Re:Is there a Doctor in the house

My blood pressure is out of control and I think I'm dying can someone please answer a few questions for me

Thanks, Glan

reply to post by glan


I don't know much about blood pressure, so I think you should see a doctor.
I heard eating an onion can bring it down!

I went to the hospital they monitored me and it was only 176/128 (after 2 clonidine) and gave me an app't but it's not for another month. When I went to the hospital my BP was 240/140. Problem is I don't have insurance. I'm taking clonidine to keep it at 180/110. I"m getting a bit scared...I'll try the onion thing though thx for the advice.

I'm not typing correctly I'm trying though.'

bp was 240/140 I took 2 clonidine went to the hospital it was then 176/128 but I have to continue to keep taking these to keep it down I also got atenalo and this other med that I can't type but it's somthing about fluid with the heart

[edit on 29-9-2008 by glan]

Though the evidence is not conclusive, magnesium deficiency is closely correlated with Hypertension. Magnesium relaxes muscles and most people don't realize that Insulin stores magnesium. When your cells become Insulin Resistant, you loose magnesium and your blood vessels constrict. Subsequently there is an increase in blood pressure.

Insulin also causes retention of sodium. Sodium retention causes high blood pressure and fluid retention which, of course, leads to congestive heart failure.

So, are you diabetic? If not, you should get tested to see if you are Insulin Resistant. I good step in the right direction would be to eat foods that control your blood glucose levels. You do this by limiting simple carbohydrates.

-Dev

One of the meds he gave me is hydrochlorothiazide. (it's something about water and the heart I think)

Does that mean anything to anyone?

[edit on 29-9-2008 by glan]

Heres some info on that drug,

en.wikipedia.org...


Please seek all medical advice from your own doctors and hospital. make sure you ask them what each thing you take is for and if you feel confused as your not feeling well then ask them to write it down for you so you can look over it later,

I hope you feel better soon, Rest and make sure you go to the docs if you are still not happy with the way that you feel,

Any advice given here is only that Advice, and in no way should actions be taken on words that you read here on ATS/ BTS



GET Well soon and please keep us updated on how your doing



[edit on 29-9-2008 by asala]

Thanks for the info Asala I really apprciate it. Confusion has been a symptom as well. I thank you for your post and if it's possible I'll update.

Thanks, Glan.

[edit on 29-9-2008 by glan]

Hi Glan,

I suffer from high blood pressure myself. I'm glad you went to the hospital, since you're unmedicated blood pressure was dangerously high. You could have had a stroke or heart attack. I'm not trying to scare you, but I had a hypertension crisis myself a few years ago, and my blood pressure was exactly like yours.

Hydroclorothiazide is a diuretic. It removes excess fluid from your body which is a cause of high blood pressure. It is usually the first course of treatment for high blood pressure.

Atenol is a beta blocker. It keeps your heart from beating too hard.

Please keep taking your meds. Even if you don't have insurance, HCTZ and atenol are very, very cheap. Look at places like Target and Walmart that have $4/month generic prescriptions.

Other things you want to consider for blood pressure management:

1. Lose weight if you're overweight. I'm still fighting that battle, but it's probably the single best thing one can do to lower high blood pressure.

2. Cut out sodium as much as possible. Excess sodium is what causes your body to retain fluids, which causes high blood pressure. The diuretic can't do it's job properly if there's too much sodium in your system.

3. Get plenty of potassium in your diet. Good potassium levels promote low blood pressure. Eat bananas, oranges, greens, etc.

4. Exercise is really important. When your heart gets exercise, it doesn't have to pump so hard to get blood around your body, lowering blood pressure. You blood vessels also get more elastic, which will help lower BP too.

5. Sleep apnea. If you snore a lot at night, you might have sleep apnea. I do. It's a condition where you stop breathing while you sleep, and your body must wake up in order to start breathing again. If it's left unchecked, it can be very dangerous, and definitely contributes to high blood pressue.

It will take a long time to get your blood pressure down. It took over a month, with a mix of hypertension drugs, to get mine to normal level. Other than diuretics and beta blockers, there are ACE inhibitors (which inhibit an enzyme that causes high blood pressure), calcium channel blockers (which block calcium from activating your heart pumping mechanism unduly), and other classes of drugs. Ask your doctor about these drugs. Sometimes it will take two or even three different drugs to regulate your blood pressure.

Good luck. High blood pressure can lead to a lot of complications, so keep up with your therapy.

you called for a doctor?

reply to post by Toromos


Thank you Toromos for your reply.

Last night I had to go back to urgent care. I had my mother take me and he really didn't do anything until I got upset in a nice way if that makes since then shook his hand told him I'm close to a stroke or death and walked out.

My mother stayed and talked to him after I walked out and then he gave her Benicar and that has really helped it actually got my BP to low but I'm on a lot of meds right now so that may play a part.

I'm not over weight I'm 5'11 and 190 I'm really scared to work out it seems when I even walk it goes up lately.

Others have said I need to stop using so much salt I LOVE salt, but I guess I have to slow it down a bit.

I'm only 33 and I should not be in this health situation.

I appreciate your response and anything else you can help me

One last thing I've eaten 1 small hamburger in 2 days did you have eating issues when your BP was out of control, I also have sleeping disorders lately, and extremely fatigued. Did you experience any of those?

Thanks, Glan

Originally posted by glan
reply to post by Toromos

 

One last thing I've eaten 1 small hamburger in 2 days did you have eating issues when your BP was out of control, I also have sleeping disorders lately, and extremely fatigued. Did you experience any of those?

Thanks, Glan

Very often hypertension has no specific cause. It's called essential hypertension, and some people have it. There are multiple ways to reduce one's blood pressure as I outlined, but sometimes even having done all that, people still have high blood pressure. If your parents and/or grandparents have it, it's very likely this is the root cause of your hypertension.

Definitely talk to a doctor about an exercise regimen. He'll tell you how far to push it. Until your blood pressure becomes normalized, I wouldn't push yourself too hard.

I have no real eating issues other than I like to eat. Cutting out the salt will be really important. I would start gradually, and try to eat low sodium versions of things you may eat now like soup. Anything processed like frozen dinners, soups, etc. will be loaded with sodium. Once you get used to eating a low sodium diet, you'll realize how salty so much processed and restaurant food really is. I can't stand regular canned soup now. Way too salty for me.

If you feel fatigued during the day, and you snore at night, there's a really good chance you could have sleep apnea. You'll need a doctor to order a sleep study to see if this is the case. You'll go to a clinic, and they'll hook you up with electrodes to monitor your breathing, heart rate, etc. I just had my sleep study, and they said my breathing was interrupted 38 times in one hour. That's definite sleep apnea.

When you fall asleep, the throat tissues around the back of your mouth relax. For some people, it partially blocks the airway. That's what snoring is. If they completely block the airway, your body wakes you up just enough to adjust your position so that you can breath. The problem is that you never get into a real deep sleep, and this affects both your blood pressure and other aspects of your health.

If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, the first course of treatment is to use a cpap machine. This is a device where a mask fits over your nose, and continually blows air down your windpipe. It keeps the airway open while you sleep. I've already tried it, and it's not nearly as cumbersome as you imagine. Plus, I got the first really solid sleep I've had in years. It makes a remarkable difference.

Good luck again. It's good you're taking your BP seriously, since it affects so much of your health later on.

just a note on the salt isssue, Do ou guys have LO-salt there? Its pretty much the same but just less than normal salt, May be worth switching.. have a look in our local store,

reply to post by Toromos


My neighbor just got diagnosed sleep apnea, and I just asked my son if I snore and he said sometimes.

I LOVE to eat and cook as well

When my BP gets real high I feel like I'm dieing or having a stroke that's only when it get's real high 200+/125+ I have a Doctor's appt tomorrow we called them and told them I need to get in ASAP so they changed it from 10/20/08 to tomorrow so I hope they can help.

To the Guy the that posted about Low sodium I am a bit screwed up and can't remember your name but that was a very good suggestion and I will do that thank you.

Thank you both for your kind responses, Glan

My right eye is REAL red and leaking real bad what does that mean?

Ever wonder why exercise works? Or why you're suggesting lowering sodium intake?

Obviously sodium retention causes water retention. Does that mean we should eliminate sodium completely. No. Using the same logic, which many doctors do, people with a high risk of heart disease should avoid cholesterol altogether. Plenty of studies show that eating dietary cholesterol doesn't increase serum cholesterol. Simply reducing sodium intake will not decrease sodium retention. There is a reason why you're retaining it, and it's not due to overexposure.

Look at calcium. Someone with a calcium deficiency wouldn't benefit from increased dietary calcium, most of the time. In fact, increasing calcium can be damaging. The problem is they can't absorb it. Can't retain it. The body simply flushes it out or stores it in places that don't need it.

Why? What is keeping the body from retaining or excreting certain nutrients? In the case of sodium and calcium, it's Insulin. Insulin stores excess nutrients and when Insulin is too high, Insulin Resistance, it stores too much. Sodium is retained. Fluid Retention occurs and Hypertension ensues. Insulin has the opposite effect on Calcium, which is, it adversely affects calcium absorption. Insulin also inhibits magnesium absorption, as I mentioned earlier.

So, increasing calcium intake doesn't neccesarily increase absorption and decreasing sodium intake doesn't neccesarily decrease retention.

To my first quesiton, why does exercise help lower hypertension? Exercise increases Insulin sensitvity. That means less serum Insulin levels. Less Insulin=Less sodium retention and more magnesium absorption.

So the answer really is simple. Controll your Serum Insulin levels by controlling blood glucose levels. Eat less processed carbs.

-Dev

[edit on 30-9-2008 by DevolutionEvolvd]

Uhhh heheh what

thx for the reply but that is a bit complicated for me at this time I'll have to read it tomorrow

I appreciate it though thx bud

reply to post by glan


Sorry, I tend to do that sometimes. What I'm saying is, try to exercise a little more and eat less processed foods(i.e., Bread, pasta, sugar, grains, and even potatos)

Keep your blood sugar levels down and your activity level up.

-Dev

reply to post by DevolutionEvolvd


My problem is I can't walk without my BP going up...I'm scared I'm going to have a hear attack I"m a single father of 3 wonderful children.

Glan, is your eye just red, like with allergies, or does it look like blood vessels have ruptured? I would really get to a hospital now if I were you.

I'm not a physician so I'm not familiar with the correlation of insulin with hypertension, but by all means have your doctor screen you for insulin issues too. I've had my blood tested a lot and don't seem to have any insulin issues, so I don't know much about forms of treatment that center on it.

As far as exercise and your BP, everyone's BP goes up when they exercise. Once you get yours in a safe range, you'll be able to walk without worry.

Hi Glan I'm sorry you are having problems.

It is very hard to stop using salt all at once. Try changing to sea salt It has less sodium and it not as harmful. Still not good for you but not as bad as regular table salt.

In your last post you wrote a word that I believe could be making you feel worse. You said you were scared.

When you get scared you might be developing a bit of anxiety. That in itself could cause your BP to rise.

Please do seek care if you feel you need it again.