Blood Pressure Help

[stracci2000]

I wish I had some magic trick to get your blood pressure down Stracci.

I'll trade you a ring for a good low reading. Do you like yellow gold?

 

[Arcadian]

Well, the best way to do it is a Beta Blocker. Know anyone that has some?

You could try drinking dandelion root tea as its a natural diuretic. I did this when I was competing and lost water weight very quickly drinking roughly 3 cups a day + up to a gallon of water daily (I peed like a racehorse though) B complex is also good for helping to manage stress and certain B vitamins help manage blood pressure and aid water weight loss. I use Solaray Mega B Stress (4 tablets in the morning, 4 right before bed)

Lower salt, like really lower it. and drink water. Like good amounts daily. Magnesium could help but not sure how much time you have.

Omega 3's like fish oil also help. they are also natural blood thinners so be careful if you have a clotting problem.

But the quickest unfortunately is the one way that could kill you. beta blockers are serous business, but they do help with anxiety and do indeed lower BP for those that need it.


And also much as you hate hearing it, try to relax. the more you stress the worse it will be, and in the end, it makes it terrible for you.

there are things that are unfortunately beyond our control and this might be one of them.

 

[doberman]

For anxiety I take a low dose propranolol as needed. It's a beta blocker and part of the HTN drug protocol. I absolutely will not take benzodiazepines. You might discuss this with your PCP. My issue is these days the trend is to keep the BP very low and people fall as a result. Even the automatic machines at the drugstore have hopped on the low BP bandwagon. I got a 125/72 reading and it told me I was in risky territory, (over 120) which is ridiculous.

 

[Calliecake]

Oh my gosh @stracci2000 you have so many rings!!! The last time I had my blood pressure read at the doctors office (about a month ago) it was 97/58. I wish I could go to your appointment and say I was you.

I thought I read somewhere that it can be bad if your blood pressure is low when you are elderly. I have no idea if that is true.

 

[stracci2000]

Oh my gosh @stracci2000 you have so many rings!!! The last time I had my blood pressure read at the doctors office (about a month ago) it was 97/58. I wish I could go to your appointment and say I was you.

I thought I read somewhere that it can be bad if your blood pressure is low when you are elderly. I have no idea if that is true.

Wow, that's a low reading!
And you should see all my sterling rings. I have well over 200 rings, all together. And my collection keeps growing! So I can pay you in jewelry

 

[mrs-b]

Go to the blood bank and give blood the day before.

 

[Missy]

Stracci you have received some excellent advice and I just wanted to add my support for you and I hope the evaluation goes well. I have a very similar problem and it is called "White Coat Hypertension" and it is real to address what Doberman wrote. Your blood pressure can be fine most of the time but due to anxiety when one visits the doctor one's blood pressure can spike at that visit. It doesn't mean you have a blood pressure problem however.

As other have mentioned monitor yourself at home as that is the best way to see what you are under "normal" ordinary every day conditions. My physician had me get a blood pressure monitor and I am always low normal at home but in his office (or any physician's office) my blood pressure reading is high. Solely due to my anxiety level increasing the blood pressure reading at that visit. Most of the time I am 105/70 with a resting pulse of 54 or so. However at the doctor's office it can go to 150/95 with a pulse of 70!


Good luck and fingers crossed it goes well for you.

 

[House Cat]

I take a supplement called triphala. I don't actually take it for blood pressure, I started taking it because my meds cause other issues with my blood and body.

This supplement is very old. It is an Ayurvedic supplement. It's three fruits combined. It purifies the blood, helps with bowel irregularity, helps with blood pressure, and many other things. You will have to look it up. The only thing, I'm not sure how long you have to take it to see the effect. It is a powerhouse though.

My bp is 100/60. My triglycerides are 53. My cholesterol was 105? Everything went down when I started taking it.

I feel that it is a good supplement to take on a regular basis, along with a very, very good omega 3. For that, you need to make sure it is high in DHA and EPA, Jarrow makes one that is a good buy for the money. It's called EPA-DHA balance. There are Omega 3's that have higher levels but they get significantly more expensive, from what I have seen.

Oh, and I take triphala pills. I do NOT make a drink out of the powder. The idea of that scares me to death. Yuck!

 

[smitcompton]

Hi Stracci,

I like to have an alternative action to relieve my stresses. You are concerned about paying for the added premium of 200.00 so I'd suggest you consider selling some of the gold rings you have shown to make up for the added cost if it becomes necessary. It may not be ideal but you could do that. So, lets relax and forget about it for a while.
I suggest orange juice, low salt, but don't be dehydrated the day of your visit. Please don't dwell on this. Have some laughs.

Annette

 

[stracci2000]

You are all making me feel so much better!

 

[luv2sparkle]

Stracci, I would give up carbs and sugar for the week. Your blood pressure should reduce immediately.
Avoid coffee and do a little cardio in the morning, like taking a walk.

 

[stracci2000]

Stracci, I would give up carbs and sugar for the week. Your blood pressure should reduce immediately.
Avoid coffee and do a little cardio in the morning, like taking a walk.

But carbs and pasta are my favorite food groups!
I probably eat way too much pasta anyway.
I have some nice romaine lettuce in the fridge now, so it'll be salads all week!

 

[TooPatient]

Start yoga! Look for a $10 for 10 lessons deal or even some free around town. Yoga helps with stress, heart rate, and bp. Just make sure you do meditation only the morning of your appointment. Then do meditation as best you can while they take a reading.

 

[stracci2000]

Hi Stracci,

I like to have an alternative action to relieve my stresses. You are concerned about paying for the added premium of 200.00 so I'd suggest you consider selling some of the gold rings you have shown to make up for the added cost if it becomes necessary. It may not be ideal but you could do that. So, lets relax and forget about it for a while.
I suggest orange juice, low salt, but don't be dehydrated the day of your visit. Please don't dwell on this. Have some laughs.

Annette

Thank you, I needed to hear this, Smitcompton!
I'm just gonna just let it all ride, and try to calm down.
I'll just add more office supplies to my company expense account to make up the difference, LOL!
The $200 will not break me, it's just the principle of the whole thing.

 

[Arkteia]

I would not check the BP ten times a day, but check it once daily, after a potentially stressful event (after driving home, or an unpleasant conversation). You want to know how high your BP might get after daily stress.

In the doctor's office, ask them to try both arms. Sometimes there might be a difference.

Other advices are all great. I, too would second a beta-blocker. I don't know if baby aspirin would lower BP (likely, not), but it does not hurt in general unless aspirin is contraindicated for some other reasons.

I also would drive to the doctor's office well in advance and sit in his office for a while before the appointment.

 

[valeria101]

Nevermind the scam ...

Go to the blood bank and give blood the day before.

This.

 

[marymm]

Also, usually they take your BP first thing ... let them,but at the very end of the appointment, ask that they take it again ... once the appt is basically over and you know you're about to head out the door, you may be less anxious and thus more relaxed ... worth a try.

 

[Missy]

@stracci2000 thinking of you and wondering how it went. Hoping it’s good news!

 

[stracci2000]

@stracci2000 thinking of you and wondering how it went. Hoping it’s good news!

Ahh, Missy, you are so sweet!
As it turns out, I tried really hard to calm down at that last visit. The threshhold was 135/85. My BP that day was 133/89. So I missed the bottom number by 4 points.
Also, the LDL Cholesterol threshhold was 120, and I scored 121. So I missed these 2 discounts on my healthcare.
This means I get 12.00 less per paycheck.
This may not seem like much, but it makes me so mad!
Ironically, I won $170 in an incentive for those who signed up early for the 2018 benefits. So they kind of redeemed themselves in the end!
I have since decided to just let it go, and ultimately I feel better in the end. I cannot control everything.