Worried about blood pressure

[searley]

Im a little worried in relation to my blood pressure.. Since being diabetic its a little high

I was on:

Candesartan 32mg
Amlodipine 10 mg
Indapamide 1.5mg

And was still having an average BP of 148/88, although i did goto the doctor 1 day not feeling too well and my BP was 230/110 and the called an ambulance thinking id had a heart attack

So today the doctor added Doxazosin 1mg to the above, surely this cant be usual? Im also feeling tired a lot, and im thinking it one or all of the above..

Im at a loss to what i should do, i don't like all the medication im on, but the Dr is trying scare tactics, basically saying i could have major complications within 5 years if i dont take the meds

Is there any better way i can look at getting this under control, as should i be seeking help from a specialist in this area?

 

[noblehead]

They prefer people with diabetes to keep their bp below 130/80 Searley, I don't think your Dr is trying scare tactics at all as long-term high bp is extremely dangerous if not controlled.

There are ways to reduce your bp through diet, weight loss and exercise, the following link is to the Blood Pressure Association which you may find useful:

http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPre ... rlifestyle


Just one more thing, before trying anything too strenuous you should discuss it first with your gp.

Good luck!

 

[Yorksman]

High BP is dangerous. Mine was 180/130, unknown to me, for a long time. It caused damage which, they said was irreversible. They quickly got my BP under control so the lower figure was under 90 and after 3 years of slow improvement to my heart, the damage rect ified itself, much to the consultant's surprise - 'we don't normally see this happen'. His colleague simply said, 'how odd'. Now I am 130/80.

 

[searley]

Thanks for the replies

One of the problems i have, is that i dont think im not overweight.. Im 5 foot 10, and weigh 156 pounds.. So i dont think there is much scope for weight loss

Im not inactive, always quite busy at work.. And not idle out of work.. More actice whenthe weather is good when i go hunting, and can spend hours walking the woodland..

Will keep my fingers crossed the new pill helps

 

[SWFC John]

Trouble is we are not all the same, some people have higher BP than others and that's the way it will always be.

My doctor loves to remind me that he is in early 50s and has the BP of a 14 year old, thing is if the 14 year old he keeps referring to was me then his BP would be sky high :mrgreen:

My BP is more of a worry than my T2 to me simply because i know i have some control of my sugar by what i shove in my mouth, my BP is high no matter what i do, at one point i was playing competitive football twice a week, walking 30 miles a week and swimming, i lost 28 kilo from my heaviest which i have thankfully managed to keep off and if my BP showed 140/80 (with meds as well) it was a happy day!

 

[anna29]

Hi Searley.
Nice to see you again :wave:

Just an extra thought with your very high BP ...
When I was 210/220 [upper BP] my own GP had me in twice a week to actually
take my BP and keep close eye on it.
It was noted down each time I went - he always referred to the reading previously etc.
Even though like you I had started meds to help get it down .

It was 'his' suggestion to do this - but am wondering 'if' you was to try suggest
this to yours?
As a safe precaution etc... With your levels being what they are ...
Then they can monitor you and you will know weekly what your BP is doing .

His thoughts and careplan did give me reassurance and peace of mind.
He had me in initially twice a week - then whittled it down to just once weekly.
Till about 4 months later - I was down to much safer BP levels.

Anna.

 

[noblehead]

Will keep my fingers crossed the new pill helps

Hopefully so

Just a after thought, some people suffer from White Coat Syndrome when visiting their gp and getting bp tested, for this reason it's worth buying a home bp monitor where you can record your readings and present them to your gp at your next visit, if you do decide to buy one make sure it has the upper arm cuff as opposed to the wrist type as they are more reliable.

A good bp monitor will cost you around £15-£20, I got my last one from Amazon.

 

[anna29]

Hi Nigel .

I 'hate' them BP machines in the clinics and hospitals .
It seems to see me - then will keep on resetting - to retake my BP ...
Squeezing my tiny arms so tight over and over till it realllly HURTS .

Nurses see my face - and say oh you have white coat syndrome
Face is bright red and arm is squashed painfully !!!

Often I suggest - can you let me have half an hour then take it again ?
They nearly always let me do this , though when it is retaken it is down by just a tiny bit !
I try relaxing and breathing calmly etc...

So I dont know - if its a true fact with this saying with myself concerned.
All I do know is me and them machines dont get on :lolno:

Anna.

 

[noblehead]

I know what your saying Anna, when I was in hospital in 2011 for cardio checks the bp machines would strangle my arms to the point it hurt, as they were doing it several times a day my arms became more and more sensitive

I only ever heard of White Coat Syndrome when my father was getting treated for high bp and his gp suggested he tried a 24 hour monitor at home, after the results it was found he did suffer from WCS and his meds were adjusted accordingly.

I get a touch of WCS even though I don't feel particularly stressed at the clinic, my gp is more than happy to accept my home readings and takes a note of them, I think (though I may be wrong) that they add 5 or 10% to both figures recorded from home bp readings.

 

[searley]

I dont suffer white coat syndrome... As the readings are virtually the same as what i get at home..

I have a test machine at home, which every month i have to take 4 readings a day, for a week, jot them down, and then they take the average of all those readings.. Which my jan average was 148/88.

If its still high in a month he will increase the dosage, and if that doesnt work he has said he will need to refer me to a cardiologist

 

[searley]

Im keen to know, how many of you on blood pressure meds feel like **** most of the time?

With the 3 treatments i never felt totally right most of the time.. And the addition of the 4 medication has just pushed me over the edge.. And ive made the decision today to cease taking all 4 meds

 

[noblehead]

Not a good move to stop the meds Searley, why don't you wait till Monday and visit your gp and tell them how awful you feel taking these meds, it might just be they can change you meds for alternatives.

 

[searley]

Today has been enough to push me over the edge, i left work at 2pm, went home closed to curtains and hid under the covers.. I wont be taking the meds again!

Is it coomon for blood pressure meds to have the effect?

 

[WhitbyJet]

Today has been enough to push me over the edge, i left work at 2pm, went home closed to curtains and hid under the covers.. I wont be taking the meds again!

Is it coomon for blood pressure meds to have the effect?

Oh yes, blood pressure meds can have quite a few side ea ffects, some more so than others.
Please take those blessed pills just for this weekend, see your GP on Monday and tell them how you feel, you may need a change of meds, perhaps you can be referred to a cardiologist and find out the cause of your high blood pressure.

I used to take 4 different meds to control bp, they didnt work, they made me feel ill, eventually I discovered that my hypertension was due to my parathyroid gland going into overdrive.

Big hug x

 

[anna29]

Im keen to know, how many of you on blood pressure meds feel like **** most of the time?

With the 3 treatments i never felt totally right most of the time.. And the addition of the 4 medication has just pushed me over the edge.. And ive made the decision today to cease taking all 4 meds

Searley .
Describe how you are feeling?
Symptoms of feeling so rough etc...

Both my mum amd me have had a wheezy flemmy chest .
Accompanied with a dry irritant tickly cough [always worst in a morning and at night]
With blood pressure meds .
Both of us were told to discontinue them and had to try others .
We 'both' have had to try various ones to find the one that suited us best...

Mum was hospitalised needing oxygen with a wheeze so bad it was needed.

Can you get any emergency appointment see a doctor ?
As its friday evening now ...

Anna.

 

[noblehead]

Searley,

There's side-effects with any medication, I take a 5mg dose of Ramipril which doesn't seem to have any adverse effect on me, however as you take quite a few meds it's important that you discuss your symptoms and concerns with your gp before stopping the meds altogether.

 

[searley]

Im keen to know, how many of you on blood pressure meds feel like **** most of the time?

With the 3 treatments i never felt totally right most of the time.. And the addition of the 4 medication has just pushed me over the edge.. And ive made the decision today to cease taking all 4 meds

Searley .
Describe how you are feeling?
Symptoms of feeling so rough etc...

Anna.

Almost constant headache
frequent dizziness
sore fuzzy eyes
feeling sick

since taking indpamide.. ive had a strange one, where it seems difficult to swallow as the muscles in the back of my tongue/throat hurt when i do

im so hot all the time.. laying under an open window at night, without covers and still sweating like crazy
lack of sleep and constant tiredness

i think that pretty much covers it

 

[anna29]

Searley wrote :

Almost constant headache
frequent dizziness
sore fuzzy eyes
feeling sick

since taking indpamide.. ive had a strange one, where it seems difficult to swallow as the muscles in the back of my tongue/throat hurt when i do

im so hot all the time.. laying under an open window at night, without covers and still sweating like crazy
lack of sleep and constant tiredness

i think that pretty much covers it[/quote]

Searley, Cor blimey - I am concerned for you and you must be feeling dreadful .

You certainly DONT sound well at all ... :shock:
Can you try get medical help/attention?

Ring up and explain your symptoms and explain about the BP meds too ...
Not good to feel so rough at the start of a long weekend :thumbdown:

It is best to play safe here surely?
Keep us all updated too searley 'please'

Anna.

 

[searley]

Well 2 weeks have passed since i stopped taking BP meds, and my average reading has not significantly risen.

So i will monitor for another week or so, then tackle it it the GP, if after 3 weeks, there is not a significant increase in my BP it must indicate that there is something else keeping it high

The amount of meds i was on i would have expected quite a hike in levels