Just been put on blood pressure meds

[yello]

Ramipril, 5mg per day.

I'd been hoping it wouldn't happen but after several months of attempting to bring my BP down naturally, I admitted defeat and the doc reached for the prescription pad.

 

[Globalti]

Nurse, bring the leeches!

 

[asterix]

Mrs A. is on that, has been for a while and would be delighted to be on as low a dosage.

It surprised me to discover how many people do take such medication.

 

[dan_bo]

The problem is that the design life of the human body isn't much more than about hmmmmmm 50? so it's no great surprise you old pharts have got bits dropping off....

 

[yello]

it's no great surprise you old pharts have got bits dropping off....

strangely, I don't feel at all consoled by that

 

[Adasta]

You'll be off them soon enough.

 

[dan_bo]

Only joking Yello. It's the right thing to be doing, and nothing to feel ashamed of. And, believe me, I ain't that far behind.

 

[yello]

I even went out and did a fast 50 this morning, in the hope I'd get the BP down far enough to fool the doc (and kid myself?)... it worked in as far as I got it down to 116/85... but 6 hours later when he took it it was 140/100. He also had the results of the 24 hour test I'd done. I think it was the latter that sealed my fate.

I'm not taking this at all well in truth (tablets for the rest of my life ), it comes as a bit of a smack in the face, but I know I'll come around. I'm certainly not the only one taking meds and in comparison to many, I'm privileged.

 

[yello]

On the plus side, he signed my medical certificate so I can do a sportive in Sept!

 

[dan_bo]

Yep. At least you've got the time and fitness to knock out a fast 50 at will!

 

[Chilternrides]

Not so bad Yello, it's under control at least;
Odd you should post this just now - I'm bloomin' starving as I am on a fast prior to my own doc's appointment tomorrow - to get my BP checked and give a slug of blood for lipids (found to have raised BP & cholesterol at the back end of last year). No medicines prescribed so far, hoping that tomorrow will yield the fruits of being "good" since Christmas (I'm off for a full english fat boy's breakfast at the weekend if the tests come back ok!).

 

[Falwheeler]

I'm also on meds for blood pressure but I'm lucky, my GP is a keen cyclist and we were at school together so when I entered the Dartmoor Classic and asked him about my blood pressure he simply said you're on medication, it's under control, no problem.

 

[E11a]

It's not that bad, Yello. At least it's being controlled and monitored rather than you have any side effects.

I was told that I had high blood pressure earlier this year and the nurses, who used automatic machines, told me to make an appointment with the doctor. The doc checked it with the traditional blood pressure pump and said it was normal.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'm a long time member of the hypertension club, and I found the prospect of a lifetime of medication ahead of me very daunting. Personally, I found that the most important thing was to try to get back in control of things. Exercise is very, very important because it's an effective form of ''self medication.'' And it might be worth asking your Doc about Calcium Channel Antagonists (or calcium channel inhibitors) which work by dilating blood vessels which in turn reduces pressure. I think they may be more expensive and certainly less well known so you might find that they're not the generalist's first or second choice. But I've found them effective and with no side effects once I'd asked to try them.

I'm not a medic - it was a very trustworthy friend who is also a GP who recommended them to me.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I'm on the low dose aspirin and statins, 40mg Simvastatin. had a major scare in 2008 when the Dr told me the chest pains I thought were a persistent chest infection were in fact Angina. Later on that year I had Angioplasty and stenting and now carry four stents in my chest.