Yes, high blood pressure is better than cancer, but...
Comments
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Traci, I know many
Traci, I know many indivduals who appear very healthy and have hypertension. There often is a genetic component. You probably did absolutely nothing wrong and continue being as healthy as you can.
I tend to agree with your primary about the diuretic (unless you have other problems like diabetes, etc.). The NIH guidelines encourage taking a diuretic first unless you have one of the "issues" listed in Table 8:
See:
Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure
These guidelines are geared towards health care professionals, but much of the booklet is very readable--at least to me...lol..the nerd!0 -
Dear Traci,CypressCynthia said:Traci, I know many
Traci, I know many indivduals who appear very healthy and have hypertension. There often is a genetic component. You probably did absolutely nothing wrong and continue being as healthy as you can.
I tend to agree with your primary about the diuretic (unless you have other problems like diabetes, etc.). The NIH guidelines encourage taking a diuretic first unless you have one of the "issues" listed in Table 8:
See:
Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure
These guidelines are geared towards health care professionals, but much of the booklet is very readable--at least to me...lol..the nerd!
The more time I put between me and last year's journey with the cancer fairies, I begin to view it in hindsight as an odd blessing.
Like you, I could have been a poster child for girl scouting...no carousing, no smoking. Hell, nuns have more fun, I have seen their calendars. Why I recall my last visit with my internist a few months before my cancer diagnosis. He took my pressure 4 times...making me wait between other patients in his lobby contemplating the aquarium and reading back issues of Architectural Digest and HIghlights to try to bring the sucker down. 180/100 would have been a respectable bowling score, but it was my blood pressure we were talking about...so..he had me start logging it. Then the last time anyone mentioned by blood pressure being a bit high, somewhere in the neighborhood of 150/90, I was having an echocardiogram to see if my heart could handle chemotherapy. In my pre-chemobrain head I vividly recall thinking, "150/90? You're worried about 150/90? I start chemotherapy next week, and I have to take this test before they will even give me the chemo!" But, that girl scout like attitude kicked in and I just smiled and said, "Really? Is that high?"
I had much bigger fish to fry.
So, anyway...my bp is somewhere in the neighborhood of 140/80 post treatment at my last visit with whichever doctor I gave that $10 co-pay to. I like to think that chemo and radiation were a sort of system reboot for my body and God's way of telling me, "You really needed to update that hairstyle."
Extend a little grace to yourself, you live in LA and frankly others can agitate the @#$%! out of us. I'll join a yoga class if in lieu of doing a downward facing dog, every once in awhile I can kick some skinny zen chick in a leotard...I just know that would make me feel tons better.0 -
You can come to my yoga class and prop me up...Dear Traci,
The more time I put between me and last year's journey with the cancer fairies, I begin to view it in hindsight as an odd blessing.
Like you, I could have been a poster child for girl scouting...no carousing, no smoking. Hell, nuns have more fun, I have seen their calendars. Why I recall my last visit with my internist a few months before my cancer diagnosis. He took my pressure 4 times...making me wait between other patients in his lobby contemplating the aquarium and reading back issues of Architectural Digest and HIghlights to try to bring the sucker down. 180/100 would have been a respectable bowling score, but it was my blood pressure we were talking about...so..he had me start logging it. Then the last time anyone mentioned by blood pressure being a bit high, somewhere in the neighborhood of 150/90, I was having an echocardiogram to see if my heart could handle chemotherapy. In my pre-chemobrain head I vividly recall thinking, "150/90? You're worried about 150/90? I start chemotherapy next week, and I have to take this test before they will even give me the chemo!" But, that girl scout like attitude kicked in and I just smiled and said, "Really? Is that high?"
I had much bigger fish to fry.
So, anyway...my bp is somewhere in the neighborhood of 140/80 post treatment at my last visit with whichever doctor I gave that $10 co-pay to. I like to think that chemo and radiation were a sort of system reboot for my body and God's way of telling me, "You really needed to update that hairstyle."
Extend a little grace to yourself, you live in LA and frankly others can agitate the @#$%! out of us. I'll join a yoga class if in lieu of doing a downward facing dog, every once in awhile I can kick some skinny zen chick in a leotard...I just know that would make me feel tons better.
I belong to a pretty mellow women's gym, so there are relatively few skinny zen chicks, and not a leotard in sight....but, right about now, I could use someone to come prop up my downward facing dog.
I started the blood pressure medication yesterday, and now I'm lightheaded and dizzy, and even more woo-woo than usual. My doctor told me to expect this for about a week, while my body adjusts to the medication, but I swear, I'm having flashbacks to chemo and trying to wrap my head around how the drugs they were giving me to supposedly make me better also made me feel like crap.
I'm pretty sure that sitting quietly eating some bacon while watching you take down a skinny zen chick would make me feel a lot better....
Traci0 -
HmmmTraciInLA said:You can come to my yoga class and prop me up...
I belong to a pretty mellow women's gym, so there are relatively few skinny zen chicks, and not a leotard in sight....but, right about now, I could use someone to come prop up my downward facing dog.
I started the blood pressure medication yesterday, and now I'm lightheaded and dizzy, and even more woo-woo than usual. My doctor told me to expect this for about a week, while my body adjusts to the medication, but I swear, I'm having flashbacks to chemo and trying to wrap my head around how the drugs they were giving me to supposedly make me better also made me feel like crap.
I'm pretty sure that sitting quietly eating some bacon while watching you take down a skinny zen chick would make me feel a lot better....
Traci
You two, tsk tsk. Yoga is meant to be peaceful and spiritual, no room for judgment and certainly not a place for leaping off your mat to kick some skinny zen chick's a$$.
Have some bacon and chill.
Hey, Faith, glad to see you in these parts and Traci, I hope you get used to the new medication soon.
xoxo
Victoria0 -
Oh, give me the Eagle pose any 'ol day!aisling8 said:Hmmm
You two, tsk tsk. Yoga is meant to be peaceful and spiritual, no room for judgment and certainly not a place for leaping off your mat to kick some skinny zen chick's a$$.
Have some bacon and chill.
Hey, Faith, glad to see you in these parts and Traci, I hope you get used to the new medication soon.
xoxo
Victoria
Couldn't get that downward dog...
Does High blood pressure run in your family?
I'm in denial with my BP...yes, I can blame it on "white coat syndrome" but it seems when I take it outside an office, it's consistently 140/80...ugh...no more meds
I'm on Tamoxifen too.0 -
Sorry Traci that you haveTraciInLA said:You can come to my yoga class and prop me up...
I belong to a pretty mellow women's gym, so there are relatively few skinny zen chicks, and not a leotard in sight....but, right about now, I could use someone to come prop up my downward facing dog.
I started the blood pressure medication yesterday, and now I'm lightheaded and dizzy, and even more woo-woo than usual. My doctor told me to expect this for about a week, while my body adjusts to the medication, but I swear, I'm having flashbacks to chemo and trying to wrap my head around how the drugs they were giving me to supposedly make me better also made me feel like crap.
I'm pretty sure that sitting quietly eating some bacon while watching you take down a skinny zen chick would make me feel a lot better....
Traci
Sorry Traci that you have high bp and that the meds are making you feel like this. Hoping it clears up soon.
Hugs, Angie0 -
Traci,TraciInLA said:You can come to my yoga class and prop me up...
I belong to a pretty mellow women's gym, so there are relatively few skinny zen chicks, and not a leotard in sight....but, right about now, I could use someone to come prop up my downward facing dog.
I started the blood pressure medication yesterday, and now I'm lightheaded and dizzy, and even more woo-woo than usual. My doctor told me to expect this for about a week, while my body adjusts to the medication, but I swear, I'm having flashbacks to chemo and trying to wrap my head around how the drugs they were giving me to supposedly make me better also made me feel like crap.
I'm pretty sure that sitting quietly eating some bacon while watching you take down a skinny zen chick would make me feel a lot better....
Traci
I was told the same
Traci,
I was told the same thing about the lightheadedness etc. and at the end of a week I had an appt with my gyn onc and when the nurse took my blood pressure it was 69/45. She asked if it was always so low and I told her I had begun B/P meds. When the PA came in she was concerned about this and took it again, still very low. We did my exam and when I went to sit up I nearly passed out. She took it again and it was lower. She took my blood sugars and they were a little low also. She got me juice and then had to lay down for a half hour and took my blood pressure and blood sugars one more time. It was still low but not as low as it had been. She wanted me to get someone to come get me but I was an hour from home and then I would have to come back and get the car. So she insisted I stay in the waiting area another half hour and she rechecked me before I left and had me call when I arrived home. She also told me to stop taking the meds for the weekend (this was Friday) and then cut the dose in half and call my PCP to let him know. She also emailed him. I take only half a pill now. So if the lightheadedness continues even a few more days see about having your blood pressure checked. it's tricky getting the doseage to the right amount. I sympathize with you. It is an awful feeling, very flu like. I know there is that adjustment period but trust me you don't want a big drop in the blood pressure. Yucky, Yucky, yucky. It's even worse than I feel when my sugars drop. Well, maybe it's a tie.
Hoping it all evens out for you. and yes, bacon and a skinny chick who is flexible kicking is good medicine.
Stef0 -
My blood pressure is alwaysVickiSam said:'Say, What?" .. hard to believe ..
You are so happy, calm.. Your enthusiasm about life is infectious. !!! Gee, what can you give up and do without? I had extremely high blood pressure for over a year during my chemo, surgeries, chemo brain .. what helped me ... squeezing 1/4 lemon in a glass of water, several times a day .. relief with water weight gain. Then again, I like french fries, potato chips and salty cashews!
Just to add a note: Once you butcher up that 'pig' in the backyard ... you can have matching purse and shoes manufactured out of pig skin .. pretty, huh!
Twisted Sister ;-- Vicki Sam
My blood pressure is always high when I see any doctor. I do think it is the white coat syndrome. They did give me meds to take, but, I found that when I took them, that I was just too tired, so, I take my blood pressure at home, and, if it is high, I take the meds then. But, it rarely is high unless I see that white coat! LOL0 -
it may take a few days of side effects, but...TraciInLA said:You can come to my yoga class and prop me up...
I belong to a pretty mellow women's gym, so there are relatively few skinny zen chicks, and not a leotard in sight....but, right about now, I could use someone to come prop up my downward facing dog.
I started the blood pressure medication yesterday, and now I'm lightheaded and dizzy, and even more woo-woo than usual. My doctor told me to expect this for about a week, while my body adjusts to the medication, but I swear, I'm having flashbacks to chemo and trying to wrap my head around how the drugs they were giving me to supposedly make me better also made me feel like crap.
I'm pretty sure that sitting quietly eating some bacon while watching you take down a skinny zen chick would make me feel a lot better....
Traci
...but the benefits that I've seen from Triamterene/HCTZ have been definitely out-weighed any "costs". I too was lightheaded the first few days, and even after almost 8 weeks, I still have to keep my water intake heavily boosted (2-3 liters most days), but I've seen the results in all but one of my BP readings since week 2.
I've had white-coat HT for several years before my BC diagnosis this winter, so once it was clear that I was going to have too many doc appts to count over a far-too-short period, I asked my Medical Oncologist about getting a water pill. I would have asked my primary care physician, but since I was in my MO's office, I just asked him...and I did run it by PCP the next day by email, and he said it was a good idea.
When I had my lumpectomy 2-3 weeks after starting HCTZ, I didn't even spike above 140/90 at the hospital! In fact, I've only had one reading above that, and that higher reading was taken by one of those automatic machines that many doc offices use now. I've discovered that those machines often give inflated readings, and several docs and nurses have agreed this is true for many patients, not just me, so I now request a manual reading if it is possible.
One last thing, and it's a little bit TMI, but you should be aware of it -- HCTZ can dehydrate you in more than the obvious ways of making you run to pee more often that usual. It can also cause pretty severe constipation, and this caught me completely off guard. I bumped up my fiber intake, and even had to resort to Metamucil for a week or two to get my system set back to half-way normal...and if I goof up and don't eat enough fiber, it starts to come back. But the benefit of lowered BP readings is worth it to me, at least at this point.
I hope you can get through the adjustment of HCTZ to get to see the benefits!0 -
Belated thank you-sjd613 said:it may take a few days of side effects, but...
...but the benefits that I've seen from Triamterene/HCTZ have been definitely out-weighed any "costs". I too was lightheaded the first few days, and even after almost 8 weeks, I still have to keep my water intake heavily boosted (2-3 liters most days), but I've seen the results in all but one of my BP readings since week 2.
I've had white-coat HT for several years before my BC diagnosis this winter, so once it was clear that I was going to have too many doc appts to count over a far-too-short period, I asked my Medical Oncologist about getting a water pill. I would have asked my primary care physician, but since I was in my MO's office, I just asked him...and I did run it by PCP the next day by email, and he said it was a good idea.
When I had my lumpectomy 2-3 weeks after starting HCTZ, I didn't even spike above 140/90 at the hospital! In fact, I've only had one reading above that, and that higher reading was taken by one of those automatic machines that many doc offices use now. I've discovered that those machines often give inflated readings, and several docs and nurses have agreed this is true for many patients, not just me, so I now request a manual reading if it is possible.
One last thing, and it's a little bit TMI, but you should be aware of it -- HCTZ can dehydrate you in more than the obvious ways of making you run to pee more often that usual. It can also cause pretty severe constipation, and this caught me completely off guard. I bumped up my fiber intake, and even had to resort to Metamucil for a week or two to get my system set back to half-way normal...and if I goof up and don't eat enough fiber, it starts to come back. But the benefit of lowered BP readings is worth it to me, at least at this point.
I hope you can get through the adjustment of HCTZ to get to see the benefits!
I was so distracted by our bus ride last week to my mammogram, your rowdy conga line, and the iced blended mocha the size of my head...that I never came back to this thread to thank you all for your great advice.
CC, the National Heart, Blood & Lung Institute booklet that you provided the link to is such a great resource -- THANK YOU! If anyone else would like to read about the latest research and treatment guidelines for high blood pressure -- most of it in very plain English -- I highly recommend CypressCynthia's link, above.
And jd...I have to admit, when I first read your warning about constipation, I dismissed it -- I had already been on the HCTZ for a few days, and wasn't having any problems in that...ahem...area. And NONE of the information that came with the prescription, or the lists of side effects on the NIH website or WebMD mentioned it -- my doctor certainly never mentioned it, and I grilled him about what side effects to expect.
And then, a few days later...WOW. And when it persisted, I decided I'm never going to question you again, jd! I also was reading an American Dietetic Association article on constipation -- in the section about medication-related constipation, the very first drug listed was...diuretics. My doctor and I are going to have words about this!
So I'm working on that side effect...I'll spare you the details. :-) And the lightheadedness lasted over a week, but is finally getting less and less. I see both my oncologist and PCP again in a couple of weeks, so we'll see what my own personal Blood Pressure Caucus has to say then....
Traci0 -
Hoping you can get your bpTraciInLA said:Hi, Nancy -
I do take Sudafed periodically for seasonal allergies, but my doctor is very aware of it, and said I don't take it often enough to be affecting my blood pressure.
And yes, a low dose of a basic diuretic (Hydrochlorothiazide) is exactly what my primary care physician is prescribing, which was quite the argument between him and my oncologist, who wanted to start me right out on a "real" blood pressure pill, Benazapril.
My PCP said, "I don't tell him how to treat cancer, and he shouldn't tell me how to treat high blood pressure!"
Well, there you go -- nice to know doctors don't have any ego issues....:-o
Traci
Hoping you can get your bp under control Traci!0 -
Was wonderingCindy Bear said:Hi
Hi sorry to hear about the high BP.. this post caught my eye, because a good friend who finished treatment for BC about 2 yrs ago, has had HIGH BP ever since rads.. and the drs. can't seem to figure it out.. she always had low BP prior to treatment. She had a lumpectomy, chemo and then rads.. and her BP is very high ever since..I am wondering how many other women are having this same issue.. Incidentally, she did smoke and still drinks.. and I'm pretty sure she eats bacon too... LOL.
how you are doing now Traci. And, you are so funny!0
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