uncontrollable Blood pressure: on high meds of Valsartan 320 mgs and Amlodopine 5 mgs daily. ill recently and wondered if it is the meds.….

[TheUntouchables46]

I have been suffering with high blood pressure for over 20 years. I am aged 75. For the past five years, it has occasionally become uncontrollable with spikes of high systolics up to 180- 200 on more than one occasions. My BP would be okay for several weeks and then out of the blue it goes sky high. I wonder if it is dietary or the medications I am taken. I am on 320 mgs of Valsartan and 5 mgs of Amlodopine daily. I was referred to a cardiologist and all the test are fine and told to continue with the meds. My GP has not got any answers

[Madlegs1]

Can you relate your spikes to anything particular?

It might be worth keeping a log of activities and diet to see whether there are any links?

Are you hydrating enoug

Do you have episodes of stress?

Do keep in touch!😎

[TheUntouchables46 in reply to Madlegs1]

Thank you Madlegs1, I probably can do better with the hydration. I am not a water lover, but love tea (about 5 cups a day and occasional 2 cups of decaf cofffee ). I will let you know how I get on. I will also try your idea to log activities. Stress!!! I am a born worrier and I will have to work on that. Thanks again.

[Happyrosie]

Like you, The Untouchables, I was born in 1946, am female, live in UK and have been on BP pills for 20 years plus. My first thought on reading your post was, well if the cardio and your doc say things, it's not for us non-professionals to disagree. But I do have some thoughts.

My first thoughts are, have you any other medical condition? have the docs taken blood tests for kidney function and so on? Are you taking your pressures at home and it is this that produces the spikes? Have you had a 24-hour monitor to see what's going on? What about diet and lifestyle? Exercise?

If your pressure is taken at home and this is where the spikes occur, you could try the following:

take your pressure at the same time each day for seven days after having sat down for at least ten minutes doing something restful (read a book, listen to music) with the monitor ready to go. Take three slow breaths then take a reading, eyes closed and NO TALKING. Discard the first reading, take three more and average them. Write it down.

You've then got something consistent to show your GP.

If you have already been doing this and everything else I've said above is hunky-dory - I'm flummoxed!

But do post again if you think I can help further.

[TheUntouchables46 in reply to Happyrosie]

Hi HappyRosie

I just spent half an hour replying to your answer, had a break from my IPad and came back to add something else. my reply disappeared from the screen. I cannot find it. You can tell that I am not Savvy with modern day devices. Have you received it If not I will rewrite and post again

[Happyrosie in reply to TheUntouchables46]

ah no it’s not been posted! It would be somewhere on your Safari. Probably!

[TheUntouchables46 in reply to Happyrosie]

Hi HappyRosie, could not find the missing message so here goes. Thanks for your very valuable advice. You may remember we corresponded several months ago and I did take your advice about relaxing for ten minutes, discarding first reading and taking three others and then working out an average. One episode I had last month was an initial B/P of 195/97, but decrease by the fourth reading to 121/72. My question is why so high in the first place. My doctor said quote “that’s very good but you must realise we have not got time to measure your blood pressure so many times.” unquote, I will continue this technique which you have suggested in the comfort of my own home and take it from there. Final thought I was checking my diary from 2 years ago and I recorded that my BP shot up after eating a mushroom and cheese omelette. Probably I need to investigate this further. Thanks again for your help.

[peter999999999 in reply to TheUntouchables46]

well you could think 1oo plus age is 175 plus anything under 100 ok, so you not going to die or anything like that, it was ok up to 15 years ago then they changed the goalposts, now that should help ease the worry off you, could be just anxiety,at 75 you could argue should docs have you on bp pills, you have lived your life, on borrowed time now, everyday a bonus dont waste it worring that changes nothing only stops you enjoying the good times.at least with so called high bp you getting blood to your brain

[Happyrosie in reply to TheUntouchables46]

your specific question ‘why so high’ is dealt with by other posters too. To me it sounds absolutely like I was donkey’s years ago … the very fact of taking it sends it up. A VERY natural response to stress.

Say for example you are late for a bus. Your BP will be up just thinking about hurrying. That what’s its for: to get your system ready for whatever is going to happen to it.

[TheUntouchables46 in reply to Happyrosie]

Hi Happy Rosie, I thank everyone for their very valuable advice. I will certainly put words into action. Thanks to BP doctor about the Conn’s Syndrome. The closest I heard of it but not mentioned by name is when the A&E doctor suggested that I had my Adrenal glands checked. But that was not followed up. Just a last point and wondered if this may be a possible cause of the problem. After about 3 months when my B/P was incredibly stable with readings between 115/70 and 130/80. I suggested to a locum doctor that I only take half of the Valsartan 160 mgs.He agreed. Then the high spikes started a couple of weeks later. I just wanted your thoughts as to whether I should continue with the high doses of the Valsartan(320mgs.)irrespective of what the BP is. I tried asking this question to the docs but got very vague answers.

[Happyrosie in reply to TheUntouchables46]

Well I suppose if a doc has said it’s ok to reduce the dose then you’re probably ok to do so. Your pressures certainly seem, to me as a non-medic, to be controlled.

[Collywobbles64]

Hi, try going low carb. I have found that starch which turns into sugar spikes my bp as well as causes me to put on weight.

[Reader7]

I'm also 75 with difficult to control high blood pressure. I follow all the guidelines...low salt, exercise, stress relief, and weight control. I was eventually sent to a nephrologist who found nothing wrong after repeated blood tests, urinalysis, CT scan, and ultrasound. The conclusion is that is just have a genetic predisposition to HBP. I take four meds throughout the day...metropolol, losartan, spironolactone, and clonidine. I feel fine, have plenty of energy so I don't mind taking this many pills...I've never been one to think it's a moral failing to take any medication. I understand your frustration and hope there is some resolution!

[onadiet]

I got the same problem. Seems every 3 months or so I have a few days of no episodes. I'm on Losartan but it happens on all the meds whether CCB ARB or ACE. Bisopronol was no help at all.