# Any borderline hypertension clubs?



## Gseries (Jan 6, 2013)

I'm back to complain about managed health care. No actually was just wondering if anyone was hovering around the 140/80 mark and if they had a doctor that could actually make a decision or explain "why".

I've been 120/60 for as long as I can remember, suddenly old age I guess and I consistently fail BP tests in a six month period. I've heard everything from "it must be the motrin", to "its white lab coat syndrome".

FWIW, I'm in shape, exercise, not remotely overweight and I thought I ate well. (age 44). I took a series of daily BP tests and they all sucked (for me) around 144/88, then one day a new tech reads 120/63 and the clinic declared me "healthy". I was like, WTF, really? A month later, for an unrelated appointment, I was right back at 144/86, which triggered a "you should do more BP testing". So I did a 5 day test and failed all but 1 day, but the one day was enough for them to say "let's wait and see". wait for what, me to keel over?

I'm done complaining, I'm here to ask if the "borderlines" go for the BP medication or try to treat with diet and exercise. And, um, I guess I'm a bit shy of the BP medication because I heard it has certain side effects?

Thanks all 

Gseries


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## john117 (May 20, 2013)

Yea, old geezer Dr. John here, been borderline bp for a while maybe 5 years, 20 mg a day of Benazapril keeps it at bay - usually 145 over 90 and with med around 125 over 80. 

Reduce stress and cut down salt etc. Also DIY meter accuracy is very suspect, the manual stethoscope and bulb meter is more accurate...

Side effects, I would not worry too much. But what do I care, I also take Propecia lolz lolz. Only side effect is take it in the morning or else you'll wake up at night (diuretic)...


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## EnjoliWoman (Jul 2, 2012)

I'm in your club - right down to the figures and I'm 46. I was 120/60 my whole life until last fall. I had my gall bladder removed and at my follow up it was 138/82 and that was declared "white coat" which I said was odd because it never has been before. They took it after the appointment and I got my usual 120/60 range BP so no more was said.

After surgery I was healing and sedentary and then got slack. Put on 10 pounds over 4 months on an already unhealthy weight. I decided to do something about it. Went to a doctor and by golly it was high. I wanted to try exercise and diet. Down nearly 40 pounds in a little over 4 months, track my food so I KNOW my sodium levels are in a healthy range, cardio 5x a week for 30 minutes and every month I'm still borderline. Now he wants me on meds if I get a high reading again. I don't want them. I keep asking for another month to make a change! 

On the other hand my Dad is borderline and his doctor said the medical community keeps lowering the normal BP and that borderline doesn't need to mean meds as long as it's stable - that 20 years ago his BP was considered normal. So he checks his to make sure it doesn't change. But, maybe the definition of normal changed because medical advances showed that BP had negative impacts to health - don't know.


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## Rowan (Apr 3, 2012)

I am always borderline. And have been for years and years. My pulse is also naturally slightly too fast. I have borderline bp and high pulse rates even when I'm asleep. After extensive testing - I'm 37 now and in reasonably good shape with a healthy diet - my cardiologist just said I was one of those people who just naturally runs hot. Because my bp and pulse are stable, if a little too high, he really isn't all that concerned. 

During the last years of my marriage, my cardiologist put me on medication because my bp was higher than even my normal and I was having fainting spells and episodes of erratic/racing heartbeat. I can't take many of the typical medications for high blood pressure because they're contra-indicated with some of the other stuff I have going on. The lowest dose of the one supposedly safe medication still wasn't enough to get it down to within "normal" range, but anything higher resulted in extreme nausea and dizziness. We played with dosages for a while, but never found anything that was both effective and had tolerable side effects. Interestingly, once I began divorce proceedings, everything leveled out and, after a few months of back to normal-for-me, my doctor agreed that I didn't need medication anymore. My marriage was literally making me sick. 

I still "run hot", don't take anything, and my cardiologist monitors me twice a year with instructions to come back in if anything changes.


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## happy as a clam (Jan 5, 2014)

I'm beginning to think it's environmental... all these GMO foods and toxins we consume.

My blood pressure was always super-low, in the 90/60 range. Now, all of a sudden (granted, I am 48) my BP is 120 over 76. Still normal, but way high for me.

I work out daily, am a very healthy weight, don't eat ANY junk food (seriously), but all the crops are GM now and who knows what else is in these "Frankenfoods"... I mean, Subway was putting plastic in their buns, for crying out loud.

Just thinking out loud...

P.S. I concur with the complaints about managed care. All they seem to "manage" is to make my life miserable... :scratchhead:


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## Coffee Amore (Dec 15, 2011)

Gseries said:


> I'm done complaining, I'm here to ask if the "borderlines" go for the BP medication or try to treat with diet and exercise. And, um, I guess I'm a bit shy of the BP medication because I heard it has certain side effects?


Cutting sodium and exercise don't always work. Sometimes it's just genetic. You can be at a perfectly normal weight and still have borderline b/p. I know people like that. They look perfectly healthy on the outside, but their b/p runs high. If the b/p goes up a lot (not just borderline) have it checked out, get meds for it. My uncle's high b/p caused serious kidney damage.


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## papa5280 (Oct 12, 2011)

I was borderline for a long time, but slipped into pure hypertension mode (around 160/100, without meds). 

Question...when you say you're not remotely overweight, what are your weight and height?


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## Gseries (Jan 6, 2013)

Six feet even, 165. My weight almost never changes. Triathlon training. I started looking at sodium labels by the way. OMG. We really need to pay more attention to our foods.
I've got a real problem with how to get an accurate test on a regular basis...thinking that the Walmart BP readings aren't accurate.


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## Coffee Amore (Dec 15, 2011)

Gseries said:


> Six feet even, 165. My weight almost never changes. Triathlon training. I started looking at sodium labels by the way. OMG. We really need to pay more attention to our foods.
> I've got a real problem with how to get an accurate test on a regular basis...thinking that the Walmart BP readings aren't accurate.


Why not get a blood pressure monitor designed for home use? There are some on sale on amazon.com for under $30. Then you can take several readings over the course of each day then see if over a week or two what the averages are.


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## Gseries (Jan 6, 2013)

doing that right now!


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## mpgunner (Jul 15, 2014)

Thanks to our genes the reality for a lot of us is our BP bounces when we pass 40. Some, including me, can manage BP by exercise and diet. 

Watching the sodium content is HUGE. It is crazy how much is in our food.


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## Bobby5000 (Oct 19, 2011)

If you are at 140, you need medicine. Obviously you are aware of the significant consequences of elevated pressure, stroke, heart attach. 



Gseries said:


> I'm back to complain about managed health care. No actually was just wondering if anyone was hovering around the 140/80 mark and if they had a doctor that could actually make a decision or explain "why".
> 
> I've been 120/60 for as long as I can remember, suddenly old age I guess and I consistently fail BP tests in a six month period. I've heard everything from "it must be the motrin", to "its white lab coat syndrome".
> 
> ...


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## Wolf1974 (Feb 19, 2014)

Can do you now better I was placed on BP medication at 36 and will turn 40 this year. It can be genetics. My father smoked and didn't take care of himself and had his first heart attack at 45. I love my father but I don't want to be like him. So since 20 I work out 3-5 days a week, don't smoke, and try and eat healthy but at times fail. Don't over drink and maintain a healthy weight. I was beyond and I mean BEYOND pissed off when I was told I had to go on pills. I literally said to my DR what in the fvck have I been doing all this work for if I was going to get the same result. He explained that we can't outrun out genetics and this is just mine. As years have progressed I have actually come to realize that genetics may be partially to Blame but I also do not handle stress well and have gotten so good at internalizing it that it affects my health. So I have other stress related conditions. 

I hated going on the pills but they help and no side affects. High BP can kill you and it's worth giving them a try


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## Csquare (Jan 14, 2014)

Another view in hypertension

Does Treating High Blood Pressure Do Any Good? Part 1 of 2

Does Treating High Blood Pressure Do Any Good? Part 2 of 2


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## Gseries (Jan 6, 2013)

Csquare said:


> Another view in hypertension
> 
> Does Treating High Blood Pressure Do Any Good? Part 1 of 2
> 
> Does Treating High Blood Pressure Do Any Good? Part 2 of 2



Story of my life, two completely competent and reasonable arguments completely and diametrically opposed. Thanks for the links...good read...does anyone else see the irony in the stress over how to deal with my BP readings is actually causing me to raise my BP!


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## Csquare (Jan 14, 2014)

Another good link. If you have the patience read thru the comments. Very interesting.


Whole Health Source: Lower Blood Pressure Naturally


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## Blonde (Jan 7, 2013)

The guidelines change periodically and have recently been relaxed for those >60 (see below). At your age and that BP I would try diet and supplements, keep tabs on it, and not worry until it inches up, then treat.



> And, um, I guess I'm a bit shy of the BP medication because I heard it has certain side effects?


Avoid metoprolol then. But there are many bp drugs. Viagra was initially studied as a BP med until they found out about its... side effects... and recognized a cash cow.

According to my cardiologist, Bystolic works with a mechanism similar to Viagra and his patients love it. (I'm female, he gave me samples but I could not tolerate it- had migraines, probably the orange dye)

I am in my 50's and otherwise healthy but got the high bp genes. My mom had a long history of high blood pressure since her 40's and died of vascular dementia which is a result of untreated high bp- and I prefer to avoid that but with trial and error I found effective meds which don't dampen my libido nor my energy (metoprolol made me very tired!).


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## Gseries (Jan 6, 2013)

Checking in all....moved, new doctor, initial screen, 140/90. She didn't like that at all....said thirty days to retest, then meds.


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## EnjoliWoman (Jul 2, 2012)

My doctor was threatening meds when I was at 138/80. I have dropped 50 pounds and my BP has dropped a few points. Don't get excessive salt but the article was interesting in regard to potassium. I'm pretty sure I don't get enough - when I get leg/foot/toe cramps randomly I can cure them with a banana a day for a few days in a row and because I had tried to cut down on refined carbs I had also cut way down on potatoes. I will be having more - I only put plain greek yogurt on them (sour cream substitute) so eating those doesn't derail the diet at all, I was just overly focused on whole grains only.


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## Gseries (Jan 6, 2013)

I got mad at my SO. I said I needs to watch my sodium, she said shes not eating food without putting salt in it. I said sodium was more than just table salt. SHE said yes its bland food. I stormed out and of course told her to enjoy her food when I have my stroke....


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## john117 (May 20, 2013)

You don't need to eat bland foods if you're watching salt intake. Lots of things are spicy but not salty esp Indian dishes and you can find low salt or no salt options for Chinese or other Asian foods if you look around.

Our default spice level is WMD and we rarely use salt.


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## X-B (Jul 25, 2013)

I used to have normal BP for years then one day it started skyrocketing I and a Pheochromocytoma It was a small benign tumor that pressed on my adrenal gland. I spent several days in the CCU.


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## X-B (Jul 25, 2013)

A few weeks later it went the other way It is under control now. But if I start getting stressed I can feel it start to rice and have rescue meds to control it but it gives me a bad headache.


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