High Blood Pressure - Any success stories on lowering it?

[TheFurryMenace]

I am 50, slim build, and have high BP - 160/91 (have visited GP twice recently and had bp taken). I have been referred for a 24 hr tape, and GP has mentioned that if high BP continues, I will have to go on medication for life. I'm 50, so feel like Im much too young for this!

What if anything helped you reduce your BP without the need for medication?

A bit of context - I am having a stressful time on the whole, but not like Im super-stressy day in, day out. Coping with elderly parent with dementia and Year 6 child (so lots of school visits and worrying about schools generally!).

Can lowering salt have that much of an impact? I dont really add that much salt to food either at the table or cooking, and we dont eat many processed foods - although we do have bagel thins and low fat crisp type snacks for packed lunch most days.

Any advice greatfully received.

Hi TheFurryMenace sorry OP I don’t have HBP (yet) so no personal advice but I didn’t want to read and run. I am trying to tackle my own stressful middle-age at the moment and feel the following, all started in past 12 months, are helping a bit, but perhaps you don’t need them?!:
I’ve lost 10lbs and trying to lose another, through sensible healthy eating.
I’ve taken up yoga.
I bought myself a lovely bicycle (though still rather scared of traffic)
I’m cutting out all alcohol Monday- Thursday (it had really crept up).
I have put in a request to have my hours at work reduced by about a day per week.
I am saying ‘no’ to things I don’t want to do, such as boozy nights out I don’t want to go
to and weekend overtime.

I think all in I’m less stressed and anxious than I was at the start of the year. Nothing has worked a miracle but at least I am taking ownership.

I’ve read many places the cutting down on salt is hugely beneficial. How did you discover HBP, were you unwell or routine check? I hope you get it down ok without the meds.

I have high BP as do my parents and brother. The former are on medication. My brother has tried increasing his fitness and I'm not sure it made much difference. I have white coat syndrome so that doesn't help either. Yoga and relaxation is probably a good idea?

This is a helpful site

www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou

I had high BP and was referred for a 24 hour monitor, which GP failed to provide so I bought a home monitor and took my BP regularly. It was normal and has been consistently for a year now so I think I get worried when in the GP, which is quite common. Exercise is the main thing that helps. So don’t panic, keep testing and try to keep your weight down.

I've just come off BP medication that was 'for life' as I've managed to lower my blood pressure dramatically over the course of 8 months. I cut down on salt, reduced caffeine, took up regular exercise and started mindfulness. GP is thrilled - as am I... it worked for me so there's no saying it wouldn't for you. That said, if you do need the medication then take it, it could save your life.

I had high BP.
Stopped all alcohol.
Low salt.
Walking everywhere
Calm app
Good sleep ( I try)
My BP is now in the normal range most of the time.

I was put on medication for high BP aged 46. Nothing else much has worked for me but the doctor said losing 10kg should bring it down 10 points and reducing salt and caffeine and increasing cardiovascular exercise should all help.

Each person I think has their own triggers. Mine are alcohol and sleep. I have avoided medication by giving up alcohol and making massive efforts to get more and better quality sleep. I do take my blood pressure regularly and it rises significantly with alcohol intake. Interestingly for me salt doesn’t seem to matter.

I have primary hypertension. Lifestyle changes can certainly help but for many people medication is needed to get it down to a normal range. The good news is that there are a wide variety of medications to treat it, so it's normally not a problem to find one that's well tolerated. I take medication for it and it's not a bother at all.

One other thought, get a hope BP monitor and take the readings at home for a while. That will give you real data to work with and avoid the white coat effect. My home monitor will save my readings to my iPhone so that I can share them with my doctor, which she really appreciates.

I am similar - early 50's, slim build, and have a similarly stressy, but not unmanageably stressy life. Family history of high BP (Dad, paternal GF).

My work does 'health MOTs' for staff, and last year I trooted along as usual, had my BP checked, and it was very similar to yours. The nurse advised me to book an emergency GP appointment that afternoon. As you might imagine, I was pretty concerned!!

I managed to get to see my GP the same day, was given a 24hr tape, and cut a long story short was prescribed tablets to reduce high BP and given lifestyle advice - reduce salt, caffeine, alcohol intake, exercise more, relax more... You know, all the stuff you don't want to hear!!

Anyway, 12 months on my BPs back to normal and they've taken me off meds. Salt and caffeine were easier than expected. Alcohol intake... well you can't win 'em all eh?

I'm going back in a month for a check up, so it's not necessarily for life. Good luck!!

I have two friends who were put on meds and expected it to be for life but they came off them

Elderly parents were the cause of stress for both, hospitalisations etc.

Also the range for high BP has changed I think. I used to be considered as having low BP but now it's considered normal.

@Spied that Calm app is a godsend isn't it...

DH used to have high blood pressure but since taking up exercise (HITT) it's come down loads.

It depends whether it's caused by lifestyle or hereditary. In this case you will need medication. Lifestyle choices can help but not enough to bring it down to a normal level.

I had horrific high blood pressure. Did home monitoring for a week, confirmed high again. Am on 2 meds to control it. Interestingly one of the meds is actually very good for protecting the left ventricle, which is where things start going badly wrong during a heart attack.

Thank you all so much for your replies, looks like this could be do-able with lifestyle changes.

Misconduct - what bp monitor do you have? Its sounds great that you can save the results to your mobile phone.

I did the couch to 5K earlier this year, but havent run for several weeks as been super busy with school visits and admin etc for my dad, but hoping I can run this weekend and get back into it. Im also interested in taking up yoga at home (dont have time for classes). Im also interested in that Calm app.

I do have insomnia, and I believe that not sleeping well can impact bp. The Dr has recommended the Sleepio app, which I've started (its a bit patronising tbh! but hey, willing to go with it).

You've all really reassured me, and whether I need to take medication or not, it seems a lot less scary.

Thank you all very much.

Age 50 is not that strange to need some medication for life.
Fantastic modern times when there are meds that can prolong yourlife in spite of the high BP.

Sleepio app is mostly about sleep hygiene & sleep restriction, btw, you can read up on those now & cut straight to those steps.

My GP said try doubling heartbeat for 30 ins 3 times a week.
I too am slim, non-smoker. Managed to stave off medication for a couple of years. BP not even that high (145/70).
But at the age of 59 I did start on felodipine, mainly because a heart trace picked up that my ventricles were thickening (heart working harder due to BP)