Blood pressure

[BHC Vic]

So I’m going to keep this kind of short as I don’t really have a lot of info and honestly it scares me. I had a fever for over 8 days and a real bad headache. I ended up going to urgent care Sunday and they sent me to ER. Spent all sunday hooked up to an iv running fluids and antibiotics. Long story short when I got there my blood pressure was 190/90. I don’t really know but I guess that’s not good. They asked history and I told them my grandma died of a brain aneurysm and my dad his highblood pressure and is on medication. My dad is bad but that’s another story. Anyways when I left the hospital I was 160/90 which they still weren’t happy with. So…. They said if I can’t get it figured out on my own I need to go on medication. My question for those who deal with this how do I get it back down? I’m starting this thread because I have several people who really care about me who are really concerned. I’ve tried to just play this off like I’m fine and it was just a weird headache but everyone keeps telling me this is a silent killer and they aren’t going to watch me let it go untreated. Now that this has been brought to my attention I know I’ve had several times where I’ve almost passed out and been very shaky and dizzy but I just wrote it off as being tired and pushing too hard or just nerves because of baseball games or whatever. If I’m being honest I’m a little scared now that I’ve been playing with fire and I just try to push through.

 

[BHC Vic]

We switched from Kaiser to ppo in January so step one is finding a primary care dr I can start seeing. Im in Norco if anyone has any recommendations

 

[RitcheyRch]

Definitely not something to play off and push through. Need to see your regular doctor and possibly go on blood pressure medications. You are a heart attack or stroke waiting to happen.

 

[ChiliPepperGarage]

How's your diet? Exercise routine?

Did they not give you any advise? Have you seen your primary care doctor?

 

[BHC Vic]

It was ER so Their advice was to to my primary and get dialed in but I don’t currently have one. I exercise daily either in the gym or at the fields with the boys. I look like I’m in great shape. My diet… well it’s horrible. I eat whatever whenever. Lots of fast food lots of crap. I’m really hoping changing my diet fixes a lot of things. I don’t drink I don’t smoke cigarettes no drugs. No energy drinks. But lots and lots of coffee

 

[HCP3]

My diet… well it’s horrible. I eat whatever whenever. Lots of fast food lots of crap.

Your sodium intake is probably extremely high.

 

[BHC Vic]

Your sodium intake is probably extremely high.

That was mentioned. I put salt on everything to top it off

 

[BHC Vic]

obviously I need to be asking a dr but do you think it’s possible to change my diet and stay off medication.

 

[BHC Vic]

Im only 36 so if im being honest with you guys this is all kind of depressing to me which i know I can’t sit around feeling sorry for myself but I gotta do something

 

[HCP3]

obviously I need to be asking a dr but do you think it’s possible to change my diet and stay off medication.

All you can do is try. Make the doc appt and cut the sodium down starting this morning.

 

[scottchbrite]

Dr Kyle Smart. I believe he has an office in Eastvale. I’m not sure if he’s taking new patients but worth a shot or recommendation.

 

[JFMFG]

Hey Vic,
My Dad went through a series of medical issues back in December. We primarily went to drs from st Jude before but even when there expressing what’s been going on with him they didn’t think anything was wrong. Long story short he was hospitalized and ended up at chino valley medical because that’s the only place ambulance would take him. We hooked up with a great kidney doctor that referred him to his new primary. First visit in she wanted to find the root of the cause of all his issues. She ordered every test under the moon. She truly cares about her patients. If you haven’t found one I would recommend Dr Anderson.

 

[Jay Dub]

this is very managable and you are young. 160/90 is mild. get with your primary Dr.

 

[BHC Vic]

this is very managable and you are young. 160/90 is mild. get with your primary Dr.

Thank you. Maybe I started this thread in the hopes of hearing that. I tend to get very negative and doom and gloom when things aren’t going my way. I almost make things worse for myself

 

[Kachina26]

That was mentioned. I put salt on everything to top it off

Table salt is the least of your worries. Look at the labels on food and try to get down under 2000mg a day. Shoot for 1500. AND, get a primary care physician started on the case.

 

[FreeBird236]

Also try cutting back on your coffee, but slowly, you'll get a massive headache if you try it too fast. It could have been the situation that also contributed to the high readings, it's called white coat syndrome, happens to me at the doctors.

 

[was thatguy]

One of the first things that every single doctor will tell you is to stop eating garbage.
Fast food is nothing but a delivery system for all the things that cause blood pressure and cholesterol problems.
You may not be fat like the 3/4 of this gluttonous population that stuffs 5000 calories per meal down their gullets, but cholesterol and BP doesn’t always care about what you look like or how much you exercise.
You wouldn’t run shitty fuel in your boat, so don’t run it in your body.
Good luck and find a doctor pronto.

 

[jeepdog]

Whatever you do buddy handle it
No fucken meds...

 

[JDKRXW]

this is very managable and you are young. 160/90 is mild. get with your primary Dr.

I'm not a Dr. , but I wouldn't call 160/90 mild - especially at 36 yrs old and being in great shape.
In my non educated opinion;
1) cut salt and anything with seed oil in it. Olive, avocado and butter are your friends.

2) buy your own bp monitor and start taking readings at different times during the day. Learn how to take readings properly.You'll see that your pres is highest in the early morning. Take 3 readings throughout the day, about a minute apart while sitting up straight, uncrossed legs and cuff at heart level. Record the lowest reading - and show your Dr a couple of days of these readings.
Good luck.

 

[regor]

So I’m going to keep this kind of short as I don’t really have a lot of info and honestly it scares me. I had a fever for over 8 days and a real bad headache. I ended up going to urgent care Sunday and they sent me to ER. Spent all sunday hooked up to an iv running fluids and antibiotics. Long story short when I got there my blood pressure was 190/90. I don’t really know but I guess that’s not good. They asked history and I told them my grandma died of a brain aneurysm and my dad his highblood pressure and is on medication. My dad is bad but that’s another story. Anyways when I left the hospital I was 160/90 which they still weren’t happy with. So…. They said if I can’t get it figured out on my own I need to go on medication. My question for those who deal with this how do I get it back down? I’m starting this thread because I have several people who really care about me who are really concerned. I’ve tried to just play this off like I’m fine and it was just a weird headache but everyone keeps telling me this is a silent killer and they aren’t going to watch me let it go untreated. Now that this has been brought to my attention I know I’ve had several times where I’ve almost passed out and been very shaky and dizzy but I just wrote it off as being tired and pushing too hard or just nerves because of baseball games or whatever. If I’m being honest I’m a little scared now that I’ve been playing with fire and I just try to push through.

Vic, don't F with this.

My old man was stubborn as hell and thought he could manage it on his own through diet and exercise. Well, at 52 he had a massive stroke that knocked his dick in the dirt and incapacitated his ass for the remainder of his life.

Get on medication. I had to start around 38 and have been good ever since.

 

[Sleek-Jet]

I had a pretty good scare a couple years ago, all the signs of a heart attack. Spent the day in the ER getting poked and prodded. BP when I went in was about like Vic's, maybe a little higher. By the end of the day it had returned to "normal'" and my symptoms were gone.

My doctor and I narrowed it down to caffeine reaction that spikes my BP. I went cold turkey, haven't had a cup of coffee or caffeinated beverage in close to 3 years now. Before this episode if I missed my daily cup of Folgers I had a searing headache. I was bracing for some deep withdrawals from caffeine but the never showed up. I guess my body knew it was time to give it up

Vic, I also started taking Coque 10 supplements, which are clinically proven to lower BP. Mine is back to 120/70 or so.

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

It was ER so Their advice was to to my primary and get dialed in but I don’t currently have one. I exercise daily either in the gym or at the fields with the boys. I look like I’m in great shape. My diet… well it’s horrible. I eat whatever whenever. Lots of fast food lots of crap. I’m really hoping changing my diet fixes a lot of things. I don’t drink I don’t smoke cigarettes no drugs. No energy drinks. But lots and lots of coffee

Tell your primary that you don’t want to go on pills. most all doctors just want to fix everything with pills. basically It’s just a bandage. I take all natural vitamins for everything also change what you eat. Lots of water. Also you said you drink a lot of coffee you might want to cut back some and what do you put in you coffee ? I follow some people on IG and I love Dairy Queen blizzards. When we are in Havasu we Would stop there a few times and I would get a Large on. My wife gets a medium and when we got back to the house I saw a post on one of the guys that I follow and he was showing how much sugar is in a medium blizzard and that woke me up. I now eat a lot of salads and greens.i know it’s might be hard with work and easy to go through a drive thur for food but start meal preparation. It does take a little more time but you will be better off. Good luck my friend and hope you will be around for a long time

 

[regor]

"Good luck my friend and hope you will be around for a long time"

@BHC Vic

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Try to find a DO. In my experience, they are more likely to suggest lifestyle alterations in lieu of pills, if possible.

Cut the junk food and reduce the caffeine immediately. You know that shit isn’t good for you.

 

[Mr. C]

Do you have your own good blood pressure machine at home?
When I first go in to any dr or dentist and they check my BP. It is always high. At least 165/95
When I leave it’s usually much lower.
When I check it home I’m anywhere from 126/80
Sometimes even lower.

 

[boatnam2]

So I’m going to keep this kind of short as I don’t really have a lot of info and honestly it scares me. I had a fever for over 8 days and a real bad headache. I ended up going to urgent care Sunday and they sent me to ER. Spent all sunday hooked up to an iv running fluids and antibiotics. Long story short when I got there my blood pressure was 190/90. I don’t really know but I guess that’s not good. They asked history and I told them my grandma died of a brain aneurysm and my dad his highblood pressure and is on medication. My dad is bad but that’s another story. Anyways when I left the hospital I was 160/90 which they still weren’t happy with. So…. They said if I can’t get it figured out on my own I need to go on medication. My question for those who deal with this how do I get it back down? I’m starting this thread because I have several people who really care about me who are really concerned. I’ve tried to just play this off like I’m fine and it was just a weird headache but everyone keeps telling me this is a silent killer and they aren’t going to watch me let it go untreated. Now that this has been brought to my attention I know I’ve had several times where I’ve almost passed out and been very shaky and dizzy but I just wrote it off as being tired and pushing too hard or just nerves because of baseball games or whatever. If I’m being honest I’m a little scared now that I’ve been playing with fire and I just try to push through.

Just spent 4 days in hospital with your symptoms, it was low blood sugar. High blood pressure will come with stress of situation, or you could just have HBP, which they will put you on a beta blocker or something like that to control it. One thing I know for sure, when blood sugar gets low the lights go out and you're out of business so to speak and you whole deal shuts down, scary as fck!

 

[coolchange]

It was ER so Their advice was to to my primary and get dialed in but I don’t currently have one. I exercise daily either in the gym or at the fields with the boys. I look like I’m in great shape. My diet… well it’s horrible. I eat whatever whenever. Lots of fast food lots of crap. I’m really hoping changing my diet fixes a lot of things. I don’t drink I don’t smoke cigarettes no drugs. No energy drinks. But lots and lots of coffee

Hmmmm caffeine and sodium

 

[4Waters]

Stop with adding salt to your food, what ever it comes with is good enough, also cut out the salty fast food.

Everyone on both sides of my family (grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins.....) were on BP meds by 40, my parents were by 35. I am 48 in about 6 weeks and take nothing, my BP is always around 118/65. I don't add salt to anything, what ever is on it is all it needs, I'm pretty active and I don't eat a lot of fast food.

If you want to be around for your family you have to do whatever it takes to get your BP under control, from what it sounds like, changing your diet will fix that. From what I have read and heard you have overcome shit more challenging than this.

 

[Singleton]

Diet - try to cut sodium, fast food, processed food out. at least two servings from pic attached
Exercise - weights and cardio

i had higher BP then the doc wanted and if I don’t stick to my diet and exercise it goes up,

 

[HBCraig]

So I’m going to keep this kind of short as I don’t really have a lot of info and honestly it scares me. I had a fever for over 8 days and a real bad headache. I ended up going to urgent care Sunday and they sent me to ER. Spent all sunday hooked up to an iv running fluids and antibiotics. Long story short when I got there my blood pressure was 190/90. I don’t really know but I guess that’s not good. They asked history and I told them my grandma died of a brain aneurysm and my dad his highblood pressure and is on medication. My dad is bad but that’s another story. Anyways when I left the hospital I was 160/90 which they still weren’t happy with. So…. They said if I can’t get it figured out on my own I need to go on medication. My question for those who deal with this how do I get it back down? I’m starting this thread because I have several people who really care about me who are really concerned. I’ve tried to just play this off like I’m fine and it was just a weird headache but everyone keeps telling me this is a silent killer and they aren’t going to watch me let it go untreated. Now that this has been brought to my attention I know I’ve had several times where I’ve almost passed out and been very shaky and dizzy but I just wrote it off as being tired and pushing too hard or just nerves because of baseball games or whatever. If I’m being honest I’m a little scared now that I’ve been playing with fire and I just try to push through.

Vic
I was put on a statin a few years ago. I am 54 now. High BP is in my family and it's hereditary
It's controlled well now. I eat relatively well now and exercise 5 days a week and it's controlled

 

[OCMerrill]

It was ER so Their advice was to to my primary and get dialed in but I don’t currently have one. I exercise daily either in the gym or at the fields with the boys. I look like I’m in great shape. My diet… well it’s horrible. I eat whatever whenever. Lots of fast food lots of crap. I’m really hoping changing my diet fixes a lot of things. I don’t drink I don’t smoke cigarettes no drugs. No energy drinks. But lots and lots of coffee

The single biggest change in my life...seriously reduced fast food and eating out in general. I would say this works for the entire planets population.

Stay off the salt (fast foods number 3 ingredient), stay off the stress best you can anyway. I coached Little League for 7 years and got pretty good at breathing in my mouth and out through my nose to help me calm the fuck down.

If none of this helps you then you will likely end up on beta blockers. If the dose is mild it wont be a big deal.
I take a fairly large dose to help with an irregular heart beat. Side effect for me is total lack of energy and a low heart rate and low BP. Better than death I suppose.
My BP was 145/90 avg before I was diagnosed. Beta Blockers do work.

 

[EmpirE231]

Start with getting a blood pressure machine or two at home. You can order from an Amazon. Compare the 2 to make sure they’re semi accurate. And start a small journal and take your BP 2-3 times per day. Log what you’ve eaten that day etc. after 2-3 weeks of data you can start seeing some
Trends.

Cut back on the coffee… you can have 1 maybe 2 cups per day, but ideally try to get to 1.

Start watching your diet…. Sugar, seed oils etc and all that garbage. Maybe try a keto diet for a few weeks and see what impact it has on the BP.

Ask your doctor to have your kidney function checked out. Most people don’t know, but your kidneys are what regulate your blood pressure.

If you are sick or have an infection, blood pressure naturally rises due to fighting off the infection.

Gotta figure out how to manage your stress, as this also elevates your blood pressure. I have more on this if needed.

White coat syndrome is a thing if you hate being at hospitals. I do. It adds stress and will raise your BP.

There are also a lot of natural supplements / things you can take to help lower those #’s but you have to be at a semi manageable # to begin with.

I’d start with all of that and go from there. I’m the same way as when you find out you’re not invincible, it really messes with you and actually will raise your BP as well lol.

 

[X Hoser]

It was ER so Their advice was to to my primary and get dialed in but I don’t currently have one. I exercise daily either in the gym or at the fields with the boys. I look like I’m in great shape. My diet… well it’s horrible. I eat whatever whenever. Lots of fast food lots of crap. I’m really hoping changing my diet fixes a lot of things. I don’t drink I don’t smoke cigarettes no drugs. No energy drinks. But lots and lots of coffee

My DO said diet and exercise are the keys to manage High Blood Pressure. She said to shop around the exterior walls of the grocery store. That is where the good food is. Increase my fruits, vegetables and water intake. She also said to watch my Caffeine intake. Not just coffee, but sodas too. She said to stay away from de-caffeinated coffee because of the chemicals some use to de-caffeinate it are carcinogens. Also, start reading food nutrition labels. You’ll be surprised at how much sodium “processed” foods have. Fast foods are also full of sodium to improve the taste. My experience is that radical change to my life style is only a short term fix. So, moderation in change is the key for me. If you can cut out 50% of the bad, you’re 50% better off than before. If that’s not enough but you are improving, cutting further will be easier. At least that is what has worked for me. At 72 it’s harder for me to work out like I did and easier to stop at a fast food joint for a meal. So, my BP is back up a little.

 

[Lumpy]

this is very managable and you are young. 160/90 is mild. get with your primary Dr.

What he said!! At 51 the Doc put me on cholesterol and BP meds. I’m 55 now and off all meds. I’d rather stay off the meds as long as possible until I need them in my later years. Total diet/lifestyle change. NO more fast food! That shit will kill you. I literally live off of chicken salads, oat meal, nuts, berries, sweet potato’s, fish, eggs, veggie’s...etc. No processed foods at all. I have a pizza maybe once a month, steak a couple times a month, sweets now and then. Not saying ya cant live a little…I drink a tumbler of good scotch nightly and smoke a cigar now and then too. Your everyday diet is where it's at…eat to live not live to eat.

 

[poncho]

That was mentioned. I put salt on everything to top it off

I took salt off my diet wherever possible, i'm 60 and no where near those numbers but it was creeping up.

 

[Big B Hova]

What was the cause of the Fever? Fever means infection.
Back in 2012 I was sick for 2 weeks straight, fever, shits, barfing the whole 9 yards. Went to Urgent care twice, then went to ER when my resting heart rate was through the roof. Turns out I had an abcess making me sick. ER doc figured it out and said come in tomorrow to drain the abcess. That 24 hour period my abcess got way worse and way painful. I showed up to my appt. and was admited to hospital. Abcess was making my body septic, killed my liver function, white blood cell count thru the roof, then I got flesh eating bacteria in Kaisers operating room. 3 surgeries later and 8 days later I was released from hospital with a 9 month recovery of a giant open wound on my leg.

 

[hallett21]

Sounds like you had a nasty infection initially.

Go to the doctor.

Get a BP machine to check your numbers. Journal them so that the Doctor can see how you trended. 3-4 readings a day.

Cut out the fast food/salt. This may be the biggest hurdle because it’ll change your day to day life drastically.

Stay hydrated with regular old water. Get yourself a Stanley or something that you can measure how much water you’re getting. You’re technically supposed to drink a gallon a day. More if you’re physically active.

I’d say for the immediate future get your stress levels down (sounds impossible I know lol). But if you need to take a week off of work, sit in the bleachers rather than umpire etc then do it.

Also if you get into the 190+ realm again go back to the ER. You still need medical attention even if you can’t get into your primary.

 

[Ziggy]

Diet is a big part of it but genetics still reign. If it runs in the family you're likely to go on some meds sooner ir later.
I was always told I ran high, since my 30s but refused meds until my 50s. Been on same minimun dosage since I started. My big 100lb weight loss contributed more to a lower cholesterol # than it helped the BP.

 

[t&y]

If those are the results when you were sick, wait a couple weeks and try again. Other than that, most solutions have been posted. My guess with your age and physical condition what you need to focus on is your diet. Getting old SUCKs almost as bad as RD!

 

[DWRAT]

How tall are you and what do you weigh?
My doc told me to lose 20 pounds and I will not need BP meds.

 

[monkeyswrench]

@BHC Vic , I just went through this in January. I know my body pretty well, from lots of both gym stuff and trauma. I knew things were off, and checked my BP...it was a tad worse than yours. I went to the doctor for the first time in years. I didn't appear unfit, and my diet is actually pretty good. They did lab work, to check things out as well.

My three main factors were sodas, caffeine and stress. I now drink a soda about once a month, and cut my coffee to 3 cups a day (like actual cups, half tumbler in morning, one in evening). The stress is a major issue still, and very difficult to control. That said, some things around here changed a few weeks ago that piled some more on, and my BP hasn't risen too much due to it.

I was put on meds in January. Since then, they have backed them down. The goal is to get off of them. I'm hoping to just have them as a bridge, so I don't pop. You may be strong as an ox, but strength and cardio are different. See what you can do to get moving, just 30 minutes a day. Just a brisk walk in the neighborhood, treadmill, something.

I believe we had a discussion like this a few years back. Being in the field, in your case hanging rock, takes a different toll on your body. Now you're in a more official position. It extracts a different toll on other parts we don't feel until there's a serious issue. Not like a sore back or shoulder.

 

[regor]

A lot of good advice here Vic and after reading it all, I'd monitor it before getting on the meds I suggested, especially at your age.

I'm going to try to wing off my meds a bit myself or I could just start smoking weed again and not give a flying F about anything.

 

[jetboatperformance]

White coat high BP is real , My wife is a perfect example , Shes petite, eats healthy doesnt drink or smoke , exercises and her BP is consistently low (at home with state of the art BP monitor) But her records are even annotated that she has "white coat syndrome" Mine is also high at the DR but less high at home and is relativley low in the evening and I take 3 meds . Like said get a good home monitor and follow directions the if necessary take the recorded "records" to the DR and show them. BUT mine before meds earned me a "life flight" a few years back so awareness is everything. EDIT I started on Cialis a few months back which seriously lowers BP and has other benifits too


"Labile Hyperattention" = White coat

 

[Spitfire]

Stress is the silent killer. Sounds like a wake up call. Good to get ahead of it. I have been fortunate with my BP. My wife has been on and off the smallest dose to help control as her weight will fluctuate and stress. Had been off for a few years but lately, major headaches and not feeling right. She has the meter and started checking again. High. Made the appointment and is back on the BP medication. She will lose a few pounds but Dr says don’t add stress because you are taking a pill. If she comes of it great but the meds help so don’t worry about it. 2 of my four kids are type 1 diabetic. Sometimes you need to take something to survive. Good luck!

 

[Gelcoater]

So Vic, lots of advice here but something I haven’t seen mentioned.
Grapefruit.
Read the fine print on any BP meds, they all warm not to eat grapefruit if you are on these meds.
Before you get on big pharm meds? Maybe do a bunch of research on this.
For your age the numbers suck.
I was slightly higher when I went on meds but was 49/50. And had never heard of grapefruit as a possible help.

Also the salt.... you sweat your ass off at work, right?
Salt is an essential nutrient.
But don’t dive for the Morton’s table salt/iodized salt.
Grey sea salt, the pink salt, look to those, and cut the crap food.
I’ve knocked it off with the fast food about 70% or more since the BP issues started. Was 210/215ish lbs and now walk around about 190-193 just from that as well as cutting processed foods/margarine, going real butter, raw when we can find it. Bacon is my only real weakness now

Good luck man. Anything you can do to get a handle on it without pharma meds you should do.

 

[BHC Vic]

Do you have your own good blood pressure machine at home?
When I first go in to any dr or dentist and they check my BP. It is always high. At least 165/95
When I leave it’s usually much lower.
When I check it home I’m anywhere from 126/80
Sometimes even lower.

I just ordered some I health one that goes with my phone

 

[Havasu blue label]

Change your diet and relax. That blood pressure you don’t play with

 

[Kachina26]

On a side note, I ended up having Primary Aldosteronism caused by a growth on an adrenal gland. Diet and exercise isn’t always the cure. Removed the offending gland and the numbers came right down. I had elevated numbers at a young age. Not sure when the growth started.

 

[Wizard29]

It's already been said about 40 times, but reduce the salt intake.

Also switch over to drinking water whenever you can. If there's a choice between a soda or coffee and drinking water instead, take the water.

Also, try breathing more deeply and smoothly more often. That sounds weird, but longer deeper breaths on a frequent basis helps the body absorb more oxygen and in turn helps reduce blood pressure.

 

[Big B Hova]

I dropped 20 lbs just changing my eating habits away from fast food. I could loose more if I really eat super healthy im sure.