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3 wks ago I went to urgent care with severe coughing, sore throat and felt like I had a sinus infection. My bp was 140/90, I had been maybe 3 times before each time I was sick. The doctor wanted to start me on bp meds because she said my bp was up everytime I was there. Everytime I have gone to urgent care I have had a severe cough and basically feeling like crap so I was thinking it was simply that I was sick and that I tend to have white coat syndrome.
I monitor my blood pressure at home and it is never that high. So I went to see my primary for my annual and again my bp was high, this time 150/80. She told me to cut salt, get labs done and then see her in 2 wks if my bp is not down she wants to put me on meds. Again I have been monitoring it at home and it has not been that high, it has been in the mid 130's/mid 70's to lower 80's. Is there anything I can take supplement wise that might bring it down? I do not want to take bp meds when I am not getting high readings at home. Any advice? On the other hand I also do not want to do any lasting damage to my heart or have to worry about a stroke.
Sounds like you have high blood pressure starting up .Basically you need to have you doctor check your blood pressure machine against his manuel check. The auto blood pressure machines can be wrong. Then you need to sit 15 minutes and check your blood pressure. Do this twice a day until you go see your doctor again. One check does not mean much really.The advise on lower salt intake and such is good advise.Do not check your blood pressure after exercise because it can cause it to be lowwer than normal.
Cold and cough medicines can elevate the BP so if you had taken any for your cough before going to urgent care, this could have been a factor.
BP should be taken at rest, with the arm at heart level. The bulb should not be pumped up really high--no more than 20 points above the place where it disappears, if that far, and then the cuff slowly deflated. You might also check your BP at your local pharmacy after sitting on the wait bench 5-10 minutes, to let things normalize, and then keep a record to give to your doctor.
3 wks ago I went to urgent care with severe coughing, sore throat and felt like I had a sinus infection. My bp was 140/90, I had been maybe 3 times before each time I was sick. The doctor wanted to start me on bp meds because she said my bp was up everytime I was there. Everytime I have gone to urgent care I have had a severe cough and basically feeling like crap so I was thinking it was simply that I was sick and that I tend to have white coat syndrome.
I monitor my blood pressure at home and it is never that high. So I went to see my primary for my annual and again my bp was high, this time 150/80. She told me to cut salt, get labs done and then see her in 2 wks if my bp is not down she wants to put me on meds. Again I have been monitoring it at home and it has not been that high, it has been in the mid 130's/mid 70's to lower 80's. Is there anything I can take supplement wise that might bring it down? I do not want to take bp meds when I am not getting high readings at home. Any advice? On the other hand I also do not want to do any lasting damage to my heart or have to worry about a stroke.
There is a lot of good information to be found here: The Emperor's New Clothes: Aggressive New Guidelines for "Prehypertension" by Dr. Paul Rosch (http://www.trit.us/moderndiseases/prehypertension.html - broken link)
Salt is one thing; stress, weight, age, race, gender, family history, lack of exercise, diet (it's not only salt). Alcohol/tobacco/over the counter medications attribute as well. I know I'm missing something but you get the point.
Take the advice about pumping it (or set the machine) so you're not blowing your arm up to 200. (make sure the batteries are good).
Take it in the same arm each time and at rest sitting. Please do not re-take a pressure one right after the other in the same arm. Set aside a time in the morning when you're relaxed and keep a diary.
"Has not been that high" means you need to lower it.
You obviously display white coat syndrome IMO and perhaps with modification of your risk factors you can bring it under control. Your home BP is high.
There is a lot of good information to be found here: The Emperor's New Clothes: Aggressive New Guidelines for "Prehypertension" by Dr. Paul Rosch
20yrsinBranson
That was the best article on HBP I ever read...thanks so much for the link. I especially noted the study that found moderately elevated BP did not correlate to increased mortality...
I've been resistant to the 'cookie cutter' approach that dictates every one of us must have the exact same BP readings and now I know why I've been resistant...it doesn't make any sense and does not improve our health when you consider the serious side effects many have from BP meds.
Of course, high BP beyond certain limits does need treatment to prevent cerebal events...
3 wks ago I went to urgent care with severe coughing, sore throat and felt like I had a sinus infection. My bp was 140/90, I had been maybe 3 times before each time I was sick. The doctor wanted to start me on bp meds because she said my bp was up everytime I was there. Everytime I have gone to urgent care I have had a severe cough and basically feeling like crap so I was thinking it was simply that I was sick and that I tend to have white coat syndrome.
I monitor my blood pressure at home and it is never that high. So I went to see my primary for my annual and again my bp was high, this time 150/80. She told me to cut salt, get labs done and then see her in 2 wks if my bp is not down she wants to put me on meds. Again I have been monitoring it at home and it has not been that high, it has been in the mid 130's/mid 70's to lower 80's. Is there anything I can take supplement wise that might bring it down? I do not want to take bp meds when I am not getting high readings at home. Any advice? On the other hand I also do not want to do any lasting damage to my heart or have to worry about a stroke.
Do a salt reduction. She has to know if its from the salt or something else. But you can take other things:
Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure
- diet (that is a must. sorry to report)
-Folic acid
-Fish oil (make sure you get a quality fish oil because heavy metal toxicity in cheaper ones can raise your bp)
- Hawthorn
- Garlic
-Coenzyme Q10
- Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium
But just do the salt change for right now. You can ask your doctor about those after she knows its not just a salt reaction.
I think going on medication for 140/90 is ridiculous... the side effects are terrible; everyone I know who has been on BP meds are fat and depressed. My blood pressure was extremely high, 168/100 or so, for heredity reasons. I've since brought it down to 130/84 and it occasionally reads lower. The supplement I take to which I give the credit, along with more exercise and cutting out my martini habit altogether is called "mukta vati."
Every person is different so there's no "right" way to get it done, just suggestions. I have a very fit and active friend who has been on BP meds for a couple of years - her whole family has issues with it.
I had high BP a couple of years ago. Scary thing was that the 2 drs that I saw never once suggested that I go on meds or try alternatives to lower it. I only knew it was high because the nurse told me (150/85 one time). I came home and looked up that measurement and it all said bad things - so, in addition to changing to a dr who cared enough to talk to me about it - I also lost 40lbs. My BP the last year has not been over 112/75 and usually runs 110/70.
Losing weight could be key for you (I don't know if weight is an issue for you) and even if it doesn't solve the BP problem, it certainly won't hurt you.
I think the things that bothers me like someone else said is the cookie cutter approach, dr's seem so eager to give you a pill. Never once did my doctor take into account white coat syndrome, never asked if there was any stress in my life (there is) just said "cut your salt and if it is still up in 2 wks we will put you on meds." I had labs done today and will pick up my results on Friday and if all my numbers look good I want to try natural supplements first. If they don't work after 2 months then I will consider meds. I am sorry you can't say high blood pressure off of one bp reading that you took 3 minutes after I walked in. It didn't help that the nurse said "I hope this bulb works since all the bp bulbs are broken in this office. She had to hole her finger over the top of the bulb to get it to go up.
Thanks for all the input and all the good suggestions. I lift weights everyday but have gotten away from doing cardio so beginning tomorrow I am going to walk at least 30 minutes a day.
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