Blood Pressure

OK, go in peace at least.

I'm afraid I prefer 'dull'. Not 'man enough' for this place. Too many threads where groups of people follow others around like packs of hyenas [sp]just waiting to make sarcastic comments. If people think I do the same, sobeit; people who know me realise I'm not like that.

While it's true there are thread where you 'Enter at Your Own Risk' there are other which are completely Snarl Free and all shades in between.

While it's your choice to stay or go, I don't think it's correct or fair to tar the whole of GN like that.

Besides it would be a Very Dull Forum without the cut and thrust of 'lively' threads for those who enjoy them - and to be fair to DJ she is one who can give as good as she gets, especially on political topics.

There are too many 'mild exchanges' on gransnet these days I'm afraid. I'll leave you to it. I'm far too bitchy and unpleasant to be on this forum so I'll keep away for everyones sake.

Actually there are some very pleasant and supportive thread on GN

Pot calling kettle and all that ......

Well you've done your bit to elevate what was a mild exchange between DJ and myself to a higher level of toxicity so perhaps you ought to stop digging (!) yourself in any deeper.

I don't 'mount attacks' on people; I only comment if I feel someone has been unreasonable. Quite frankly I find gransnet totally toxic these days and do try to avoid it as much as possible.

Anya wrote: "...for some people the cause of high BP is a total mystery."
Reminds me of a Damon Runyon story - "Blood Pressure".
Runyon is warned by his doctor that his BP is "up the picture cards", he must lead a quieter life. Then is forced to spend a night out on the town with a violent ex-convict. Next day returns to doctor who says " Well done, your BP is back down to normal."

Let me repeat that the thread was ticking along nicely until DJ chose to take something personally (ie that means she thought it was about her) and started making 'digs' as you like to call them.

Yes, you do and it's not the first time you've mounted an attack on me for no good reason Tegan

You're good one to talk about digs.

'This might will come as a surprise to you DJ but it's not all about you'
...apologies; must have misread and misinterpreted the comment.I seem to do that a lot these days.

Listen Tegan if you bother to read the thread, you'll find that I made no specific reference to DJ , nor did I even think that, and indeed stated that I understand that some people are just unlucky.

You may even find that some of my 'numerous' posts sympathised with her re her prescription and had a little joke with her.

If she suddenly chooses, to suddenly take something personally and accuse me of saying something I did not say and certainly not about her, then it is she who has turned the thread into something it wasn't.

So get off your high horse.

Given that you've posted @15 times on this thread and jen has posted @ 5 you are correct; it isn't about her. But perhaps you could have some sympathy for the fact she has a life threatening condition . And not just use it to have another dig. [I despair]

I said some of us and we are....., Anya. That does not mean just me, does it? Goose said she has to take tablets.

I could say more, but that would make it all about me again, wouldn't it?

Not going on this thread again until I have got my prescription tomorrow and taken my Doxazosin.

This might will come as a surprise to you DJ but it's not all about you.

I do not have a family history of high blood pressure.
Until I had the aortic dissection, I always had low blood pressure.
No reason for it that the doctors could work out.
We are not all on blood pressure tablets for the easy option, Anya.
Some of us are on them just to stay alive. Perhaps it's best to keep an open mind.

mine is better when I exercise but I still need a number of drugs to keep it within healthy limits as I have a family history on both sides of high BP

Thing about the word "significant" is that it has a particular meaning in scientific studies i.e. were the results statistically significant. Depends on size of group, statistical test used etc. It is a measure of how likely it is that the results were not a pure fluke.
But in everyday life we use it differently. So to you and me a "significant drop in blood pressure" might be a worthwhile drop of 10mm hg or more.

In this study the effect of exercise was small but statistically significant. If you read the introduction it says a big analysis of published studies show
"In hypertensives, this effect (i.e. aerobic exercise) is even more pronounced: a recent meta-analysis indicated a mean reduction of 7 mm Hg systolic and 5 mm Hg diastolic"
hyper.ahajournals.org/content/60/3/653.short
So yes, regular aerobic exercise (walking, swimming etc) seems to have a blood-pressure-reducing effect, but the effect is not very big. But combined with salt reduction and weight loss it could add up to a worthwhile reduction.

Also worth pointing out that I didn't reduce salt or fat in the slightest, I just lost three stone low-carbing. I don't think my heaviest weight of 12 stone counted as "massively overweight" either, my BMI was only about 27 at its highest (now 21).
My doctor was very cautious though, I had to maintain the weight loss for six months and then come off the tablets slowly over another six months. I have to keep monitoring it as well.

Badenkate I so agree that not enough medics understand nutrition. As Mamie has illustrated for some people a change of lifestyle can have profound effects. I suspect it's true for far more people than we realise, while accepting that some people just have a genetic predisposition.

It's keeping an open mind that's important, having the knowledge to put theory into practise and the perseverance not to give up when things get difficult.

Sadly it's all too easy (both for GP and patient) just to resort to pills.

Hi Anya. You are right that he said the only things he had found could work ( and this is the problem, it seems to me, that no one including the medical profession seems to really know) were reducing salt and fat if your consumption was very high. Which mine isn't.

I have no real history of high BP. In my family it tends to be a bit on the low side at times. One of the luckier ones.

That has always happened before, thatbags. I wondered if they were getting stricter.
The thing is the practice nurse and I change tablets about occasionally to see if any other combination will work better.
One of the tablets that runs out tonight is one that I have taken two, three or four daily while taking one, one and a half or two of another. That's why they are out of kilter.

It was a new young chemist I have never seen before. There were three other staff and they looked very uncomfortable at what she said. No other customers apart from that one, unfortunately.

I have often thought I wonder what would happen if I stopped taking them. An aortic dissection is not something you wish on yourself, though.
Since coming home I have checked my prescription, and it says next issue due yesterday.