Can i bring my high blood pressure down by stopping alcohol?

[battenburg100]

Hi everyone
Had a bit of a shock at the doctors today - my blood pressure, which has always been normal until recently, is high at 157 / 94 . I am now terrified of a stroke or a heart attack.

I'm 53 years old and definitely feel this NEW high blood pressure is related to me having too much ALCOHOL in the evenings, something I didn't do, until this last year or so - a bottle of wine a night is normal for me now, or more sometimes - but now, after this very scary result, I feel I should cut alcohol completely out of my life to lower my blood pressure, as I presume they are related???

I feel sad that I have used alcohol the past year or so, as a coping mechanism for a very stressful toxic job, which I have now left. I had never been interested in alcohol prior to this.

I am now due to start a new job and the excitement of this new job is clouded with fear that I have wrecked my future and my life, and am now on course for a stroke or heart attack due to the high blood pressure.

Do you think I can bring my blood pressure back to normal if I completely stop alcohol?

I have heard blood pressure can be brought down in 3 weeks if you abstain from alcohol - Is this possible? I have a follow up GP appointment in 3 weeks, related to the high blood pressure - so I am hoping for a good result when I see him, having stopped drinking alcohol.

Thank you for your responses

Drinking more water definitely helps, parent was told by her treating team and lowered her BP by drinking more water. She was being monitored regularly at the time.

Don't worry, you are not a walking time bomb, but the health checks have flagged a problem, so now you can act on that and get back on track.

You have not 'broken' yourself OP, many people have an awakening at this time of life and get themselves into pretty good shape!

I know quite a number of people over the years that have done that without consequences and while there may be a theoretical risk, in reality I don't think there is so much of an actual risk.

The reason they did that is that they went in to prison - hence the immediate cessation of alcohol.

If you were talking about maybe a bottle of spirits a day, then yes. But a bottle of wine a day? Very likely not an issue.

I lowered mine over about 3 weeks by increasing exercise (not a lot - just a little local jogging). Good luck to you! There are things you can do to get a healthier BP.

They would have had medical treatment/supervision. Prisons don't like being sued for causing permanent brain damage or killing inmates from enforced alcohol withdrawal.

Just be aware it may not lower it. My high BP is genetic and was not affected at all by giving up drinking, salt or caffeine. A low dose medication keeps it under control.
Obviously though giving up drinking will have other positive effects on your health even if it doesn't lower BP

OP, please do not be upset with yourself, ashamed, or view yourself as broken.

You went through a tough time, you have things in place to go now from strength to strength.

Whatever the effect on your BP stopping drinking will be of huge benefit (not least financially!). Lower BP, better for cholesterol, loads of things.

But please please get support for stopping safely. Don’t let embarrassment stop you asking for help.

Giving up booze will help, but giving up fags would make a huge difference.

scared I am now a ticking time bomb and could have a stroke or heart attack any minute in the next 3 weeks till I see the GP

This is over the top catastrophising. Talk to your GP about your health anxiety when you have your appointment. Mentally jumping from a BP in the 150s to dropping dead at any moment is ridiculous and an unhelpful mindset.

I am in same situation. I was drinking every day and didn't do any sports. Overweight too. I stopped drinking and it was easier than I thought. If I get cravings a bottle of alcohol free beer helps. I also started running. I hope to loose weight and lower my bp. I have next checkup in Christmas time. Last measurement was borderline and if I can't get it lower it's tablets.

Generally no medical treatment apart from a weekly blood pressure check. And then only until blood pressure back to normal levels.

Medical treatment/supervision generally only kicks in at much higher levels of alcohol use or elevated symptoms of withdrawal.

Here is a typical example, from 2021. The prisoner unfortunately died from alcohol-induced pancreatitis. He had typically been drinking 3 to 4 bottles of wine per day and was already on medication for this.

The report goes into detail about his care and this is, sadly, typical of what happens in many prisons:

https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/durham-prisoner-died-in-hospital-23928926

My fitbit shows my increased heart rate on all the days I drink. Really recommended and a dry days app.

I’m guessing it will have a huge effect. It’s worth a shot for more than that reason though @battenburg100 all that alcohol will be doing nothing good for you.

in the other hand I have high blood pressure and I don’t drink at all, never smoked and I’m not overweight in any way! I’m only 39 also so your guess is as good as mine.

I hope you get sorted soon

My psychiatrist explained to me that increased heart rate increases blood pressure.

You have an excessively optimistic view of how much overview a previously bottle a day drinker would be given in prison, @NeverDropYourMooncup. Minimal if anything.

70+ ish units/week is not the best gamble to play with, given everyone handles drink differently, certainly isn't something a healthcare professional would advise

Prisons have liason services and prescribe for withdrawal as required

There are prescribed medications which the GP I saw is going to use with me. They minimise the chances of a bad outcome. They have specific detox wings in prison, for both alcohol and drugs.

I trust 2 GPs and an experienced alcohol worker way more than some randoms on MN. I wouldn’t mind but it is very dangerous advice to tell someone a bottle+ a day is “nothing” and they should just stop. Sure, they may be fine, plenty are. But you cannot know if OP is one of those who would have an adverse reaction.

I don’t fancy playing Russian roulette and nor should anyone else.

@DancingLions, you do realise that I didn't in any way suggest that an unsupervised withdrawal is safe or advisable? I simply said that the poor sods withdrawing in prison are lucky if they get any help.

I haven't read the whole thread.
But.......

No alcohol
No cigarettes
No salt/sodium
No sugar
Walking everyday
you will see a difference.

Did they give you blood pressure medication?

Thanks everyone for your advice and kind words.

I will update you all in a few weeks after I have a follow up blood pressure check with the doctor.

It will be interesting to see what the result will be in a short space of time, from not drinking alcohol, lowering my caffeine and salt intake and upping the exercise. (As well as too much alcohol, I have way too much caffeine and salt and hardly any exercise). I do drink alot of water though and eat a balanced diet most of the time and my weight is healthy.

I'm not expecting to go down to a normal blood pressure when I see the doctor in a few weeks - although that would be amazing! - but to see the figure go down, will be so motivating in helping me persevere with a much healthier lifestyle. (Stopping the cigarettes will soon follow as I think it would be too much to stop both alcohol and cigarettes at the same time).

It's shocked me how I went from having healthy lifestyle most of my life, to suddenly trashing it within this last year and a half, to help me cope with my previous toxic workplace .

But I've had a big wakeup call with the high blood pressure reading and hope my lifestyle changes get me back in the normal range soon!

"I'm not expecting to go down to a normal blood pressure when I see the doctor in a few weeks - although that would be amazing!"

you could well achieve it with determination. It was at about your age my surgery first picked up on my high BP which was slightly higher than yours. With a home monitor and lifestyle changes I staved off medication for about 8 years

I’m looking at this thread as mine is borderline high. Particularly the diastolic number which fluctuates around 80-85. I’m cutting back on caffeine, low salt, didn’t drink much anyway but cut it out. Does anyone have experience of lowering BP through exercise. I do lots of yoga but probably not enough cardio and I have a sedentary job.

I took a 2 month break from alcohol completely, my BP dropped back into totally normal safe levels, my sleep was much better - even though it was fine before- and I had tons of energy.