High Blood pressure ... So worried

[Scarfaceclaw21]

Went to see my gp in June 2019 for a pill check up and was told my BP was extremely high (220/110). I was put on various meds and referred to a consultant. Lots of tests have shown no problems with my kidneys or adrenal glands.

I was put on 2 meds, 10 mg of ramipril and 5 mg amlodipine. Eventually my average bp reduced to 118/70 so my consultant took me off amlodipine. I am keeping a blood pressure diary and going back to see him in April. He said keeping my BP under 120/80 was the goal.

All week it has been over 130/90.

I am so scared of heart attacks, strokes etc ... I also feel pathetically weak for drinking too much and not doing much exercise. It's like I know what to do but something is stopping me.
I feel like I am failing myself and my kids by not fixing it. I read a post on another thread about someone who got off all their medication by dieting/exercise.

I have no idea what I even want to achieve by this thread. I just feel so down.

Are you overweight? if so losing weight can help
Do you eat a lot of processed food? The salt content of these things is very high...also look out for other foods that contain a lot of salt as this pushes BP up.
Make sure you excersise. Lots of walking.
Otherwise you fall into the unfortunate category of many people with hypertension. You may end up back on amlodipine .....but...at least it is being treated...I have seen people with undiagnosed or untreated hypertension that has gone on for years and they have a lot of problems.
Hope you get it sorted. It must be frustrating.

Thank you for replying. I am not over weight, but I have lost a stone since being diagnosed.

I don't eat terribly but their is room for improvement. Is alcohol a big factor? That really is my weakness.

On one hand I really want to become this Uber healthy juice drinking gym going health bunny... On the other I just feel like a big fat fraud. I have crappy will power and tell myself that because I have been good for a whole 2 days I deserve a treat. It's kinda pathetic. I never understood how people struggled with things like diabetes and lifestyle changes but now I am in the thick of it I totally get how hard it is.

Just checked my BMI and it's 23.6

Arrange a phone consultation with the GP or advanced nurse practitioner. She/he might tell you to start taking the amlodipine again, but don't do it without asking. I don't really understand why the consultant took you off the amlodipine at 118/70 mmHg and then told you he wanted to keep your BP below 120/80. The target is usually a little bit higher than that but taking away one of the drugs so quickly seems odd unless you were experiencing faintness or swollen ankles. If your diastolic pressure is consistently above 90 mmHg, though, you should talk to someone at the GP surgery.

Alcohol isn't itself a major risk factor for hypertension but if it contributes to weight gain and/or lack of exercise it will obviously contribute. If you have lost weight and are within the healthy BMI range the biggest lifestyle improvement you could make would be exercising more (the one thing I haven't been able to do since being diagnosed with more severe hypertension than yours last year, so please be aware that I'm a hypocrite and don't take my advice as gospel). However, you haven't said quite how much you drink, so there might be other health problems to think about.

You're not alone. I've just been diagnosed with high blood pressure too.

I have no risk factors for it at all and am now waiting to see if I'm destined for medication.

I have high bp but not as high as yours - was anything between
130 -150/80-90 but higher if stressed !
I've exercised regularly for the last 20 odd years esp running and cycling, never smoked, normal cholesterol, normal weight but a family history of hypertension and cardiac disease so some risk factors. I'm now on 4.5 mg ramipril and 5mg amlodipine and my bp is pretty well controlled - what I'm trying to say is that often genetics can trump everything despite your best efforts...it took a health scare for me to accept there was a problem and take meds for my high blood pressure, I couldn't believe it up until then, now I know that those very meds are hopefully preventing further damage to my heart and other organs. I had a telephone appointment with my gp when I noticed my diastolic reading (bottom one) was consistently above 80 sometimes 90, he just advised me to take an extra ramipril at night and keep any eye so speaking to him/her might be an option.
Regarding exercise just choose something you enjoy and can commit to - I can't run as much as I like due to knee issues but I enjoy long uphill walks with my dog most days a week. And something I noticed was that stress definitely elevated my bp !

It's really worth cutting out salt OP and taking steps to do more exercise even though your BMI is great. My DF is on meds but brought down further with lifestyle changes.
@Katharinblum what was your BP on diagnosis a mine is 130- 140/90 a lot of the time but GP won't do anything about it.

I have committed to cutting down alcohol, even if it isn't a key factor it still is too much.

My BP at the hospital when I last saw the consultant was. 110/65 and i had complained of feeling faint if I stood up too quickly. But over all it had been a bit more than that.

I am just so scared of the long term implications. I am 37 and want a long healthy life with my family.

I have a rare child free day tomorrow so I am going to do a cardio vid on you tube. I am keeping a blood pressure diary for a week to send to my gp and consultant

do you drink too much coffee?
also Mediterranean diet is good.

yeah careful with sodium. you can use substitute.

why did you stop taking amlodipine?

I get why this is worrying you, but stressing about it will make it worse, and sabotage efforts to bring it down. You need to find ways to regularly relax deeply, so you come out of fight or flight.

Have you tried hypnosis, meditation, yoga, etc?

agree yoga is a very good idea.

I would just say, it is lovely to have had the pre-warning. It is down to you to do something about it.

I had a heart attack at 52, I found out I also had high blood pressure in the ambulance (though around 160/100)- I was a "never need to see a doctor" type - I am now 55 and lighter, fitter and eat more healthily than ever before. I also take time for me, have moved to a less stressful job and try to steer clear of the drama lamas. I am on medication forever, but can really feel the difference.

Make the difference now, work out what you would advise you to do - cut out salt and alcohol, no artery clogging takeaways, increase your heart rate when exercising - not just a gentle walk, a power walk, that sort of thing... and for me personally - mindfulness, deep controlled breathing, just taking time out - my trigger was stress.

Yoga is such a good idea!

Apparently they say I've got high blood pressure too now. I've only just started on the tablets. Mine was 200 over 120 I think? But I'm not sure it's accurate to be honest cos whenever it went off my heart went anyway cos I hate it so much. But anyway

The only reason I'm taking the tablets is cos they advise me to. I don't feel poorly. I'm in none of the high risk groups you read about.

Does anyone know
For several months I've been really hot in bed so had to have thin duvet on with thin nightie then last few days it's like I've gone back to now I used to be and wore warmer pyjamas and been snuggly again. Does high blood pressure make you hotter? Can't find anything about this on the internet though

purpleme12 i dont think feeling hotter is because of it. it might be something else.

Oh maybe just a coincidence. Strange

with high hbp you cant feel ill sometimes. but its sinister. you have to continue your meds as doctors said.

The tablets can make you feel flushed and hot.

Oh I was feeling hot in bed before the tablets!

The number of people dying or becoming seriously ill from heart problems has plummeted over the past 20-odd years in the UK, and one of the main reasons is that high blood pressure like yours is caught and treated early. Your meds may need a bit of a tweak now and again to get them spot on and keeping a diary is great. If you see a generally upward trend in your diary and you're worried you could go back to the GP early.

Yes, alcohol is a factor, plus exercise.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/causes/

If you feel really stuck in getting started, you probably need support from your GP practice to work out why.

@purpleme12 could it be hormonal? You could be peri-menopausal?