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Post by cavemuscle on Jan 10, 2007 11:18:02 GMT -5
went to the Doc's for my quarterly check up
Good news: Lost just 5 lbs from the sinus infection and meds, all other blood levels acceptable, except hemocrit is high from prolonged HRT. As he put it "I know road cyclists who would kill for your crit numbers."
Bad news: the high crit also leads to high blood pressure. I'm starting a low dose bp med and cutting out sodium. One place I'm starting is those frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Each one provides 25% rda of sodium and I'm eating two per meal! So it's back to raw unprocessed breasts. Also now that the holiday rush is over it's time to do the 30 min cardio 3x a week in the evenings again. And he wants me drinking at least gallon of water per day.
Anyone have any other suggestions?
Brock
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Post by Sal Paradise on Jan 10, 2007 13:09:45 GMT -5
Did your actual BP reading show high?
If it's just the high crit leads to high BP then there is no reason to start taking meds for somehting you don't need.
My doc tried the cr@p with me one time. My BP was SLIGHTLY elevated so he started me on an ACE inhibitor (Norvasc) or something. Well it F'd up some other things and I went off of it. Low and behold three months later and no high BP!!!
I haven't taken meds for BP for over a few years now.
My only advice is to not take meds for something unless diet and other things don't keep it in check.
Once you start on meds it's hard to come off of them.
Sal
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jbig
Novice Bodybuilder
Posts: 169
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Post by jbig on Jan 10, 2007 13:28:53 GMT -5
Did your actual BP reading show high? If it's just the high crit leads to high BP then there is no reason to start taking meds for somehting you don't need. My doc tried the cr@p with me one time. My BP was SLIGHTLY elevated so he started me on an ACE inhibitor (Norvasc) or something. Well it F'd up some other things and I went off of it. Low and behold three months later and no high BP!!! I haven't taken meds for BP for over a few years now. My only advice is to not take meds for something unless diet and other things don't keep it in check. Once you start on meds it's hard to come off of them. Sal While I'm no expert this sounds like damn good advice. Sometimes meds can cause more harm than they do good. Also, when you manage to drop your blood pressure you won't know if it was because of the cardio and better eating or because of the meds! |
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Post by cavemuscle on Jan 10, 2007 13:34:26 GMT -5
yup, 160 over 110. I'm going to purge as much sodium as I can from my diet. Cottage cheese has 21% rda, so take that out and see how it is next week. I agree, the fewer meds the better. B Did your actual BP reading show high? If it's just the high crit leads to high BP then there is no reason to start taking meds for somehting you don't need. My doc tried the cr@p with me one time. My BP was SLIGHTLY elevated so he started me on an ACE inhibitor (Norvasc) or something. Well it F'd up some other things and I went off of it. Low and behold three months later and no high BP!!! I haven't taken meds for BP for over a few years now. My only advice is to not take meds for something unless diet and other things don't keep it in check. Once you start on meds it's hard to come off of them. Sal |
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Post by mrbeefy on Jan 10, 2007 14:03:13 GMT -5
Yo Bro! I can relate. Been fighting with my MD for years over my BP. Currently it's 160 over 90 ON MEDS. I stopped taking them. Cleaned up my diet, pushed the water, watched the sodium intake...........= 120 over 80....hmmmm No meds  The last appointment I went to, he yelled at me and told me my BP was up because I put on too much weight (I go 170-180 Off Season, and between 140-155 on season). I'm 5'2" and I'll be 50 this year. He told me I should stop lifting because that's what's pushing my BP up...the lifting and the BB Diet. Basically.....I told him "bite me". My wife and I are currently looking for a new Primary Care MD. Witch Doctors.........all of em! Treating symptoms, not the underlying problems! You know your body best...........just do what's right for you. |
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Post by beckie on Jan 10, 2007 16:11:23 GMT -5
How long have to had the high crit levels? If its just a one-off reading I would question the need for meds at this point. Doctotrs are all too ready to prescribe the medsimo...
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Post by Hoopie on Jan 11, 2007 2:26:09 GMT -5
Dropping weight and cleaning upi you diet will really help the BP. One thing i am going to suggest is that if you dont take the bp meds get your bp checked VERY frequently. I dont like taking meds howeve i have seen what ignored high bp can cause. So just watch your bp and listen to your body. I dont have enough fingers and toes to tell you how many people i saw in my critical care unit because they ignored and didnt watch their bp. Dont want to scare ya but just want you to be aware that you need to check it frequently and listen to your body on how it feels.
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Post by youngblood on Jan 11, 2007 12:32:05 GMT -5
Yikes, and I got a lecture because my reading recently gave me 142 over 84?  I looked and new online info suggest that my reading was once normal but is now considered "borderline hypertensive."  I have another month till I start dieting, well, two-almost three weeks, and I'm betting I'll be fine. (if I get there!) I'm guessing it's a combination of things, since I used to be 120 over 60 on stimulants! Those things: 1) heaviest I've ever been and my body "getting used to" the weight 2) my once cherished KFC Colonels Strips, fried foods rock! 3) no cardio for the last 4 years... all this combined leaves me a little high on the BP side.  |
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Post by EBA84 on Jan 11, 2007 13:45:20 GMT -5
If your HRT doages are only enough to bring you in the normal range then I can't see that being the cause of your elevated blood pressure. If you are pushing for the high normal or more then that could be the cause. What dosage are you taking of HRT if you don't mind me asking?
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Post by Tim Wescott on Jan 11, 2007 13:55:45 GMT -5
My BP has always been around 120 over 70......still is thank God.
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Post by Karrie on Jan 11, 2007 14:47:41 GMT -5
Dropping weight and cleaning upi you diet will really help the BP. One thing i am going to suggest is that if you dont take the bp meds get your bp checked VERY frequently. I dont like taking meds howeve i have seen what ignored high bp can cause. So just watch your bp and listen to your body. I dont have enough fingers and toes to tell you how many people i saw in my critical care unit because they ignored and didnt watch their bp. Dont want to scare ya but just want you to be aware that you need to check it frequently and listen to your body on how it feels. EXCELLENT ADVICE my fellow health care professional!!!!!!  I have seen very similar things over my ten years. People who ignore their doc b/c they feel they do not "need"the medication and end up worse off. Like Hoopie said, if you do not take the med at least get your bp checked frequently. |
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Post by cavemuscle on Jan 11, 2007 16:19:48 GMT -5
If your HRT doages are only enough to bring you in the normal range then I can't see that being the cause of your elevated blood pressure. If you are pushing for the high normal or more then that could be the cause. What dosage are you taking of HRT if you don't mind me asking? I'm switching to testim transdermal testosterone gel, 50 mg per dose, one dose per day. I was on androgel but it was dropped from the insurance company's formulary. High bp runs in Mom's family. So I'll take my meds, get back into cardio and clean up the diet. I am supposed to go get my bp checked once a week. B |
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I have seen very similar things over my ten years. People who ignore their doc b/c they feel they do not "need"the medication and end up worse off. Like Hoopie said, if you do not take the med at least get your bp checked frequently.