High blood pressure !

Went today for my MOT to the doctors and when the nurse tested me my usual blood pressure came in at 180 over 70 I had to see a real doctor and now I have a daily tablet to take. what is this world coming too except when I had a fractured skull and fractured patella ( biking ) I haven't had much wrong with me and only 69 years old.

David

Snap I have just started a stronger Bisoprolol fumarate 5mg to lower my pump a bit.

Don’t worry too much ... The NHS is wonderful, and the technology [should you ever need it] is amazing:

Since 2016 : I’ve had a quadruple ‘Coronary Artery Bypass Graft’ a 2-wire pacemaker and an upgrade to the fancy 3-wire job that does ‘Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy’.

Had that super device checked last week ... It’s working perfectly and the battery is expected to last another nine years.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 29/01/2020 00:21:03

Back in the 60s and 70s my various rellys had various ticker issues from smoking and whatever but since the 1980s they've got really good drugs which can totally relieve heart issues without any major side effects

Even my younger bruvver has been on something for at least 5 years

All you've got to do is take as prescribed and it's amazing how effective they are

My mums pal stopped taking her ticker medicine and was gone in 10 days

Hi David,

Same as that, I'm on my daily dose of smarties as well. You'll find it is not a big deal and much better than the alternative outcome!

So back to enjoying yourself in the workshop!

John

Yes same as been on them since i was 45 now 62 so they work ! and you just get used to them

and as above its better than the alternative

Nick

Don’t worry too much ... The NHS is wonderful, and the technology [should you ever need it] is amazing:

True. I had a quad bypass ten years ago.

My history - never smoked, never overweight, blood pressure normal, cholesterol low, always fit, but a heart attack (which I walked around with for three months before going to the doctor) at 61. But family history on Mum’s side.

”Top dog” at Papworth was my surgeon and while attending for preliminary checks, his registrar asked if I would accept an earlier op if a space became available. This was 16:30 on Tuesday. I replied “Yes, OK” and he said ‘Friday”. Admitted Thursday at 11:00, op Friday morning at 08:30. They only decided at 20:30 on Thursday evening that I didn’t need open heart surgery.

Put in a side ward after the op. Part of the crash team attended on one night and the whole lot the next - along with the surgeon’s registrar at around 02:30 in the morning! Not good, I was thinking and it was my birthday! Later, had more people round my bed than I could count.

Head of the crash team watched my vital signs for an hour while he administered a huge dose of Potassium and then I slowly started to improve. Three days of 150 -170 heart-rate was not fun, but the rate dropped and my surgeon asked ME if he should prescribe warfarin and send me home. I light-heartedly told him he was the ——— expert and he allowed me home with the warfarin.

I had to take a letter for my local hospital - to monitor if my collapsed lung was still expanding properly. It was then that I realised why they had been X-raying me so regularly in hospital.

When rehab exercises started at the local hospital the fellow in charge kept telling me to slow down as my heart was up around the 150 mark. I kept telling him I wouldn't be exercising at all if I slowed down. They used to keep me behind for up to an hour, until my heart-rate subsided. I then walked home with it at 140-150bpm!

Not a good experience, but I’m still around. One heart tablet, minimum statin (cholesterol is plus or minus two), that aspirin (responsible for the duodenal ulcers last year?) plus the pill for ulcer prevention each day is not onerous.

Better than the alternative, is how I see it. So hospitals good, DHSS lousy.

My wife has had more her fair share of hospital treatments over the years - survived an horrific RTA (drunk driver overtaking on a blind bend and head-on collision, resulting in a 3 month hospital stay -quite a lot in intensive care)), a botched gall bladder op (an extra month in hospital later) and cancer treatment in 2018 which seemed to affect her heart (yet another cardiac app. on Friday.)

We wouldn’t be here without the superb hospital care we’ve received. I’m quite sure of that

Due to a trapped nerve in L4/5 I went to the Dr. said, 'Back pain' and his eyes glazed over. Then turned and wanted to take my blood pressure, I was in severe pain and could hardly walk. It was of course, 'Up'. gave me Ramapril.

No mention at all of Ramapril cough nor to reduce intake of food high in Potassium. For some months I happily chewed a banana for breakfast until I checked on the Ramapril and found out about the Potassium intake.

Also I use Formoteral which reduces the transfer of fluid in the lung, but, Ramapril breaks down and gives Nitric Dioxide which is a lung irritant. Yes. the Ramapril cough syndrome.

I have now been waiting 8 months for pain relief appt. Anytime now I hope. This will mean Steroid inj. into three Lumbar pads plus a pain killer. Not looking forward to that I must say. Warned it could be 3 to 4 hours session.

There are a some heart pills that you cannot eat Grapefruit as it kills the heart pill working.

And here's me about to book in to see GP because I don't feel as lively as usual. It is most likely overwork trying to look after two daughters properties as well as my own and time in the workshop. At 71 maybe time is catching up with me ? Prostate OP 7 years ago and just one tablet a day since then, never smoked or overweight.

Welcome to the club David! Us old gits must stick together.

Russell

That's a rapid decision made after one pressure test! I would have thought the Doctor would have put you on a 24 monitor to get a better picture. Too many pills these days. True, you might need them, but I would want a better test than you had. I monitor mine at home on a regular basis, fairly accurate I'm told and it does give you a trend should there be anything wrong. I'd go back and challenge it.

At the age of 45 I was diagnosed with type two diabeties and was put on a course of tablets, I also suffered from high blood presure which included more tablets, in 2014/15 I developed a condition called Charcot foot, Diabetic related, which meant eight months off work unable to walk and drive, I lost control of my Diabeties which meant I had to start injecting insulin and today at the age of 66 I now take 13 tablets for various issues and inject three times a day insulin and another drug. you just get into a routine twice a day and remember without them I would be very poorly.

Martin P

Was put on Ramapril some years ago as doctor was concerned about my blood pressure (stressful occupation).
I decided to keep track of my blood pressure myself, entering monthly readings on a spreadsheet and plotting a trend line.

After having a knee operation I had to go to the gym to exercise and strengthen my leg muscles.
I noticed my blood pressure was quite low on a regular basis so asked the doctor to come off the pills. The doctor had no objections.
My blood pressure is ok at present without any pills and I continue to keep a monthly reading.

In my case I am sure it was life style. Lack of exercise and a stressful job. What has changed ? I exercise at a gym and by walking my dog, not getting stressed, keeping my weight down and most importantly relaxing in my workshop building my first steam engine.

If my blood pressure starts to creep up again I will consider taking pills again.

Five years ago last Monday and just short of my 65th birthday I suffered (what I know to have been) a heart attack in work and blue lights took me to hospital, in through the back door straight into the Lab and they put three stents in my knackered arteries and I am still here to tell the tale.

I take my pills like a good boy and I stopped smoking saving me £3.5k a year, I am now retired and enjoy fettling in the workshop or riding my twenty odd bikes, but not at the same time.

Life is good so look after yourselves everyone.

Colin

Clive, That is interesting as my Doc has never mentioned about potassium with Ramapril medication. Off to google it now....

A friend of mine has had more bi-passes than the N 11 and is still arsing around at 87, so there is still hope for us all !!

.

I must agree with RMA

I am not medically qualified, but ... To the best of my understanding:

Systolic pressure [your 180] is ‘designed’ to vary ... 180 is not unreasonable [as a ‘white coat’ reaction, or a response to exertion] and should not be considered diagnostic unless it is sustained.

Diastolic pressure [your 70] is a more reliable indicator of arterial restrictions.

Do some background reading, David ... Then request a 24hour monitor and a review.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 29/01/2020 09:51:48

Five years ago I too ended up having two Stents plus six pills after a mild heart attack. And that was after something like 25 years of being on gradually increasing dosages to keep the BP under 150 (don't remember the lower number). Today I'm around 130-140 over 65 to 70 with a resting pulse rate of between 60 & 70.

Interesting experience though, other than feeling weak prior to the heart attack I had nothing. The heart attack itself didn't cause me any pain or whatever. But once told I'd had it, I sort of went into a relaxed state, an OK, it's happened, now what? Except that as the Cardiac Rehabitaion nurse said, the emotions were all over the place especially when it came for the Angioplasty & Stent insertions.

Now on 6 pills a day and been ok ever since.

But, and I don't know which is worse, middle of last year I went to the GP with a cough that wouldn't go away - and ended up being diagnosed with lung cancer, and placed on a pill form of chemotherapy, and now having a set of side-effects to cope with.

On reflection I think the cancer is the worst.

Still musn't complain, now in my late-70's, had a reasonable life, got three children and four lovely grandchildren, had (much to my surprise) articles published in MEW, spent 50 years singing in choirs (until hearing problems stopped that), and so on. Yes, I've much to be thankful for.

Peter G. Shaw

I was put on to water tablets (Bendroflumethiazde) about 25 years ago and beta blockers (Atenolol) two years later to control my high blood pressure.

I was found to have a low heart rate, about 50, after nearly fainting in the local supermarket a year and half ago and was immediately taken off Atenolol without being given a replacement drug. This made no difference to my blood pressure.

Do doctors like prescribing pills or do we expect them to do so?

JA

Reading this thread just makes us all aware of what can happen to us as human beings. having gone through many hiccups myself.

All I can say is that we all can be grateful to still be here and able to continue our respected hobbies and enjoying doing them