Blood pressure tablets
Discussion
grumbledoak said:
Those 24 hour monitors are dreadful. It is impossible to relax or sleep with the little f
ker going off on one every fifteen minutes. I don't know how anyone expects a representative reading out of them. Maybe that is the aim.
My experience with the pills was a selection that did nothing (Cozaar, Cozaar Comp), some that caused insufferable tingling of the head (Candesartan), and a brief foray into statins which boxed my kidneys and damaged my eyes and God knows what else that they cannot see or don't check for, until finally lifestyle changes and low dose of Felodipine.
I would recommend the lifestyle changes.
I have to disagree. The monitor goes off every 15-20 mins during the day but you soon get used to it and can easily ignore it much of the time (the readings will drop down as you become more relaxed/bored with the thing). It only operates at hourly intervals overnight and it really isn't much of an inconvenience. You end up with a fair average BP reading for day and night which gives a reasonable indication of your need for further medication (or not).ker going off on one every fifteen minutes. I don't know how anyone expects a representative reading out of them. Maybe that is the aim.My experience with the pills was a selection that did nothing (Cozaar, Cozaar Comp), some that caused insufferable tingling of the head (Candesartan), and a brief foray into statins which boxed my kidneys and damaged my eyes and God knows what else that they cannot see or don't check for, until finally lifestyle changes and low dose of Felodipine.
I would recommend the lifestyle changes.
Lifestyle improvements will always help, particularly reducing weight. More exercise will be useful but, in my personal opinion, losing weight is the most important issue. Obviously, I'm assuming that the food/drink intake is already good.
Robertj21a said:
Lifestyle improvements will always help, particularly reducing weight. More exercise will be useful but, in my personal opinion, losing weight is the most important issue. Obviously, I'm assuming that the food/drink intake is already good.
If food and drink was good, then there wouldn't be a problem in the first place.It's realising what is actually good food - and it's not what most people are eating.
LordGrover said:
Robertj21a said:
Lifestyle improvements will always help, particularly reducing weight. More exercise will be useful but, in my personal opinion, losing weight is the most important issue. Obviously, I'm assuming that the food/drink intake is already good.
If food and drink was good, then there wouldn't be a problem in the first place.It's realising what is actually good food - and it's not what most people are eating.
Benton said:
I'm due to have the 24 hour BP monitor fitted towards the end of the month. Was found to have high blood pressure when visiting the docs about 18 months ago, figure around 150/90, though it tends to be a good bit lower at home (hate going to see the Dr - nice though he is). I was offered the monitor at that time but didn't take it up. Since then, I've been trying to eat better, exercise more and manage stress more effectively, though I wasn't starting from a bad baseline. I'm 37, 5ft 10", about 11.5 stone currently.
I'm fairly terrified about taking meds but realise I may need them. Has anyone had problems with their car insurance over taking such medication? If I couldn't drive for a time then I'd likely lose my job, which is unsurprisingly adding to my angst over the whole thing.
Don’t feel bad, there’s nothing to it. I was in exactly the same position as you 2 years ago. I’m about 2 stone overweight which I’m trying to remedy by cutting down on booze. Currently on 25mg Lozartan which I take once a day with no side effects apart from an occasional cough (quite normal). High blood pressure runs in my family so not entirely surprised. I look at it as an insurance policy against a stroke or early death. I'm fairly terrified about taking meds but realise I may need them. Has anyone had problems with their car insurance over taking such medication? If I couldn't drive for a time then I'd likely lose my job, which is unsurprisingly adding to my angst over the whole thing.
24 hour heart monitor is annoying but it’s only for errr.... 24 hours so not really. I worked from hone for the day when I wore mine.
Also get a blood pressure monitor of your own so you can keep an eye on things. Other than that, try to be healthy and keep taking the tablets!
LordGrover said:
If food and drink was good, then there wouldn't be a problem in the first place.
It's realising what is actually good food - and it's not what most people are eating.
Pfft. Inflammatory and nutritionally deficient diet sir? There’s a drug for that! It's realising what is actually good food - and it's not what most people are eating.
I’m partially jesting of course, and you can probably guess that I agree heartily with you. Particularly the second sentence
grumbledoak said:
I would aim to get so healthy that you don't need the blood pressure monitor or the tablets.
I have a monitor and check my blood pressure around once a month on a lazy Sunday morning just as a reality check. It’s always far below 120/80 but I keep my toe in anyway as I’m allegedly at high risk of hypertension 
I agree about the 24h devices being easy to live with, and they are worthwhile if they give a more accurate measure of your 'actual' BP. I have been white-coat hypertensive for ever, even when I measure it myself. I have to actively relax before using the instrument or it will read stupidly high numbers. The 24h thing got the health Stazi off my back by returning quite decent figures on average over the 24h. An old friend of mine was driving herself nuts over her doctor's figures until I recommended her to have a monitor. She was absolutely fine and thanked me profusely for the advice. She's 12,000 miles away in Hobart so the gratitude was 'virtual' for those with active imaginations!
grumbledoak said:
I would aim to get so healthy that you don't need the blood pressure monitor or the tablets.
Mine's hereditary, so health doesn't really come into it. It was first picked up when I was in my 20's and actually very healthy. Blood pressure monitor at home can be a good idea too. I have a bit of white coat syndrome and my bp tends to shoot up as soon as I go near a doctors or hospital.motco said:
I agree about the 24h devices being easy to live with, and they are worthwhile if they give a more accurate measure of your 'actual' BP. I have been white-coat hypertensive for ever, even when I measure it myself. I have to actively relax before using the instrument or it will read stupidly high numbers. The 24h thing got the health Stazi off my back by returning quite decent figures on average over the 24h. An old friend of mine was driving herself nuts over her doctor's figures until I recommended her to have a monitor. She was absolutely fine and thanked me profusely for the advice. She's 12,000 miles away in Hobart so the gratitude was 'virtual' for those with active imaginations!
Wholeheartedly agree. I was allegedly hypertensive when diagnosed with diabetes, but (owning my own monitor) I insisted that it was just white coat syndrome. 24h monitor confirmed no hypertension. Definitely worthy of consideration before succumbing to the usual pill-popping fix for any symptom these days ikeepbuyingd5s said:
So I spend quite a lot of time prescribing these - interesting discussion. My 2p below - conflict of interest - I do feel strongly about treating high blood pressure...
1) Unless your BP is really high, taking the tablets won't make you feel any better as most people don't notice anything when they have high blood pressure. This is about preventing future events (and particularly stroke).
2) The risk of cardiovascular disease (and specifically stroke) goes up very steeply with blood pressure so even small decreases in BP are worth it. I would (and will when the time comes) happily take a drug that reduced my stroke risk by even a small amount.
3) Lifestyle measures are always worthwhile but unless your lifestyle is really poor at baseline it probably won't make a big enough difference to avoid tablets for many patients in the long-term.
4) Therefore needing treatment isn't defeat. Nor is needing more than 1 tablet (I have patients taking 4 or 5...)
5) The way side-effect leaflets are generated isn't particularly scientific - patients in studies are asked to note down anything they notice. This is a key part of making sure drugs are safe and monitoring them. Problem is this - as a bloke in my late 30s, not a couple of days go by without some odd twinge or ache. It might only last a few seconds and I don't write it down. But if I was asked to write down everything that happens, I'll quickly have a long list of an aching knee (monday evening), itchy ear (tuesday morning), watery eye (wednesday lunchtime) etc. If I was in a trial all this would get written down and form a list of things to accompany the drug. Actually what is more scientific is to look at what the symptoms are in patients in a trial getting the drug and subtract the symptoms from people getting a placebo (fake drug) but this isn't what generally happens despite this being the symptoms due to the tablet.
6) Which tablet you take is less important than getting the BP down - i.e. it is the result not the mechanism - though we have protocols for which we think are most effective. So asking for a different tablet if one doesn't agree with you is a very reasonable strategy.
Some excellent information here. To the OP, take a look at the British Blood Pressure Association website for more good info and suggestions for lifestyle changes. If you are borderline, then you will probably be started on ACE inhibitors. These gave me a slight ticklish cough. I managed this by sipping water when it occurred.1) Unless your BP is really high, taking the tablets won't make you feel any better as most people don't notice anything when they have high blood pressure. This is about preventing future events (and particularly stroke).
2) The risk of cardiovascular disease (and specifically stroke) goes up very steeply with blood pressure so even small decreases in BP are worth it. I would (and will when the time comes) happily take a drug that reduced my stroke risk by even a small amount.
3) Lifestyle measures are always worthwhile but unless your lifestyle is really poor at baseline it probably won't make a big enough difference to avoid tablets for many patients in the long-term.
4) Therefore needing treatment isn't defeat. Nor is needing more than 1 tablet (I have patients taking 4 or 5...)
5) The way side-effect leaflets are generated isn't particularly scientific - patients in studies are asked to note down anything they notice. This is a key part of making sure drugs are safe and monitoring them. Problem is this - as a bloke in my late 30s, not a couple of days go by without some odd twinge or ache. It might only last a few seconds and I don't write it down. But if I was asked to write down everything that happens, I'll quickly have a long list of an aching knee (monday evening), itchy ear (tuesday morning), watery eye (wednesday lunchtime) etc. If I was in a trial all this would get written down and form a list of things to accompany the drug. Actually what is more scientific is to look at what the symptoms are in patients in a trial getting the drug and subtract the symptoms from people getting a placebo (fake drug) but this isn't what generally happens despite this being the symptoms due to the tablet.
6) Which tablet you take is less important than getting the BP down - i.e. it is the result not the mechanism - though we have protocols for which we think are most effective. So asking for a different tablet if one doesn't agree with you is a very reasonable strategy.
Kenny Powers said:
I have a monitor and check my blood pressure around once a month on a lazy Sunday morning just as a reality check. It’s always far below 120/80 but I keep my toe in anyway as I’m allegedly at high risk of hypertension
I love your casuality. I imagine you strolling around your courtyard in natural wools, a squirrel runs across your path and you chuckle to no one in particular as you chew on a piece of straw, it’s not a bad old life is it?
You pick up a lovely flat stone, that’s gently rounded by years of water gently lapping against it and feel its contours and smoothness under your fingers then deftly skim it across a lake and a heron lands on a fallen trunk across the way from you. You study it briefly, a small smile on your lips and you wonder it where it’s been and where it’ll be this time tomorrow before then opening your cloth haversack and gently fixing the cuff of the Omron M6 to your arm. 118/73. That’ll do, you chuckle to yourself, that’ll do.
Cutting back on caffeine made a big difference with mine.
Got flagged at a medical that it was high 155/84 so decided to get myself a monitor as the doctor also had me being a bit high the last time I was in.
I only drink either from a coffee shop or my own bean to cup machine so they are quite strong.
I’ve cut back from sometime 3-4 a day to now 1-2 and my BP has been steadily dropping checked it earlier and I was 128/73. I’ve been trying to eat a bit better and exercise to try and help but that’s been a decent difference in only a week.
Got flagged at a medical that it was high 155/84 so decided to get myself a monitor as the doctor also had me being a bit high the last time I was in.
I only drink either from a coffee shop or my own bean to cup machine so they are quite strong.
I’ve cut back from sometime 3-4 a day to now 1-2 and my BP has been steadily dropping checked it earlier and I was 128/73. I’ve been trying to eat a bit better and exercise to try and help but that’s been a decent difference in only a week.
Have been on Ramipril for 2 1/2 years now, can only take take one brand now without getting side effects. Have bad White coat so only take BP at home.Im told mines hereditary as cholesterol and weight ect are all good!
I’m going to doctors at end of month hopefully to go on different BP pills.
I’m going to doctors at end of month hopefully to go on different BP pills.
Some great info here, thanks to those who responded to my slightly panicked post!
I had the 24 hour monitor just over a week ago, due to see the Dr next week to discuss the results. I found that, while I wouldn't say I managed to relax with the thing fitted, it wasn't as bad as I feared.
Just to address the lifestyle question, I hardly drink any alcohol, don't smoke, exercise regularly and am pretty much in the middle of normal on the BMI scale. My only real vice is that I have a bit of a sweet tooth now and then but I have cut down on that recently, too. Good call on the coffee, have been keeping an eye my consumption and have switched anything over one or two cups a day to decaf.
I had the 24 hour monitor just over a week ago, due to see the Dr next week to discuss the results. I found that, while I wouldn't say I managed to relax with the thing fitted, it wasn't as bad as I feared.
Just to address the lifestyle question, I hardly drink any alcohol, don't smoke, exercise regularly and am pretty much in the middle of normal on the BMI scale. My only real vice is that I have a bit of a sweet tooth now and then but I have cut down on that recently, too. Good call on the coffee, have been keeping an eye my consumption and have switched anything over one or two cups a day to decaf.
Rather late update on this from me, my apologies.
It was a couple of weeks before I managed to get back to the docs for a follow up appointment after the 24hr monitor late last year. Essentially, the results showed that my BP was high when at the doctors surgery, fell quickly after I'd left and remained at reasonable levels throughout the rest of the monitored period. My Dr noted that I clearly suffered from "white coat hypertension" and assured me that aside from this all looked ok. He showed me the results on the computer in graph form and, apart from the period of time I was at the surgery, the levels were within "normal range" .
Fair to say I pretty much pat my shants over the whole thing but would recommend anyone who needs the monitor to just get it done. You may be pleasantly surprised, but if you end up taking tablets then that is better than the potential alternative.
It was a couple of weeks before I managed to get back to the docs for a follow up appointment after the 24hr monitor late last year. Essentially, the results showed that my BP was high when at the doctors surgery, fell quickly after I'd left and remained at reasonable levels throughout the rest of the monitored period. My Dr noted that I clearly suffered from "white coat hypertension" and assured me that aside from this all looked ok. He showed me the results on the computer in graph form and, apart from the period of time I was at the surgery, the levels were within "normal range" .
Fair to say I pretty much pat my shants over the whole thing but would recommend anyone who needs the monitor to just get it done. You may be pleasantly surprised, but if you end up taking tablets then that is better than the potential alternative.
Benton said:
Rather late update on this from me, my apologies.
It was a couple of weeks before I managed to get back to the docs for a follow up appointment after the 24hr monitor late last year. Essentially, the results showed that my BP was high when at the doctors surgery, fell quickly after I'd left and remained at reasonable levels throughout the rest of the monitored period. My Dr noted that I clearly suffered from "white coat hypertension" and assured me that aside from this all looked ok. He showed me the results on the computer in graph form and, apart from the period of time I was at the surgery, the levels were within "normal range" .
Fair to say I pretty much pat my shants over the whole thing but would recommend anyone who needs the monitor to just get it done. You may be pleasantly surprised, but if you end up taking tablets then that is better than the potential alternative.
Worthwhile update, thanks for that. It was a couple of weeks before I managed to get back to the docs for a follow up appointment after the 24hr monitor late last year. Essentially, the results showed that my BP was high when at the doctors surgery, fell quickly after I'd left and remained at reasonable levels throughout the rest of the monitored period. My Dr noted that I clearly suffered from "white coat hypertension" and assured me that aside from this all looked ok. He showed me the results on the computer in graph form and, apart from the period of time I was at the surgery, the levels were within "normal range" .
Fair to say I pretty much pat my shants over the whole thing but would recommend anyone who needs the monitor to just get it done. You may be pleasantly surprised, but if you end up taking tablets then that is better than the potential alternative.
I think many people suffer from White Coat syndrome - it's a very well known condition (even the nurse at my GP suffers from it !) and can be quickly discounted once BP measurements are taken in different circumstances.
Benton said:
Rather late update on this from me, my apologies.
It was a couple of weeks before I managed to get back to the docs for a follow up appointment after the 24hr monitor late last year. Essentially, the results showed that my BP was high when at the doctors surgery, fell quickly after I'd left and remained at reasonable levels throughout the rest of the monitored period. My Dr noted that I clearly suffered from "white coat hypertension" and assured me that aside from this all looked ok. He showed me the results on the computer in graph form and, apart from the period of time I was at the surgery, the levels were within "normal range" .
Fair to say I pretty much pat my shants over the whole thing but would recommend anyone who needs the monitor to just get it done. You may be pleasantly surprised, but if you end up taking tablets then that is better than the potential alternative.
Couldn't agree more.It was a couple of weeks before I managed to get back to the docs for a follow up appointment after the 24hr monitor late last year. Essentially, the results showed that my BP was high when at the doctors surgery, fell quickly after I'd left and remained at reasonable levels throughout the rest of the monitored period. My Dr noted that I clearly suffered from "white coat hypertension" and assured me that aside from this all looked ok. He showed me the results on the computer in graph form and, apart from the period of time I was at the surgery, the levels were within "normal range" .
Fair to say I pretty much pat my shants over the whole thing but would recommend anyone who needs the monitor to just get it done. You may be pleasantly surprised, but if you end up taking tablets then that is better than the potential alternative.
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