Blood pressure.....

Don't think 130/85 is necessarily high. Cut down on caffeine and red wine, and lose some weight would be my advice.

Would'nt know personally but I'd take the medical professionals advice who knows you personally, before any of the forum lads, despite any good intentions they have with advice.
GL whatever route you go.

I personally know lots of people who have had significant side effects from taking statins.
They take them on professional advice, prescribed very widely. I'd first try another way myself.

porky the quack now

Going for a heart tracing test tomorrow due to high bp
My figure is like the op
But currently high at over 170
Dr told me .not to worry
He said hes over 200!!
The app i have to supply figures says
Over 170-contact the dr
Also going for a blood test-3 week wait
Probably need extra medicnes

That's unkind iris, it's widely recommended to avoid caffeine. I do 1/2 kg of coffee a week and was at the hospital
a fair bit last year. Every time my blood pressure was taken they commented how good it was, often saying ' much better than mine'.
I can't improve it so can't see the point of cutting down on caffeine, but I do wonder what effect it really has.
On the other hand we were told to keep our many scolds and burns dry as kids, when instinct made you want cold water on it.
Now the advice is to run cold water on it.

I'm hardly recommending a particular type of surgery! Jesus, someone order a safe space for irish.


I've lost a fair bit of weight last year and my BP has dropped a good bit. I know for a fact that red wine will make it spike and caffeine is one that everyone knows. I'd also suggest testing it 3 times or so: when I do it I'm always a bit nervous for the first one (some bizarre self-white coat syndrome maybe), so I ignore that and go with the second or third where I can tell I've calmed down.

I can also recommend Yorkshire Tea Decaf.


Only got a smidgeon of caffeine in it, but tastes just as good as a normal cuppa.

Saddo, statins are for cholesterol, not blood pressure. They're probably trying to push Ramipril to lower the readings, if anything.

130 isn't high, over 140 should be looked at, but still no real concern. 150+ and it is pushing the boat a bit. As for the lower reading (diastolic), under 90 is fine and no need for concern either.

When I had my first TIA (mini stroke) my reading was 230/110 ...that is stroke territory and there are no symptoms at all, until the TIA's commence.

I had the devil's own job getting that down and no pills helped, however; soon after I quit drinking (I was a very heavy drinker) my BP went back to normal; I kid you not. It was drinking that was causing it all. Have barely drunk since (summer shandy aside).

HTH

I'm puzzled with caffeine. Does it not keep the weight down, which as you say must help.
I haven't had a single calorie today apart from a smigden of milk in several coffees.

Might be an old wive's tale in fairness but I'm pretty sure a nurse recommended it to me. I can get through a lot of tea in the morning so it made sense for me to swap and don't feel I've downgraded so it's YTD for me.

Sorry Aspro, that was to porcy. I know what you mean but I was suggesting that accepting
everything we are told is right for us all is perhaps questionable.

Agreed.

When my BP was high they put me on Felodipine and it caused irreversible gum damage. Lost a few teeth because of it, but I know others who are on it with no side-effects at all. You've got to know what you're taking. ALWAYS read the label.

I had a youngish lady here on Saturday Aspro. She got a cat and it turned out she was allergic.
They gave her allergy tablets and upped them until the symptoms went away. Ended up
very ill last year and was approaching liver failure. She should have read up but GPs should
check on progress rather than keep dishing tablets out, especially when you go back unwell.

When my GP gives me certain pills or changes the dosage he usually does a blood test a week or two later. Perhaps that doesn't cover the allergy pills but I do agree that to keep increasing the dosage without a blood test (to check the liver) is plain wrong. She should put a complaint in and also report the issue that arose from the medication to the Yellow Card Scheme.

Im gunna take my chances.....keep eating healthy....stick to about 8 units of alcohol a week....will cut out the caffeine and will up my exercise and see what happens.....aint going on tablets

I figure diet will fix most ailments, my brother has controlled Rheumatoid Arthritis with diet for twenty years,
the tablets they give out for it are brutal on the liver.

130/85 is not too high. It's well within range of normal.

If you're leading an active , healthy life and don't have any serious ailments then BP is irrelevant anyway. BP numbers are only relevant if you're inactive and in general poor health.

Yes pandora but I want to stop it going any higher so am going to take the above precautions as I will not go on medication full stop.

Im 52 and have not been in better health imo since my early 20s.

...and you have normal blood pressure... no problem. Carry on doing what you're doing.

Most of the unwell people I know in my age group are those who 'like a drink'.
The associated weight gain is obviously not good, but I suspect the alcohol has a wider
effect than that.

Take it daily at the same time , preferably not after coffee , take two readings 5 mins apart and use the second one .Average the week's readings and send that  along with the high and the low reading . Try better hydration and losing weight if you want to get it down .

Been told i need statins
Problem-Next phone appointment is mid
MARCH

have a word with a few of yer mates
get your victim impact statements sorted

130/85 is fine Certainly no need to be taking BP drugs

where do you live Lucky ? Up to now i have not failed to see a Doctor same day

last week seen Doc Weds Bloods done with nurse , tests back Friday , Follow up call on Monday

My partner her blood pressure is 97 over 63,if mine was like that i'd be passing out it's perfectky nirmal fir her..

Chelters!!!

Max dose of Lipitor (atorovastin ) for last 15 years , Cholesterol  went from 8.6 to 3.5 and been there ever since , no side effects.Eat what I want .

Get a bike

It used to be considered that 140/90 was the point at which anything over they recommended treatment..

They seem to have lowered 'target' blood pressure in recent years 120/80 seems to be the new 'target' (not least as they can dish out yet more pills which seems to be the only route other than surgeries used in western medicine for anything)...

If you have pre-existing medical conditions (especially kidney disease or heart/stroke issues) there might be much better reason to aim lower...but in old money and I'm guessing you are not a young whippasnapper that would have been considered a very healthy reading..typically blood pressure will go up slightly in older age..

You are not obliged to take his recommendation up - though I'm certainly not advocating that..but it is your choice.

Like most things health, it's genetic. Pretty sure once it is embedded, cant be reversed by lifestyle changes. Both my parents were on permanent bp medication for years, now I am. In fact I got diagnosed after losing a load of weight, nothing can prevent aging though! I was measured at 180 over 130 though before starting on amlodipine, so it was, erm, quite high lol.

Intermittent fasting, fresh home cooked food and exercise outside. Moderate your processed food and alcohol intake. Life is about choices.

absolutely .....moderation is the key