High Blood pressure problems Today 178/105?
Question:
Should I call my doctor ? What else can she do ? More pills I can't afford !! If you want to contact me I at kuber74@yahoo.com
Answers:
Asking questions is a great start!
Not knowing more about your situation, I don't feel that I can give you any specific advice on medications or lifestyle changes. However, I like to advocate being as informed as you can about what works, what doesn't work, and how *you* respond to all changes. That means doing a lot of reading, asking a lot of questions, and making sure you are have good feedback on your own condition. To that end, I recommend:
1. Join the Yahoo! bloodpressureline group. It is run by a doctor who is very helpful and presents a balanced view on the needs for different medications and lifestyle changes.
2. If you don't already, take your BP at least daily. Good digital blood pressure cuffs can be purchased in most drug stores for about $50 (ask your pharmacist for a recommendation). Keep a simple log of your BP measurements and any changes that you have made. Take your BP while sitting in a chair after having rested for a few minutes. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor.
3. Be realistic about what is likely to be causing your high BP. If you are overweight, then it'll take some time to lose that weight. If you smoke, it'll take some concentrated effort to quit. If you might have sleep apnea, dig into that and figure out what your options. If you drink a lot of alcohol, try quitting for a month and see what happens. If certain medications don't help, scale down off of them and try something else. If walking daily doesn't cut it, perhaps you need a more strenuous form of exercise or you need to walk longer?!
Your systolic BP is quite high, particularly for someone who is already on BP meds. I hope that you and your doctors have a sense of urgency for figuring out how to get it down and keep it down in as healthy a manner as possible.
What's your stress level like today? Have your kidney functions been checked lately?
A change of medication might be all that is necessary. Lay off the fish oil.
Seems like I answered this question already today, but I don't see my answer. Any time a diastolic number (the bottom number) gets over 100, it makes me nervous. (The 178 isn't good either.) It is certainly in order for you to call your doctor and report your blood pressure being as high as it is. He/she will probably either increase your dose of beta blockers, or change you to a different blood pressure med.
I'm not sure why you are taking fish oil pills? Are you trying to load up on omega 3 fatty acids? If you are trying to supplement your diet to lower your BP, oatmeal would be a much better choice. Call your doc.
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