Meds going fine. Tbh, I don't notice any side effects or down side at all. Or maybe that's tempting fate!
Paul, it's been an on-going testing for around 6 months. I've had the BP taken by 4 different methods; the docs arm cuff/stethoscope thingy, an electronic gizmo at the chemist, my own electronic unit plus a hospital gadget I wore for 24 hours. All agree; too high!
I made diet changes in an attempt to get it lower but nothing seemed to work. Even cutting out caffeine. Exercise helped, but its effects are short lived, a matter of hours. I'm healthy, no problems otherwise; cholesterol level good, not overweight, don't smoke nor drink a great deal.
It was with reluctance that I took the doc's eventual advice. And, in fairness to him, he didn't reach for the prescription pad on day 1. He even trialled me on tranquillisers to see if it was stress related, it wasn't.
The meds have reduced my BP. Not hugely but to advised safe levels. I'm still checking it a couple of times but it's always been good. Before, I was getting readings on my machine that made me think it was faulty - readings like 160/100! If the doc hadn't got the same sort of readings on occasions then I probably would have ignored it! Because I FELT fine!
I only went in for a medical certificate otherwise I wouldn't have known, or even suspected, it was high.