I went back to the Dr. and my overall blood pressure was not so high that it needs medication. The systolic number is usually fine, but it's the diastolic that worries me - the average is around 88. So not over 90. Is it ok, not to be on medication with it that high?

Second, he told me I need to make lifestyle changes, exercise, DASH diet. This works for me b/c I went to my urologist about my kidney stones and he also said NO SALT. They both say I'm hypersensitive to it - that's why my highest b/p's were after my dinner and I'm forming stones.

So I've cut out salt and sodium and started to exercise. I notice my systolic is already dropping but my diastolic isn't. DOes that take longer? They said now to take my pressures once a week and go back in 6 months. Does that sound ok? If it doesn't drop should I go back earlier? Now I seem to get readings like 125/88 ALL the time. I read that the high diastolic pressure is a marker in strokes for young adults so it worries me.

I've started running (UGH, I'm SO pathetic at it!) so hopefully that will help. I don't have much weight to lose so weight loss isn't an issue (meaning it won't help, I'm already thin).

Thanks for any advice and thank you for answering my questions through this! I know it's a lot lower than a lot of yours so you probably roll your eyes at me sometimes! I just want to get it in check, in case I someday want another baby. Which I'm not really sure if I should have one since that's what made my pressure go up in the first place and not come down!!

Linda

I should add - sometimes the diastolic WAS over 90. Many times, but the overall average wasn't. Sooo close though it makes me nervous!

125/88 is not bad! 90 I believe is the cutoff for hypertension re the diastolic number. If you are doing all the right things, it will come down. Bear in mind that the diastolic is less moveable typically than the systolic, and so may take some time. Hang in there.

BTW more and more doctors say its the systolic that correlates with nasty things. I have this problem...fabulous diastolic in the 65-75 range, crappy systolic that can swing from 115 to 145 wildly.

Its not unusual for one or the other number to be the "problem number" and many things can be responsible. General anxiety elevates the systolic, while adrenalin surges elevate the diastolic.

You are doing the right things and from what I can tell, and from your earlier posts, you are making progress. Keep it up!

Bottom line: lifetsyle changes can take months, so be patient.

tamuprof45