High blood pressure !! I'm only 28

[nutcracker]

Went to gp today for and my blood pressure was high 139/89, she took it twice, said she wasn't very happy with it and that I have to have it checked again after xmas.

Apparently the fuzzy head I have had for a week or so may be due to the blood pressure.

I am shocked, I am 28 not 68.

[noddyholder]

That BP reading would have been borderline by the old guidelines but they have recently been changed and the target levels are much lower which is a pain

[nutcracker]

Ahh yeah was just going to post and say I have googled and apparently it is borderline.

Oh well will just have to wait and see next time. Bp has always been fine, even in pregnancy.

[nutcracker]

If the level is only borderline though, can my fuzzy head be contributed to that or not do you think ??

[SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve]

Mine is 165/100, or was last time it was checked. I'm 29. I'm not very happy about it either

[nutcracker]

Oh dear greensleeves

What makes it high then ?? Am a bit stressed i suppose but no more than usual.

[noddyholder]

It can give you a fuzzy headachey feel I would think they would expect yours to be around 125/70something.Do you have any other health problems?If you don't you may be able to right this with just diet HTH

[SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve]

Chronic long-term stress in my case, according to my GP. Am on Ramipril as of about 3 weeks ago. I don't know if it's working, will find out after Christmas. I am quite annoyed about it really, I don't like being "on" things and have already had to give in on ADs for anxiety.

Any idea what's causing yours, nutty?

[nutcracker]

Thanks noddy, nope no other health problems at all. My diet is a bit crap at the moment, will try and improve that a bit, and also do some exercise as currently I do non.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

www.netdoctor.co.uk has lots of information about high blood pressure.

It is certainly no respector of persons, anyone can have high blood pressure therefore age is irrelevant.

[noddyholder]

Less salt more fruit lowers it quite quickly as do those little flora drinks(not the cholesterol ones)And chill out!

[LemonTart]

My DH suffers from blood pressure and would be delighted to have your reading nutcracker! I think it is all relative but can totally understand your concern. He takes the second strongest dose of bp tablets around and still averages out at 165/110 - you can imagine how high it would be if he didn?t take the mdes He exercises, is only mildly overweight and eats carefully - the GP now thinks it must be a genetic predisposition as the usual methods of control have such a minor impact.
They tend not to really worry unless the bottom figure goes over 100. Obv worth being of concern if the bottom fig goes over 80 but 89 is very very borderline, certainly not needing meds which is the main thing.
Reasons for being high - stress (biggest factor), overweight (even a little bit can put pressure on your heart), unfit - making your heart work harder, smoking, poor sleep routine, genetic predisposition, oother underlying medical conditions that can give high BP as a symptom and finally white coat syndrome when being taken (worrying about it being high is enough to put it higher for most people!)
I would watch your food intake, try to rest properly, watch your stress levels (I know, I know, Christmas and a mum..) and look after yourself a little.
Treat this as an amber warning light, enough to take a fresh look at your lifestyle/diet etc but don?t panic about it. Not that scary atm
hth

[nutcracker]

Well I hate salt, so i never add it to food anyway.

Should eat more fruit, eat non at the mo, and will try the drinks too. Will also try and chill, but that probably won't happen until after xmas lol.

Will look at net doc, thanks attila.

[TheDivineLiliLaTigresse]

I sympathise nutty, I've just had the same problem, am 37, not overweight, but really stressed out and not doing any exercise at the moment, which probably doesn't help....
I have to go back in January as well
I've never has BP problems before and am fine otherwise
bugger
Anyway, have a rest over the hols and let's reconvene in January

[LizP]

porrigde for breakfast is meant to be excellent for lowering b.p. dh swears by it.

[Emskilou]

My sister has very high bp and she is 20!! she was told to stop smoking and she has not smoked for 4 weeks now and it dropped dramatically, she does get stressed very very very easily (it is very easy to wind her up, bad sister arent I ) and she eats a load of rubbish, when I went to visit her I stocked her cupboards up with proper food and cooked and froze enough food to feed her and her dd (aged 2 btw) for about 6 months although with her appetite its probably all gone now and I only visited in November she is only a size 8-10 too

Anyway just echoing what every one else has said, treat it as a little warning light or something to add to a to do list, 'try' and take it easy (yeah right we are mums and its christmas ffs) and rethink how healthy your diet is AFTER christmas of course

[nutcracker]

Oh god, anything but porridge, just can't stomach the stuff, suppose i'll have to try again though.

Was a shock to me to Lilila, I think we should both put our feet up

[SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve]

Really? Porridge for breakfast? I could do that, dh cooks it for the boys every morning!

Thanks for that!

[TheDivineLiliLaTigresse]

yep, will do as soon as all my work is done, I have ironed, made dinner, packed suitcases for tomorrow, wrapped presents, etc..........
arghhhhhhh

[nutcracker]

Emskilou, well I don't smoke so thats one thing I don't have to change lol.

Am not overweight really either, 5'2 and 9 stone. Don't srink alot, well not loads, roughly a bottle of wine a week probably.

Diet is the main area I could improve, and I will of course do that after xmas

[SueW]

Garlic and oats. Maybe not together

[FauveGoldRings]

I couldn't possibly post my age or weight but battling with high BP has become my new hobby. Cutting down - or out - caffeine really helps; so does doing some exercise; and eating garlic. Onions and celery are also supposed to bring BP down. Also yoga and/or meditation are often recommended. There are also supplements you can take if you're rich enough - eg calcium and magnesium - or you can up your levels in your diet.

My fave method of bringing it down however is massage - that really works. And high BP is a good excuse for having one

I am adamant that I won't take the pills - partly because I do see the high BP as an indication I should live more healthily - it certainly does motivate me, and gives me a deadline in terms of the next dr's appointment. HTH.

[SantaGotStuckUpTheGreensleeve]

Just out of interest Fauve, was yours as high as mine? Only because I ddi think about refusing the pills and just trying to reduce it with lifestyle changes, but my GP gave me the impression that it was actually dangerous to do so.

[naughtynoonoo]

r u on the pill?

[nutcracker]

Yep I am on the pill and interestingly I had swapped to a new pill as my old one didn't suit me anymore.

Gp didn't seem worried about me being on the pill though, infact she has changed it yet again as new one didn't suit me either.