High Blood Pressure Forever More?

[froglegs]

My blood pressure crept up and up during my pregnancy and I was finally induced at 37 weeks after spending two weeks in hosp 'resting' (anyone whose spent any time in hospital will know how unrestful it is!)
I did not have Pre-E, just high BP

Anyway 5 months on I am still on medication ( Lisinporil. Latabetalol and Nephedipine made me ill) My blood pressure is now under control but my GP has bascially said I will probably have high BP for the rest of my life now as it would have gone down by now if it was just pregnancy related.

I never had blood pressure problems before I got pregnant and I am sure its got to go down eventually right? I really don't fancy the idea of being on pills for the rest of my life.

I am not over-weight, I don't smoke, I drink moderately and I am fairly active.

Has anyone else had pregnancy related HBP that has taken ages to get to normal?

I am also convinced my BP goes up when I am at the docs. I have started to feel a bit dizzy when standing up - isn't that a sign of low blood pressure?

I am also concerned about what happens if I want another baby? Will it be too risky?

How high is it? Can you get a monitor to do checks throughout the week at different times to see if it is a 'fear of GP thing'? They aren't hugely expensive. Might be worth getting one to get a wider picture.

Its about 120/75 while on the medication which its pretty normal? during pregnancy it got up to 180/101.

My mum has a BP monitor and it was 116/68 when I was last at her house.

My GP doesn't seem to take me seriously when I say that I don't think I need the meds - its so frustrating!

Maybe I should keep a BP diary over 24 hours and write down the evidence!

Ask your GP to run a 24 hour test, you are fitted with a cuff and a small box about the size of a tens machine that automatically checks your BP every hour even when sleeping. I have been on meds for about 8 years now, my HBP was due to marriage break down, My GP let me try for almost a year to control it by diet, exercise etc but with no luck. I recently decided to try for another baby and my GP was really ok about it, totally encouraging and i'm in my late 40's so there's no reason not to have more children but you really must get your BP sorted whatever you do. Good luck

Yes, I think I will try that. Best of luck with trying for a new baba

x

Mine went up after the second baby and stayed there. It's not high enough for medication but definitely on the high end of normal and has been for 8 years now.

However it is definitely true that it shoots up at the doctors - it's called "white coat syndrome" and I have it in spades. I blame it on thise machines that take your arm off in hospitals!

So now when I have to have it done I explain that I am in a state of slight panic and they do it two or three times.

the monitor sounds like a good idea as then you don't get all het up for the particular moment they do the blood pressure.