High Blood Pressure

[Fromwetome]

Hi all, I had an appointment at a pre op in January where a basic blood pressure check came back at 147/110 and for about 45 minutes, I had to sit an get it checked every 5 minutes before I could go home, they let me go home when the bottom number was under 95, it got to 94 and they said okay I could go.

At the same time they told me to get a BP machine and take my BP twice a day for a month and if it's high like it was at the clinic then make a GP appointment.

So I have been taking it twice a day. And my blood pressure machine says my average blood pressure of over 60 readings was 158/101. On Sunday after mopping the floor it was 172/114 I felt dizzy so I took it and was shocked!

I have a GP appointment on Friday. And I'm wondering what they are likely to say and do.

I'm 38 female, I'm obese and have lost one stone using saxenda injection since January and been exercising. When I exercise I get very dizzy and I can hear my heartbeat in my ear. I took my BP last night watching tv very relaxed and it was 138/99. I worried that's what it's like when I am doing nothing, no wonder I feel so crap when I exercise and is this a risk for me exercising?? I don't want to have a stroke!

Will they tell me to keep monitoring it and continue exercising and losing weight or will they ask me to trial a BP med whilst I am working on my weight? I have a family cardiac history. I have no problems taking a BP med if it keeps me safe whilst I lose more weight.

I am scared, this has given me a big shock and wake up call. I don't want to have a stroke like my poor grandad.

High Blood pressure readings are shocking. I went to the GP in 2021 after constant morning headaches and a niggling feeling that my BP was high (dizzy spells/family history/headaches) and the first reading they got was 201/110!! Even after sitting and having a cup of tea and trying to be calm (I wasn't!) it wouldn't go below 189/101

I thought I was in some sort of immediate danger but they told me to get a blood pressure monitor and monitor (and note) twice a day and gave me a GP appointment for 3 days later.

I was started on blood pressure tablets including Ramipril and Amlodipine. I am a bit overweight (probably could lose 2 stone) but not obese. But it would still help massively if I could shift it. I walk a dog for at least an hour a few days a week, and that makes a difference. Cut down on salt and try to exercise for fifteen minutes a day minimum - a brisk walk will do it.

My BP is now hovering around the 135-140/85 mark and although that's still not ideal, my GP is happy that this is my 'normal' for now.

Your weight is obviously a factor. Can you bear to tackle that more aggressively?

Thanks for the reply! Yes my weight is definitely starting to affect my health as I get older. I can't each much less than I am at the moment on saxenda I'm on 1200cals a day as recommended by the eating plan that comes with the meds.

My exercise can definitely increase! I too use my dogs for exercise and longer more strenuous walks could easily be done. Now I know how high my BP can get it's actually put me off I'm so worried. I must have high cholesterol too, my diet has been pretty disgusting for a while now (not currently)

Can I ask how you tolerated those meds? Did they make you fatigued? I already struggle with that so I need to be prepared for that possibility

Hi there, I had a hypertension diagnosis in my late 30’s. I had pregnancy related hypertension and after my last child it never settled. I felt very dizzy one day and checked my bp at work which was raised so went to gp. Had similar readings to your own. I would be a little overweight but not hugely so. I was prescribed an anti-hypertensive which has controlled it well for the past 10 years. I don’t suffer any issues with tiredness although did have a few dizzy spells at one point where bp was a little low. There are a number of different meds that could be prescribed so if one doesn’t suit you another could be prescribed instead. I would ease off on any strenuous exercise until the bp is under control.

Your GP will ask family history. Both my parents had a history of heart/stroke conditions, so my GP put me on bp medication, which is now around 140/80. I didn’t get on well with amlodipine, it made an ankles swell up, so I changed to another. I also had high cholesterol and take a low dose statin.

Hopefully they will put you on BP drugs.
Mine shot up, really out of nowhere last year. I have a history in my family of heart attack and stroke. I'm hoping that catching this early will make a difference

Update - thanks for the replies, just had a GP appointment and been started on ramipril, take it until my next appointment which will be face to face and they will do bloods and an ECG if indicated.

The doctor was lovely said that it needs to be treated ASAP and then have 10 days of treatment, make another appointment and then if I have side effects I can't stand then look at changing the med but for right now, treatment is most important

Anyone free to give advice here? So I had the GP appointment and I've been told it's hypertension. 30 minutes ago at my desk (wfh) I took my blood pressure as I was nice and relaxed and it was normal!! 144/88, it's also been 138/78. It's obviously related to me moving around/my weight and general lack of fitness. So for those of you who take the BP meds, would you still take it when your BP was 135/85 for example? I'm now worried that it might make it too low and I'll feel rubbish from that too!! Need to relax haha

A small dose of ramipril won’t drastically drop it too low. Especially with those readings. I take it and I’ve had absolutely no side effects. Just take it and if it goes to low then you’ll see, you’re not going to drop dead!

Keep taking it.

Your meds are doing their work. Mine can drop quite significantly once I've taken Ramipril and Amlodipine. What dose are you on?

So for those of you who take the BP meds, would you still take it when your BP was 135/85 for example?

I'm on Ramipril 1.25mg and Amlopidine 10mg, and take my BP every three weeks or so. It's been as low as 119 and as high as 145 - had it taken the other day during a hospital checkup and it was 138 (I weigh 74 kilos and am what might best be described as sort of moderately active 😉) As @SlightlyJaded says, keep taking it, your meds are working, and if you keep monitoring your BP you'll see if it gets what you think is too low - at which point you ask the GP. My experience is once you're on these, you're on these for good. I'd like to think I can come off them, but I doubt it.

Additionally, BP can be up and down all the time (my GP's words, not mine - although the 189 that triggered me being put on medication was def too high :)). That's whay I don't worry about 145 because I know it's on the right path.

This could have been me tbh OP. I was at the emergency doctors for palpitations. Turns out, when she took my blood pressure, the readings were quite high so I got referred back to my own doctors.
The nurse took my bp and it was still high even after sitting for a few minutes. Like you, I was completely shocked and a bit upset. She gave me a sheet and asked me to get a bp monitor and to do it for a week and record it morning and evening. As it turns out, my readings were still high and similar to yours. 150 + over 90 + The doctor prescribed me ramopril and now my bp is more or less normal.
Don't worry. Many people go around with high bp and don't realise it. Be glad that you have found out that you have it and get it treated. I am trying to lose weight. It is hard.

Im on ramopril 2.5mg. It seems to be working. No side effects.

I’m on ramipril. Went to drs with headaches and migraines and turns out I had extremely high blood pressure.
I’m an ok weight, could maybe do to lose 1.5 stone.
It was a catch 22 though as I couldn’t exercise as I would get a migraine and just sit home comfort eating.

I feel like a different person on the ramipril. I’m 34 and feel like I’ve got my life back.

@neveradullmoment99

Very similar to mine yes! How long did it take your BP to come down on the meds? It's been 6 days on them and still getting high readings although not getting massive jumps in readings when I'm doing something active which is reassuring. Not had a bottom number over 100 in 3 days so I think they are working, staying at about 90-95 bottom number.

@Mol1628 yes that's what was happening to me. Headaches and dizzy when increasing activity even a little bit. Mopping the floor and having to sit down was the final straw for me. Glad I did. Swimming seems to help, a lot of movement with little effort if that makes sense.

I'm a bad comfort eater. I will eat loads of fruit and veggies that's not a problem. I'm not health food phobic I love salads but I also love crisps too...

It definitely took a few days. How many mg are you on though?
I am on 2.5mg so I kind of expected it to come down fairly quickly. If you are on lower dose, it may take longer or the doctor might just put you on a higher dose.
I take my bp every Thursday. Its usually normal now. I've been on the bp meds for about a month.

Make sure you don't eat anything before. I had a ridiculous reading because of that!!

I think the bottom number isn't as much of a concern. Its the top number that is the one to look out for.

so the doctor told me. The bottom number is more dynamic in the sense it can change fairly rapidly. What is your top number? [Systolic pressure]

@neveradullmoment99 that’s the complete opposite of what’s true! The systolic (top one) is more variable than diastolic (bottom one).

And 2.5mg of Ramipril is lowest possible dose

Is it? I have read on here of people having 1.5mg!!

"Typically, systolic blood pressure is given more attention as a risk factor for heart disease. However, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure are equally important in monitoring the health of your heart."

From medicine net.

That is maybe why my doctor said that the systolic one is more important?
I am not a doctor personally, so have no idea. It is what I was told.

Is it? I have read on here of people having 1.5mg!!

occasionally if patients are also taking a diuretic then they can be started in 1.25mg but 2.5mg is the minimum therapeutic dose.

systolic is more important I didn’t dispute that. I said it’s more variable than diastolic