Blood Pressure

[MRG]

I think Suze generally suggests you get the highest numbers possible, so just keep working. [emoji23]

OTOH, the Omron line of BP monitors are usually regarded as pretty good.

Thanks. Doesn't help if neither is calibrated.

 

[RAE]

Personally I do not have the expertise nor the inclination to wade into the various studies and opinions to arrive at a conclusion on BP meds.

That's fine, but some of us actually do have the inclination to do so, when the need arises. To me, there is nothing more important than my health, so I'll spend the time to do whatever research I need to do to get all the information I need to make an informed decision. Your doctor's advice is certainly one thing to consider, but I would never just follow my doc's advice blindly regarding starting on a new medication (in a non-urgent situation like this) without looking into it myself.

 

[Car-Guy]

I have been on 25 mg metoprolol once a day for 9 years and for me it is terrific. The fact that it's a generic (and very cheap) is pleasing.

I've been taking 50mg of Toprol XL for well over a decade now and have tried to switch to one of the generic''s (metoprolol succinate) a couple of times over the years and found it just doesn't work for me. I can actually tell the difference within a week. Recently my drug plan informed me that I'd need to try one of the generics "again" and "then" get a letter from my doctor saying it would not work for me or they would no longer pay for the brand name. I've told them (and documented) "my history/story" but they still insist.

I wish I could take the generic formulation since it is "a lot" cheaper.

Seems to me like they are experimenting with my health to save them a few dollars. Like I'm surprised!

 

[PoorOldCountryBoy]

I was not asking for medical advice from this community, I just wanted some other people's personal experiences with this new BP study. There are physicians and other health care providers on this forum and I appreciate their thoughts. I am not going to ignore my doctor's advice. I am taking steps to reduce my BP (did get some good suggestions on non drug methods to reduce BP from this Forum). If that does not work I will reluctantly try medication. I am just skeptical of these "studies" that come out frequently changing the rules. I am not going to blindly start taking a medication with a lot of side effects without giving it some research.

A female relative did not take BP medication until she went to the doctor and it was in hypertensive crisis (300/180 - not a typo). Pacemaker and pills for her gave her another 20+ years of good life, although the pills were "yucky", she knew she needed them.

The bottom line is you need to watch it weekly if not more regularly as you get older, especially if you decide not to take the medication. You don't need to panic but don't be in denial either. Good luck!

 

[harllee]

OP here. Having good results with BP taken at home. I have started drinking some beet juice every day (watch out --beet juice turned my stool and urine reddish color, scary but looked it up and this is normal) and I have been doing some meditation and deep breathing exercises. I have also reduced stress level, I think my identity theft issue is resolved for now (after 3 months of constant issues). I have NOT started taking BP medicine.

Anyway, my BP has dropped every day and today it is at the magic 120/80! If this continues I will ask my doctor to reconsider his advice I start BP medicine.

Interesting note about my mother age 88. She has had high BP many many years (much higher than mine) and takes several BP medicines. She has been feeling awful over the past year--dizzy, tired, light headed, etc she said life was not worth living. After many tests her doctor finally reduced her BP medicine. In only a couple of weeks she feels much better, she told me this morning life was worth living again and she is back doing all her activities. Of course her BP is creeping up. But she says she is never going back to the high dose of BP medicine. She said what is the use of living to 90 if you feel awful all the time. i had to agree.

 

[Chuckanut]

FWIW, my mother took blood pressure meds for the last 30 years of her life. She lived to be 92.

 

[MRG]

Dizzy really stinks. I hate dizzy. Spent a whole year dizzy. The dizzy I have today isn't like my '13-'14 adventures. That solution involved my PCP, a Nuerologist and a balance therapist. Took months to get a diagnosis, multiple CT's and all kinds of other testing. The balance therapy was almost worse than the dizziness.

Of course there's many reasons for dizzy, hypotension can be one of them.

 

[youbet]

I don't think there is anything more authoritative than a Cochrane report.

Then you haven't listened to my DW 'splain something to me. She's much, much more authoritative than a Cochrane report and the 'splaining always ends with me understanding that her way is indeed the correct way.

 

[Amethyst]

Oh, dear. I hope it's just that she has a lot of facts at her command, and not as bossy and domineering as you made it sound.

Then you haven't listened to my DW 'splain something to me. She's much, much more authoritative than a Cochrane report and the 'splaining always ends with me understanding that her way is indeed the correct way.

 

[Chuckanut]

So, you see, the matter is not settled. It is very likely that millions of people are being treated with no benefit, other than psychological.

Reminds me of the statin calculator that came out a few years ago. No matter how good the numbers I entered into it, the thing wanted me on a statin due to my age. I could have had the best lipid panel west of the Pecos and the darn thing wanted me to take a statin.

Using the NNT site, I found out that statins don't really do much for people without diagnosed CVD.

 

[Chuckanut]

AHA protocol for proper measuring of BP than I, but my experience is the doc and nurses violate some or all the guidelines. I can not recall any of them waiting for you to have 5 minutes of quite time--(hey that is a third of your allotted time). Rarely do they take two or more readings and often do not make sure your elbow is heart level. Common to have them take while you are sitting on the exam table with feet freely swinging.
See http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@hcm/documents/downloadable/ucm_445846.pdf for the "correct" way for blood pressure to be taken. Your 140 could just be poor measurement practices. A great reason to take your own at home by the rules.

I have never had my BP taken using all those protocols.

 

[nwsteve]

I have never had my BP taken using all those protocols.

Few have--it hard to figure that the medical community sometimes. They emphasize a particular reading and then are cavalier with how they measure it.
I recently paid my PC doc a visit for a severe cold and got a high reading--of course, I had been "hopped up" on decongestants for several days, have White Coat so pegged a higher number than usual. I purposely measured my own BP before going and got almost 20 pts lower.
I had an angiogram a year ago to satisfy the doc that my readings were more their process and my WC and got clean bill. Another option.

 

[kitesurfer2]

Get on blood pressure medication and get on with your life.

that's not my theory. She is in good health and nothing has changed except for her doctors recommendation. Doctors make a huge amount of money off the prescriptions they write. healthy living beats a pill every day!

 

[street]

I have read most of the posts but has anyone took a baby aspirin everyday. Does anyone have any input of this?

 

[Car-Guy]

Then you haven't listened to my DW 'splain something to me. She's much, much more authoritative than a Cochrane report and the 'splaining always ends with me understanding that her way is indeed the correct way.

My DW must be her twin, or at least she has read the same books.

 

[audreyh1]

that's not my theory. She is in good health and nothing has changed except for her doctors recommendation. Doctors make a huge amount of money off the prescriptions they write. healthy living beats a pill every day!

How do doctors make money off the prescriptions they write?

 

[Car-Guy]

How do doctors make money off the prescriptions they write?

A doctor I was seeing once said he would only write scripts for 6 mos and not a year at a time. When asked why, his response was, because you won't come back to see me but once a year. When I'd come back to see him he'd "usually" just talk to me for ~5 mins (no tests) and hand me a new script, and a bill for an office visit (Back in the days of paper scripts)

My "new" doctor will write my scripts for a year at a time and doesn't try to force me back into his office for refills. I can make a request for refills on line. I'm sure (suspect) it depends on your condition(s) and the drugs that are being prescribed.

 

[audreyh1]

A doctor I was seeing once said he would only write scripts for 6 mos and not a year at a time. When asked why, his response was, because you won't come back to see me but once a year. When I'd come back to see him he'd "usually" just talk to me for ~5 mins (no tests) and hand me a new script, and a bill for an office visit (Back in the days of paper scripts)

My "new" doctor will write my scripts for a year at a time and doesn't try to force me back into his office for refills. I can make a request for refills on line. I'm sure (suspect) it depends on your condition(s) and the drugs that are being prescribed.

OK - sure they make you come back for another visit or two a year.

There are many drugs where you should be monitored more closely then once a year, so I don’t consider that unreasonable.

I thought the implication was that the doctors were getting kickbacks from writing the prescriptions.

 

[harley]

I have read most of the posts but has anyone took a baby aspirin everyday. Does anyone have any input of this?

Most recent studies show that a baby aspirin everyday can be helpful IF you've already got heart issues and are not at risk for internal bleeding. If you don't already have CVD it's probably not a good idea. Even baby aspirin has side effects.

It's actually one of the questions I asked doctors while I was trying to find my new PCP. It helped me determine how up they were on recent medical recommendations. Most said to take it. I went with the one that gave me the explanation above.

 

[Car-Guy]

OK - sure they make you come back for another visit or two a year. There are many drugs where you should be monitored more closely then once a year, so I don’t consider that unreasonable.

Agree, and that's why I said it depends on what conditions you have and what is being prescribed.

I thought the implication was that the doctors were getting kickbacks from writing the prescriptions.

That's what I thought the "direct" implication was too, but I don't think that is the case. But who really knows in all cases....

 

[MRG]

OK - sure they make you come back for another visit or two a year.

There are many drugs where you should be monitored more closely then once a year, so I don’t consider that unreasonable.

I thought the implication was that the doctors were getting kickbacks from writing the prescriptions.

Yes things change. The same exact atenolol I took in 1995 almost killed me in 2005. I lost some weight and it was working too well.

Think it's called good medicine when your doc proactively tries to help.

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

Harllee, would you consider Chamomile tea? I have made a cup when my BP was acting up. It helped, it did. Something to think about , if you haven't already.

 

[RAE]

I have read most of the posts but has anyone took a baby aspirin everyday. Does anyone have any input of this?

Yes, I've been taking a baby aspirin (81mg) every day for a couple years now, and plan to continue. I take it primarily because a lot of studies have shown that aspirin significantly reduces the risk of many cancers, particularly colorectal, prostate, and other GI-related cancers. Yes, there is a minor risk of GI bleeding when you take aspirin, but the studies I've reviewed conclude that that risk is pretty small..........perhaps an additional two persons per thousand will have GI bleeding issues with aspirin. I am willing to take that risk as the anti-cancer benefits are quite significant.

 

[street]

Thanks Harley

 

[RAE]

How do doctors make money off the prescriptions they write?

Audrey, you might want to take a look at this, for the answer to your question:

This Website Tells You How Much Big Pharma Pays Your Doctor To Prescribe Drugs – Collective Evolution

Doctors don't actually receive direct "kickbacks" for prescribing meds, but there most certainly is huge influence on the medical community from Big Pharma on what doctors do. There is big money involved.......just look at the sales of statin drugs alone each year (over $30 billion). Doctors get bombarded by the drug companies all the time with literature on "new and improved" drugs that they should consider prescribing to their patients. And it goes way beyond that, as the article describes.

I'm not saying that all doctors are bad, by any means, or that they always do exactly what the drug companies tell them to do. But, there is no doubt in my mind that the system is corrupt, and doctors are basically forced to work within a corrupt system. That is one reason why I will never just blindly take a new med that my doctor recommends I take. I might take it, but I certainly do my own research first to learn more about it.