High Blood pressure
I have three questions:
(1) Does anybody use hers or herbal supplements to reduce blood pressure?
(2) If you have to take traditional medication, what is your medicine?
(3) Do you have any dietary suggestions or find any way to reduce medication by non-conventional means.
Thank you very much
Comments
-
Miss New Flower .. I am so fortune not to be on any
medications for the next year, two or five.. however, I still am suffering from high blood pressure from my breast cancer, chemo, surgeries .. chronic fatigue .. etc. My blood pressure went from 120/80 to 208/93 and so on for the past 12 months .. high alert status for months .. I am now at 128/82 -- with absolutely no medication -- this is me .. and me only ..I take my blood pressure several times a day, and I have do so for about 10 months ..
What i've done ...
Limited my coffee to 2 cups per day
no salt (hard to do, but I try)
no sugar (easier than the no salt for me)
lots of water
exercise (which you all know that I hate with a passion), I now walk 1/2 mile 4 x's per week .. big accomplishment for me.
green veggies .. 4 times per day .. ez on the red meats
apples -- daily (I don't recall the reason, something that was suggested)
..no flush niacin -- 500mg check with your doctor first
..odorless fish oil --1200mg --omega-3&6 again check with your doctor first
..red yeast rice --600mg
any vitiam that will increase blood flow .. will help in time, please check with a professional, I am not a doctor, but I play one at home (LOL).
Just a few humble suggestions .. Please contact with your doctor
Strength and Courage .. My dear sweet, Friend
Vicki Sam0 -
Thank you VickiVickiSam said:Miss New Flower .. I am so fortune not to be on any
medications for the next year, two or five.. however, I still am suffering from high blood pressure from my breast cancer, chemo, surgeries .. chronic fatigue .. etc. My blood pressure went from 120/80 to 208/93 and so on for the past 12 months .. high alert status for months .. I am now at 128/82 -- with absolutely no medication -- this is me .. and me only ..I take my blood pressure several times a day, and I have do so for about 10 months ..
What i've done ...
Limited my coffee to 2 cups per day
no salt (hard to do, but I try)
no sugar (easier than the no salt for me)
lots of water
exercise (which you all know that I hate with a passion), I now walk 1/2 mile 4 x's per week .. big accomplishment for me.
green veggies .. 4 times per day .. ez on the red meats
apples -- daily (I don't recall the reason, something that was suggested)
..no flush niacin -- 500mg check with your doctor first
..odorless fish oil --1200mg --omega-3&6 again check with your doctor first
..red yeast rice --600mg
any vitiam that will increase blood flow .. will help in time, please check with a professional, I am not a doctor, but I play one at home (LOL).
Just a few humble suggestions .. Please contact with your doctor
Strength and Courage .. My dear sweet, Friend
Vicki Sam
Thank you for your suggestion. It is very encouraging I will try to implement them all. I hate to put another medication in my body, which has been resisting a lot. I bought omega 3 oil recently (for Arthritis caused by the same drug) and have been eating apples and almost eliminated sugar since my mastectomy. What veggie do you eat?
I am cooking cabbage tonight.
Hugs0 -
High blood pressure
I had taken medication for high blood pressure (metoprolol) for several years before diagnosed with breast cancer. During chemo (4 rounds of A/C and 12 of Taxotere) my blood pressure dropped a lot and the metoprolol was temporarily discontinued. Of course, it helped that I lost 40 pounds while I was on chemo. My internist monitored my blood pressure and said the best things I could do to reduce my blood pressure when chemo was done would be to maintain a normal weight and avoid salt in my diet. She also said to avoid processed foods and stress (I have 2 teenagers so good luck with that)as much as possible. I am now finished with chemo (YAY!) and am back on the blood pressure meds.0 -
I currently have to takejessiesmom1 said:High blood pressure
I had taken medication for high blood pressure (metoprolol) for several years before diagnosed with breast cancer. During chemo (4 rounds of A/C and 12 of Taxotere) my blood pressure dropped a lot and the metoprolol was temporarily discontinued. Of course, it helped that I lost 40 pounds while I was on chemo. My internist monitored my blood pressure and said the best things I could do to reduce my blood pressure when chemo was done would be to maintain a normal weight and avoid salt in my diet. She also said to avoid processed foods and stress (I have 2 teenagers so good luck with that)as much as possible. I am now finished with chemo (YAY!) and am back on the blood pressure meds.
I currently have to take blood pressure meds, I take 5mg of Liprinosil. My blood pressure during treatments alway ran low or high (more times low than high it dropped so low i was admitted to the hospital once) and since it was never consistant my PCP didnt want to put me on meds. Through treatments and now I have lost 60 pounds and run at least 3.5 miles 5 days a week, so it was really fustrating to me to have to go on meds, when I exercise and have changed my diet, no caffine, low fat diet, and i watch the salt. At least i was put on a low dose. I am also to try and reduce my stress however that isnt really possible since i have two teenaagers and a high stress job.0 -
Having a teenager or early 20 adults who are behave as teensbeetle25 said:I currently have to take
I currently have to take blood pressure meds, I take 5mg of Liprinosil. My blood pressure during treatments alway ran low or high (more times low than high it dropped so low i was admitted to the hospital once) and since it was never consistant my PCP didnt want to put me on meds. Through treatments and now I have lost 60 pounds and run at least 3.5 miles 5 days a week, so it was really fustrating to me to have to go on meds, when I exercise and have changed my diet, no caffine, low fat diet, and i watch the salt. At least i was put on a low dose. I am also to try and reduce my stress however that isnt really possible since i have two teenaagers and a high stress job.
Having teenagers and high stress job sounds like a recipe for high blood pressure. Thank you Moms for you comments I can relate to it, as having a very active one0 -
Weight loss was good for me
New Flower, I'm just starting Femara... so don't know if it will affect my blood pressure or not.
You don't say whether your weight is normal or what.
Even before I found my lump, I had made a commitment in my life to exercise more, and to lose weight. I lost about 30 pounds in six months, I was very glad that I did it.
For some years, my family Doc had been preaching that weight loss would help keep my blood pressure down. And it had been rising slowly through the years.
My Doc was right. With the weight loss, came a return of my blood pressure to basically normal for my age. And the exercising makes me feel better too, I hate to admit.0 -
lose weight???KathyLQ said:Weight loss was good for me
New Flower, I'm just starting Femara... so don't know if it will affect my blood pressure or not.
You don't say whether your weight is normal or what.
Even before I found my lump, I had made a commitment in my life to exercise more, and to lose weight. I lost about 30 pounds in six months, I was very glad that I did it.
For some years, my family Doc had been preaching that weight loss would help keep my blood pressure down. And it had been rising slowly through the years.
My Doc was right. With the weight loss, came a return of my blood pressure to basically normal for my age. And the exercising makes me feel better too, I hate to admit.
I have gained so much weight from the arimidex and feeling plain lousy. How did you do it and can you help get me started. I weigh 288 lbs. and 63 years old and 5'8 1/2. I know I need a swift kick and that might help. Seriously I have to lose and promise every night to start tomorrow better but here it is almost 7 at night and I have not given it a thought. I truly want to lose especially after all I have gone through. Thank you for listening. I know it has to come from me.
Hugs,
Diana0 -
About 2 months after
About 2 months after starting the Zoladex injections and Femara my blood pressure started spiking... My onco sent me to my MD for monitoring...she wanted to put me on meds for it and I said .."NO WAY".... one pill a day is enough for this girl who doesn't even like to take an asprin...we agreed to monitor it as I worked on it... with exercise (dirty word I know but needed) watching my diet, and trying to find some meditation time, my blood pressure has returned to some what normal levels... it still shoots up once in a while but not as bad as it did... now I'm batteling high cholesterol levels... ugh... does it ever stop??? Now I need to modify my diet even more...
Good luck...
Hugs,
~T0 -
125 lbKathyLQ said:Weight loss was good for me
New Flower, I'm just starting Femara... so don't know if it will affect my blood pressure or not.
You don't say whether your weight is normal or what.
Even before I found my lump, I had made a commitment in my life to exercise more, and to lose weight. I lost about 30 pounds in six months, I was very glad that I did it.
For some years, my family Doc had been preaching that weight loss would help keep my blood pressure down. And it had been rising slowly through the years.
My Doc was right. With the weight loss, came a return of my blood pressure to basically normal for my age. And the exercising makes me feel better too, I hate to admit.
My weight is 125 lb I am 5,4"
do not smoke, walk 5 times a week, following anti cancer diet
Have moderate stress job and teenager.0 -
Cholesteroltaleena said:About 2 months after
About 2 months after starting the Zoladex injections and Femara my blood pressure started spiking... My onco sent me to my MD for monitoring...she wanted to put me on meds for it and I said .."NO WAY".... one pill a day is enough for this girl who doesn't even like to take an asprin...we agreed to monitor it as I worked on it... with exercise (dirty word I know but needed) watching my diet, and trying to find some meditation time, my blood pressure has returned to some what normal levels... it still shoots up once in a while but not as bad as it did... now I'm batteling high cholesterol levels... ugh... does it ever stop??? Now I need to modify my diet even more...
Good luck...
Hugs,
~T
Taleena
My blood was taken a week ago, I do not have results yet, however I am expecting high cholesterol as well. I have decided not to take medications for cholesterol and use diet only for controlqing cholesterol levels.
congratulations on your baby-niece.0 -
Really talk with your doctor. We all hate taking meds, but some are essential for our health. Many of our breast cancer treatments make us higher risk for heart disease.New Flower said:Cholesterol
Taleena
My blood was taken a week ago, I do not have results yet, however I am expecting high cholesterol as well. I have decided not to take medications for cholesterol and use diet only for controlqing cholesterol levels.
congratulations on your baby-niece.
I wish I had been on a statin for cholesterol preventively. But, since I was not overweight and had no risk factors for heart disease (other than rads, chemo, etc), I chose not to take a statin. My blood pressure always ran low.
In 2009, I had a heart attack. I am now on 2 blood pressure meds, aspirin and a statin. The blood pressure meds were a bit of an adjustment because of my already low blood pressure, but I am determined to take them. In the summer, my pressure is often 80/50 and I feel a little woozy.
But the meds are so, so important. If you have high cholesterol and high blood pressure (and you have been through breast cancer treatments), you are a walking time bomb.
Duke University is calling for a new specialty "oncocardiology" and has proposed the "multiple hit hypothesis" to explain why so many long term cancer survivors get such nasty heart disease. They also propose that taking statins (cholesterol meds) and beta blockers (blood pressure med) may help preventively.
There is no question that the statins are extremely cardioprotective and are usually amazingly well tolerated. I can't tell that I take one at all--absolutely no side effects for me. I wish I had taken the statins earlier.
I will try and attach links in a P.S. but my computer keeps freezing when I try and attach.0 -
I've had high bp
for the past 10 years after gaining 80 lbs during menopause. I take a low dose Avalide to control it and all through chemo it was great (115/64 ave). I went to a Naturopathic dr last year who took me off cholesterol meds and Prilosec for acid reflux but he didn't mess with my bp meds. The only thing I know to watch for is to lower your sodium intake. Exercise helps too. I am hearing more and more side effects for not wanting to take Arimidex. I have my talk with onc next Tuesday.
I had been on a statin for many years until ND took me off. He said it could affect my liver. When my pcp called Sunday night (yea, the day after Christmas) to tell me my sugar had skyrocketed and my LDL was way up he put me back on a statin. My sugar went from 88 to 146 and my LDL went from 130 to 168. Another reason I've returned to WW. I want to get back off of meds unless necessary. He did tell me that steroids (Dex) may have caused the sugar to go up. I have to go for more blood work and he'll test liver too in one month.
Char0 -
Yikes! I was clueless about the high BP
being a SE of Arimidex. I have had hypertension since my teens and have been on meds since my early 20's. I have been having higher bp lately and thought it was due to anxiety. I will be following up on this asap.
One learns so much here. Thank you!
Sue0 -
Oh, swell! Another thing to fret aboutsbmly53 said:Yikes! I was clueless about the high BP
being a SE of Arimidex. I have had hypertension since my teens and have been on meds since my early 20's. I have been having higher bp lately and thought it was due to anxiety. I will be following up on this asap.
One learns so much here. Thank you!
Sue
I've been on BP meds for about 20 years (Lotensin and hydrochlorthiazide). Things were just swell until I developed gout a couple of years ago and had to DC the HCTZ. Now I'm on three BP meds and still not where I should be. I'm also on a statin for high cholesterol. And now you tell me Arimidex increases BP! And there is a subspecialty called oncocardiology? All this just when I'm not constantly thinking about cancer?
Been making some lifestyle changes since my diagnosis in April. I see now that this is even more important. I still need to lose 25 lbs. I hope that's possible while taking Arimidex.
Grrrrrr
Suzanne0 -
LinksCypressCynthia said:Really talk with your doctor. We all hate taking meds, but some are essential for our health. Many of our breast cancer treatments make us higher risk for heart disease.
I wish I had been on a statin for cholesterol preventively. But, since I was not overweight and had no risk factors for heart disease (other than rads, chemo, etc), I chose not to take a statin. My blood pressure always ran low.
In 2009, I had a heart attack. I am now on 2 blood pressure meds, aspirin and a statin. The blood pressure meds were a bit of an adjustment because of my already low blood pressure, but I am determined to take them. In the summer, my pressure is often 80/50 and I feel a little woozy.
But the meds are so, so important. If you have high cholesterol and high blood pressure (and you have been through breast cancer treatments), you are a walking time bomb.
Duke University is calling for a new specialty "oncocardiology" and has proposed the "multiple hit hypothesis" to explain why so many long term cancer survivors get such nasty heart disease. They also propose that taking statins (cholesterol meds) and beta blockers (blood pressure med) may help preventively.
There is no question that the statins are extremely cardioprotective and are usually amazingly well tolerated. I can't tell that I take one at all--absolutely no side effects for me. I wish I had taken the statins earlier.
I will try and attach links in a P.S. but my computer keeps freezing when I try and attach.
Multiple Hit Hypothesis and Heart Disease
Stains and Cardioprotective Effects0 -
I am determinedDouble Whammy said:Oh, swell! Another thing to fret about
I've been on BP meds for about 20 years (Lotensin and hydrochlorthiazide). Things were just swell until I developed gout a couple of years ago and had to DC the HCTZ. Now I'm on three BP meds and still not where I should be. I'm also on a statin for high cholesterol. And now you tell me Arimidex increases BP! And there is a subspecialty called oncocardiology? All this just when I'm not constantly thinking about cancer?
Been making some lifestyle changes since my diagnosis in April. I see now that this is even more important. I still need to lose 25 lbs. I hope that's possible while taking Arimidex.
Grrrrrr
Suzanne
I am determined to correct high cholesterol and blood pressure by diet and very glad that several sisters have done it so far.
I can completely eliminate saturated fats, say good bye to "in and-out burger", coffee and soda.
I wish integrative medicine approach can be implemented by oncologist who are focused on cancer treatment and completely ignoring quality of life. I also wish pharmaceutical companies will be more open and honest about potential side effects and alert patients helping prevention and mitigation of them.0 -
High Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Osteoporosis, FatigueNew Flower said:Cholesterol
Taleena
My blood was taken a week ago, I do not have results yet, however I am expecting high cholesterol as well. I have decided not to take medications for cholesterol and use diet only for controlqing cholesterol levels.
congratulations on your baby-niece.
On AI's, I developed both high blood pressure and cholesterol. If you are not using a bisphosphonate (Fosamax, Boniva and etc.) you might inquire about one. AI's are known to cause osteoporosis and fractures. You don't want fractures to happen before you begin using a bisphosphonate.
Aromatase Inhibitors are a miracle drug. They are the target therapies for women whose cancer are ER/PR positive. They have extended my life significantly and continue to do so. Though I love the drug, I also hate it for all the pain and other conditions it has given me. I'm alive and that is the bottom line.
Best,
Doris0 -
LDL to HDL ratio
There is more to cholosterol levels than just the total level. The ratio of LDL to HDL is important also. My Total has been borderline high for many years but none of my Drs have suggested drugs for the total. While my LDL is higher than ideal, my HDL is very high so they have all said not to worry but keep it monitored in case of a change.
There is also more to levels than just diet. Hubby's is very low (Total, LDL and HDL). While he is good about eating veggies and fruit, he also eats a lot that should cause higher levels. One year, he had to have an annual physical shortly after returning from a cruise - the Dr wanted to know how he had been able to live a vegan diet on the carrier as his levels were so low - he hadn't or tried to. I have a dear friend who is Vegan (has been for about 12 years) and her levels are quite high.
Just examples of how we are each so unique in all ways,
Susan0 -
Thank you all for your commentsRague said:LDL to HDL ratio
There is more to cholosterol levels than just the total level. The ratio of LDL to HDL is important also. My Total has been borderline high for many years but none of my Drs have suggested drugs for the total. While my LDL is higher than ideal, my HDL is very high so they have all said not to worry but keep it monitored in case of a change.
There is also more to levels than just diet. Hubby's is very low (Total, LDL and HDL). While he is good about eating veggies and fruit, he also eats a lot that should cause higher levels. One year, he had to have an annual physical shortly after returning from a cruise - the Dr wanted to know how he had been able to live a vegan diet on the carrier as his levels were so low - he hadn't or tried to. I have a dear friend who is Vegan (has been for about 12 years) and her levels are quite high.
Just examples of how we are each so unique in all ways,
Susan
Thank you very much for your comments. I appreciate your input and have been implementing several suggestions: did not drink coffee since 12/29; try to meditate, filled prescription (not taking in, but just in case), monitor my blood pressure every day and excluded animal fat.So far I am able to say below 140/80, which is great improvement for me.
My cholesterol results should come back on Tuesday. Hopefully my ratio will be ok.
I will discuss additional preventive measures with my cardiologist in January.
Thanks again0 -
ТраисиNew Flower said:Thank you all for your comments
Thank you very much for your comments. I appreciate your input and have been implementing several suggestions: did not drink coffee since 12/29; try to meditate, filled prescription (not taking in, but just in case), monitor my blood pressure every day and excluded animal fat.So far I am able to say below 140/80, which is great improvement for me.
My cholesterol results should come back on Tuesday. Hopefully my ratio will be ok.
I will discuss additional preventive measures with my cardiologist in January.
Thanks again
Привет,
Hello Traci, bumping this for you from my favorites. I hope you can find this thread useful. Just came home from work.Probably I will reply to you later. I have not taken medication, however have been doing everything else. No burgers and so salt on french friers
Hugs0
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