high end.

I hate the idea of meds (and getting roped to the pharmceutical industry), but I sure as hell don't need to have a stroke. I suppose, if it doesn't get much better I'll talk with my MD about it...sigh...this middle age thing rots!

[Crankin]

Hi Grog,
Yep, my hubby is fine. He was out walking 2 miles 2 days after the angioplasty and on his bike on a flat 13 mile ride 5 days later. The doc wasn't too happy, but said as long as he kept his HR under 130 it would be OK. Of course, about 10 days later, we were supposed to lead a 21 mile ride through some challenging climbs (in Harvard, MA for you New Englanders). He decided he would meet us after the biggest climb, by getting there another way. Of course, when we got to the top of the climb, he didn't tell me he had already climbed another really challenging hill... one of my friends on the ride (a guy) rode the rest of the way with him, to keep him under control! He was so happy he was not having symptoms anymore. Five weeks later, we were on our tour from Prague to Vienna. One of the good things about all of this is now he is much more mellow about riding. I've gotten faster and he has slowed down to smell the roses. He does his fast riding when he commutes to work once in awhile, but given what could have happened, everything is fine.

[newfsmith]

6 years ago, I was struggling with my weight and BP. I was doing a lot of stress eating, working long hours (>60/week), not exercising at all. I have a pretty strong "white coat" effect and was coming in at the start of an office call with a BP of 150/109 that would drop to 130/90. My primary was talking about starting me on medication, but about that time my work crashed and burned. I got a new job with week-ends off, only 40-50 hrs per week, and the possibility of bike commuting regularly. In spite of my family history of high BP, obesity, and stroke, that life style change has brought my weight down 30 lbs and I now have a BP of 124/78 without medication and my workload again back up at >60 hrs/week. Yes, lifestyle changes can change the measurements, but I don't kid myself that it actually changes my risk for stroke. Although I have fabulous HDL's (85) I also have alarming LDL's (174) and in spite of all the lifestyle changes, I will probably need to start Statins soon. Make the lifesyle changes so you have a chance of using cheaper, older drugs or lower doses of the new ones. It is also one thing you have control of and you can do for yourself.

[pooks]

The cardiologist I know said that they don't consider the "white coat" effect much any more. He said that if your BP is spiking into high territory because you're at a doc's office, then it's also spiking at other times, too.

He said while being able to sit still and calm down and have it come down is good, the fact is that none of us can spend our lives sitting down being calm all the time.

This is also the cardiologist who told me he wouldn't have put me on BP meds without trying diet and exercise for 3 months first, so it's not that he's quick to deal out pills. He's also Asst. Chief of Cardiology at one of the major hospitals in Dallas, and director of their noninvasive medical lab (noninvasive -- not surgery -- being the important thing there).

I just thought I'd toss that out there in case anybody finds in helpful.

[bentforlife]

I was put on BP meds not for high BP but for my kidney function. I'm a Type 2 diabetic and had some protein show up in a urine test. ( I'm also a nurse.) I tried to talk the doctor out of it but no use. I have not had a positive protein test since. But there are times I feel like the meds make me feel tired. Unfortunately I take several other meds for cholesterol(inherited from mom and dad), diabetes and asthma/allergies. It's sad when the pharmacists and techs know your name and the meds you take by heart.

My 2 cents worth. I would try the diet /exercise thnig but if you can't get it down then don't be afraid of the meds. Also, I don't trust the drugstore BP cuffs. It would be worth your money to buy a battery operated cuff. That way you can monitor your BP at different times of the day as well.

Donna

[pooks]

Thanks, Donna. (I'm the one who started the thread because I'm hoping to do without the meds.) I won't mind using them at all if I can't bring it down. It's just that since my family history doesn't have BP or heart issues (even though there are weight issues) it freaked me out to have my BP high. Even when pregnant with a lot of weight gain, I always had BP that was low. So I want to see if life changes will bring it down.

If they don't, bring on the meds!

[EvilTwin]

So, after my ride today, I took my BP.. 92/50. No wonder I was tired, but the other thought that my BF and I tumbled onto was that the meds I am on are a low dose combo HCTZ and diuretic. My legs have been aching lately. Duh. One of the signs of low potassium is leg pain. HCTZ makes people prone to low K+, as does the massive sweating I have been doing with my riding in the heat this past week. You'd think that 2 people actively working in the medical field would have thought of this sooner, but nooooo. So, off to the banana store, and then call to have labs drawn. Maybe I can stop the meds now though!!

[Pedal Wench]

I agree with you that genetics play an important role.

It's just important to be aware that high blood pressure is not the be-all end-all of cardiovascular issues, and even someone with lowered blood pressure remains at risk of having problems.

Good luck

My BF is very thin, very active, and still had slightly high blood pressure. The common advice to lose weight and exercise just doesn't apply to everyone.