Introduction/Need Advice

[pal7778]

My bp is also higher at the doctor than anywhere else. And it also drops 20 pts or so
in the 10 mins btwn the nurse and the dr himself doing the measuring. My experience with the two drug store machines near my house is different. They come pretty close to what I get at home, but always a bit higher than home and a bit lower than the dr.
It sure is odd to have to know all this.

[Uff-Da!]

LOL about the machines in the stores. When I went for my physical in July, my BP was 161/something before I saw the doctor and 181/something after I saw the doctor. She now has a big automatic machine out in the hall where BP is taken out in public; the nurse takes it, the doc never does any more. I was upset after talking to the doctor as she thought I needed to go back on BP meds and to take more meds to lower my cholesterol. Then I went to Wal-Mart and rested a few minutes before taking my pressure (which the nurse won't allow me to do at the doctor's office) and my BP was 137/80 at the store. I got all kinds of readings at home that day, as by then I was really upset, but my home average is around 125/72.

[Lenin]

Samsdad,

By the second day of valium, your anxiety will pass and you'll sleep. Lunesta is a nice way to sell you a drug that costs dollars a pill instead of pennies.

IF Vasotec (enalapril) doesn't work well for you, it probably indicates that you are a low renin hypertensive (if at all.) Low renin hypertensives (about 20% of the population) are VERY salt sensitive and benefit more by either salt restriction or diuretics, than by anti RENIN drugs like enalapril. Taking more and more Vasotec if you don't respond well to the drug is bad medicine.

Can you gain 4 or more pounds the day after a particulary salty day? That's a sure sign of salt sensitivity.

[Samsdad]

Lenin,

I don't think I'm salt sensitive. My urination is fine, however when I do get stressed/anxious I urinate frequently. A few days ago after a little anxiety attack I went to the bathroom FOUR times in one hour, and there was a lot of urine each time. And as far as I know I eat a lot of sodium but don't notice any peculiar weight gain or swelling.

I'm really not sold on hbp meds however. Not yet. A year ago I had a reading and it was 150/100, a few weeks back it was the SAME reading. Granted, its high but what do you expect from a 40-something who never did ANY aerobic activity and ate a high carb/high fat diet EVERYDAY in that year? Morning: sausage biscuit sandwhich, Afternoon: cheeseburger with fries with tons of salty pretzels added to the mix and a few veggies, Dinner: meat with lots of rice, beans, corn, or some other high-carb side dish. I'd also SNACK in between meals occasionally, with a HUGE desire for some "crackery" snack like chex mix. I'd DENY that I was overweight, now I know better. I'm a little guy, ,5'5" and weigh 180. Yup, overweight. I'm also a weight-lifter and have a lot of muscle on me. I can easily rep 275 lbs on the bench press. Not bragging, just saying that there is a lot of muscle on my frame. I'd like to keep the muscle and drop another 20 lbs.

My next appointment is on 12/12 and if I continue diet and exercise and reduce my stress/anxiety (which I think has a BIG impact on my bp) I do believe that I'll make some gains. It may not go down much but may go down SOME.