High blood pressure

[alloutofcareunits]

My blood pressure was raised during pregnancy 24 years ago and has always tended to be slightly high. In Aug 2019 I did a 24 hr monitoring and it was borderline for medication. Today I took it at home and it read 199/111. I rang the GP surgery and they arranged for me to be seen, the nurse took it and it was 176/100. The GP also recorded it as the same, I had an ECG which appears fine and I was prescribed Amlodipine. Has anyone any experience of taking this and any tips on how to control it? I don't smoke, I'm not overweight (though I'm going to reduce my weight as I'm at the top end for my height) I exercise and run regularly and don't drink to excess - any advice anyone?

I took amlodipine for a couple months after having my third baby. It was fine. But if you can avoid taking its better. Try eating more fruits and veggies, reduce salt....less meats. If you are serious and want to bring it down fast....a whole foods plant based diet will work. Check out forks over knives website and you can see many success stories of people who have had high BP and able to get off medication with this diet.

@Mamabear12 thanks, I'm already mainly vegetarian but occasionally eat fish, I eat loads of fruit, veg and pulses. I'll definitely look at the website you've recommended, thank you

Do you drink soda? Please give me an example of your daily diet. You can also check out dr macdougal website. Or read how not to die - very informative. Also, watch netflix what the health or forksover knives on youtube. Good luck!

@alloutofcareunits I take Amlodipine plus an ACE otherwise my bp would be sky high. Not everybody can reduce it with lifestyle as in my case it’s often genetic. I feel fine on this medication, try it and if any problems go back to the GP as it can be a matter of trial and error.

@PurplePumpkinDream thanks, I'm fairly certain it's genetic as my mother has been on medication since she was in her forties (though her lifestyle isn't great, very overweight and no exercise). I'm going to quit caffeine and I don't drink fizzy drinks or much alcohol, don't eat processed food or fast food and eat a 99% plant based diet, and I'm a non smoker and run several times a week 🤷🏻‍♀️ good to hear you're okay on it, it's reassuring thanks

What about sodium? Do you know how much salt you are getting? I think a little is okay, but it can also raise BP.

I take meds too, funnily enough amlodipine and ramipril, but small doses. Runner, gym goer, hill walker. It's hereditary with me as my mum had it. I wouldn't get too fixated about controlling it with diet. I already ate healthily so I couldn't cut much else out.

@Mamabear12 thanks, I don't eat much pre prepared food with hidden salt but do tend to add to meals, I've stopped doing this now

@Likkleredridinghood I think this is almost identical to my situation, my mother has hbp and I think I've inherited it from her. I'll make adjustments where I can buy can't see many lifestyle changes I can make. Can I ask have you continued to run? I feel a bit wary in case I'm putting my heart under further strain but realise this is probably untrue!

Did you have pre-eclampsia when pregnant? I was told, by my cardiologist that HBP during pregnancy can increase your risk of getting it when you are older.
I am on BP medication, i exercise regulary and have been told to keep it up.

@NK346f2849X127d8bca260 I didn't develop pre eclampsia but had to go 3xweek for the last month of pregnancy to have BP monitored due to being high, I also had additional scans to check blood flow in the cord though this was 25 years ago. It's been slightly raised since then and gradually crept up since my late 40s. So far medication is fine though only been on it 5 days but no side effects so far. Thanks for your reply