Blood pressure & Nhs health check

If you're put on meds be aware of sideffects. Amlodipine made my ankles swell so was put on Ramipril, 4 months with a terrible dry cough, asking for ENT referral because I thought I have throat cancer I discover the cough is a known sideffect of Ramipril, although the THREE doctors I consulted didn't seem to know...

MayBee70

I have a friend who had a b/p check at a chemist and before she knew it was in hospital being sorted out. Last time I heard from her she’d lost loads of weight and was no longer on all the medication. My advice would be to take whatever medication your doctor advises but have a good look at your diet and make a few adjustments. I’m saying this as someone that is currently refusing statins but if it was my b/p I’d have a different mindset. Good luck.

Go on British Supplements and look at the reviews for Plant Sterols.

My father didn't take his blood pressure pills regularly but would double up the dose on the day of any check at the GP. That is why he left my Mum a young widow. Take the medication, lose the weight and then reduce the medication if your GP advises it.

Apparently I have inherited high BP. I used to take three tablets a day but am down to one tablet a day and monitoring me to stop medication. Been on tablets for twenty five years or so. Hardly think about it. Especially having a Fitbit for checking pulse rate and ECG, not fanatically. I doubt you will keel over. I hope you can be reassured soon.

I was found to have high BP in 2022 and my pulse was often in excess of 100 bpm. BP had always been normal. I’ve taken 5g of Amlodopine daily since which has largely controlled my BP but it could still be high at times as could my pulse.

2 years ago I started taking magnesium daily. Now I find both my BP and pulse have fallen considerably. I can’t say for sure it’s as a result I suppose.

My blood pressure is around 140 over 70 which my doctor thinks is too high and would like it under 130 but I’m not overweight, eat sensibly and exercise quite a lot each day. I try to walk 5 miles and do exercises at home with weights.
My Cholesterol is under 2 which GP is happy with !

I am on two blood pressure medications and have been for years. I am also on statins. I eat healthily and am vegetarian and have been more or less since childhood. I am not overweight. I stopped being vegetarian for a while as a young adult as people thought it odd. My blood pressure has been high since my first pregnancy aged 29. My mother had high blood pressure and was a terrible worrier as am I. I think - in fact I know - that that is why my blood pressure is high.

There does seem to be a genetic disposition to high BP. I understand that some people's veins and arteries become less elastic as they age, and this has an effect on the blood flow.
No diet or exercise can affect this.

Pippa22

My blood pressure is around 140 over 70 which my doctor thinks is too high and would like it under 130 but I’m not overweight, eat sensibly and exercise quite a lot each day. I try to walk 5 miles and do exercises at home with weights.
My Cholesterol is under 2 which GP is happy with !

Apparently the threshold by which high BP is medicalised has dropped some years ago so more and more people are being “sold” it by pharmaceutical companies. GPs get paid accordingly. My DH’s cholesterol is 4.5 but he’s always being persuaded to take statins by our surgery.

I had an NHS check after shopping, and they told me it was high, and a trip to the surgery showed it not quite as bad, but using DHs home one after a rest and it was low, as it was in the hospital for a pre-procedure check today.

Food, exercise, anxiety all raise it temporarily. Although losing a few lbs does help.

I'm now on my third BP medication, Candesarten, hoping not to get any unpleasant side effects. I was on amlodipine for 8 years and always suffered from swollen ankles and legs. My doctor just kept telling me to wear compression socks and put my feet up but after I had cellulitis, a new doctor told me it was my meds causing it. Unfortunately I was then given Ramipril which gave me a terrible cough, causing me to retch and sometimes vomit. Another visit to the Gp resulted in a chest xray and a change to my present meds-so far so good-just have to have regular blood tests as it can apparently cause kidney problems-great!

Just take prescribed meds for high blood pressure. They work.

Look into a quality Aged Garlic - non smelling. It has a reputation for lowering BP without prescribed meds , many of which can have unpleasant side effects. Of course your GP will favour his prescribed meds, as he gets paid for every one. Weight loss is key also.

Over 20 years ago I attended a pre-op assessment at hospital where I worked - I was in my early - mid 60's and I thought pretty healthy. Nurse sent me to lie down in darkened room for 20 minutes and then re-too BP. Alarmingly high. She would not let me out until she had heard me make a phone call to see my GP later that day (this was over 20 yrs ago!!). Gp put me on a 'piril' bp tablets. I developed the most horrendous cough, and got sent to respiatory department of hospital. Loads of tests and it came down to that bp meds.

Professor there insisted to my GP to stop these and give something else, it took a good three months for the effects to pass through my system. But got started on different med.

Thought all was okay until some years later attendance for cataract op. saw bp very high. Okay, I was stressed, but even so. It took some years and several different types of meds to sought out two that work together to keep my BP within reason. No side effects from them at all.

High Blood pressure is called 'The Hidden Killer', as most people with it seem to have no knowledge of it until it hits. Do follow GP advice and take your tablets. It is good to check your own BP in your own home regularly. Do so at least a couple of hours after eating/drinking. Be relaxed - use an upper arm monitor and take three readings a few minutes apart. Keep a chart of these.

Please do NOT rely on some over-the-counter type thing. You are playing with your health and your life.

I think we all panic about blood pressure when there are some really good medications that work these days alongside lifestyle changes, if you can make them. So much can be done for the heart too.

I wish medical professionals would speak to people more logically about these tests, instead I often think they frighten you.

From experience and looking back over my life at 81 years old I don’t think anything changes health wise what ever you do. During my working life after work each day 5 days a week I went to the gym for years. I was a windsurfer for years and learned to sail at retirement. I had to stop gym work which I was doing at that stage and classes at 74 years old because I injured my neck damaging the nerves through weight work. I have never been over weight eat a good diet am still active, gardening at least twice a week, go to a fitness class once a week (recovering from cancer).when the weather improves I will be joining my walking group .
The point I am making is I have a long list of medical conditions taking 7 medication a day and I have been active all my life. I even have Osteoporosis which I was shocked about when I found out especially after all the weight training I had done.
It seems to me what ever you do there is no guarantee your health will be good.