• Guest, the forum is undergoing some upgrades and so the usual themes will be unavailable for a few days. In the meantime, you can use the forum like normal. We'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Collapsed:How low is too low

4ratbags said:
I used to be on Enalapril and I never had any problems but I stopped all 3 medications at once. I will review everything with my Dr in Feb and see if I need to go back on my BP meds. Im not so keen to go back on Simvastatin though.
Click to expand...
Sounds good. I wouldn't be keen on statins either.
 
4ratbags said:
I used to be on Enalapril and I never had any problems but I stopped all 3 medications at once. I will review everything with my Dr in Feb and see if I need to go back on my BP meds. Im not so keen to go back on Simvastatin though.
Click to expand...

When I was diagnosed, my BP was found to be running at similar levels to yours. Indeed, it was a couple of BP readings that led to the bloods which revealed the diabetes. The bloods were primarily done to look at kidney function, because of the nurse's concern for my kidneys.

When I subsequently agreed a drug-free period to try to bring things into alignment, the nurse was astonished that my GP hadn't "insisted" on something for the BP, as she felt it was really rather too high to leave.

My own monitoring revealed that although my BP was indeed elevated, the underlying picture wasn't as extreme as the readings taken in the Practise (which were taken after an extremely uncomfortable smear test, then after travel inoculations), both of which would also have contributed to the elevation.

At my first review my BP was back into the accepted normal, ranges - even taking into account the reduced thresholds for diabetics. I guess I was just extremely fortunate to have my condition detected in such a random way, and to have achieve such a material reversal in it.

If you have been running at those levels for some time, I might be inclined not to leave things until February, unless you think you will have s significant improvement to you blood scores, weight and lifestyle factors, like stress. That some medics seem very keen to prescribe diabetes, lipid and BP medication together doesn't make them an inseparable trio.

I do know of some people who are taking extremely low doses of BP medication.

If you feel absolutely against the prospect of medication - and as someone passionately medication-free, I can understand that standpoint - then it would make sense to invest in a fairly basic BP machine, with a memory, so that you can run your own monitoring programme. That could well influence your decision making, based on your own data, rather than spot checks, when tension levels may be elevated.

And just to clarify - I am passionately medication-free, but if I felt my well-being was becoming at risk by that stance, or that it could be improved materially by taking something, I would accept it. My stance will always be "no medication", but only until such times as I understand the benefits and consequences of retaining that stance.

Good luck with it all.
 
Sorry knocked my phone. I will try and stay medication free but if I have to go on BP meds again so be it. My daughters dog ate this beautiful double sided mink blanket of mine and instead of replacing it I have told her to buy me a BP monitor and some test strips so I will see how it goes.
 
AndBreathe said:
When I was diagnosed, my BP was found to be running at similar levels to yours. Indeed, it was a couple of BP readings that led to the bloods which revealed the diabetes. The bloods were primarily done to look at kidney function, because of the nurse's concern for my kidneys.

When I subsequently agreed a drug-free period to try to bring things into alignment, the nurse was astonished that my GP hadn't "insisted" on something for the BP, as she felt it was really rather too high to leave.

My own monitoring revealed that although my BP was indeed elevated, the underlying picture wasn't as extreme as the readings taken in the Practise (which were taken after an extremely uncomfortable smear test, then after travel inoculations), both of which would also have contributed to the elevation.

At my first review my BP was back into the accepted normal, ranges - even taking into account the reduced thresholds for diabetics. I guess I was just extremely fortunate to have my condition detected in such a random way, and to have achieve such a material reversal in it.

If you have been running at those levels for some time, I might be inclined not to leave things until February, unless you think you will have s significant improvement to you blood scores, weight and lifestyle factors, like stress. That some medics seem very keen to prescribe diabetes, lipid and BP medication together doesn't make them an inseparable trio.

I do know of some people who are taking extremely low doses of BP medication.

If you feel absolutely against the prospect of medication - and as someone passionately medication-free, I can understand that standpoint - then it would make sense to invest in a fairly basic BP machine, with a memory, so that you can run your own monitoring programme. That could well influence your decision making, based on your own data, rather than spot checks, when tension levels may be elevated.

And just to clarify - I am passionately medication-free, but if I felt my well-being was becoming at risk by that stance, or that it could be improved materially by taking something, I would accept it. My stance will always be "no medication", but only until such times as I understand the benefits and consequences of retaining that stance.

Good luck with it all.
Click to expand...
I agree with considering BP meds before February, high BP is a separate medical condition and often a very low dose of meds is enough to bring it back under control. I didn't find that diet and exercise were enough for me, and I take 5mg of Quinapril, which is a pretty low dose.

In the UK it seems common for people to have a 24 hour BP test, but I don't know how common that is in NZ. I had a "BP series" test, which involves lying down in a quiet room at the surgery for 30 mins and resting, while a nurse takes your BP every 10 mins and then (I think) uses the lowest result. Both types of tests address the problem of "white coat syndrome" where the BP is artificially high when being tested at a surgery.

Home testing is useful, I have a home meter. I got it because I wanted to try getting my BP down without meds. For decision making about meds they need a professional test as they don't see the home meters as being as accurate.
 
Im going to get an Omron BP monitor as they are a reliable brand and it is the brand that is free to use in the chemist so I know it is easy to use.
 
Back
Top