High blood pressure.

Phil · 4th September 2012, 22:34

Hi everyone, those that know me will know that the last year has been incredibly stressful.
Well, I have managed to end up giving myself high blood pressure. I'm 29. I have transformed my diet to that of a Rabbit. I have been checking my pressure but it seems pretty constant. There is a nasty hereditary heart condition in my family that has left me the oldest male on mothers side.
Am I particularly young to get high blood pressure? I have read that eating a raw clove of garlic a day will reduce blood pressure, so I have, for the first time not really knowing what to expect, peeled one and chewed it up and swallowed. Well, I can tell you this, I ran around the dining room like a scoulded cat. I almost screamed. My god do they burn. Never mind your jalapeno peppers.

How do those of you with high blood pressure control it and can it be succesfully controlled without medication?

Ros3 · 4th September 2012, 23:16

Try dipping the clove in mustard first. That will help it to slip down..

MN190 · 4th September 2012, 23:36

Do you get the same benefit from garlic capsules rather than raw garlic?

Dragrad · 4th September 2012, 23:39

Eating a clove of garlic a day will significantly reduce your blood pressure, as all human interaction will be erased

However it's use can be very beneficial.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic#...ealth_benefits

ssizefive · 5th September 2012, 05:57

I was suffering from high blood pressure & have got it under control by diet & excercise. The doctors suggested it might be worthwhile me losing some weight ( am not suggesting you are overweight though!! ) which i have done & it has worked ( see the blubber club thread ), i found it difficult to start with but i considered myself too young to start on blood pressure tablets at 42 so at 29 i really wouldnt want to be starting with them - however, with your family history i would be seeking medical advice before doing anything.
Hope you get sorted.
Steve.

aturi83 · 5th September 2012, 06:04

At 26 I had to start taking them, diet etc had no effect and I'm type 1 diabetic. The drug I take ramipril has the added bonus of being protective of kidneys so will hopefully help prevent those issues in the future.

High bp isn't just an old persons thing!

barry · 5th September 2012, 06:25

Sorry to hear of the diagnosis of high blood pressure.
I was diagnosed with high B.P. at the age of 43, over thirty years ago and know the traumatic effect it has when the consequences are at first unknown. My employment was on the line because of it as well.

It does need to be treated and although things like garlic and diet conciousness are beneficial I found suitable medication for me was the answer. Sure there may be some side effects but personally I had very few.
There are some excellent drugs available now (under prescription of coarse) and you will soon get into the habit of taking medication once a day. It's no big deal. The right one has to be found by consulting with your GP.
I believe it is important to treat high cholesterol if present as well.

I am now approaching my mid seventies with all organs functioning as normal thank goodness.

It's not a death sentence.

Regards
Barry

Phil · 5th September 2012, 06:40

Thanks guys. What do the doctors do to you before prescribing medication?

tigers1941 · 5th September 2012, 06:54

I have had HBP for the last 10 years, it was that high I could have died at anytime, the doc put me on tablets and it has been under control ever since.

It was before I retired and they put it down to stress at work, I try and control my weight and keep it down as much as possible.

Gate Keeper · 5th September 2012, 08:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil

Thanks guys. What do the doctors do to you before prescribing medication?

Your GP can usually manage your BP without referring you on.

A history will be taken. You will have your weight checked and recorded. Bloods will be done for cholesterol, liver and kidney function, urea and electrolytes, full blood count. Because of your family history, you should be on a high blood pressure monitoring programme at the practice where your weight and BP will be kept on eye on.

Diet and exercise is of course equally important.

It helps to learn how to relax and develop other methods of lowering your blood pressure. I am usually able to lower my BP by up to 10 points through relaxation, deep breathing and bio-feedback, going for a walk. It does help in an emergency for most things.

Exception: Just over a year ago, I had an awful headache and checked my BP. It was the highest I had ever seen. I had been receiving pills for it but they were not working. I went to A&E and within half an hour I suddenly went downhill, my speech packed up and I went into full heart failure and spent a week in ICU with malignant hypertension. I recovered and eventually my speech returned, although I can sometimes sound as though I am drunk when I am not and that I am a foreigner

I was lucky! but will have to stay on pills for cholesterol and BP. My BP problem had been caused by an imbalance of electrolytes, dehydration and stress.

I still enjoy life and live for the day.

Try and be positive. Do make changes to your lifestyle. You will have to. I believe you are addressing the problem in the nick of time.

4th September 2012, 22:34	#1
Phil This is my second home Rover 75 CDT Connoisseur SE Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 12,227 Thanks: 469 Thanked 523 Times in 241 Posts	High blood pressure. Hi everyone, those that know me will know that the last year has been incredibly stressful. Well, I have managed to end up giving myself high blood pressure. I'm 29. I have transformed my diet to that of a Rabbit. I have been checking my pressure but it seems pretty constant. There is a nasty hereditary heart condition in my family that has left me the oldest male on mothers side. Am I particularly young to get high blood pressure? I have read that eating a raw clove of garlic a day will reduce blood pressure, so I have, for the first time not really knowing what to expect, peeled one and chewed it up and swallowed. Well, I can tell you this, I ran around the dining room like a scoulded cat. I almost screamed. My god do they burn. Never mind your jalapeno peppers. How do those of you with high blood pressure control it and can it be succesfully controlled without medication? __________________

4th September 2012, 23:39	#4
Dragrad This is my second home *None DROWNED** Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Cardigan Posts: 33,339 Thanks: 1,257 Thanked 1,664 Times in 1,081 Posts	Eating a clove of garlic a day will significantly reduce your blood pressure, as all human interaction will be erased However it's use can be very beneficial..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic#...ealth_benefits __________________ Andrew Ich Dien Problem solving is... lateral thinking SEARCH FIRST ...ASK LATER...

5th September 2012, 06:40	#8
Phil This is my second home Rover 75 CDT Connoisseur SE Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Wales Posts: 12,227 Thanks: 469 Thanked 523 Times in 241 Posts	Thanks guys. What do the doctors do to you before prescribing medication? __________________

4th September 2012, 23:16	#2
Ros3 This is my second home Rover 75 V6 saloon (gone to the Rover garage in the sky), Mazda mx5 Phoenix. Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Cumnock Posts: 3,215 Thanks: 347 Thanked 157 Times in 92 Posts	Try dipping the clove in mustard first. That will help it to slip down..

4th September 2012, 23:36	#3
MN190 Posted a thing or two MG ZT 190+ Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North Norfolk Posts: 1,423 Thanks: 2 Thanked 11 Times in 11 Posts	Do you get the same benefit from garlic capsules rather than raw garlic?

5th September 2012, 05:57	#5
ssizefive I really should get out more....... Mg Tf160 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Keighley Posts: 2,603 Thanks: 756 Thanked 749 Times in 366 Posts	I was suffering from high blood pressure & have got it under control by diet & excercise. The doctors suggested it might be worthwhile me losing some weight ( am not suggesting you are overweight though!! ) which i have done & it has worked ( see the blubber club thread ), i found it difficult to start with but i considered myself too young to start on blood pressure tablets at 42 so at 29 i really wouldnt want to be starting with them - however, with your family history i would be seeking medical advice before doing anything. Hope you get sorted. Steve.

5th September 2012, 06:04	#6
aturi83 Loves to post Peugeot 508 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Guisborough Posts: 255 Thanks: 9 Thanked 18 Times in 8 Posts	At 26 I had to start taking them, diet etc had no effect and I'm type 1 diabetic. The drug I take ramipril has the added bonus of being protective of kidneys so will hopefully help prevent those issues in the future. High bp isn't just an old persons thing!

5th September 2012, 06:25	#7
barry Regular poster mg zt 180 sport Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: auckland Posts: 50 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Sorry to hear of the diagnosis of high blood pressure. I was diagnosed with high B.P. at the age of 43, over thirty years ago and know the traumatic effect it has when the consequences are at first unknown. My employment was on the line because of it as well. It does need to be treated and although things like garlic and diet conciousness are beneficial I found suitable medication for me was the answer. Sure there may be some side effects but personally I had very few. There are some excellent drugs available now (under prescription of coarse) and you will soon get into the habit of taking medication once a day. It's no big deal. The right one has to be found by consulting with your GP. I believe it is important to treat high cholesterol if present as well. I am now approaching my mid seventies with all organs functioning as normal thank goodness. It's not a death sentence. Regards Barry

5th September 2012, 06:54	#9
tigers1941 Loves to post Rover75 Saloon Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Worksop Posts: 273 Thanks: 11 Thanked 28 Times in 20 Posts	I have had HBP for the last 10 years, it was that high I could have died at anytime, the doc put me on tablets and it has been under control ever since. It was before I retired and they put it down to stress at work, I try and control my weight and keep it down as much as possible.