Blood pressure

Lafayette Gregory

Les-ter not Ly-Chester
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Well I made it to 60+ without needing any meds. Now my Dr wants me to take meds to bring it down. Anyone here have any suggestions for a good BP cuff? I got one off amazon and it has worked for about a week and is now cu-put.
 
Well I made it to 60+ without needing any meds. Now my Dr wants me to take meds to bring it down. Anyone here have any suggestions for a good BP cuff? I got one off amazon and it has worked for about a week and is now cu-put.

The old standard of 120/80 is now considered a bit on the high side, so the old standard of up to 135/90 being 'borderline' is now 'low-high'. Almost everyone in this category will get meds at some point.

I loathe the electronic ones. They usually give false elevations. If you/your spose and take a BP with a stethoscope and manual cuff, get that. It's cheaper, and ALWAYS more accurate.
 
The old standard of 120/80 is now considered a bit on the high side, so the old standard of up to 135/90 being 'borderline' is now 'low-high'. Almost everyone in this category will get meds at some point.

I loathe the electronic ones. They usually give false elevations. If you/your spose and take a BP with a stethoscope and manual cuff, get that. It's cheaper, and ALWAYS more accurate.

So what is normal supposed to be now? Did big Pharma get it changed so that they can sell more pills?
 
Well I made it to 60+ without needing any meds. Now my Dr wants me to take meds to bring it down. Anyone here have any suggestions for a good BP cuff? I got one off amazon and it has worked for about a week and is now cu-put.

intermittent fasting and low carb and you will need no meds.
 
The old standard of 120/80 is now considered a bit on the high side, so the old standard of up to 135/90 being 'borderline' is now 'low-high'. Almost everyone in this category will get meds at some point.
As my mother put it, if she were medicated to the current standards, she wouldn't be able to pick herself up off the floor. One time when I went for an annual visit the nurse I saw first commented on working for many years in the hypertension clinic and said something about the new standards being ridiculous compared to what for most of her career was fine.

I loathe the electronic ones. They usually give false elevations. If you/your spose and take a BP with a stethoscope and manual cuff, get that. It's cheaper, and ALWAYS more accurate.
That has been my experience as well. Get them to take it manually and it will read lower.
 
I bought one of these from Amazon more than 9 years ago. The batteries lasted a very long time and it continues to be accurate (I've compared it to the bulb monitor at the MD's office). https://shop.panasonic.com/personal-care/blood-pressure-monitors/EW3109W.html

One thing to know is that BP meds can cause minor and annoying side effects (like a dry, hacking cough). It can take several tries before finding the right one. At least, that's what a little birdie told me.
 
I bought one of these from Amazon more than 9 years ago. The batteries lasted a very long time and it continues to be accurate (I've compared it to the bulb monitor at the MD's office). https://shop.panasonic.com/personal-care/blood-pressure-monitors/EW3109W.html

One thing to know is that BP meds can cause minor and annoying side effects (like a dry, hacking cough). It can take several tries before finding the right one. At least, that's what a little birdie told me.


Yep, for sure. I have had the cough for over 2 years now. Other side affects include but not limited finding out what the fireman discovered. What you ask? If you decrease the pressure the hose won't get stiff. :eek: Ask me how I know. :oops:;)
 
Yep, for sure. I have had the cough for over 2 years now. Other side affects include but not limited finding out what the fireman discovered. What you ask? If you decrease the pressure the hose won't get stiff. :eek: Ask me how I know. :oops:;)
Yep. 75/45 will do that. I had one DR try to kill me.
 
Yep, for sure. I have had the cough for over 2 years now.
Get your doctor to try something else. The third tested med worked for ā€œthe birdieā€. ;)
 
I'm not a Dr but I was on BP meds for about 8 years, four different ones, sometimes a combination of two at the same time. I'll skip details that I'd be willing to share if needed. There are entire web-boards dedicated to BP meds that are by and for folks for whom BP pharmaceuticals seem to do more harm than good. Two points: the "Experts" recommendations for what is "normal" fluctuate. Also, mine is now well controlled with daily intake of Dandelion Tea, Lemons, and Cocoa rather than pills. All of these are natural diuretics. The electronic cuffs I have (Omron BP742 and ChoiceMMed BP10) were consistent and durable but do read high compared to a stethoscope and manual cuff.
 
Get your doctor to try something else. The third tested med worked for ā€œthe birdieā€. ;)


I have been on meds for years. Pretty much tried everything there is to try. Been thru the whole realm of side effects.

Seems everything you take to fix one thing screws up two more.
 
My wife's was 200/115 at the doctor today.
That was after they had her waiting in the car for nearly an hour past her appointment for a fasting blood draw.
She was just a little stressed. [emoji16]

Mine has been within a few points of 120/80 my entire life.
One time it was 96/60.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
 
I'm not a Dr but I was on BP meds for about 8 years, four different ones, sometimes a combination of two at the same time. I'll skip details that I'd be willing to share if needed. There are entire web-boards dedicated to BP meds that are by and for folks for whom BP pharmaceuticals seem to do more harm than good. Two points: the "Experts" recommendations for what is "normal" fluctuate. Also, mine is now well controlled with daily intake of Dandelion Tea, Lemons, and Cocoa rather than pills. All of these are natural diuretics. The electronic cuffs I have (Omron BP742 and ChoiceMMed BP10) were consistent and durable but do read high compared to a stethoscope and manual cuff.

There are a bunch of reasons one can get hypertension. Some are affected by homeopathics, some are not. Some will not budge without BP meds. Also, some OTC/homeopathic remedies do one thing (i.e., lower BP) at the sacrificing of something else; and, some OTCs/homeopathics can lead to bad side effects on prescribed meds.

I am all for NOT going on ANY meds if you can help it, but you need to go into it eyes wide open and asses risk vs benefits.
 
I ve had 2 different units from Amazon including an Omron and they both said I was high. Cuff fit was terrible and nothing like the big wrap around cuff at the dr office. I go to the Drs office and his says I'm nominal. I got him to change my BP meds to one without HCTZ and I have no idea if I'm high or low now because of the bat eating flu thing. Im supposed to go back week after July4. Just FYI. I'm 60 and been on low dose BP meds for 2 yrs. Hi BP, marginally high cholesterol, pre diabetic, enlarged prostate, etc...welcome to old age.
 
Anybody try Hawthorne Berries for hi BP?
 
intermittent fasting and low carb and you will need no meds.
Thank you guys. You guys are always great,
I forgot to mention I recently acquired sleep apnea.
I too think if I lose some weight and get this sleep issue under control I will be fine. I expect to take meds for one year and thats it. Then I should have my weight in line, /
 
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Up until I was 60 I was an Iron Man. After 3 cancer surgeries and 45 radiation treatments I'm still here. Now I got "da Sugar", takin a pill for that. At 72, if I go down as much in the 70-80 period as I did from 60-70, I might as well go on down to the funeral home an wait.
Going back to work tomorrow after being out since 17 March. I missed one day in the previous 30 years. I am excited about going back!!
Seriously, get right with yourself and decide what you will tolerate in your medical journey. I have done just that and every day is a miracle day. One foot ahead of the other and keepa goin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
If you get a digital, ask your doc if you can check it against their machine or a stethoscope, depending on what they use. I've had three that were anywhere from 5-15% +/-. That's the difference between decent and rotten readings. My hearing on the low and high end is pretty bad and I dang near didn't pass the EMT clinicals with a cuff and scope. Had to ask everybody to shut up LOLLOL.
 
intermittent fasting and low carb and you will need no meds.
Yeah, not so fast...

Speed version, REALLY high BP, diagnosed diabetic, triglycerides literally off the chart. Keto diet, lost 60 lbs, no longer diabetic, BP meds cut in half. Few months later, taken off BP meds.

Continued Keto for the next couple years on maintenance mode. Started having trouble, BP went to 190/120, back on BP meds and have been ever since, No weight gain. BP this morning was 112/72 which is getting a little low. Normally 118/74. The doc seems very happy with that. 120 she doesn't seem concerned about but much higher I'm getting the raised eyebrow.

I'm happy if it's below 140/80.
5'11" @170 lbs
Was @220
Lowest @160
 
Thank you guys. You guys are always great,
I forgot to mention I recently acquired sleep apnea.
I too think if I lose some weight and get this sleep issue under control I will be fine. I expect to take meds for one year and thats it. Then I should have my weight in line, /

Low carb diet was great, I really shed the pounds quickly. I had never dieted a day in my life and this was pretty easy. Google r/keto if your interested, great group of folks. The facebook keto folks are a bunch of nazis. Avoid them like the plague. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have. I've been on Keto since 08/2015. I still practice it, but have eased off some.

I totally cut out sugar, after a couple weeks, I didn't miss it at all. First few days were rough. Talk about an addiction, I had no idea. That was tough at first. Now I don't miss it at all.

Oh, I haven't had heartburn since I lost the weight / started keto. Before I was taking heartburn meds daily.
 
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