Tips for managing high blood pressure

[SupremeCommanderServalan]

I went on meds a few years ago, and have been working quite hard to lose weight and improve my diet (vegetarian, hardly use salt, one coffee a day, minimal alcohol etc) in a bid to bring it down naturally. I also run 5k three times a week.

I've been feeling unwell recently with palpitations and headaches, GP got me to do blood pressure readings twice a day and it was high enough for her to now increase my meds.

DM had the same issue, and had a series of strokes.

I'm almost 60 and have a fairly stressful life - has anyone managed to bring their blood pressure down by any means other than meds?

I can’t see why people are so reluctant to take the medication (unless of course there are bad side effects).

Because they are powerful drugs which interfere with the bodies natural systems with unknown future effects? The calcium channel blockers interfere with brain processes ( abnormal dreams are a recognised side effect even if they don't appear in the PIL) and the ACE inhibitors can cause damage to the kidneys in their own right. I had to have regular blood tests to monitor my kidney function when on those.

A blind faith in the safety of pharmaceuticals is unwise as those who gave consent for the human growth hormone treatment in the 1980s have now found out. We simply don't have the data to say what is safe and what is not. All you can hope is the medication will do less harm than the disease might do.

Ah ok. I’d rather not have a CVA or MI as a result of uncontrolled hypertension thanks so I’ll take my chances and carry on with the meds. All medications have side effects funnily enough. Even vital life saving ones like insulin. I know, I’ve seen plenty in my job.

Ace inhibitors do indeed cause things like AKI if given when dehydrated. Otoh they can help with renal perfusion.

Make sure your weight is optimum . Mine goes up and down with my weight .

High blood pressure is linked to poorly regulated blood sugar. Eat a carby meal and very quickly you get the anxiety sensation in your chest. Get your blood sugar managed better and your blood pressure will follow.

What about those of us who don’t eat much sugar and have a generally healthy diet, exercise regularly, good BMI, never smoked. ?

Some people have a genetic propensity, thank goodness for modern drugs.

I think you can overmedicate.

Yes, if I were diabetic I'd take insulin. But I am not taking drugs for blood pressure unless it is strictly necessary (as mine is in the 130s, it isn't necessary).

Maybe I will get vascular dementia one day, in which case you can say I told you so.

My aunt always suffered from the most terrible migraines, so I'd put her stroke down to that, rather than (possibly) high blood pressure.

Also, getting your medication is a mare these days.

GPs won't prescribe until you've nearly run out, then you've got to get the pharmacy to dispense it, and the medication isn't always available anyway.

So unless I really really need something I'm not adding to the pressure.

I take certain medications which in theory have the side effect of high blood pressure.

I walk between 8 and 10 miles a day. I run my own business and schedule my work around this, treating my walking time as important as meetings, invoicing and R & D time.

My consultant has been asking me for advice on this as my blood pressure is consistently normal and she assumes it can only be from the walking.

@lieselotte funnily enough I had horrendous migraines when I hit 50. Put it down to menopause and stress/dehydration at work. Once my hypertension was sorted they disappeared.
Re your aunt, hypertension is likely the most likely cause of her CVA. But like you say, you don’t need meds so it’s not affecting you. I suspect if you do develop it and it’s dangerously high you won’t refuse them.
Older people certainly do tend to be over medicated with anti hypertensives, made worse by the fact that they don’t get it checked regularly by their GP and this can explain why some have falls.