Does anyone here have high blood pressure

[AutumnDance]

My GP wants me to book a 24 hour blood pressure monitor and I have an appointment booked for Monday for the machine.

I have my own blood pressure monitor at home but I didn't use it in about a year. In anticipation for my appointment and for the 24 hour monitor, I took it out from the cupboard, changed the batteries and took some readings last night and again this.

I'm horrified with the readings I'm getting. I'm getting readings from anything from 130 to 156 over anything from 85 to 94.

I'm absolutely horrified with this readings. When I was taking regular readings before I was going through a health phase trying to lose weight. I was successful at losing 3 stone and I had good readings. Then winter 2020 set in and the winters lockdown. I tried to remain upbeat and positive and but I found things hard. I my work was demanding and I started drinking at home. I enjoyed making cocktails and I used to have about 2/3 drinks about 4/5 times a week. I know alcohol can increase blood pressure. I'm not always drinking.

Then I have to deal with a lot of shittiness in my life. Other peoples moods that they like to dump on me -

• I have a personality disordered sibling: she is the worst. We do t see each other any more but after all these years she's still in a horrible revenge phase and she's never going to stop until I don't have an income, family, partner, a roof overy head. She can't manage her own life and she's jealous of whatever happiness I have. I am an optimistic person and I focus on positives in a situation.
• my employer is ok but she can be hard too
• my mum is aging and I think she's going senile. She's ok some of the times then other times she's just a bit loopy. I think maybe there might be dementia setting in.
• my doct found something last summer and I am waiting on a hospital appointment to investigate the possibility of having a gut condition. So I don't know if that would contribute to high readings.

I'm afraid of being put on daily meditation for the rest of my life?

How do I eliminate stress when there's nothing more but assholes left, right and centre of me.

I wouldn't say those readings are particularly high @AutumnDance

I have high blood pressure (only recently found), I had a 24 hour monitor and mine is on average 150+ over 99+ Or similar when sleeping... I have been put in meds and referred to a cardiologist

I don't drink or smoke,

The meds are better than leaving it linger on to be honest, constant high blood pressure can cause a lot of damage.

I got very high bp during my pregnancy with dc2 13 years ago and it didn't go away after birth. They did the 24hr monitor thing, put me on meds, but I also cut down on salt, ate more healthily and started exercising. My bp came down but was still borderline, so they kept me on a low dose of the meds, which I'm still on 13 years later. No side effects, just the minor inconvenience and cost of getting and remembering to take a tablet a day.

High bp is very, very common. The people who are at risk are the ones who don't know they have it. You do know, so diet and exercise (and cutting down on the cocktails) might bring it down to normal. If not, meds are no big deal.

I have hereditary HBP, first diagnosed in my early 20s when I was slimmer & fitter than I currently am. I take 4mg perindopril and watch what I eat. It's now well under control and I have an annual blood check, that's all.

As PP said, it's better to be medicated than not and it's not a big deal or anything to be ashamed of. The doc changed the meds when I was pregnant with DS(16) and I had a fairly uneventful pregnancy.

Thanks for the replies. I'm worried about the cost of daily meditation. I don't know how much the medicine costs if I am presciped medicines.

Sometimes my life can get very hectic too and busy and stressful.

I'm taking a sneak peak at the numbers today and it's not good.

.the top number is anything from 130 to 143. The bottom number is anything from 80 to 93.

Not good.

You can pay for the prescriptions quarterly or annually, that should save you a fair bit of money.

I very much doubt you'll be given meds with those readings.
Not medically trained but I'd bet you are advised to change your lifestyle first and go from there.

That doesn't sound terribly bad, and you will probably find that the readings are generally higher at certain times of day or even year.

Mine starts out ok in the morning and gets higher over the course of the day, peaking as I take medication at night. It's also higher in the winter than the summer.

I do take medication for it, but that's not a problem. I also try to pay attention to what my diet and habits contribute to my blood pressure.

When I just checked, it was 150/97. That mostly tells me I'm cold and had a busy day, probably a bit dehydrated. If I sit down, warm up and drink something, it will go down.

You'll likely have to do lifestyle changes before medication. Current prescription charges in England are £9.35 per item, or 3 months PPC is £30 approx. It's a lot really.

It is a lot, especially for one prescription. Once you need several, it becomes more economical because you can get loads on one prepayment certificate.

Are you in UK? If so you can limit prescription cost. 130 is deemed ok. A 24 hour one will see any peaks and look at general trend.

Annual prescription is £108 I think in England, that covers you for everything

When I was checking myself at home before my readings were great. At the time I was losing weight and I was successful.
It was the first lockdown. I had something that I never had before and that was a proper work life balance. Then eventually the winter came in, lockdown happened,work went back to normal and the weight piled on again. All recipes for high blood pressure. I know if I put my mind to it,I would be able to do it again but there's so much interference. I have a schedule coming up in work where I start on the 15 th of February and my next day off will be in march.

Got a reading of 165 over 105 a few minutes ago in work.

Those readings aren't particularly high. The 24 hour monitor will show what your BP is at rest and at night .
I don't understand your issue with taking meds apart from the cost.
Better to have high BP controlled than to have an adverse effect from leaving it untreated.
I have been on meds for years.
I am a normal weight and no more stress than any other middle aged woman.
For your own sake you probably need to try and manage your anxiety and stress triggers.
Good luck.

The more you stress the higher it will be. Kind of white coat syndrome. A 24 hour gives a better picture.

My stress triggers are:

1. work related. It can get very intense at times.
2. harassment where the police won't help me to stop it because it's psychological abuse.

I have a very low dose daily tablet, and where I live it isn't subsidised. It is 11 euros for 28 days supply.
Be careful with the monitor wires, if they are kinked it stops working properly, and reading is incorrect. If the cuff isn't tightening, check the wires.

When I went on meds my BP resting was in the region of 160/122 and came shortly before a hypertensive crisis that landed me in hospital for 24 hours for monitoring and a CT scan - and in general leading up to that my dys was never under 100 so your readings whilst clearly high aren't as alarming as mine were!

I'm normal weight, "healthy" BMI although not terribly fit and I don't eat very healthily (and like a drink) so it whilst I knew I was unfit I hadn't known I was SO unfit. BP and heart issues are so easily masked in otherwise "healthy" looking people, especially women.

Ramipril was the first medication i took but I didn't get on with it - it gave me weird muscle spasms. I'm now on Losartan with no effects at all. I encourage you to take the medication if its offered whilst you tackle a few lifestyle changes. I frequently take multivitamins and a few supplements so taking a daily pill is no big deal. Unfortunately there's not much we can do about assholes...

And don't test yourself too often as the stress of a higher reading can exacerbate the problem!

My night time readings last night were better. The night time ones were 110 to 117 over 77/78.

That was on my own machine. I suspect the night time readings I will get will be ok tonight. I'm worried about the day time ones.

I know it's time for lifestyle changes. My diet us good be I had to change it a few years ago and I am mindful of keeping it healthy with plenty of veg, meats, cheeses and dairy.

F*ck me sideways if I need to give up the drinks. It the only thing that keeps me sane and probably out of prison. I enjoy one or two drinks 3 or 4 times a week. Christmas threw everything off and there was more.

@AutumnDance stop doing your own blood pressure it cannot be helpful at all. And also 105 on the bottom is still not THST bad. That's about the lowest mine goes on half my meds

I have hideous blood pressure.

I am later forties and slightly overweight ( 5.6" size 14-16) but not huge. I am also reasonably active. However, I just had a feeling that my BP was high - headaches and a couple of times, prior to minor surgery, the nurse had problems getting a reading and put it down to a fault monitor.

I finally walked myself in to the GP to get readings and I got:

198/112
187/103
202/115

I was put on Ramipril straight away and later amlodipine was added.

That was around eight months ago. Anything under 150/100 is a win for me and my GP is not unduly concerned by my average readings of 140/90

I have a couple of other (even newer) issues so have a hefty prescription. I paid for the anual one (£108) and that covers everything for the year.

I've got high blood pressure diagnosed 3 or 4 years ago

Had terrible headaches and fainted so ended up at A&E

The reading was 210/120. The nurse thought the machine was broken.

Have my meds cha.ged a few times and now on 10mg Amlodipine and 10mg bemdro... Reading are 123/78.

I had brain scans and all sorts to rule anything else out I have never smokees I'm size 10/12 and exercise regularly Mine isn't caused by lifestyle although I avoid salt to not add to my problems

The worse scenario is to not know and have a stroke

I pay £10 a month for my 2 prescriptions

I am on low dose 2 mg one tablet a day, for the last few years. My BP now is usually 135/85. The nurse is happy with that. I am 60 years old.

I was diagnosed last year, it was a shock if I'm honest, I went to give blood and the lady took my BP, she told me to wait for half an hour and she'll take it again, I couldn't give blood as it was too high. She told me to visit a doctor ASAP. I googled my reading and basically I was at risk of a having a medical emergency. I can't remember the reading but they were so high. Like get your arse to a hospital high. My life at the time was extremely stressful. Living abroad, covid, airport closed, military coup going on. I was put on medication straight away and bought my own monitor. It would rise in the middle of the day. I lost weight too (I was about 14lbs overweight) my life style is very seditory. I'm still medicated. It plays on my mind, also my mum has high BP.

@BusterGonad

I was diagnosed last year, it was a shock if I'm honest, I went to give blood and the lady took my BP, she told me to wait for half an hour and she'll take it again, I couldn't give blood as it was too high. She told me to visit a doctor ASAP. I googled my reading and basically I was at risk of a having a medical emergency. I can't remember the reading but they were so high. Like get your arse to a hospital high. My life at the time was extremely stressful. Living abroad, covid, airport closed, military coup going on. I was put on medication straight away and bought my own monitor. It would rise in the middle of the day. I lost weight too (I was about 14lbs overweight) my life style is very seditory. I'm still medicated. It plays on my mind, also my mum has high BP.

Thank you for your reply. I'm glad you are doing well now.

About 2 summers ago I was in a get fit and healthy phase and my blood pressure was good. It went downhill from the winter of 2020 and spring of 2021.

My blood pressure is results is not a surprise. My GP rang me a few minutes ago with the results. It's stage 1 hypertension. It's not a surprise. She said my night time results were fantastic but the day time results were high. Shes putting me on low strength medication while I implement lifestyle changes of losing weight and cutting back alcohol. I'm happy and confident with my diet. There's very little processed foods and takeaways. I'm supposed to reduce stress too. That's easier said then done though.

The results are not a surprise to me. For months I was in and out from periods of great stress and intensity. So many people just dumping their shit on my back and that's all it is.