Has anyone managed to successfully drop their blood pressure?

StinkyPinky

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2002
6,956
1,268
126
I went to the doc a day ago for an unrelated issue but while there they took my BP and it was 148/90. This is the third time in a row that it has been around this mark so the doc gave me the hard word that I need to get it at least below 140 the next time i see him, otherwise I'm going on meds. Since they're a lifelong thing I really want to avoid them for as long as possible. I'm only 33 so definitely want to avoid this shit at such a young age.

I'm not really overweight although I guess I'm a bit flabby around the middle.

Has anyone here managed to get their down and what did you do? I'm pretty committed to doing something once I set my mind to it but just need some guidance. The place was overflowing so the doc couldn't get me out the door quick enough.
 

mple

Senior member
Oct 10, 2011
278
1
71
Improve your diet, exercise regularly and eliminate other risk factors that contribute to HTN.
 
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
Well, you say you're not overweight, but what are your stats (age, weight, height)? There are several things that have been proven in research to reduce blood pressure. They are losing weight (if you have weight to lose), completing 30+ minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week, stopping smoking (if you smoke), and eating well (reducing salt intake is a typical suggestion, but recent research questions that).
 

StinkyPinky

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2002
6,956
1,268
126
I'm 182lb and 5'10"

I'm definitely going to crank up on the exercise. I think that is my biggest problem.
 
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
I'm 182lb and 5'10"

I'm definitely going to crank up on the exercise. I think that is my biggest problem.

Technically, if you're not active, and you apply the BMI scale, you are in the overweight category. Your BMI is 26.1 and the overweight category is 25-29.9. The BMI scale doesn't work well if you do any sort of strength training or anything like that, but if you're largely sedentary, it's fairly accurate in terms of health risks.

Doing cardio will be the most important part. The longer you go, the greater the effect you have on things like blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. Also, just to let you know, there are plenty of cases of idiopathic hypertension, which aren't alleviated by interventions. At that stage, you'd talk to your doctor about starting something pretty mild to get your BP down (usually something like hydrochlorothiazide to begin).
 

Jen

Elite Member
Dec 8, 1999
24,206
14
76
hospital sent me home after telling me mine was at 200/90 still hasnt changed in a year even after taking meds and change of diet

Jen
 
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
hospital sent me home after telling me mine was at 200/90 still hasnt changed in a year even after taking meds and change of diet

Jen

Uh, you need to be seeing a different physician then. If your BP doesn't go down, meds need to continually be changed until it does. If you regularly have a BP over 160 systolic or 100 diastolic, then 5 year survival rate is not especially good (based on older research I've read).
 

jaedaliu

Platinum Member
Feb 25, 2005
2,670
1
81
I'm 182lb and 5'10"

I'm definitely going to crank up on the exercise. I think that is my biggest problem.

That's not massively overweight, but it definitely is in the overweight category. The best exercise to condition your body to reduce BP is through cardio. It can be circuit training, treadmill, running outside, swimming, chasing chickens, whatever.

Getting your heart pumping blood faster for longer will reduce the plaque buildup in your vessels, which will reduce peripheral calcification, which will reduce resistance, and your blood pressure will go down.

How's your lipid panel and your sodium? If either is bad, then diet change can be a good partner with exercise to get your BP to a better range.

hospital sent me home after telling me mine was at 200/90 still hasnt changed in a year even after taking meds and change of diet

Jen

hospital sent me home after telling me mine was at 200/90 still hasnt changed in a year even after taking meds and change of diet

Jen

How are your kidneys? you NEED to get your BP down. otherwise your kidneys will get damaged. Then your BP medications won't work well. Then your kidneys will get worse. Then you will go on dialysis.

And when you're on dialysis, it's already too late.

Get your BP under control!
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
50,939
6,881
136
The biggest thing that dropped my blood pressure was going to bed early. The doctor said that when you stay up late and don't get enough sleep, your body has to work harder to keep you awake during the day, so it amps up your blood pressure.

My usual routine was to go to bed around 11pm and wake up no later than 6am, so while it was 7 hours, I wasn't going to bed at the right time. Circadian rhythm & all that stuff. I pretty much went back to normal within a week when I started going to sleep at 9. Weird. I still have a hard time with it because of my work schedule though.
 
Last edited:

highland145

Lifer
Oct 12, 2009
43,973
6,336
136
Cardio. Because of the exercise or the dumping of salt (S.C. says that's questionable), I don't know but it works for me. I am still on a small dose of a A.C.E. inhibitor. 117/74 right now.


FWIW, Have a customer who's BP ran stupid high...200+ They tried all kinds of meds. Someone finally figured out that it was from emotional stress. Both of his parents died close together and he's pretty much alone. Never "dealt" with the losses. Now, he's gotten counseling and his numbers are much better.
 

KidNiki1

Platinum Member
Oct 15, 2010
2,793
127
116
Well, I'm taking meds for mine, but it was still a little high. rather than up my dosage, i started doing cardio. i use a heart rate monitor to make sure i am working my heart, but not too much. i do 45 minutes to an hour on my exercise bike every day. i went from about 140/90 (on meds) to 120/72 (still on meds). i am seeing my doctor in about a month, and i am hoping that i can go off the meds.

also, watch your salt intake, eliminate caffeine if you can and really limit fast food. park farther away from work, the store, the mall, the whatever. take a walk. just do whatever you can to get yourself up and moving.

i think a combo of much much better eating and cardio has really helped me. i was also able to get my cholesterol down as well.
 

nickbits

Diamond Member
Mar 10, 2008
4,122
1
81
Stopping all exercise reduced my BP a bit. I hover around 140/90 when I exercise regularly (running) and 120/80 when I don't.
 
May 13, 2009
12,333
612
126
Don't let them get you on the pill/pharmacy treadmill. Look at this as a wake-up call. Lose weight by cleaning up the diet and exercising. Do you really want to be picking up meds with all the old people in line at the Wal-Mart?
 

Alamat

Senior member
Apr 30, 2003
683
9
81
Stopping all exercise reduced my BP a bit. I hover around 140/90 when I exercise regularly (running) and 120/80 when I don't.

Your BP is supposed to go up during exertion but should go down to normal limits in only a few minutes which is a sign of a good heart. Having it hang around that high after a few hours if not days needs to be investigated.

Got a bunch of patients off BP meds by exercise and diet alone. So do not ever think that once you're on them, you're on it forever. BUT, it will be up to you and you alone.
 

KIAman

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2001
3,342
23
81
My BP was in the 150/100 range and I had to take meds to bring it down to more manageable 130/80. Even with insurance, the prescriptions I was taking cost more than $100 a month.

Honestly, I hate cardio. To me it's the most boring thing in the world, all forms of cardio. So I started lifting doing the stronglifts 5x5 thing and didn't modify my diet. My BP went down to 130/80 after only 8 months without meds, dr no longer prescribed them.

After about a year of lifting (3x a week), my BP is in the nominal range 120/75 but I've made some tweaks to my macro for eating (lot less carbs from sugar, up protein, up overall calories).

For me, working a sedentary job where I sit at a desk and not getting an ounce of physical activity is what shot my BP up.

Edit: Also I stopped drinking coffee around the same time I decided to work out, Dr said it was the reason I couldn't sleep until 2-3am every night.
 
Last edited:

StinkyPinky

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2002
6,956
1,268
126
Don't let them get you on the pill/pharmacy treadmill. Look at this as a wake-up call. Lose weight by cleaning up the diet and exercising. Do you really want to be picking up meds with all the old people in line at the Wal-Mart?

No I don't.

Thanks everyone for the advice. Sorry for not replying earlier, I am getting over a strep infection so good times. But once I'm over it I'm hitting the cardio and I'm already reducing the salt and sugar (which I have way too much off, I love crappy food). I thinkjunk food is addictive for me, so it will take willpower. But thinking of getting meds at 33 is enough to drive me.