I am a coffee addict and consume some 40-60 ounces in the morning at the 'puter.
I have been getting superb BP numbers (under 115/75 from my short trial of only Lasix furosemide, 80 mg. BUT the last two nights my numbers were over systolic was over 140 in the evening (I do all my measurements after 6 PM.)
The last two days I did something very different...I had another 14 ounce mug of coffee after dinner and before testing my BP. Both days, it remained high til midnight.

I guess there's no denying that strong coffee raises my BP. If I get brave, I;ll take my BP at NOON one of these days.

So, no more at night...EVER and I really should cut down on the morning coffee. Who knows maybe if I can give it up, I'll be a normotensive...or a HYPOTENSIVE.
Since I had coffee and a roll before starting KINDERGARTEN <no exaggeration> quitting would be nigh impossible, but I COULD limit myself, MAYBE, to 24 ounces per morning.
OHHHH, the thought of the headaches and possible COMA! :eek: :eek:

Have you noticed any correlation between coffeee drinking and HBP in yourself?

Hello Lenin,

YES, I noticed that drining coffee raises my bood pressure from 130/90 to 150/105 in 2 or 3 hours. I don't drink coffee at all because of that, but you know Lenin there are some people who drink coffee and got no difference in thier blood pressure readings. Anyway, I'm not one of them.
Thanks,
Michael

Coffee does raise my bp. An expresso based drink can cause a spike--say 130 to 160 systolic. It also pushes up my pulse some. Coffee does has some benefits too.
Another way it can push up the bp is by stimulating anxiety. Caffeine plus anxiet--which feed off each other--has on occasion pushed mine through the roof. If you're worried about the effect of coffee on your bp when measuring your bp, I guarantee it will raise it even more. I'm not giving coffee up, but that's not completely rational!

I am a coffee addict and consume some 40-60 ounces in the morning at the 'puter.
I have been getting superb BP numbers (under 115/75 from my short trial of only Lasix furosemide, 80 mg. BUT the last two nights my numbers were over systolic was over 140 in the evening (I do all my measurements after 6 PM.)
The last two days I did something very different...I had another 14 ounce mug of coffee after dinner and before testing my BP. Both days, it remained high til midnight.

I guess there's no denying that strong coffee raises my BP. If I get brave, I;ll take my BP at NOON one of these days.

So, no more at night...EVER and I really should cut down on the morning coffee. Who knows maybe if I can give it up, I'll be a normotensive...or a HYPOTENSIVE.
Since I had coffee and a roll before starting KINDERGARTEN <no exaggeration> quitting would be nigh impossible, but I COULD limit myself, MAYBE, to 24 ounces per morning.
OHHHH, the thought of the headaches and possible COMA! :eek: :eek:

Have you noticed any correlation between coffeee drinking and HBP in yourself?

When I was diagnosed with high blood pressure a few years ago the Nurse told me to swtich to decaffinated coffee. I did that for about a year but I still craved regular coffee. I now have two cups in the morning. One when I get up and another one before I start work. I have checked my bp on the weekends after drinking it and it does not seem to make much of a difference. I keep reading conflicting articles regarding caffeine and high blood pressure. Another guy at work has hypertension and he asked his doctor if he had to give up coffee and his doctor said no...

I'm a coffee addict too, of sorts. I drink 18-24 oz mon - fri and probably twice that much on the weekeds but I only drink it in the mornings and that's when my Bp is the lowest.
I don't know what it would be without it cause I've never done without it except the 1 or 2 days a year when I have to fast for blood work and then I head for the nearest coffee pot around!
Cass

I gave up regular coffee and tea 2 yrs ago when I was diagnosed with high BP. I was SO hard to do. Yes I did have "the" headache but it eventually goes away. Having to go all decaff was hard~but my high BP is anxiety realted and I had to eliminate whatever speeds me up. I got used to the coffee because decaff with creamer in it tastes good. BUT~the decaff ice tea is so weak. I am in very hot South Texas and we drink ice tea year round. I still make regular tea for husband and when I take a sip of his~it has much more rich tea flavor~but geesh~it speeds up my heart like crazy. I simply cant have it anymore :(

Thanks everybody.

I think I'll make an effort to cut back on the coffee. I really don't need the amounts that I gulp down. I once estimated I'm getting a solid GRAM a day of caffeine. Each and every day.
I guess it would make a good New Year's Resolution. So let's see, New Years is exactly 366 days away. :jester: :jester: I should be ready by then. Hmm, it's also 731 days away...that would allow me to make a good weaning plan! ;)

Alas, last night I had no coffee (none after 11 AM actually) and my BP was still high. How disappointing. I may have to throw the Cozaar back onto the Lasix.

Lenin,
I don't think there's enough evidence for you to go Cold Turkey, especially in view of
coffee's health benefits.

I'll make a resolution with you to keep it to about 4 cups a day.

My mom was a coffee addict. She used to drink thos 22oz mugs of coffee 3x daily when she worked. She was told to watch the caffeine. She stopped the soda, but couldn't stop the coffee. Now she drinks decaf coffee and discovered decaf coffee can raise cholesterol. I think it is a no win situation..

I think it is a no win situation.. Definitely. I guess no matter what you eat or drink, there'll be benefits and minuses. So you might as well eat or drink what you really want to every once in a while. Just do it in moderation, of course... :)

I gave up regular consumption of coffee almost 30 years ago when I was at a job where I was able to drink coffee at my desk all day while I worked rather than taking regular breaks. I got to the point that my hands would be shaking from all the caffeine by noon. So I switched to drinking tea, herbal teas or just plain hot water. But lately I've become a fan of Starbucks Frappuccinos. Drinking one once in a while is all right, but I was really tempted a couple of days ago to buy a coffee maker and start making my own frappuccinos. I decided, though, that such a purchase could be dangerous. Having to pay $2.19 every time I want one helps to keep my consumption under control, but I fear that if I was making my own and they became much less expensive, I'd let my consumption get out of control again. The caffeine would drive my BP up and the amount of sugar I'd consume would definitely be bad for my health. Ah, but they taste soooooooo good!

Decaf is bad news, much worse than regular coffee for you.

Caffeine plus sugar is really addictive. I was wired on it for years, never slept, was
really productive. But I'm sure that combo and all those carbs generally is what made
me fat and raised my bp. I agree unfortunately that Splenda is not an adequate replacment.

Here's a drink that's very tasty and close to carbless: Have the Starbucks guy make
a breve (half and half) cappacino style (dry=pretty foamy). Add a good deal of cinnamon. And the foam also keeps the number of calories down, if you care.

Lenin, if you give up the regular coffee, please post back and let us know if your bp improved. My mom stopped regular coffee, but she wants to try it again. She wants to know if one cup will raise bp. Of course, she means one regular coffee mug.

She finally got her bp down to 130/80, and that's a big improvement from 220/96. She LOVES coffee, and if one mug won't hurt, im sure she will try it. Please post with your results.

What's the health problem with decaf??? I have been drinking what i call half caf for years (homemade with half regular and half decafenated). Will the benefits (and what are they aside from keeping you awake??) counterbalance the deficits having some of each? I had not ever heard that decaf was bad for your health. I know they used to use a chemical method to take out the caffeine which was bad but most companies, especially if you are buying whole beans from non conglomerate brands I thought were the safe swiss water method.
For close to caffinated taste, use only the dark roasts of decaf...french or espresso. if you look at the beans and they are oily looking and dark, they will make a good strong decaf. Otherwise, decaf is way too weak tasting.
I did test out the effect of caffeine on myself years ago and it seemed to make a big difference if i had drunk some before taking my bp.

I've been fiddling with less coffee and taking my BP BEFORE I have any coffee in the morning and comparing evenings WITH a cup with evenings WITHOUT.
I'm not getting much of a correllation.
It seems my BP went UP for a few days just because it decided to go UP... Sometimes I think it has a life of it's own and is subject to pure whim.

One possible reason for decaf being bad:
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=341743

I've tried decaf a couple times in my life. Along with INSTANT COFFEE, I find DECAF (even water method decaf) undrinkable and not worth the trouble.

THose solvents for caffeine removal MUST be bad. They sure don't do anything for taste either.

Decaf raises cholesterol. Possibly connected with cancer.

Caffeine is neutral on cholesterol, stabilizies blood sugar, fends off diabetes and possibly Parkinsons, Alzheimer's, and certain cancers. And it's connected to heart
disease in no way except that in certain people it raises bp.

All in all, the real choices are sticking with regular coffee and giving it up altogether.

I'll toss in my opinion, with that and a buck fifty, you should be able to get a cup of coffee.

I have cut mine down to one mug in the morning, about 12 oz. Don't know that it has made a big difference, but my numbers are about 10 points lower than a year ago at this time.

I read once that coffee stimulates the same brain centers that cocaine does. I also read that it takes several hours for your body to purge the caffeine in one cup. So, I suppose for heavy consumers, the caffeine probably never leaves your system entirely.

Regards, Brenden.

I think you are right Brenden...evidence might be that I can go about 24 hours without coffee but at about the 30 hour mark I begin to develop a nagging headache.
Thus it must take about a day to purge the caffeine from my system.

Class, can we all spell ADDICTION? :jester:

Amen! You can do it Lenin. Coffee addicts all over the work can feel your pain. Good luck.

i've been addicted to coffee for decades. I temporarily kicked the habit three years ago when I broke my arm in two and was on hardcore pain medication for several weeks. The arm pain and the medication masked the headache and I was off it for a month. But I went back, of course, because I really liked it. Ever since I've been taking the CCB I've been headache free, and I go with out caffeine for a day or two without symptoms worth talking about. But I still like it a lot, and with the bp problem causing me to kick other bad habits and the medicine making it way too easy to get drunk to be fun, some vice must remain. I think in my case it has some influence on
raising bp because it stimulates anxiety etc. and raises my pulse some, it really is a mild upper, weak cocaine.

I’ve noticed for years that caffeine makes me feel terrible, in both tea and coffee. It certainly makes my BP shoot up after just one dose. I switched to decaffeinated. Could you try alternating with decaff? Or mixing the two sorts?

Every time I read this thread, I have the urge to have another CUP! :D

Lenin, Me too. Mixing caf and decaf would probably produce the worst of both worlds, unless it's part of a weaning technique. During the winter especially, I just crave the caf all day long, and with "designer" coffee available everywhere now, it's way too tempting just pull over and have a cup. I would almost fund a study myself that would
have the intention of proving that mild bp elevatinon due to caffeine is, on balance, worth it given the other health benefits of caffeine for people like us hardwired to have
to worry about our bp, hearts, etc.

I saw a lady at the supermarket with a can of "lite" coffee and she said she mixes it with regular coffee. I didn't know there was a "lite" coffee. Do any of you know if it has less caffeine than reg. coffee? How about the tast? She said it was different than decaf coffee.

Caffeine results: This morning I had maybe 6 mugs of coffee--all fairly strong.
And I had a pretty large lunch. I took my bp twice right after:
128/78 and 120/71, both of which are quite good for me, the second really good.
That despite the fact that my pulse both times was in the 80s.

I too have high BP...I drank coffee for years...at work I had a coffee pot at my desk...I have a coffee mug the size of cleveland. I drank at least 2 of these in the morning and one in the afternoon.

After I retired from work and now take care of an infant I definitely became stressed...my BP kept spiking..gave me headaches and anxiety. I stopped drinking coffee completely...I take 2 meds for high BO..linsinopril and toprol XL..my BP is pretty good now...I've lost 20 lbs and drink only water and a little juice...no sodas...no coffee.

One day I decided while I was out to buy a cappuccino (bad idea)...I was flying high for at least 2 hours...then I felt really bad...I knew my BP was up and it was...headaches...neck ache...feeling yuky for 3 days...finally it came down...that was a month ago and has been normal ever since. I too have heard much controversy about whether or not caffein effects BP...I say for me...yes.

I really think it's a matter of acclimatization to caffeine, like alcohol, or heroine or whatever.
Probably a dosage that would have somebody hanging from the ceiling with his fingernails and a BP of 300/200, would have pal7778 or myself napping.

Even my GYM has a big pot always perkking into a huge thermos collector. I bring a LARGE insulated mug to have by my chair at the POOL!
The gym provides silly 6 ounce cups! :rolleyes:
If I could sip on the elliptical, I would but I'm afraid I'd short circuit something. :jester:

"Hi, my name is Lenin and I'm an ADDICT!"

Hi Lenin,

Long time no see? (write)

How have you been? The last time I was on the board you were considering stopping BP meds. How did that come out? BTW, a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New year to you and yours !


Interesting topic you started here. After looking over some of the posts it looks as though you have started Lasik. How is that going?

As to coffee.....my opinion is that a few cups a day hurt no-one except raising BP a little. Personally, I always hated the stuff growing up and then a work crew I was working with got me started on the stuff. I could not just sit there on a coffee break without drinking coffee like the rest. Soon , I loved it.
Actually, in all honest I think coffee acts as a mild diuretic. Drink a cup, pee a quart, or so it seems. And really, OTC diuretics have caffiene in them ! Explain that. Initially it raises BP but then may actually lower it some...I think.

Coffee is a diuretic, and when I have several cups not such a mild one. It would be another study worth funding to see if it could do the trick in reducing slightly elevated bp in some people who might otherwise need the diuretic.

Coffee is a diuretic, and when I have several cups not such a mild one. It would be another study worth funding to see if it could do the trick in reducing slightly elevated bp in some people who might otherwise need the diuretic.




Pal,

You're right. And actually I get the same affect when I drink Diet Coke which I love. It also has caffeine in it, but the coffee, more so, I think.
If I drink just water, I have no such affect, nor do I desire it as much.

Yes, maybe overall, it may lower BP in some. My Dad drank the stuff everyday most of his life and he's 85 and still relishes McDonalds coffee just like all the other elder gents every morning. Still goes out and mows his lawn.

Lenin,

BTW, I tried Lasik as well and am now just using it on a very casual occassional basis. Why? It worked very well, but like you it seemed like BP still went up some after awhile and I felt all "dried out" and I was only taking mostly 10mg. I split a 20Mg. in half. Strong stuff. Real strong stuff. I can hardly imagine 80Mg.
Doc told me that it is good for some days if I felt I had too much salt, occassionally. So, that is what it has become to me I guess, occassional. It helps you get control again. I have 4 meds that I mess with...Lasik, cozzar, Verapamil, Atenolol. I see good in all of them but the best I found with them was mixing 2 of something such as Verapamil and Cozzar, or Verapamil and a tiny bit of Atenolol, but still looking for that magic mixture. 60Mg. of Verapamil and 50Mg. cozaar has a real nice affect. Verapamil will warm you up like toast and that particular mixture seems to "stick" awhile. Verapamil 40Mg. and 6.5 Mg. of Atenolol work really well to but the affect seems shorter. Then again, maybe I need another of something.

Good luck with the Lasik.

Stumper,
Welcome back.

No BP drug period went ok until I did a "drinking vactation" and then it shot up over 140 systolic...not much over, but steady. So that's when I decided to do the Lasix route and give the proximal tubules in the kidney a rest after 25 years and hit on the Loops of Henle (love the name) for a few years with Lasix.
Perhaps I'll try the NO DRUG regimen again after I get more aerobically capable and get my weight below 200#. The thing that started to scare me is that if I push my heart rate to 140 BPM's (which is over 85% of the "maximum heart rate" on the charts) AND start out with a resting BP at the high end, I can start to feel a bit of discomfort in my chest after not too long. With better BP control, ther is no discomfort (chestwise, anyway) with a HR at maximum for 20-30 minutes or more (even though I can SWEAR sometimes that someone has stopped the forward motion of time during this level of exertion.) :jester:

My judgement for ME and caffeine (and alcohol)...the net diuresis is precisely the amount that went in. For example if I drink 48 ounces of coffe or beer (very rare these days), I'll pee out precisely 48 ounces...less if I'm having something salty with it. I never notice an actual drying out (or weight loss)from either of these two beverages. Even martinis don't have any diuretic effect...even with the juniper berries in the gin :D:D!

Lenin,


Good luck with the Lasik. It DEFINATELY is cheap enough. :D


Question.....What CCB compaes to Verapamil that you know of? It is my understanding the Verapamil has a small amount of some sort of Beta blocker in it. Is there another CCB that has the same or similar?

Lenin,


Good luck with the Lasik. It DEFINATELY is cheap enough. :D


Question.....What CCB compaes to Verapamil that you know of? It is my understanding the Verapamil has a small amount of some sort of Beta blocker in it. Is there another CCB that has the same or similar?
Diltiazem

Diltiazem
Cassiebel, does diltiazem also have a beta blocker as part of the make up? I didnt know verapamil had a component of bb either. Does diltiazem work the same way as verapamil? My mom wants to change her ccb.

Lenin,


Good luck with the Lasik. It DEFINATELY is cheap enough. :D


Question.....What CCB compaes to Verapamil that you know of? It is my understanding the Verapamil has a small amount of some sort of Beta blocker in it. Is there another CCB that has the same or similar?



:confused: :p Stumper where did you learn that verapamil has a small amount of some sort of beta blocker in it? I have never heard that and i'm interested in my mom changing her ccb from verapamil to diltiazem. She wanted to know where we got this info about verapamil and bb.

:confused: :p Stumper where did you learn that verapamil has a small amount of some sort of beta blocker in it? I have never heard that and i'm interested in my mom changing her ccb from verapamil to diltiazem. She wanted to know where we got this info about verapamil and bb.


Hi Lane,


It came straight from my Pharmacist. When he filled my prescription he told me to be careful because he noticed that I was also taking Atenolol. He said that sometimes docs can mix the two but keep in mind that Verapamil has a small amount of Beta blocker in it. So, it came straight from da-man :)

Lane,


If you wish ask your Pharmacist. I find that they know ALOT. Sometimes I see them as a free :D doctor. Ask them about anything (just respect their time, or they might get mad).
One way to reduce health costs. :D ;)


One retired Pharmacist here had a comcoction of some sort of salve that one would rub on their chest at night to "draw out" congestion overnight. He said it worked EVERY time. I guess he occassional made it for some of his customers.

Thank you Stumper. My mom made friends with her pharmacist and he does help her a lot. I guess she never even thought to ask that question. She has had so many problems with bp meds and cholesterol meds, she is now afraid to take anything.

Is it enought to cause hair thinning? I love this board!

It's not that diltiazem or verapamil preparations actually have an added beta blocker but rather that certain calcium channel blockers BEHAVE in a manner similare to beta blockers in that they weaken the force of the heartbeat.
In fact:
Concomitant Use with Beta-blockers:
Generally, oral verapamil should not be given to patients receiving beta-blockers since the depressant effects on myocardial contractility, heart rate and AV conduction may be additive. However, in exceptional cases when in the opinion of the physician, concomitant use in angina and arrhythmias is considered essential, such use should be instituted gradually under careful supervision. If combined therapy is used, close surveillance of vital signs and clinical status should be carried out and the need for continued concomitant treatment periodically assessed.

Verapamil gives no protection against the dangers of abrupt beta-blocker withdrawal and such withdrawal should be done by the gradual reduction of the dose of beta-blocker. Then verapamil may be started with the usual dose.

[QUOTE=lane413]Cassiebel, does diltiazem also have a beta blocker as part of the make up? I didnt know verapamil had a component of bb either. Does diltiazem work the same way as verapamil? My mom wants to change her ccb.[/QUOT

diltiazem and verapamil do work in the same way. I've taken both. In my case diltiazem lowers my BP better.
As far as the beta blocker - that's news to me - I thought they had to list all the drugs in a certain medication to reduce the risk of an allergic reaction. Just goes to show how dumb I am :confused: