To be shit scared by this diagnosis

[WhatFreshHeII]

I've just been to the GP for a very minor thing and while I was there she took my BP because I hadn't had it checked for a while. Immediately she said 'Oh that's worryingly high' and checked the other arm too, which was higher again. I think it was 170/122? But I was reading it upside down.

She showed me the NICE guidance which said that I needed to be checked for organ damage (she took some bloods). She also prescribed medication (candesartan 8mg) which I have to start taking today. I have to go back after Christmas for an ECG and on Friday to have my BP checked again.

She said that I mustn't get stressed, upset, or overexcited because my BP is so high I'm at very high, immediate risk of heart attack or stroke. And not to overindulge over Christmas for the same reason. Which of course has sent my stress levels sky high.

She was absolutely lovely and so kind but I'm absolutely terrified. My mother, grandmother and two aunts died of strokes - when I told the GP this she said that makes it even more worrying. I'm 50 and overweight but haven't always been (I've had EDs since I was teenager so my weight has fluctuated a lot, I'm currently a size 20). I also have rheumatoid arthritis and I know that heart problems can be a feature of RA.

I've had no symptoms so this has come as a complete surprise and a total shock. I don't know what happens next, other than I'll be on this medication for the long term apparently.

I know loads of people have hypertension but the GP seemed so concerned that she's got me really, really worried. I keep thinking I'm going to drop dead any second.

Can someone please calm me down and/or tell me their own experience of this? I'm at my wit's end with worry, I have health anxiety anyway and this has shaken me really badly.

TIA 💐

You can’t exercise, not yet anyway. But there are or there will be ways to exercise when you’re in a better health position to do so not just physically but mentally.

on your weight. I’m sure you’re well aware that the only realistic way to lose weight is eat less.

weight loss is in the kitchen and maintenance is in the gym.

But with your history of ED you really do need support with this though as you may have known and/or unknown triggers for your ED that may manifest with this current health stress.

right now though, don’t fret about your weight.

take the drugs your Gp has given you. these will help.

take the advice on ‘indulgence’ side step the alcohol, lower caffeine where you can.

make the small positive changes that you can control and your health allows.
drink enough water, get some good sleep, get a good routine going to help minimise your stress levels, eat veggies with every meal aiming for 7 plus veggie portions a day. These are all are foundations for general good health but will help.

fwiw a friend of mine was diagnosed with bery high BP a few months ago, older than you at 55. Took the drugs, quit alcohol, ate 3 portions of veggies at every meal, low carb and got their BP down to a healthy level.

this is fixable even with your hurdles.
First step is to take your tablets and attend every apportionment. You’ve got this.

It’s really a good thing, you could have gone longer and been unaware of it. Great to pick it up/control it now you are young. I haven’t read anything apart from your OP but I’d suggest

• getting a BP cuff to do occasional home readings - always sit somewhere comfortable, take 3 readings a couple of minutes apart and take the 3rd reading
• looking at amount of salt in food
• remembering if your GP hadn’t noted this you would have behaved as usual and likely been fine

Otherwise try to give new tablet time to work, normally 2-4 weeks before you can fully assess this.

Meant to make it clearer - I’d not adjust diet now, I’d just be conscious of salt and then try to take less salt - nothing extreme.

A work colleague of mine is in her early 50s, felt fatigued more regularly, (working nights does mess with your body).

On a routine appointment with her doctor, she explained how she was feeling and is it the menopause?

upon taking the blood pressure reading and the pin prick diabetic test, she was asked about her diet, she didn’t smoke, yes she liked a glass of wine or two with dinner, but she was honest with herself and the doctor and said I’m 4stone overweight, you don’t get overweight by eating fresh air!

She never admitted to herself that she had blood pressure (which was extremely high) and had she not done something with her diet ASAP, they would be chopping bits off of her.

She followed a vegetarian/vegan 12 week menu, three meals a day and two snacks a day, it was a 2500 calorie menu (you need extra fuel on nights, especially at 0330-0430hrs for some reason, your body dips) when she was working and 2000 calories when she wasn’t.

Yes she also started swimming and cycling, and joined the local councils 09.30 Monday - Friday over 50s daily different exercise thing. One day yoga, one day boxercise, one day weights, you get the idea.

She never spoke about her health situation, except that she was thrilled, she was a new first time grandmother, her and husband had just paid the mortgage off, and she should have been enjoying life.

Six months later, without pills she told us she was no longer at risk of diabetes (her reading was 9.6 six months previously) and her blood pressure was always between 110-130/75-90. No longer over 100 where operating machinery/driving is a problem.

I wish you all the best of luck in the world.

Definitely get a home BP machine and take a reading twice a day away from the scary doctors & nurses. Also you’re right to be concerned but try not to worry, meds will make a huge difference (mine do) and you’ll be fine xx

op, yes the smaller cuff was painful, the larger one tho tight doesn't pinch me so painfully

My portion sized could be slimmed down a bit. The main thing for me is exercise, which is practically impossible now

I hate to say it, but the main thing is actually diet. You can lose weight without any exercise at all but I understand that may be tricky with your history of ED.

I went to the GP about contraception and found out I had high BP. I had to monitor at home for a week, and have been on meds for a few months. I recommend doing sone meditation, the difference in reading before and after is noticeable.

My BP went up to 190/117 at one point. Terrifying tbh, especially bring a single parent with small children I worry something will happen to me in the night when we're alone

I've had hypertension for at least 10 years - I'm now 60+ and overweight, but it also runs in the family (including some very slim family members). I've lost some weight, and it does help, but medication is even more important - it might take time to get the balance right, but mine has now been stable and reasonably ok for the last two - three years. White coat hypertension is a real thing, and my medical practice asks me to take readings over a couple of weeks at home - they then average this out, and let me know if there's a problem. For the last couple of years, there hasn't been one. So, please don't worry - keep taking the medication and talking to your doctors!

Are you overweight ? My blood pressure goes up with my weight so if you ate lose some and it will no doubt go down

My BP became routinely high following covid over a year ago (generally somewhere between 135-155/85-90 which is high for me, I’m usually 110/70) and I’ve just requested medication which will start soon after monitoring bloods.
Another friend has been left with high BP after covid too.

I have well managed high blood pressure, like you I had no idea, and was a bit naive about it, I asked the dr how long I would have to take the medication for and was a bit put out when she told me! When I first got my home bp monitor I was checking my bp at every opportunity, but calmed down after about a week. I have been on the same medication for some years now and my bp is well within good limits.

Read the instructions in the medication packet carefully, because some bp medications react adversely to grapefruit and grapefruit juice, shame really it is the only fruit juice I like!

Been where you are OP, and also share the health anxiety, which is a bloody nightmare with a condition that is worsened by worrying. Vicious circle 101. Your GP was a bit of a slack arse to be honest, she shouldn’t have voiced the concerns in the way she did, as it was guaranteed to set your anxiety off.
Start your meds asap, and definitely try some mindfulness exercises. Try not to obsess with the monitor when it comes, as you will probably find you will feel anxious when you use it (pre worry about if it’s a high reading) which will then give a false high reading. maje sure you are getting enough sleep, and also cut out salt as much as possible. All the best!

My boss had this and was sent straight to the hospital, wasn’t allowed to drive herself there. I would take the fact that you are home with meds means that although it’s concerning it isn’t an immediate hospital case. Sorry that’s all I can offer! 💐

This is interesting. I've had covid seven times, including twice since September. I wonder if there is a connection?

7 times?! 😲

Mine was this high at the GP. He blamed it on anxiety and sent me home with a BP monitor to use for a week. I took it back along with my diary, and they have lost my results.
At home, it was nowhere near as high as at the surgery (classic White Coat Syndrome), but I also got very obsessive and anxious about monitoring at home too. I had to replace the batteries twice as I kept using it.

I had pre-eclampsia post delivery (no I didn’t know that could happen either!) and my at home reading was 175/110 - it was higher at the GP! I was sent to hospital by my midwife but they refused to admit me - was on three times a day medication and it did come down over a couple of weeks - have been left with permanently elevated BP though (not enough to need medication).

it is tricky but try hard not to worry - you won’t have a heart attack or stroke tonight, just reduce your salt intake and take gentle exercise.

This might sound silly as you’re so worried, but one very helpful, scientifically proven thing you can do is stay fully hydrated to keep your arteries as lubricated as possible.

OP , it's good that you've ordered a bp monitor . I have White Coat syndrome , which basically means that when I worry or get anxious at the surgery, my bp reading will be high. My GP told me to buy a monitor and when I take it at home, it's much lower . It's apparently quite common .

Hope they warned you about drinking lots on candestartan! It’s a diuretic apparently so you need to keep your fluids up. I can always tell
if I haven’t drunk enough on it as my back will hurt.

I'm reading everyone's posts and they're all incredibly helpful, thank you. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.

I don't add salt to my food but will be more conscious of the amount of salt in what I eat going forward. I do eat a lot of veg - easily over five portions a day - but will try to eat more. And less of the rice and pasta I eat it with! I have a cup of coffee every morning but will knock that on the head. Although that will hurt.

I don't drink more than ten units a week (it's usually quite a lot less) because of my RA meds. That said I would give anything for a glass of wine right now to help me relax. Can I do that?!

I know it sounds scary, but I don't think you need to worry. Blood pressure readings are often higher in a doctor's surgery, it's called white coat syndrome.
Once your medication starts working your blood pressure should come down to normal levels.
Don't be afraid to go back to the doctor if the medication doesn't suit you. There are many alternatives. Good luck with it all.

the Doctor sounds like an absolute idiot. Saying ‘that’s worrying’ before doing the other arm is going to make your BP shoot up. Having high BP causes damage over a long time - it doesn’t (unless extremely extremely high) cause you to drop dead so her advice is stupid and over worrying.

get a monitor, check it at home, ignore the first few readings until it settles. Take the medicine, you’ll be fine

I had a similar experience except my initial reading was even higher - 183/103! It was quite a shock as I had never had high blood pressure issues before and had no symptoms. I was prescribed a low dose of medication, Amlodipine 5mg in my case, and also had ECG amd blood tests which all came back clear. I am now 3 months further and with the same ongoing medication and some modest changes to my diet and exercise, I am almost a stone lighter and my blood pressure is now 'normal'. I have moved from monthly checks with the GP to a 3 monthly review. I was a bit obsessed by taking blood pressure readings at home to start with but now just do a weekly check for my own peace of mind.