BP Results

[misschris]

Hi All,

I posted a couple of days ago about my high blood pressure. I went back to the docs last night for my results, they last reading by the nurse 2weeks ago was 152, my results showed it was 136 over 78, he was going to give me meds but I pointed out that it has come down, I have made some changes and if he was to give me meds now I wouldn't take them because am off on my jollies on Sunday and am not taking new meds whilst am away in case of a reaction to the meds, he said you will have to go on meds at some point because you are getting older and your arteries narrow with age, I replied well I will be helping myself so that I won't need meds.

So does that mean every aged person is on BP meds or every person who has a thyroid problem is on meds for BP?

Chris

[shaws]

No it doesn't and some who have had high BP it resolved when either on an optimum dose or a change-over to another make. I don't say Brand because the last and only Brand Eltroxin was withdrawn so it is only generic levos we get now.

I think you are being very sensible.

[misschris in reply to shaws]

Thanks shaws, I think these GP's make their job easier by throwing meds at you without finding the underlying cause. You would think GP's would know that not being medicated properly for thyroid can cause high cholesterol, and blood pressure and should test you but mine will only test the tsh which I think is scary that your left in your GP's care.

[Marz in reply to misschris]

..Dr Kendrick has also mentioned in dispatches - that since he qualified - the levels considered good for blood pressure have been lowered 2/3 times - thus making it possible for GP's to prescribe blood pressure tablets to more and more people. Same with the cholesterol - that too has been lowered and lowered - so soon everyone and their dog will be on them.

Homocysteine levels are quite important though - if raised it can be a better indicator of problems like strokes/Tia's. Levels need to be in single figures - preferably around 5/6. Interestingly if your B12 is low - homocysteine can be raised. This happened to me.

[shaws in reply to misschris]

Unfortunately, they have been directed by the Guidelines that TSH is the only result to go by. Rarely is FT3 taken. I don't think the know much more than to adjust levo according to the TSH without asking the patient how they feel.

[misschris in reply to shaws]

Very true Shaws 😉

[SmallBlueThing]

About a third to a half of adults have hypertension in Europe and the US. I read that just as many medics have it and suffer the complications, despite medication. Nevertheless, the chemical crutches may offer time to address diet and lifestyle issues.

This week's Inside Health on BBC R4 ( bbc.co.uk/programmes/b069vtmv ) as well as an interesting piece on body temperature, talked about surrogate markers -- it's no point using a drug to give a "good" measurable effect if the patient is more likely to die! The waters are further muddied if there are financial incentives for treatment targets.

An elderly friend's slow heart rate was spotted while visiting hospital about something else. It takes two ticks to find out that beta blockers are no longer recommended as first line treatment for hypertension in the elderly, so why did my friend's GP prescribe them and why weren't the effects monitored?

[Marz in reply to SmallBlueThing]

..my hubby's step mother was slipping into Dementia when the GP decided to stop her blood pressure tablets ! Not enough oxygen being carried to the brain. She has now made an improvement - even at 93

I believe Practices are well rewarded for the prescribing of lucrative medications - ( ie for Big Pharma ! )

[Angel_of_the_North]

Years ago, your BP was considered OK if it was 100 + your age. I haven't seen any stats (although there may be some) suggesting that there are fewer heart attacks and strokes because of the new guidelines. If you are taking calcium or D3, make sure you are also taking K2 to make sure that calcium ends up in your bones and teeth, not your arteries.

I'm sure that treating BP gets funding points - thyroid doesn't

[misschris in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

The only vitamins am taking at the minute is folate and zinc as blood test shown that I was low.

[Hidden]

With hypo, blood pressure is usually low, surely? Are there exceptions?

[greygoose in reply to Hidden]

Can be low, can be high, can be 'normal' - whatever that is. Not exceptions, just différences. But it all dépends what is considered to be high...

[misschris]

I have read that BP can be linked to either hypo or hyper if not treated correctly. I have never had BP issues until my thyroid was removed in 2009 and it has only just been tested and came back high. GP was going to put me on meds for it but I refused, I will be seeing my endo in October so am hanging on until I see her, not taking meds to disguise the real issue until we have explored all avenues. On the positive side it has come down but still on high side.

[helvella]

One phenomenon that affects blood pressure is so-called "white coat hypertension". That is, when a doctor comes near you, especially to measure your blood pressure, your blood pressure actually rises.

In order both to combat that effect and to give you an overall better picture, I have often suggested people buy their own blood pressure testing machine. There are many on the market, they are much less expensive than they were, a lot have some form of certification. We have a (now old) Omron.

With a tester, you can check your blood pressure morning, noon and night (and as many times inbetween that you care to do!) for as long as you want. You can avoid taking it when there is an extra stress factor.

Although blood pressure should be the same in both arms, sometimes it is not. Suggest that you alternate arms each time to measure. (Maybe do both arms at the same time for the first few times and assure yourself that they are very close to each other.)

My own mother didn't have any blood pressure issues until well over eighty and also suffering other issues.

[misschris in reply to helvella]

I think it would be sensible to buy one, like you say BP can go up when around white coat, this could be a possibility, as when I went to get monitor fitted, they took BP first and that read 150' then I went on my merry little way, carried on as usual and handed monitor in the next day and the reading was 136 over 78.

[Lisahelen]

As Helvella mentioned you could purchase a home monitor. Or if you really dont think your bp is anything to worry about just drs visit related. Next time you go, ask for a 24 hour monitor to be fitted before you agree to take meds. I did this and they found i suffer white coat. To be honest my from my own experience 136/78 seems perfectly normal/ healthy reading. Ask what he wants/expects your bp to actually be, and go from there.

[misschris in reply to Lisahelen]

Hi,

I did have a 24hr monitor fitted and my results came back 136 over 78, he wanted to put me on meds as he thinks this is high. This has fallen since my last reading of 152 2weeks previous. I have read that to medicate someone under 160 can do more harm than good and that people 160 upwards would benefit from meds, so am just going to wait to see my endo and talk to her about my concerns over this.