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Has anyone tried donating blood to reduce BP.

Posted , 6 users are following.

baduqueen
baduqueen

I've been doing a little research and I saw that donating blood could reduce your bp up to 10 units. I haven't tried it but I'm considering it. I wanted to know if there's any of you that have any experiences with it (Good or Bad). Thank you.

1 like, 20 replies

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  • robert25274
    robert25274 baduqueen

    Posted

    As has already been pointed out there are restrictions on giving blood, and some medications do prevent you from donating, I was a blood donor for years but medications meant they would no longer draw blood. Further, you must declare that you suffer from high blood pressure, and you will be tested before they draw blood. Additionally, the reduction in pressure from blood donation only lasts a couple of days at most until your body replaces the drawn blood.

    Exercise and general weight reduction are far better and more practical for reducing blood pressure and improving overall health long term.

    I started out with a bp of 190/105, now with meds and regular exercise I am down to 115/75 and a resting pulse of rate of 55. My doc has now started reducing some of my meds and I feel better now than I have done in years. Even my kidneys appear to have recovered some having previously been classified as stage 4 CKD I am now stage 3 and continuing to show improvement.

    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo robert25274

      Posted

      That's great Rob, really glad to see that the answer to bp is always meds, shows you it can be done without if we are willing to meet our bodies needs, keep us posted, cant wait till you say off bp meds completely
    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      Correction meant the answer is not always meds, should go blonde LOL
    • robert25274
      robert25274 AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      Thank you, I should have pointed out that I pretty much changed my life style and diet too; it was not simply a case of starting exercise. The news I had kidney disease and high blood pressure came at the same time, and I was told they were likely linked, so it was a huge motivator to make changes.

      I know exercise is not a panacea for everyone with health problems; however, in combination with a healthy approach to my diet, and a positive approach I have found it incredibly beneficial. Like many, I started with low impact exercise and once I was able started using an exercise bike and have built up the intensity over a period of several months adding other forms of exercise aimed at improving my overall fitness.

    • derek76
      derek76 robert25274

      Posted

      How old were you when you were diagnosed? Many cannot exercise because of age or other conditions.

      I had been salt free and practically sugar free and on a healthy diet for over 15 years and had stopped smoking seven years before becoming hypertensive. It was too late for them to tell me to change my lifestyle. 

      Twelve years later when diagnosed with aortic stenosis four years ago the cardiologist  asked if I could walk three miles. I told him that I walked six miles most days and sometimes eight. With the AF that I have had three times since having my aortic valve replaced I wish that I could now.

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