Uncontrolled blood pressure

Thanks, Undines - I'm all for Ayurvedic medicine.

Just been taken off lercandipine as my ankles were swelling, I felt like my body was getting full of water. Doctor has now changed it and I feel so much better. Swollen ankles and not peeing enough is a common side effect with this drug, why do they give it to us!!!!

Go to your GP who will prescribe the appropriate medication.

Greyjoy1953

Just been taken off lercandipine as my ankles were swelling, I felt like my body was getting full of water. Doctor has now changed it and I feel so much better. Swollen ankles and not peeing enough is a common side effect with this drug, why do they give it to us!!!!

Greyjoy1953. I don’t think GPs actually read or care about side effects.

My husband is on 6 or 7 BP Meds now having tried scores of them. Like you, several caused big, swollen ankles, others caused itchy legs, one caused burning pains in his legs that felt like severe sunburn but looked normal - try explaining that to a GP.

He is not overweight and hates having swollen ankles because in the winter all his sock tops stick in (even loose top socks) and in summer they look awful when he wears sandals and shorts.

Greyjoy1953

Just been taken off lercandipine as my ankles were swelling, I felt like my body was getting full of water. Doctor has now changed it and I feel so much better. Swollen ankles and not peeing enough is a common side effect with this drug, why do they give it to us!!!!

I’ve been taking lercanidipine for at least nine years and had no problems, we all react differently to drugs.

I've been monitored for borderline high blood pressure for about 18 months now. I don't currently take any medication.

I struggle constantly with extreme pain using a digital BP monitor to the point where I dread having to do it. My heart rate increases dramatically, my breathing gets faster and I have even cried out loud in pain. I bought a larger cuff as I have rather fat arms but it didn't seem to make a difference. Also the machine seems to have trouble taking a reading and will re-inflate 2/3 times (sometimes not even achieving a reading), adding to the prolonged agony. I often end up ripping the cuff off. It always leaves my skin with red marks that can take a few days to dissipate.

I have spoken to my GP about it and he suggested taking the BP when I was relaxed: put the cuff on and sit reading etc for a few minutes before inflating. Leave for ten minutes or so and repeat until you get the best of three readings.
Even this didn't work and for some time now I've suspected that the level of anxiety I feel when attempting a BP reading is skewing any result I'm getting.

Fast forward earlier this week when I had an unexpected stay in hospital for 48 hours. Again I was not able to tolerate the digital BP cuff and even ripped it off in front of the nurse, refusing to have another attempt. She was very kind and suggested we try a manual BP.

Oh my, what a game changer. Using a manual cuff and sphygmomanometer my BP is consistently within a normal range and whats more does not cause me extreme pain.

I had to remind every nurse who came to do my BP it needed to be a manual one. Not everyone has this skill any more and although every clinical area should have at least one sphyg. the staff may not know where it is kept.

But everyone I spoke to said they all had their own reservations about a digital machine and did not find think they were very accurate, or perhaps over reporting.

Now I have to add here that I am a nurse, but I have not worked in a clinical area where a blood pressure is taken, especially by me, for a very long time. So I was unaware of the general consensus of opinion amongst nurses that they do not generally like the digital machines.

I spoke to my husband about this and he too confessed to thinking our digital machine was not reporting accurately enough. We will be buying a sphyg. and stethoscope set. I can easily do his and hopefully I can teach him how to put the cuff on me and then manage the rest myself.

So my next thing is to talk to my GP and insist that I come to the surgery to have my blood pressure checked manually..... and I suggest it could also be something you all ask for as well.

I’m in the same position, it seems to depend on who takes the reading how bad they think it is. I try not to worry about it too much unless someone else is worried. I read somewhere that the lower figure is now of equal interest if it gets too high, but when I mentioned this at hospital the nurse looked totally puzzled and said I was fine!

I’m sorry this isn’t very helpful,
I know people whose BP has gone down if they take a short walk every day. Might that help?

I have to take me BP every morning usually the same time and before I have a mug of tea and my breakfast. I have been doing since 2017. I am on my second Braun machine and have a long cuff. I lost 7st so it was ideal when I was fat but now have saggy bingo wings. I always sit at the table and use my left arm and lie it on the table. So I know what my normal BP range is.

Like SuperTinny I do think the manual method of taking BP is more accurate. But as I have to do it everyday I have to use a machine. But when I go to have my review at the GPs I take my book with all my readings. My cardiologist and AF clinic nurses always find it useful.

I think the problem with the machine cuff is the stainless bar you thread the cuff threw to tighten it as it can be painful at times. Where the manual cuff is just wrapped around and tighten by hand .

As high blood pressure is so common as we age, I wonder if it is really such a problem? When someone suffers a stroke or heart attack, there is a combination of causes. It happens to younger people too.
I still think the greatest risk to our health is pollution.

My brother-in-law had a stroke aged 60. My brother had a massive stroke and a heart attack a couple of years ago. Neither had ever had high BP - my brother had regular check ups. Whilst in hospital he asked a doctor what causes strokes. The doctor said they had no idea. They are both fine now thankfully.

I too much prefer the old kit SuperTrinny I take my BP at home for my annual review and dread it every year., the whirring and cuff tightening. Even now discussing it I get agitated, although I know it’s daft.

Back in September, when I thought I was in the peak of health, I had a blood test and ECG. Heart OK but very high cholesterol that is now normal thanks to 20mg Atorvastatin. BP very high at surgery in September so I've been monitoring at home since. Depending on the time of day it can be below the level for medication (my GP says 135 is the cut off). When I've been with DD2 and the dogs it's always lower (pets are supposed to lower BP). It's usually lower after a walk of a mile or two or more in the morning or afternoon, followed by a cup of tea or coffee, a sit down of about half an hour and then I do the BP reading. It's usually high mid evening when I've been sitting around. Because it fluctuates I'm on the waiting list for a 24 hour monitor. My GP knows I'd like to avoid medication if possible. I'm 76, have a good diet, have never smoked, exercise a lot, meditate every day and weigh under 8st so health-wise I can't do much more myself to lower it. I might try isometric exercises, research shows they can lower BP.

my husbands BP has been all over the board for the last few years and recently has stuck at being high. After multiple tests and visits to specialists and finding zero cause, he was asked one day if he ate Licorice. yes Licorice. He said oh yes he does and has eaten it for years. Dr suggested he quit as it has hormones in it that can affect his BP. Surprise his BP has dropped down to where it is supposed to be. This was just recently so we shall see what happens moving forward.

I have been taking lercanidipine for 20 years and the daily side effect is that within an hour or an hour and a half I will need to have a big wee.

My husband has very irregular to high blood pressure and they keep changing his medication.
He has undergone so many tests it is crazy. The last specialist he saw told him there is nothing that should be causing his blood pressure to spike and as we were wrapping up the conversation, he threw out a very random question to my husband... Do you eat Licorice and my husband said yes I do. Interestingly, Licorice has a hormone in it that messes with blood pressure. So my husband stopped eating the Licorice and surprise... his BP dropped. Now that is not all, we started to dig around and look at why do they tell him to avoid grapefruit? Apparently grapefruit and other related fruits (citrus) increase blood, and this increases your BP, as well if you are on medications for high BP. Another piece of information we found, Potassium, if your potassium is high this affects your BP and the affects of your BP medication. Potassium is in citrus fruits, bananas and potatoes. Lower your potassium intake. Of course I am not a doctor or any kind of expert, but I do like to ask questions and do research.
Just some thoughts.

Been on Amlodipine 5mg for a few years. TBH, I rarely check my BP. I will do it now.

Just bumping this up

The spam isn’t helping blood p

bump