Feels unfair! Warning bit of a whinge thread

[Jimpy]

Hi everyone,

Been a while since I posted last, which has been a positive due to my anxiety been under control. But now I am worried I have high blood pressure, I visited the a&e dept the other day after having a nosebleed at work ( I have suffered from them most of my life) and after about the 4th person told me
it might be high blood pressure I freaked and went casualty, cue a bloody a blood pressure Reading which was high then I waited an hour got another one which was high again. When I say high I am talking 160 over 100, it was 170 at one point. The doc told me to have 4 more readings 1
per week. I had one this morning at my local doctors after having some blood tests and the reading was high again. Scared me a bit if I am honest, I really would like some reassurance or just a kind word from the nurses and docs but so far I have had nothing but the feeling I being rushed from
one place to the next, but then that is what I have had since the start of this anxiety nearly a year ago. I know that sounds negative
an even a bit ungrateful but I can't help how I feel, no one has sat down and spent longer than 5 minutes
talking to me about it, the anxiety or the blood pressure, sorry to rant just
scared and frustrated, I don't smoke, drink, gamble and eat healthy it getse down cause I feel like I am trying hard but getting paid back with high BP!

[Maj]

Finding out that you have high blood pressure can be frightening, especially when you feel that you live healthily. But it's something that can affect anyone and can be genetic. My mum has very high bp and doesn't drink or smoke and has been on bp meds for over 30 years. It's just one of those things I'm afraid. Because of your healthy lifestyle then they won't want to put you on bp meds right away, just incase it comes down again, so that's a good sign that they want to check it every week. High blood pressure is very treatable and it's good when it's noticed early. I know it's a shock but it's a good thing that it's been diagnosed sooner than later.:hugs:

[Jimpy]

Thanks for your kind words, sometimes it is hard to be calm, as we all on here well know but just venting and getting replies really helps,

thanks

jim

[Desprate Dan]

Jim, I know were you are coming from and sympathise with your situation. I also have high bp and anxiety and depression and like you no one has sat me down and actually said what we are going to do about it, i feel like i am forgotten about, will it take a heart attack, surely prevention is better than cure, think we are victims of an over steched NHS, 6 minute appointments, you barely have time to say "hello doctor".

[countrygirl]

the anxiety we suffer can raise our blood pressure - ultimate white coat syndrome. Can your surgery give you a blood pressure machine for a day so you can take it at home - this woulnd't work for me becasue just knowing I am going to take it makes my heart race like mad I really need it taken when I am asleep! Or again you can have a 24 hr reading done at home my mother in law has just had it and said it was only a bit of a nuisance.

Have you looked into other methods of lowering your blood pressure - they say magnesium supplements help as do garlic and fish oils plus the slow breathing tecnique you can actually buy a machine that tell you when to breathe for 10 mins a day to slow your breathing down as this is supposed to lower your blood pressure. Its the one time where google might be of benefit!

[myiguanodon]

I've suffered from high blood pressure since my early 20s (genetic failing on my fathers side) and it's kept under control with a couple of meds once a day. I was first diagnosed as a result of a health check at work. Can't remember my upper BP, but at that point the lower one was 98, they seemed more concerned about that one so it stuck in my head. I was told to go and see my GP, which I did.

I had my BP taken there and it was high again, they then asked me to come back two more times over the next two weeks. All three times my BP was high (should add I didn't have any anxiety over going to get my BP taken as had expected at some point it would surface from my family history). I was started on atenolol at 25mg and asked to return in a week.

They then started me on lisinopril at 2.5mg along with the atenolol, which I had to take at night as it can cause low BP and dizzyness (I took it early evening as I have a bit of a thing of starting any new med at bedtime). Again I had to go back in a week, this time my BP was fine. I was then told to go back each month for three months. Then every three months for a year. After that I had to go every six months for a BP check.

Test wise, I had blood tests before starting, at 3 months and I think 6 and 1 year, I now have them annually, but am not sure if this is because of the specific meds or just because it's routine to monitor people with high BP annually.

This is by no means a hard and fast how someone will be treated, but might give some idea of what BP treatment might be like.

As for the meds, I guess everyone is different, but I've not had any side effects from these and have been fine on them for nearly 10 years.

Hope this is some help.