Blood pressure issues

[timekiller13]

I was diagnosed with high blood pressure in 2002 when I was only 18 yrs old. At the time I was 5'11", 165lbs. Played 2 high schools sports, worked out hard was in great shape. My BP was consistently in the 160/100's all the time. I started taking Benicar and got it under control. I took that med for several years until my insurance quit covering it and then I switched to lisinopril. I am now 33 yrs old. I'm 5'11", 170lbs. I'm probably in better shape now than I was 15 years ago. I work out 4-5x a week, I eat a pretty good diet. No soft drinks, one cup of coffee every morning, drink water the rest of the time. I eat fast food once or twice a month at most. I avoid processed foods, do not add salt to anything I eat. I drink the occassional beer or glass of red wine, do not smoke. I monitor my BP daily at home. Recently (last 4-5 months) I have been having headaches. My BP has been running 140/90-160/100. I do not skip my medication. My last 3 doctor visits my BP has been elevated. My doctor wants to put me on a second BP med. I don't want to take anything else. I tell him that I have modified my diet and work out consistently, but I can't get this under control. He just tells me that I must have bad genes (dad, mom, both sets of grandparents all have high BP). I work as a nurse and I know the dangers of high BP and I also understand that genetics does play a big factor. But, that being said, I do not want to be dependent on multiple medications to keep this under control. I'm going to completely cut out any fast food, if I do have to stop at a McDonalds or such, I will order a salad from now on. I'm also going try to add more cardio into my workout routine to see if that helps any. Anyone else have issues like this and have any other recommendations? Again, I want to avoid medications at all costs. I've been researching "natural remedies" but of course there is little to no definitive evidence on their effectiveness. For the record, all of my lab work always comes back perfect. My cholesterol (both good and bad) are always in the optimum ranges. Liver, kidneys are all functioning perfectly and no signs of diabetes (have a huge family history of that, so I keep a close eye on my sugar intake). I dream of one day being able to head on a backcountry camping/hunting trip and not have to worry about taking my BP meds with me.

 

[go4thegusto]

I don't have solutions for you and wish you well. We recently had a friend who abruptly went off his BP meds for some reason and had a stroke at 30 years old. I would urge you to pursue solutions with the advice of medical professional.

 

[boom]

yup.

i had hypertension for years. a month long night shift pushed me over the top. i fought it with hard mtn biking and eating right..i still eat plain steel cut oats with a few raisins for breakfast everysingle work day. i eat a salad for every lunch at work.

i'm not fat, and i can jog, hike and hunt.

i am on the lightest dose of Lisonopril. 5mg..maybe 10. it was the hardest thing to do..to succumb to taking meds. i felt like i failed. failed myself. i got over it. i still eat right..(just finished my thermos of oatmeal) and i exercise. imagine if you didnt?

i say you listen to the doc.

 

[boom]

to add:

if i could pick a brightspot..going on meds opened my eyes on how delicate life is. you fight and claw, and life will still kick you in the balls occasionally. my wife and i commited to one awesome trip a year..i will do my bucket list hunts as well. eff it..i'm going to live my life. that tiny pill wont define me.

 

[timekiller13]

I know I should listen to my doctor and I'm really just grasping at straws here. I guess I'm like you boom, I feel like I have failed myself. I just knew that getting myself back into good shape and eating a better diet would fix my problem, but it hasn't. In fact, its getting worse. Part of me is angry as well. I see my friends my age who don't take care of themsleves and they have no issues. I know it will catch up to them one day, but mine is my problem right now. Other thing that really has me on edge about this right now is I am trying to commission into the Air Guard as a flight nurse. Right now, I'm seeking a medical waiver for my BP issues, but have been told by two VA docs that if have to go on a second med, they will not grant my waiver. I have also been warned that I may be medically discharged from the national guard if my BP continues to be uncontrolled. I have put 7 yrs of my life into the guard and I am trying to advance my career but may be sent packing because of this. Nothing like a little stress! That should help my BP! I need some tree stand therapy.

 

[boom]

damn.. never considered BP affecting your job..damn.

good luck. tree stands freak me out..

 

[Elknutz]

Same boat here. Extremely active & fit. I eat elk, fish or salad for the most part. It's just bad genes. I'm horrible at taking meds & have only been back on after a year of being off. My doc says it's only a matter of time before I stroke but all I have to do is take 2 pills a day & quit playing Russian Roulette. I'm trying to recommit myself.

 

[N2TRKYS]

You can't fight genetics. You're a nurse. You already know the answer. Take your pills and don't have a stroke.

 

[Antlers]

Why not ask the Doc to up your lisinopril dose? My doc and I experimented with more/less dosage before settling on 17.5mg/day - never get high readings any more.

 

[LaHunter]

Timekiller13, being a nurse you probably already know this, but you could get your doc to write a 'prior authorization' for the Benicar to your insurance provider. Maybe your insurance plan will cover it if your doc (really your doc's nurse) raises enough hell at the insurance company. Benicar is known to provide a strong reduction in BP vs other BP meds. Maybe you could try others meds, BP meds are sorta trial and error on some people. One med that works great for one person may not be great for you.
Hope you get it under control

 

[Shraggs]

Hello,

I'm surprised your insurance stopped paying for this. There are 7 ARBs in the world today, one is benicar. There are 6 others...

I used to sell one as a pharma rep.

I do agree with other advice you received. Blood pressure is less modifiable by lifestyle than other chronic condition, like high lipids or diabetes.

If your insurance is from the exchange, that may explain things, sadly. But I do feel your doctor needs to be coached by you to search another arb as a substitute. I think you have enough evidence that the diuretic your on has failed, by definition and has side effects. There are other diuretics with better profiles that were commonly used with arbs in same pill.

Guidelines state if not at goal, and if tolerability issues exist switch within class AND add a different class. The average number of pills to control BP is 3.2 last I knew

PM me if you like

John

 

[timekiller13]

I have been off benicar for 7 years now. Took it from 02-10. I started on 10mg lisinopril in 2010. Now I am taking 20mg. Have not had any issues until lately. I may talk to the doc about switching meds. I'm really trying to keep from having to be on a second medication because of the flight nurse thing.

 

[wesfromky]

About 12 years ago, a nurse told me I had high blood pressure. I told her that I had done a marathon a couple weeks ago, and climbed 3-4 days a week. And, like you, I didn't want to be on 'pills' the rest of my life, so I just ignored it. Fast forward a couple years, and I am in the ER with a stroke. In the big picture, it was a relatively minor one, but I nearly checked out twice because my BP dropped to quickly while they were trying to get me stable. When I left the hospital, my left arm was pretty much a zombie - took me 2 months to be able to tie my shoes again.

Today, my left arm is about 50% as strong as the right, but maybe only 30% of the fine motor control. And that drops even more once it starts getting cold. Some trouble verbalizing occasionally. But, I am alive and mostly functional - I can shoot pistols, rifles, flyfish, bowhunt, hike, and most importantly, am alive and able to care for myself, which many stroke victims are not able to do.

My advice would be to get on whatever meds it takes to get your BP down to 80/120 and that the side effects are manageable. Once you have it under control, you can work on dropping it even more, so you can start reducing the meds.

They had me on like 5 different meds, high doses of a couple, right after the stroke, but today I am down to 10mg lisinopril a day, and might be able to drop that if I can loose a bit more weight. Not going to lie - the side effects of the BP meds can suck - they made me so cold at first that I slept with a 40 degree bag under the covers. Sometimes, they made me sick or lethargic. But, every time I start thinking that I should just stop taking them, I realize that not having another stroke or a heart attack is worth dealing with the meds.

In addition to the meds, a couple things that seem to have helped my bp, other than dropping weight/exercise, is to make sure I am getting enough of potassium and magnesium, really watch the salt intake, and no more then two drinks per 24 hours. I started krill oil pills last month, and that seems to have helped as well.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I started on 10 mg of Lisinopril about 6 years ago, and it didn't lower my BP enough. The Doctor upped it to 20 mg, and that worked. Now have normal BP. Not administering medical advice, but maybe ask your Doctor about increasing your dose of Lisinopril instead of taking an additional BP med. That would concern me (taking two different ones). Good luck. Also, it might be the "White Coat" syndrome which means your BP is normal, but when you go to the Doctor, you are so stressed about your BP being too high, it actually raises your BP.
I purchased a Panasonic EW3109 BP monitor, and take my BP at least once a week (cost about $35.00 at Walgreens).

 

[Ranger619]

Benicar has come out in a generic since you were on it. The generic may be covered now. Worth checking on.

 

[AdamW]

Giving you advice I need to be be better at taking myself...until you figure something out, see about changing medications/doses.

We are in a pretty similar spot. I'm 31 and on 10mg of HCTZ. I run in that 140/90 range.

"Family history" is definitely a factor, but I get annoyed when fat/unhealthy people insist that is what their issue is, especially when their "family history" is fat, unhealthy people. Doesn't sound like the case with you so as much as I don't always like to say or hear it..."consult with your physician".

 

[boom]

isnt the usual dose of lisinopril 30 mg?

again..good luck.

 

[Laelkhunter]

isnt the usual dose of lisinopril 30 mg?

again..good luck.

My Doctor started me on 10 mg, and after a month moved it up to 20 mg

 

[MtnOyster]

take the meds with you and go on that hunting trip, what are you waiting for? quit pissing your time away dreaming about it and go after it, make it happen!!!!

 

[timekiller13]

take the meds with you and go on that hunting trip, what are you waiting for? quit pissing your time away dreaming about it and go after it, make it happen!!!!

Oh I go on many hunting trips! No need to worry about that!

Got a doctors appt Friday to discuss some options.