Anyone else have high blood pressure/hypertension?

[Mercy]

Last Friday I had a check up with the practice nurse who was very concerned re my blood pressure and I'm due for another reading tomorrow.

My father died at aged nearly 51 from a heart attack (history of highish blood pressure and cholesterol levels). Am now scared I could drop dead at any minute.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

[PeachyClair]

Hi

My Dad and Mum are both on BP meds and have been for years, my sisters are also. I'm not, but I work hard to avoid it- watch weight quite carefully etc.

getting a forewarning is by far the best thing. It may be that your BP will have dropped massively, that's quite common. If not, well at least you'll be able to deal with it. there are meds available and you'll be monitored, much safer.

[Mercy]

Thanks PeachyClair. It was a shock to have such a high reading - I;m having to accept that although I have young children I am in fact middle-aged.

[expatinscotland]

My bp tends to run high even though I maintain a high level of fitness and a healthy weight.

My father has trouble controlling his bp despite medication. He was recently hospitalised after he went in to have his eyes checked and the doctor was so concerned about the pressure on his optic nerve he sent him to A&E.

And this was despite taking 4 different drugs daily for hypertension.

He has had two heart attacks, a quadruple bypass, a double bypass and angioplasty. He will be 70 in July but had his first heart attack at 50.

His elder brother died of a heart attack at 66. That brother's daughter died of a heart attack at 39, leaving behind a nearly-three-year old daughter. She had no idea she had hypertension and heart disease.

His other brother had his first heart attack at 37. He went on to have a second one at 45.

My sister, age 39, is on medication for hypertension as well.

I cannot take the combined Pill - in fact I just stay away from all hormonal contraception entirely - b/c of my family history and age.

I walk about 25 miles a week and do yoga.

I am 35 and fearful about my risk of hypertension and heart disease, so I know how you feel.

[Mercy]

Wow expat. Scary stuff but very interesting.

[expatinscotland]

it's like having a black cloud over your head sometimes, BUT monitoring it regularly is the way to go! :)

[MarsLady]

I also have incredibly high blood pressure. It was unmasked when I was pregnant with the DTs. My sister also has it, but she doesn't do medication, whereas I do. I could do with dropping some weight and hope that that would help it and I'm reasonably fit. Still.... monitoring is the way to go.

[Heartmum2Jamie]

My ds is 22 months and has high blood pressure, it goes hand in hand with his heart condition, even though it has been surgically corrected. HE is not currently on any medication. but is being monitored regularaly, he is likely to need to be BP meds for the rest of his left from his late teens, early twenties.

Diet & activity are very improtant.

[Mercy]

Thanks everyone. (heartmum - poor wee thing, but at least it will be under control hopefully).

Will report back tommorow if that's ok - I am a bit scared tbh.

Big Fat Lie _ I'm really scared!!!!

[biglips]

yes meeee!...as i had it when i was 27 and had the BP readings of 140/95 (Hypertension)- they are common in old people!! eeek!!

i didnt know i had it but it was my pill that caused my BP to go thru the roof.. so cant go on the pill ever again

now im on mirena coil and i have my BP checked every couple of months - now its 95/80 - which is normal for me

[Clure]

Hi. I too have high blood pressure. I was on medication pre-pregnancy then it seemed to right itself without meds during pregnancy and for about first year of breastfeeding. Have been to my GP today and had a reading of 180/104 (mega high) GP prescribed meds which are suitable to take during breastfeeding (this was a battle but another story!!) I've had various tests and they can find no physiological reason for it, I'm certainly not overweight, healthy diet and lots of exercise but it does run in my family. I too cannot take contraceptive pill - this was in fact the way my hypertension was originally picked up on. It really is important to get it checked regularly. Good luck Mercy

[Jennypog]

I had very high blood pressure at the doctor's and also at the hospital - I have a blood disorder and have to go regularly. Having high bp worried me sick, as I thought I would drop dead, particularly with my blood problems. However, my dh bought me a blood pressure monitor to use at home and instead of 170/105, my bp was 115/79, or even the magic 120/80.

Try it and see - I still have 160/105 at the doctors, but 120/80 at home. Being petrified of going to have your bp done, will probably put it up even higher - a vicious circle really. Even if they find you have high bp, you are in good company - a huge number of people have it. It is crap when you are told you have an illness/condition when you are quite young, but I try to think myself lucky that I have been caught in time.

[fairyjay]

Mercy - I was hospitalised at the end of both of my pregnancies with hbp, but it seemed to normalise afterwards.

However, it then went pretty high a couple of years later, and after monitoring it for a further couple of years, I agreed to medication.

I've been on a low dose of atenonol for about 8 years, and it keeps things under control.

My gp - who is also a friend - says that the real problem is if it isn't diagnosed and treated.

It really bothered me to be going onto medication for life before I was 40, but it was better than the alternative!

[expatinscotland]

All those on meds, make sure you are still checked regularly!

On two occassions, my father has been faithfully taking his meds, experienced what he thought was a need for some new glasses, only to find his bp was so high his optic nerve was affected.

In one instance, his drugs had been changed to generic w/o his knowledge as a cost saving measure. He gets them delivered by post every 90 days and just assumed it was the same stuff and popped them as he always had.

He could have had a stroke.

In the other instance, they just became less effective in time.

[blueshoes]

I had borderline hypertension but having dd sorted that out. It has not come back.

[nutcracker]

Am reading with interest as my dad was diagnosed with high bp yesterday after it was 220 over 100 and something

Have rung him this morning to check his has taken his tab and got a very grumpy 'yes now sod off'

[blueshoes]

nutty, your dad is clearly a Type A

[Mercy]

Got back from the doctor a while ago - bp was sky high - 180/120 . The nurse told me to go for blood tests asap, went to check something with dr. and came back with prescription for aspirin and atenonol

I feel, well tbh I don't know how I feel. I just didn't expect this at my age (I'm 42, nearly 43) I understand the medication for high bp, but doesn't the asprin indicate something more serious?

Anyway, thanks everyone for sharing your stories - glad I'm not alone!

[bundle]

\link{http://www.bhf.org.uk/hearthealth/index.asp?secondlevel=78&thirdlevel=169&artID=467\british heart foundation} has a section on high blood pressure, what it is, how it's controlled with drugs etc.

[fairyjay]

Mercy
I think the aspirin is prescribed as a preventative measure - I think there is a train of thought that we should all take one daily.
Atenonol has never presented any problems to me -it's just the fact that I have to take anything that I had a problem with!
At least you're being monitored. I did get a home BP monitoring thing, which I find useful for peace of mind.
Take care.

[Mercy]

Fairyjay and Bundle, thank you. I have calmed down now; as everyone has said thank goodness we have been diagnosed sooner rather than later.

I'm still concerned re the blood tests though.

[sparklemagic]

mercy, glad you are getting some help with it - I second what someone said earlier about having a home testing kit - my BP was a bit up (150/90ish) so the nurse has given me a kit to bring home, you take your own readings 4 or 5 times a day and keep a record. My readings today (first day) have all been MUCH lower, around 130 / 89, so if they don't offer you this I would ask for it.

This is to try to reassure you really, they have gone straight to medication which is obviously what they want to do, but I bet your readings would be lower at home, without the nervousness of being at the dr's, and if it helps to reduce your anxiety about your BP, this might well have a good effect on your BP, etc etc. HTH!

[Mercy]

I have to go back to the surgery as the nurse forgot to say I have to give a urine sample - so will ask re a home testing kit.

Are they expensive to buy?

[sparklemagic]

actually, I believe chemists do them for around a tenner, so I'm told, so it will be worth a look! good luck...hope you get one and the results are as encouraging for you as they were for me today. I do get anxious about going to the dr so I knew it might be different at home.

[Clure]

Mercy - I was prescribed low level asprin for part of my pregnancy as a preventative measure against high blood pressure. Also its good that various blood tests are taken to rule any possible causes out. I think they tend to do blood count, cholestorol, liver and kidney function.

I agree with Jennypog about the "whitecoat syndrome" I get worked up when sitting in the waiting room! I wore a 24 hour bp monitor once and that was interesting! Good luck Mercy.

[Mercy]

Thanks Clure!

Had a bad morning, felt really down and scared. I started the medication today and felt a bit woozy for quite a while but I'm not sure if it's the tablets or just general tiredness - I was very anxious yesterday.

Anyway, I got some info from the Food Standards Agency called 'hidden salt' and have decided I really need to look at my diet carefully. I also need to cut down on my vices!