Ambulatory High Blood Pressure
Posted , 11 users are following.
Hello,
I am currently a 21 year old male.
I've been told by my doctor that my blood pressure was relatively high about 2-3 years ago which affected my heart muscle quite a bit. I told the doctor I had high intake of sodium and oily food due to stress and my weight was an estimate of 92kg, at 1.79m tall. And we have been monitoring my condition since then, I did some couple urine and blood test as well as a sleep study. It all turned out to be fine, no particular problem found. Currently, I am not on any medication.
Ever since then, I've been trying regular efforts to cut down on my daily intake of deep-fried food and salt. I have also lost some weight since then (approx 10kg since 1 year ago?). There was significant change in my blood pressure since then whenever I measured at home (130/90mmHg). However, whenever I measured it at the hospital before my appointment, it seems to hit 140/90 mmHg. I think it could also be the fear that I would find out that my health have deteriorated for the worst during my appointment which led to a spike.
I've told my doctor about my concern and was scheduled a 24-ABP monitoring sometime next month. Now, I am worried that I will get overly nervous during my monitoring and somehow affect my results. What should I do?
0 likes, 15 replies
Jonathan57679 Johnxander
Posted
Hello:
High blood pressure can have a number of causes. One is hardened or inflexible arteries. You can make your arteries more flexible by taking 500mg of vitamin C twice a day and 400 units of natural vitamin E. High sodium diets are bad for everyone. Try to eat more fresh dark green vegetables. If you are drinking sugary drinks, switch to natural coconut water. Both of these will boost your potassium intake and help protect your heart. The heart requires large amounts of potassium to beat regularly. Potassium provides the electricity that makes the heart beat. Its an important electrolyte. RDA is 4700mg per day.
You should also add a multi mineral, and a multi vitamin, and a multi B vitamin.
Switch to fish and shrimp for protein. Steak is okay once a week. Fried chicken is okay but remove the skin and discard it, don't even give it to your dog. That's how bad it is.
You should also eat some organic unsweetened plain probiotic yogurt every day.
Start thinking more about your health because no one else can make decisions for you. You can do this!!
jx41870 Johnxander
Posted
130/90 at home is a tad high, but I doubt many doctors would even prescribe meds for it.
140/90 in the hospital is borderline too, not something most doctors will think indicates a problem. There is something called "white jacket hypertension", that in the hospital you are under stress and your BP will go up a bit.
Good diet and exercise, and keeping the weight in normal ranges, are always good.
Johnxander jx41870
Posted
Thank you for your prompt reply! I would say my home reading are 120 - 130/80 - 90 mmHg. Whereas my hospital reading can hit 150/100 mmHg.
Well, I did a heart scan and it showed I had enlarged heart muscles in the mid 2018. My weight now is 82kg, quite a significant drop compared to before.
At the moment, I am restricted from doing quite a number of activities from my work due to my blood pressure. And I was hoping to get a green light from my doctor so that I can go back to work in full force!
But she said that I would have to see how the monitoring goes before she says anything & I am just worried that my readings might spike during the monitoring. What advice would you give?
loxie Johnxander
Posted
I too had a 24 hr monitor fitted and within an hour of so of putting it on, I'd forgotten completely about it - until it 'went off' ie started inflating to take the pressure reading at set intervals. Given that it will take readings during the set time frame whilst you are moving about and also sitting relaxed eg watching tv or sleeping - the readings will vary quite a bit but it's not just the spot readings that are important its the range and how much difference between resting and active etc. the white coat syndrome wont kick in I bet, so the readings will be far more realistic. Forget stressing over specific foods and supplements - most of the 'super foods' myth has been debunked. Stress will cause your BP to rise more than most other factors. Just eat a varied diet without junk and get more exercise. Easy rule of thumb = eat less, move more. My partner is vegetarian and we dont eat junk, white bread, etc etc but he still has high BP, which is inherited. Getting more exercise has been his best bet.
jx41870 Johnxander
Posted
Not sure what to say. See how the monitor goes, of course. I tend to go with your home readings - and don't see a real problem at these numbers.
That's a pretty high hospital reading, try to relax. Smile.
My white jacket readings tend to be lower, and my doctor says he's seen that before, but very, very rarely, LOL.
I believe the automatic BP readings over the old-fashioned bulb-and-stethoscope readings, btw. How are they taking the readings at the hospital?
Johnxander jx41870
Posted
I do try to relax as much as I can at the hospital but I somehow just tense up while taking my readings.
They are using the automatic ones.
Well I guess I just have to wait and see how the monitoring goes. Kind of worried about it tbh.
jx41870 Johnxander
Posted
FWIW, I've seen some really nice automatic BP machines in doctors offices, much faster than my home version, but most seem to want to use the old bulbs. Someday we'll have Doctor McCoy's medical tricorder and they'll get your BP from across the room!
SonjaS274 Johnxander
Posted
I know this is a late reply but what type of scan/test did you have that showed your enlarged heart muscles(x ray,echo,MRI,CT,etc)?
Conns Johnxander
Posted
John,
At 21 years of age 140 or greater, and 90 or greater in my book is too high. Your enlarged heart problem could be Left Ventricular Atrophy. This is sometimes related to high blood pressure driven by an adrenal disease. My suggestion would be to press your GP for further tests. Avoid supplements and use diet for now to improve your nutrients to support high blood pressure and heart enlargement. Eat foods rich in potassium and magnesium and try and keep your salt (sodium) down to c. 1500 mg or less. Do you have your blood test results? What was your sodium and potassium?
Paul
loxie Conns
Posted
My Hubby's cardiac surgeon told him that beetroot is excellent for reducing blood pressure - in any form, cooked or raw. Luckily we like beetroot but it's not always in season so we've found beetroot juice in the supermarket - it can be a bit earthy to drink on its own so we mix it with raspberry juice and its quite nice.
paul45514 Johnxander
Posted
Hi the first line of defence -life style habits - too much alcohol and the wrong diet - its a life style choice ! health living is not about living to a ripe age its about the journey
but its good you at 21 have concerns and about to address them
loxie paul45514
Posted
sensible advice paul. It's never too young to start laying down the building blocks for a healthy later life.
lindachristine Johnxander
Posted
hi, the apb is more annoying than anything else, cuff inflates every 30mins then every hr through the night. just try to go about ypur day as normal as possible dont wait for it to go off again. i perservered for 17hrs but did have to take it off then as it woke me up every hour , ul be fine and itl put your mind at rest.
derek76 lindachristine
Posted
I've had several and they all go off at awkward times, Standing on a crowded bus, carrying two heavy bags of shopping home, opening the gate or sitting on the toilet.
I found sleep impossible after the first hour.
paul45514 Johnxander
Posted
Hi John i replied to you 2 weeks ago and just want to add a little more - i sense you are in information over load - to much for you to take in - you are only 21 you should be having the best time of your life - remember each GP will come back with a different pathway so go back and tell him if you are very worried- but i too had the 24 hr monitor fitted and went to work with it - - i would know when it was going to go off and normally i would go to the toilet or somewhere very quite and wait - the device was very small and very quite no one in the office knew i had it on (not that i was bothered if they did) - at night it went off every hour and i had a relatively disturbed sleep but for the one night it was no big deal
My saviour - i run i have been running for 40 years - if my blood pressure was 140 tomorrow morning after a 45 min run it goes to 110 and stops low all day !