High Blood pressure

[swissie]

A month ago I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. Doctor gave me medication and remarked that "when finished medication you not need more"! Well, I am "finished with medication" now.

Have I possibly mis-understood the doctor? I always thought, that once diagnosed with high blood pressure, one has to take the medication for the rest his live ?

Thanks & cheers.

[Jingthing]

OMG. You're right. Generally it's a chronic condition. I'd say see another doctor ASAP.

[keemapoot]

That is indeed a very bizarre instruction. Normally, the doctor tries to get you to address the cause of the high blood pressure, make lifestyle changes (stop smoking, lose weight, etc.), and then monitors whether and how to reduce medication as a result of those changes.

Something's very wrong there.

[NavyMan]

It's wise to have an annual check for your high BP. I have been on BP tablets for about five years. Changes in weight, drinking habits and smoking habits can all affect your BP. An annual check will determine the daily dosage you need to take. Once diagnosed you normally have high BP for life, but self help can most definitely reduce the dosage required and consequently the risk of heart attack, stroke etc.

[Sheryl]

Indeed if your BP requires medication, it is a life long affair. Some people are able to avoid the need fro medication through diet and exercise but many not.

Invest in a home BP machine and monitor your pressure. If it is elevated, see a doctor - -a different one.

[swissie]

Thanks for input folks. Called the Doc a few minutes ago. Here it is:

" If you do exercise and stop smoking and stop drinking beer, you will not need medication." Well, my Thai is not so good and his English is not much better than my Thai.

For me it means = keep on taking the medicine. Have been smoking for the last 45 years, have been drinking beer for the last 45 years and I don't really want to exercise much while the temperature is 35 degrees with a humidity of 99 %.

Cheers.

[Jingthing]

Yes with MILD hypertension docs will often suggest trying out lifestyle changes first, but even some people who make major changes STILL need the meds.

[swissie]

Yes with MILD hypertension docs will often suggest trying out lifestyle changes first, but even some people who make major changes STILL need the meds.

Good advice here. Before taking medication, my BP was 100 over 170. Is this MILD or HIGH hypertension? (After taking medication it was like 90 over 130.)

Thanks & cheers.

[Sheryl]

You have the numbers reversed there, the larger one comes first.

You had severe hypertension and with numbers like that you will indeed need to stay on medication indefinitely.

As previously mentioned, get a home device to keep tabs on your BP. It is not unusual to need to adjust the dosage at first and then also further as you age.

And I would truly change doctors. First of all, you need one you can communicate effectively with. Secondly, hypertension along the lines of 170/100 is very unlikely to fully resolve with life style changes alone. You were given poor quality advice.

[frankwhite]

All im going to says is go to the doctor. I have hypertension, smoke and im fat and i ignored it for years and had a heart attack a few yrs ago and lucky to be alive. I still have lifestyle changes to make but i take my meds and go to the dr when i have appointments.

[Kalbo]

Yes with MILD hypertension docs will often suggest trying out lifestyle changes first, but even some people who make major changes STILL need the meds.

Good advice here. Before taking medication, my BP was 100 over 170. Is this MILD or HIGH hypertension? (After taking medication it was like 90 over 130.)

Thanks & cheers.

170 over 100 is very high. What was the medication he put you on ?

[Lancelot]

If I were the OP, I'd get a second opinion ASAP!

[Jingthing]

If I were the OP, I'd get a second opinion ASAP!

Also I wouldn't quit the meds before going to the doctor. You can buy a new supply most anywhere without scrip. The same med even if that doc was very suspect. It's not a good idea to start meds with high BP and just stop cold turkey! A new doc can suggest a different BP med or perhaps the one already being used is fine. Note any side effects you feel with it; there may be better options.

These are only my suggestions based on personal knowledge of high BP; I am not a doctor!

Edited June 26, 2013 by Jingthing

[swissie]

Yes with MILD hypertension docs will often suggest trying out lifestyle changes first, but even some people who make major changes STILL need the meds.

Good advice here. Before taking medication, my BP was 100 over 170. Is this MILD or HIGH hypertension? (After taking medication it was like 90 over 130.)

Thanks & cheers.

170 over 100 is very high. What was the medication he put you on ?

Medication:

- DRAMAN 20 mg

- LAVATADINE 10 mg

- TRENTAL 15 mg

Got this info by peeking at my "patient-sheet". The tablets were given to me in 3 separate plastic pouches with no description on it as to what the name of the medication is.

1 tablet I had to take once a day (mornings), the others 3 x a day after meals. Since the tablets themselves had no writing on them, I can't say witch brand I took once a day or witch 3 x a day.

Thanks & cheers.

[Jingthing]

That sounds like a complex scrip. Really find a different/better doc and quick!

Lavatadine sounds like an allergy drug Loratimine.

Trental is for leg cramps. You have leg cramps?

Draman, I have no idea.

Are you sure you were really taking any BP meds?

Or perhaps you got the names wrong.

If you really don't know what you were taking and it sounds like you don't have a good record, more reason to go in to a doc fast. Again, once you start on BP meds you aren't supposed to ever just stop cold turkey without medical supervision.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Jingthing

[swissie]

That sounds like a complex scrip. Really find a different/better doc and quick!

Lavatadine sounds like an allergy drug Loratimine.

Trental is for leg cramps. You have leg cramps?

Draman, I have no idea.

Are you sure you were really taking any BP meds?

Or perhaps you got the names wrong.

If you really don't know what you were taking and it sounds like you don't have a good record, more reason to go in to a doc fast. Again, once you start on BP meds you aren't supposed to ever just stop cold turkey without medical supervision.

May have to change doctor. Can't comment on above medication but I forgot to mention that I went to see the doctor because of 3 "dizzie-spells" within one week in the first place. (Have not had any "dizzieness" since.) No, I have no leg cramps but this whole issue may give me brain-cramps pretty soon.

Since we are at it: On rare occasions I take a fake Cialis product named APCALIS sx-20 / tadalafil 20 mg (made in India, I was told). Would this interfere with BP-Medications?

Thanks & cheers.

[Jingthing]

Anyone taking ED meds should seek medical clearance first. I won't attempt to answer your specific medical question but I do know the ED meds kill many people who are not meant to take them, not saying you'd be one of them.

Not suggesting you should panic about the BP right now but I am pretty sure once started on BP meds you shouldn't just quit them without medical advice. Which is why I suggested if you actually knew the med you were on to buy some yourself while you wait to see a new doctor. BP is called the silent killer. It generally takes many years to creep up on people. So the BP in itself is probably not any kind of crisis, but I do think starting on meds and quitting them is an issue of priority.

Also next time INSIST they clearly give you a document with the exact names and dosages of ALL meds they give you.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Jingthing

[jrtmedic]

I fully agree with the advise Sheryl gave you.

I have no idea what the medication you say you have been prescribed is and I am not going to speculate.

If your blood pressure is in fact hovering around 170/100 the this poses potentially dangerous outcomes for you.

You need to seek out another Doctor. If you can indicate whereabouts you live members may offer you some recommendation.

I would suggest you continue with your prescribed medication until such time as you have a second medical opinion.

Edited June 26, 2013 by jrtmedic

[Sheryl]

Something is really off here.

Trental (Pentoxifylline) is not for high blood pressure; it is for arterial vascular dissease and/or dementia secondary to decreased circulation to the brain. Presumably your "dizzy spells" were what led to this prescription but nothing you have said suggests that a sufficient work up was done to determine the need for it and with a BP of 170/100, uncontrolled hypertension may have been the cause of the dizziness.

I have never heard of a drug called lavatadine and there is no drug by that name registered in Thailand. Ditto Draman. Are you sure you have the correct spelling on these two?

It is starting to look like you were not given any BP medications but rather entirely different medications. None of this is making any sense at all.

[Jingthing]

Indeed. It's a consensus. See ANOTHER doctor ... ASAP.

[Kalbo]

Yes with MILD hypertension docs will often suggest trying out lifestyle changes first, but even some people who make major changes STILL need the meds.

Good advice here. Before taking medication, my BP was 100 over 170. Is this MILD or HIGH hypertension? (After taking medication it was like 90 over 130.)

Thanks & cheers.

170 over 100 is very high. What was the medication he put you on ?

Medication:

- DRAMAN 20 mg

- LAVATADINE 10 mg

- TRENTAL 15 mg

Got this info by peeking at my "patient-sheet". The tablets were given to me in 3 separate plastic pouches with no description on it as to what the name of the medication is.

1 tablet I had to take once a day (mornings), the others 3 x a day after meals. Since the tablets themselves had no writing on them, I can't say witch brand I took once a day or witch 3 x a day.

Thanks & cheers.

None of those are hypertension medication (at least none that I have ever heard of). Something is fishy

[lopburi3]

I suspect he was being treated for the dizzy spell and the just noted the extremely high blood pressure (and believed white coat/sickness rather than chronic). But that is just a guess from my own experience - one blood pressure reading means nothing - at start of my last stress test mine got to 166 but fell to 120 once test was in progress and for first time stress test was good (heart rate got to what they want). Fear and doctor office can give very false readings - making the small expense of self testing all the more important.

As for the "draman" suspect that might have been "dramamine" for dizzy spell (although did not believe it was sold here).

Above just guess work but suspect the doctor did not believe blood pressure was major issue compared to current lifestyle and was perhaps attempting to get that changed. That is also just a wild guess.

But agree a new doctor is indicated as there is a real communications issue here.

[YeahSiam]

If I were the OP, I'd get a second opinion ASAP!

If I were the OP, I'd get some coverage . . . quick

[swissie]

The OP says: Thanks for all the input.

Will be in Bangkok on Sunday for my annual "Gastro Duodenoscopy". (Have a small cyst, that needs scraping out every year, ) = Upon removal, re-grows, and has to be scraped out annually.)

On this occasion, I will not forget to address my high blood-pressure problem, always hoping, I get the proper medication.

Cheers.