Blood Pressure: Mountain, Molehill?

Grateful

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,398
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Today, not enough sleep (barely five hours) and generally frachetty with various anxiety-raising things to sort out:nailbiting:. "No-coffee" experiment postponed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: donnellysdogs

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Today, not enough sleep (barely five hours) and generally frachetty with various anxiety-raising things to sort out:nailbiting:. "No-coffee" experiment postponed.
Chicken ;):joyful:
Seriously, I hope your day gets better.
 

Grateful

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,398
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Seriously, I hope your day gets better.

Heavy decisions today or in the next few days, which I won't go into (not pertaining to me, but a family matter of great importance).

The only light diversion, once the rush-hour traffic is over, is going to the store to buy my first new pair of trousers in ages. Next week is the American Thanksgiving dinner with nearly 20 friends and relatives. It looks like I am now 34" waist and for months I have been wearing trousers that are now 4" to 6" too big. They look absurd, even with a belt, and I don't want to attract ribald attention (ideally I don't want anyone to start a conversation about D, because there will be at least three nurses around the table!). The main issue is whether I really am now 34" (same as 30 years ago) or whether it's actually 35".

Strange days. If you'd told me about this a year ago I would have laughed you out of the room! (Yes, even D can have its funny side.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: TIANDB

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Heavy decisions today or in the next few days, which I won't go into (not pertaining to me, but a family matter of great importance).

The only light diversion, once the rush-hour traffic is over, is going to the store to buy my first new pair of trousers in ages. Next week is the American Thanksgiving dinner with nearly 20 friends and relatives. It looks like I am now 34" waist and for months I have been wearing trousers that are now 4" to 6" too big. They look absurd, even with a belt, and I don't want to attract ribald attention (ideally I don't want anyone to start a conversation about D, because there will be at least three nurses around the table!). The main issue is whether I really am now 34" (same as 30 years ago) or whether it's actually 35".

Strange days. If you'd told me about this a year ago I would have laughed you out of the room! (Yes, even D can have its funny side.)
I’m on my second size down in jeans! For fun I tried the jeans I was wearing at diagnosis on the other day, they literally fall right off me and the belt on them doesn’t have a hole tight enough for for now!:happy:
It’s getting expensive though, my tops are hanging off me, I need to see if I can take the side seams in!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Grateful

Grateful

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,398
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
It’s getting expensive though, my tops are hanging off me, I need to see if I can take the side seams in!

Ironically, a year ago (just three months before my diagnosis) we had a big clearout and donated about 20 years' worth of our clothes to the local clothing bank. That included plenty of trousers that were probably the right size for me now!:wacky:

Edited to add: Also donated my two wedding suits. "Nah. Never be able to wear that again!" Hand-made by a hole-in-the wall tailor's shop when we lived in Cyprus.
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Ironically, a year ago (just three months before my diagnosis) we had a big clearout and donated about 20 years' worth of our clothes to the local clothes bank. That included plenty of trousers that were probably the right size for me now!:wacky:
Luckily I’m not that organised so I have been able to resurrect a lot of smaller me clothes. I am giving away clothes that are too big now though. Except that one pair of ‘big’ jeans which I keep to remind me how much I’ve lost!
 

carol43

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,192
Type of diabetes
Type 2 (in remission!)
Treatment type
Diet only
I'm down from size 16 to size 10. Got through a lot of clothes and belts I've been size 16 for years and years. Tried my wedding dress on the other day (married 41 years) it just hung on me and the bottom was lying on the floor
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I'm down from size 16 to size 10. Got through a lot of clothes and belts I've been size 16 for years and years. Tried my wedding dress on the other day (married 41 years) it just hung on me and the bottom was lying on the floor
I’ve been married 29 years and was a size 12 I think then. I’m down to 14 top half and 16 bottom half! I seem to have lost my weight from my top half and legs, my tum and bum are taking their time catching up! I maybe will fit in my wedding dress again one day, perhaps by my 30th anniversary next Oct.?
 
  • Like
Reactions: TIANDB

Grateful

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,398
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
OK time to do the dreaded no-coffee experiment. It is not starting well (at least, if you believe the guidelines of the Heart Police).

Had a good night's sleep (nine hours), got up, had a glass of water but no breakfast yet, nothing stressful going on, and after sitting down for half an hour:

140/90

To be continued....
 

Grateful

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,398
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
No coffee. Half an hour after breakfast (one tablespoon of homemade sugar-free granola with small quantity of milk, berries, Greek yogurt). Drink: water only.

137/84

To be continued....
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
My blood pressure is going up every time I read “No coffee!” :eek::joyful:;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: donnellysdogs

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
No coffee.
No coffee.
No coffee.
No coffee.
No coffee.
No coffee.

Just let me know when I should call A&E for you:D.
No that’s ok, it was the bold type that was doing the damage! :joyful:
 

Grateful

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,398
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
No coffee blood-pressure experiment.

All morning I have been sedentary. The following readings were taken at rest, being seated for at least five minutes. Good night's sleep, very average Saturday morning. Fluid intake is water only.

140/90 at 8:30 a.m. before eating any food.
137/84 at 9:30 a.m. half an hour after breakfast.
139/93 at 10:30 a.m.

Very early to draw conclusions, but those readings seem pretty steady to me (albeit moderately high, according to the Heart Police). Such was not the case when I was drinking my usual four cups of coffee of-a-morning (the coffee-fuelled BP started low before the first cup then steadily increased).

To be continued....
 

Kristin251

Expert
Messages
5,334
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I believe @Brunneria said it took three days for hers so come down. And I also imagine you have a little anxiety going on. I wouldn’t put any stock in readings today or tomorrow at the very least. I’m sure it’s a stressful time and we know that’s not good for bp.

Best of luck. I’m rooting for you !
 

Grateful

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,398
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I believe @Brunneria said it took three days for hers so come down. And I also imagine you have a little anxiety going on. I wouldn’t put any stock in readings today or tomorrow at the very least. I’m sure it’s a stressful time and we know that’s not good for bp.

Best of luck. I’m rooting for you !

Stressful, how could that possibly be?:grumpy: The Elixir of Life for the past 40-plus years, denied?

Yes I remember @Brunneria's info, which is partly what started me on this detective quest. If it turns out I am reacting in the same way as she does to coffee, it might go like this: on the first day of no-coffee, stability in BP, albeit higher than the Heart Police wants. A few days later, stability, but hopefully at a lower level.

If that turns out to be the case I may try to emulate @Rachox who is down to (I think) two cups of coffee a day, one in the morning, one the afternoon. It's just that I'm c**p at "moderation" in general. Or I could take a leaf from @Guzzler, adopt tea as my elixir, and see if that works (tea "leaf" sorry, dreadful pun, not intentional).
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Guzzler

Master
Messages
10,577
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Poor grammar, bullying and drunks.
Stressful, how could that possibly be?:grumpy: The Elixir of Life for the past 40-plus years, denied?

Yes I remember @Brunneria's info, which is partly what started me on this detective quest. If it turns out I am reacting in the same way as she does to coffee, it might go like this: on the first day of no-coffee, stability in BP, albeit higher than the Heart Police wants. A few days later, stability, but hopefully at a lower level.

If that turns out to be the case I may try to emulate @Rachox who is down to (I think) two cups of coffee a day, one in the morning, one the afternoon. It's just that I'm **** at "moderation" in general. Or I could take a leaf from @Guzzler, adopt tea as my elixir, and see if that works (tea "leaf" sorry, dreadful pun, not intentional).

Just to be awkward.... I am trying to switch from white tea to decaf creamed coffee. I am struggling, though as decaf with cream is just like drinking mud!
 

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
15,808
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
If that turns out to be the case I may try to emulate @Rachox who is down to (I think) two cups of coffee a day, one in the morning, one the afternoon.@Guzzler, adopt tea as my elixir, and see if that works (tea "leaf" sorry, dreadful pun, not intentional).
Yes you’re right two a day, down from 5 or 6. I don’t like tea, so I just drink sugar free soft drinks between times, mostly flavoured water or sugar free squash. I don’t really enjoy plain water. Oh and I have an unsweetened almond milk ‘milkshake’ at bedtime, made with sugar free syrup. That’s instead of hot chocolate which was my before diagnosis bedtime drink.
 

Grateful

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,398
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Just to be awkward.... I am trying to switch from white tea to decaf creamed coffee. I am struggling, though as decaf with cream is just like drinking mud!

One of the things that was mentioned by, possibly, @Brunneria is that it might not be the caffeine that is spiking BP, but just coffee in general. I don't quite understand that because coffee seems to consist of almost nothing except caffeine. Tea, to some extent, is the same nutritionally speaking?
 

Grateful

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,398
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Yes you’re right two a day, down from 5 or 6. I don’t like tea, so I just drink sugar free soft drinks between times, mostly flavoured water or sugar free squash. I don’t really enjoy plain water. Oh and I have an unsweetened almond milk ‘milkshake’ at bedtime, made with sugar free syrup. That’s instead of hot chocolate which was my before diagnosis bedtime drink.

Apart from coffee, my fluid intake during the day is:
  • Fizzy mineral water between meals (San Pellegrino is the favorite).
  • Plain water during exercise (at least one liter).
  • San Pellegrino with fresh-squeezed lemon juice with lunch.
  • One small glass of wine (90ml) early evening.
  • Another small glass of wine with dinner.
Yes, I know that the alcohol in wine affects BP. But that will be the last thing to go (i.e. never!). Coffee-denial seems easy by comparison.

(Edited to fix the capacity of our small wine glasses.)