Posts: 2,051
11/30/12 2:42 P

Iagreee, small changes will make a difference in your blood pressure. Watching what you eat and somedaily exercise (just walking) helps a lot.

Pounds lost: 33.0

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SparkPoints: (25,180)
Fitness Minutes: (19,316)
Posts: 984
11/30/12 2:47 A

I ended up in the ER when by BP hit 220/120 and the medication the doctor put me on ended up hurting my stomach.

I felt awful for 2 months.

Small changes over time has worked for me. I began by changing 1 meal or snack at a time and walking 10 minutes a day. I use the trackers to see where I can make small changes that add up over time. I really lowered my sodium intake from 4000 a day down to 1600 a day and now my blood pressure is normal or below with 1 medication a day.

Best wishes on your journey to a healthier you.

current weight: 169.0

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Posts: 17
11/27/12 5:51 P

Thanks for the advice everyone!

I went back in for a follow up to my Thanksgiving Day ER visit and although my BP was lower, the doctor still wasn't happy with it so she changed my prescription from one, 20 mg pill of Lisinopril daily to one, 40 mg pill daily and GOOD LORD do I feel awful today!

I am super sleepy, foggy, stumbling around... maybe she should have eased me up to 40 mg instead of just jumping right in and doubling it right away? On the plus side, I have zero appetite, so worrying about consuming bad food won't be a problem.

Maybe this scare was just what I needed to push me from the "it'll never happen to me" group to the "it can and WILL happen to me if I don't change things" group!

SparkPoints: (69,352)
Fitness Minutes: (75,697)
Posts: 7,638
11/27/12 8:47 A

Fast food and prepared frozen foor is loaded with sodium, so I avoid them

May Minutes: 1,935

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Posts: 101
11/26/12 9:31 P

Regular exercise and keeping sodium below 1800 mg really help me.

SparkPoints: (23,270)
Fitness Minutes: (30)
Posts: 3,189
11/26/12 5:06 P

Have you tried yoga? That will also lower your bloodpressure.

Posts: 6,633
11/26/12 2:32 P

my vitals all improved after loosing 44 pounds

my sister lost 105 pounds walking 15000 steps a day at age 63.

i lost 44 pounds by giving up grain and sugar products at age 60.

i use a salad plate as a dinner plate.

i use a childs for and spoon so i eat slower. it takes your brain 20 minutes to tell your stomach your full.

SparkPoints: (18,505)
Fitness Minutes: (17,277)
Posts: 1,155
11/26/12 2:16 P

Yes take the pills. Never actually been told to make any other changes

current weight: 142.3

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SparkPoints: (22,936)
Fitness Minutes: (17,292)
Posts: 667
11/26/12 1:07 P

first start, take your BP meds as directed,and look at how much sodium you are taking in and reduce that as much as possible and drink lots of water.Other things you can do are exercise( at least 10 min. per day) lose weight and reduce stress. Hope this is helpful. Wishing you health and keeping you in my prayers

current weight: 227.0

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Posts: 17
11/26/12 12:54 P

Hello everyone!

I just rejoined SP today, although I have been a member in the past, I never lost any weight and never gained any healthy habits... probably because I never really tried.

I was in the emergency room on Thanksgiving due to pain from what I thought was a pulled muscle in my neck/shoulder which turned out to be a pinched nerve. While in the ER, they took my BP and it was 223/151. I've been on Linsinopril in the past {haven't taken it in almost a year}, but I don't have insurance and my script ran out and then I moved to a new state and things feel through the cracks as they often do.

The ER docs gave me a new script for 20 mgs of Lisinopril and 25 mgs of Hydrochlorothiazide {which I've never taken before} and I have a follow up appt today with the Internal Medicine Clinic in conjunction with the ER I went to, but my question is this... what changes can I start to make TODAY to get my BP under control? I can't afford to run out and replace all the foods in my kitchen or join a gym, and with my pinched nerve I can't drive or even lift my arm above my waist... but there has to be something?

I guess doing anything would be better than what I'm currently doing, which is nothing! I appreciate any advice you can offer and I'm going to busy myself reading past posts and getting familiar with the group.

THANK YOU!!