who has hypertension raise your hand

[Heidi3]

:wave if it does not go down with this last bit of weight I loose ..I am going to have to take meds damn it.... :sadblinky

[2Bthin]

I started on meds in July. I hadn't really had my bp checked in a couple years. When I went in for something else, they checked my bp and it was 168/118. They checked it for about a week and it was still really high so now I'm on Altace and Toprol-XL. I was on a diuretic too but the dr. took me off that when he added Toprol. Now my bp is usually less than 110/75. Hoping that when I lose more weight I can get off them, but I do have a long family history of high blood pressure.

[2big4mysize]

Your Atkins should help your blood pressure problems not only for the diuretic effects of the probgram but high blood sugar spikes blood pressure to so controlling your blood sugars can help lower it too. Then there is the exercise part of your atkins as exercise helps lower blood pressure too.
And of course as you guys already mentioned the actual losing of the weight means the blood doesn't have to go through so many extra miles of blood vessels. did you know if you are 25 lbs overweight, you have nearly 5,000 extra miles of blood vessels through which your heart must pump blood. :yikes

[Heidi3]

oh it has helped but I am not quite in the "safe zone" yet..anyway I am doing things correctly and gave myself a deadline ...if it works I will be thrilled!! if not I am not a fool I will concede and take the stress of my organs!

[Jolly mon Bass]

I had high blood pressure and took meds to control it... as I lost weight my Doc. tapered it down... after completing my weight loss at 60lbs. my bloodpressure has normalized at an average of 115/75 and I have been off any medication for 6 months now.

I am free!

[Heidi3]

I had high blood pressure and took meds to control it... as I lost weight my Doc. tapered it down... after completing my weight loss at 60lbs. my bloodpressure has normalized at an average of 115/75 and I have been off any medication for 6 months now.

I am free!

That really is awesome and really what I wanted to hear!!! Thanks!

[Heidi3]

Your Atkins should help your blood pressure problems not only for the diuretic effects of the probgram but high blood sugar spikes blood pressure to so controlling your blood sugars can help lower it too. Then there is the exercise part of your atkins as exercise helps lower blood pressure too.
And of course as you guys already mentioned the actual losing of the weight means the blood doesn't have to go through so many extra miles of blood vessels. did you know if you are 25 lbs overweight, you have nearly 5,000 extra miles of blood vessels through which your heart must pump blood. :yikes

I need to hear I will not need meds...Mind over matter!!!....

[lostandfound]

I have been taking Atenolol for 11 years. Started out at 25 mg's and am now up to 200 mg's plus 25 mg's HCTZ. My Dr. has tried to taper me off my meds twice now and each time my BP soars. I don't know what the heck is going on. I'm losing substantially. I'm exercising. I'm drinking my water and avoiding sodium. I do not use caffeine at all. But I'm still in the scary zone.
He reduced my atenolol down to 100 mg's daily last month and day before yesterday my BP was 168/119!!! So...back to taking the evening dose of an additional 100 mg's and monitoring my heart rate. Which is always quite low at night. (too much atenolol if you ask me)
Guess I'm going to be one of those folks that has to take those stinking meds for life!!!!

Hugs,Tammy

[Heidi3]

I have been taking Atenolol for 11 years. Started out at 25 mg's and am now up to 200 mg's plus 25 mg's HCTZ. My Dr. has tried to taper me off my meds twice now and each time my BP soars. I don't know what the heck is going on. I'm losing substantially. I'm exercising. I'm drinking my water and avoiding sodium. I do not use caffeine at all. But I'm still in the scary zone.
He reduced my atenolol down to 100 mg's daily last month and day before yesterday my BP was 168/119!!! So...back to taking the evening dose of an additional 100 mg's and monitoring my heart rate. Which is always quite low at night. (too much atenolol if you ask me)
Guess I'm going to be one of those folks that has to take those stinking meds for life!!!!

Hugs,Tammy

I have heard of people having rebound hypertension as they loose weight ...it usually levels off when you get to goal and are there for a while...just about eveyone who has a gastric bipass has some period of hypertension post loosing the weight as well but then it becomes stable ...so hang in there it is bound to level off..I hope!

[Jolly mon Bass]

I have been taking Atenolol for 11 years. Started out at 25 mg's and am now up to 200 mg's plus 25 mg's HCTZ. My Dr. has tried to taper me off my meds twice now and each time my BP soars. I don't know what the heck is going on. I'm losing substantially. I'm exercising. I'm drinking my water and avoiding sodium. I do not use caffeine at all. But I'm still in the scary zone.
He reduced my atenolol down to 100 mg's daily last month and day before yesterday my BP was 168/119!!! So...back to taking the evening dose of an additional 100 mg's and monitoring my heart rate. Which is always quite low at night. (too much atenolol if you ask me)
Guess I'm going to be one of those folks that has to take those stinking meds for life!!!!

Hugs,Tammy

Hang in there and keep the faith Tammy, you never know.

[2big4mysize]

hang in there Tammy :hug and even if you do have to take as you say those stinking meds for life it will be a much heallthier and happier one with your blood pressure in control then out of control.

They don't call it the silient killer for nothing. the damage it does to everyplace your blood flows is painless while it is being done but deadly when complet.

[Desertthorn]

I also take atenalog and of course it is listed as one that slows weight loss by the good doctor. I have been on Atkins for nearly two years and have lost 50 pounds,so, it has been very slow going. BUT, I am losing and my BP is going down. (I take it for an erratic heart beat, not for the BP)
So, like those above, the word is Hang in there, and if your weight loss is slower than the others, that might be the reason, BUT slow is not necessarily bad.

[lostandfound]

Thanks all.... I know I may be on them for life. It's just one of those things I have learned to deal with. My Mother had high BP most of her adult life. She had a massive stroke which debilitated her at 42 years old. But she wasn't taking any meds to control it and had untreated diabetes as well. We weren't aware until the stroke how bad it was. (I was 15 at the time)
She died after 18 yr's bed-ridden with right side paralysis. Lost her ability to communicate and etc.
It scares me too much to go off the meds, so I will keep on, keeping on.
And keep the faith that Dr. A knows his stuff....

Hugs,Tammy

[Coop2004]

Thanks all.... I know I may be on them for life. It's just one of those things I have learned to deal with. My Mother had high BP most of her adult life. She had a massive stroke which debilitated her at 42 years old. But she wasn't taking any meds to control it and had untreated diabetes as well. We weren't aware until the stroke how bad it was. (I was 15 at the time)
She died after 18 yr's bed-ridden with right side paralysis. Lost her ability to communicate and etc.
It scares me too much to go off the meds, so I will keep on, keeping on.
And keep the faith that Dr. A knows his stuff....

Hugs,Tammy

Hi Tammy,

That is so sad about your mother. DH's grandfather (whom I believe also had high blood pressure) suffered from a stroke that left him paralyzed on one side and he also had trouble communicating. I remember him trying to talk and when he was asked to repeat it, he would, understandably get very frustrated and upset.

I'm lucky not to have high blood pressure, but it does run in both sides of my family (my paternal grandmother had it and my aunt (mother's sister) has it. And my husband, as well as his father, have to take meds for their blood pressure.

At least you are able to take control of your situation with the meds. And with this WOE/WOL, you've got an added bonus, as you already know!!

Keep up the good work!!

:hug

Linda (Coop)

[lostandfound]

Thank you Linda,

My Mother was a terrific lady. But she was overweight and unhealthy.
I don't want history to repeat itself. I am going to get this weight off..not if it kills me...but before it does!!! :nod


Hugs,Tammy