saw a consultant yesterday after some tests and MRI and got told I have mild heart wall thickening, high blood pressure (170/110) and high heart rate. Basically got told "lose weight, stop drinking, go walking 5 times a week, eat healthy and start you on blood pressure medication". I sort of walked out in a bit of daze, and I'm now wondering what I should/shouldn't be doing? I don't want to become "Dr. Google" and read all the horror stories so thought I would come here to somewhere sensible!
About me, I am 47, 182cm , 16st 6, BMI 31.4. I have never smoked, drink at the weekends, haven't done proper exercise in years.
Any help or advice on what I should ask my doctor when I see them? I have ordered a blood pressure monitor to measure myself at home.
Thanks
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n0rthernm0nkey
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Hi, everything you have been told is right, you need to get your blood pressure down, you don’t smoke so that’s a good start. A healthy diet is something you can fix easily, lots here on the forum follow the Mediterranean diet that BHF recommend. I had open heart surgery and exercise is walking in the first instance. So if you haven’t done anything in a while start by gentle walking, every couple of days try a little farther, building that up and doing a faster power walk eventually. See if you can get on the cardio rehab list, this would help you see what is expected in the exercise department, and you have cardio nurses there keeping an eye on your pulse and blood pressure.
You say you have ordered a blood pressure monitor, good idea keep a record so you can tell your GP/ cardiologist how that is going.
Try cutting your alcohol out see if the blood pressure comes down.
Hi, i think it is one thing being told what to do and granted that is what you maybe should do. But there is a way of saying it as it can come across as quite overwhelming in one sentence and it would be much nicer to say to someone in your position.
I would like you to get some exercise slowly cut down your alcohol intake and if you need some advice and support then I can recommend you for a rehab course or I could give you this leaflet for you to take away and maybe get in touch with...such a body.. who can offer some nutritional advice. I think they can be quite abrupt sometimes and forget it is new to us whereas we are nonstop for them.
Baby steps. I would ask your doctor if there is a gym or some sort of support group local to you where you can have a buddy to walk with.
First of all, well done for avoiding asking Dr Google. I started looking up things on my phone while in hospital - BIG mistake, so well done for not falling into that trap!
The advice from the consultant is good.
Most of us on here try to maintain a Mediterranean Diet - it will help your heart and your general health and will help you drop some of the weight. After my heart attack I gave up alcohol completely for 6 months and since then have only drank very moderately. Myself I know that alcohol is normally followed by eating the wrong stuff or just eating too much, so the 6 months without helped me to steadily get the weight off.
If you haven't done any exercise for years, then to start with you should get some exercise by gentle walking and gradually build up both the distance and the intensity. Another option might be to get a static exercise bike that you could use over the autumn/winter months when going out for a walk becomes a bit unappealing.
I don't know if you would meet the conditions for cardio rehab, but I'd certainly ask your GP to see if they can arrange anything for you.
I know it's all a lot to take in at the beginning, but with some dedication it does soon start to make a difference. Good luck.
You have my sympathy, however I have a similar Bmi to you I’ve recently given up alcohol which has been a lifetime habit, within months my blood pressure has reduced and I have started reducing meds, I’ve been trying to reduce blood pressure with meds for 6 years without success, and with awful side effects, do yourself the biggest favour and take the advice, I also cycle I thought I would hate this, but I quite enjoy the canal towpaths as my routes. Find en exercise you can enjoy. At your age you have the chance to turn things around.
If you don’t you will go down a path that you might regret.👍🏻
Everyone's advice is great, only thing I can add is cut out the salt, that also helps lower BP. Took me awhile to get used to not using salt but now can taste flavors in food better.
Just a quick update. Got myself an Omron X7 today, did my BP this morning and again about 10 mins ago. This morning my BP was 140/84 pulse 104 and tonight 130/84 pulse 83.
Well done, first steps taken. I do mine once a week maybe twice if I sense something is a miss. That is pre stage 2. It isn't that bad and can easily be brought down with a few tweaks to ideal which is under 120/80 but no lower than 90/60. Pulse wise it depends what you are doing. Mine can go as low as 31 resting and as high as 140 if moving about. 60-100 Is the norm so they say.
would be find an activity you will really enjoy for exercise. This sounds very obvious but if you do something you find boring you will not stick at it. The best forms of exercise are ones that you do not really think of as exercise😂 for instance things like gentle badminton which you could do with a partner or friend or walks in favourite places and if it is combined with say visiting a garden or castle or whatever your mind is sort of tricked into thinking more about the thing you have gone to see/do rather than 'I have been walking 3 miles' and 'I hate it and find it boring'!!! Outdoor photography, golf, gardening whatever you like!
when you have your meals sit down at the table, and enjoy it no tv on or dashing about. Never go to supermarket when hungry and always take a list. simple suggestion do not buy junk food if its not in the house you cannot eat it.
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