Please come and talk to me if you take/have taken drugs to reduce BP

[HerdyHerdwick]

I've recently started on medication to reduce my high BP.
I'm just wondering two things.

Have any of you managed, through lifestyle changes, to get off BP meds after taking them for a while? I'm quite overweight and hope if I can shift some of the excess weight my BP will reduce to normal levels and perhaps I can eventually come off the tablets.

Secondly, how long does it usually take for the meds to become effective? I'm going to be monitoring BP at home a couple of times a week and am due to see the GP again in 3 weeks. Will I see a difference by then?

Hi, sorry you've had to do the meds thing - but in my case, they are hugely efficient and I've had no side effects at all.

I take Ramipril, and it worked within a day or so. Less, even. I haven't come off them, because a) I have no lifestyle changes left to make - other than more exercise, I suppose and b) I'm on a low dose, and it works beautifully. I knew I would have high BP eventually, as it went sky high after both my babies were born...apparently that's a sure sign.

You should definitely see a difference well before your next GP visit, but shifting weight can also make a big difference - so if that's something you can do, that's a bonus

Yes, been on amlodipine for years. No side effects. Tried a couple so others, one made me cough in the night so changed. They have all been effective. Hypertension runs strongly in my family so it wasn't a shock.

I did lose some weight and made no difference and I was never actually overweight. Don't smoke, drink quite sensibly etc.

Tbh it's not something that I think about any more. Checked a couple of times a year and occasional bloods. That's it.

Thanks very much Elibean.

The GP and I went through the list of lifestyle changes and there are two that I can make - lose some weight and becoming more active. I've turned into a sloth since I injured my leg a year ago and of course, that's contributed to the weight gain too.

Interesting, and very encouraging, to read how quickly you saw an improvement. I'm on Lisinopril 5mg.
I haven't got my BP machine with me at the moment but I'll do a reading when I get home and see if it's started to reduce yet.

I've been taking BP meds for the last 5 years.
You should see better results when you go for your GP review.
I lost a lot of weight last year and got considerably fitter. My BP improved a lot. There was talk of my coming off the meds, but life went a bit haywire and I've put weight on. BP is still better than it's been in years, but no immediate plans to come off pills.
Good luck.

Sorry Matilda I cross posted with you and hadn't seen your post when I logged off. My high BP readings coincided with my weight moving from the Overweight to Obese category of BMI . It had always been fine until then, but my dad did have high BP so perhaps there's a family link for me as well.

MrsCakes yes, that's the problem with weight loss, that horrid tendency to regain! And I always seem to gain a bit more too.

Thanks for all the reassurances everyone.

Just a quick update. I did several readings spaced out yesterday evening and I've done two this morning. All of them are below 140/95, which isn't something I've ever seen in the 6 months I've been monitoring myself. So it's already come down from an average 160/100.

Those readings are much better. How pleasing. Good luck losing the weight. Can you go swimming? I've recently started doing lengths and though I'm as slow as slow I get out of the pool feeling like I've done something I also cycle - which is a good form of exercise for people with joint issues because it's non-weightbearing.

Hi northern.
It's very pleasing to see such improved numbers after only a couple of days.
I would love to go swimming but I live in a rural area and there's no leisure centre close by. There is a spa hotel which does yearly membership to its health club, and I'm considering joining it, but it's expensive. I did used to love swimming though so I feel the expense will be worth it.
Also because of my weight issues I'm a bit about being in a swimsuit, but once i'm in the water I'll be fine. It's just getting from changing room to pool that's worrying me!
As for cycling, I'll find out if there are any cycle paths locally. I'd be too nervous to ride a bike on the local roads. Even though I'm rural there's a lot of traffic and it's a choice of narrow lanes with people driving 4 x 4's much too fast, or the A roads with drivers doing well over the 60 speed limit !

I'm a size 22. I just thing 'screw what anybody else thinks'. The sight of me in a swimsuit has not yet caused the sky to fall so I think anybody else can just deal with it

Herdy my Mum takes medication for high BP, she has done for the last 10+ years, it could be a lot longer than that actually.

She suffers no side effects, she leads a full and active life and is still skiing and sailing at nearly 65 years old.

As far as I know there is no plan for her to come off the medication at all.

Change in lifestyle and a loss of weight will reduce blood pressure. It can also reduce the likelyhood of diabetes especially if borderline.

It's worth doing rather than just popping tablets for ever more.

Give it a go. Regular exercise is key !