Re: Hi Blood Pressure

I figger numerous folks on this list have fought the "Hi Blood
Pressure Wars".

I am 57 yrs, 5'6", 136 lbs. My cholesterol was very low (160 or
less) when checked maybe a year ago. Until about 2 years ago,
I consistently got BP readings like 123/75.

Now I'm getting 157-177 / 107-113.

I hid the salt shakers and started taking garlic (1k mg, 3 times
a day) about a week ago. Just got some Potassium Gluconate 99 mg:
guess I'll take 1-3 of them per day. None of this has much helped
so far.

Any body know of other tricks with diet/supplements (save
fasting)?

How long should I fiddle diet/supplements with 160/110-type
readings?

I fear if I have to enlist my primary care doc to help, the
following will transpire:

1.) Doc prescribes bleeding-edge drug costing an eyeball and
a testicle. Doc collects office visit fee.
2.) Patient returns for new script, complains of hi pressure
and/or side effects.  Doc prescribes something else,
collects office visit fees.
3.) Repeat 2.) ad nauseum.

Can anyone suggest reasonably priced BP med(s) appropriate
for such a situation? How does one handle docs who "Dwell
In The Domain Of The Mega-Pharmaceutical Companies", writing
for meds that not even the insurance companies wanna pay for?

Thanx,
Puddin'

"The doctors, to a material extent, serve themselves (and not
their patients)!"

*******************************************************
*** Puddin' Man            Pudding_Man at mail.com  ***
*******************************************************;

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"Puddin' Man" <Pudding_Man@mail.com> wrote in message
news:41323b2b.24159058@news.east.earthlink.net..
> Re: Hi Blood Pressure
>
> I figger numerous folks on this list have fought the "Hi Blood
> Pressure Wars".
>
> I am 57 yrs, 5'6", 136 lbs. My cholesterol was very low (160 or
> less) when checked maybe a year ago. Until about 2 years ago,
> I consistently got BP readings like 123/75.
>
> Now I'm getting 157-177 / 107-113.
>
> I hid the salt shakers and started taking garlic (1k mg, 3 times
> a day) about a week ago. Just got some Potassium Gluconate 99 mg:
> guess I'll take 1-3 of them per day. None of this has much helped
> so far.
>
> Any body know of other tricks with diet/supplements (save
> fasting)?
>
> How long should I fiddle diet/supplements with 160/110-type
> readings?
>
> I fear if I have to enlist my primary care doc to help, the
> following will transpire:
>
>  1.) Doc prescribes bleeding-edge drug costing an eyeball and
>      a testicle. Doc collects office visit fee.
>  2.) Patient returns for new script, complains of hi pressure
>      and/or side effects.  Doc prescribes something else,
>      collects office visit fees.
>  3.) Repeat 2.) ad nauseum.
>
> Can anyone suggest reasonably priced BP med(s) appropriate
> for such a situation? How does one handle docs who "Dwell
> In The Domain Of The Mega-Pharmaceutical Companies", writing
> for meds that not even the insurance companies wanna pay for?

FWIW, my doc wanted to avoid BP meds because I'm taking too many meds
already!  And (so far) it's worked!

I don't know how hard he'd work and exactly what he'd do to avoid them.  But
diet (and avoiding caffeine) was the first step.  That's as far as I got.

How much water do you drink per day?

Jon Miller

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"Puddin' Man" <Pudding_Man@mail.com> wrote in message
news:41323b2b.24159058@news.east.earthlink.net..
> Re: Hi Blood Pressure
>
> I figger numerous folks on this list have fought the "Hi Blood
> Pressure Wars".
>
> I am 57 yrs, 5'6", 136 lbs. My cholesterol was very low (160 or
> less) when checked maybe a year ago. Until about 2 years ago,
> I consistently got BP readings like 123/75.
>
> Now I'm getting 157-177 / 107-113.
>
> I hid the salt shakers and started taking garlic (1k mg, 3 times
> a day) about a week ago. Just got some Potassium Gluconate 99 mg:
> guess I'll take 1-3 of them per day. None of this has much helped
> so far.
>
> Any body know of other tricks with diet/supplements (save
> fasting)?
>
> How long should I fiddle diet/supplements with 160/110-type
> readings?
>
> I fear if I have to enlist my primary care doc to help, the
> following will transpire:
>
>  1.) Doc prescribes bleeding-edge drug costing an eyeball and
>      a testicle. Doc collects office visit fee.
>  2.) Patient returns for new script, complains of hi pressure
>      and/or side effects.  Doc prescribes something else,
>      collects office visit fees.
>  3.) Repeat 2.) ad nauseum.
>
> Can anyone suggest reasonably priced BP med(s) appropriate
> for such a situation? How does one handle docs who "Dwell
> In The Domain Of The Mega-Pharmaceutical Companies", writing
> for meds that not even the insurance companies wanna pay for?
>
Some of the skinniest people walking around have high blood pressure.
Per chance are you under any more stress then usual?  Hiding the salt
shakers & increasing garlic are good first steps.  Although the garlic
is better for cholesterol issues.  See the following websites for some
homeopathy style treatment measures.

http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1033009.html

http://www.prevention.com/cda/featu..s1-5629,00.html

The blood pressure medicine that I used for a long time is Diovan.
Generic name Valsartan.  A month's supply is around $37 a month via a
website from Canada http://www.rx1.biz/medication_index/valsartan.htm

Through diet, exercise, losing some weight (not germane in your case),
increasing my water intake and getting bi-weekly massages I was able
to get off the medication after about five years of taking it.  The
massages were WAY more expensive then the drugs, but damn they feel
good!


--

You can run, but you'll only die tired.

ZombyWoof

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On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:01:09 -0500, "Jon Miller"
<jonmillere1@comcast.net> wrote:

>"Puddin' Man" <Pudding_Man@mail.com> wrote in message 
>
>FWIW, my doc wanted to avoid BP meds because I'm taking too many meds
>already!

I kinda sorta reached this conclusion without the docs.

>And (so far) it's worked!

Glad to hear! One-or-more additional headaches avoided.

>I don't know how hard he'd work and exactly what he'd do to avoid them.  Bu
t
>diet (and avoiding caffeine) was the first step.  That's as far as I got.

I asked the PM doc if he'd treat my hi BP a couple weeks
ago. He intimated that he would not. I'm not sure my
primary doc is even well-qualified to treat BP. He doesn't
know very much about po' me.

>How much water do you drink per day?

3 cups half-caff coffee, maybe 1-2 quarts (depending on season)
of 50%/50% soda (often cola) / water, a cuppa apple juice.

Cheers,
Puddin'


*******************************************************
*** Puddin' Man            Pudding_Man at mail.com  ***
*******************************************************;

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On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 08:00:06 -0400, ZombyWoof <Zomby-Woof@Zappa.net>
wrote:

>"Puddin' Man" <Pudding_Man@mail.com> wrote in message
 
>Some of the skinniest people walking around have high blood pressure.

True. I have yet to figger out why, other than maybe
schlerosis.

>Per chance are you under any more stress then usual?

I doubt thats it. I gotta disability hearing Wed. but my
BP has been above (systolic) 150 for over a year. I was
hopin' it would calm down by itself (hah!).

I was (systolic) 195 while the PM doc stuck me for
a sacro-iliac inject. a few weeks ago. Damned scary!

>Hiding the salt
>shakers & increasing garlic are good first steps.  Although the garlic
>is better for cholesterol issues.  See the following websites for some
>homeopathy style treatment measures.
>
>http://www.truestarhealth.com/Notes/1033009.html
>
>http://www.prevention.com/cda/featu..s1-5629,00.html
>
>The blood pressure medicine that I used for a long time is Diovan.
>Generic name Valsartan.  A month's supply is around $37 a month via a
>website from Canada http://www.rx1.biz/medication_index/valsartan.htm

Couldn't find Valsartan on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri
web site. Plenty from a google search, 'tho.

>Through diet, exercise, losing some weight (not germane in your case),
>increasing my water intake and getting bi-weekly massages I was able
>to get off the medication after about five years of taking it.

Great. Congrats! Very happy to hear that its not always a
one-way street and some folks get off the stuff.

>The
>massages were WAY more expensive then the drugs, but damn they feel
>good!

I don't see the linkage, but what the hell!

Danke,
Puddin'

*******************************************************
*** Puddin' Man            Pudding_Man at mail.com  ***
*******************************************************;

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Be VERY careful about taking the Potassium, hun!  It can do bad things
if you take too much.  I would definitely see your doctor about this.
My blood pressure was starting to elevate too, but as I lost weight it
went down.  I know you didn't want to hear that one :-(  Tell your doc
right out that you want a med that is COVERED by your provider.

Good luck my friend!

Love,
Nada



On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 20:19:18 GMT, Pudding_Man@mail.com (Puddin' Man)
wrote:

>Re: Hi Blood Pressure
>
>I figger numerous folks on this list have fought the "Hi Blood
>Pressure Wars".
>
>I am 57 yrs, 5'6", 136 lbs. My cholesterol was very low (160 or
>less) when checked maybe a year ago. Until about 2 years ago,
>I consistently got BP readings like 123/75.
>
>Now I'm getting 157-177 / 107-113.
>
>I hid the salt shakers and started taking garlic (1k mg, 3 times
>a day) about a week ago. Just got some Potassium Gluconate 99 mg:
>guess I'll take 1-3 of them per day. None of this has much helped
>so far.
>
>Any body know of other tricks with diet/supplements (save
>fasting)?
>
>How long should I fiddle diet/supplements with 160/110-type
>readings?
>
>I fear if I have to enlist my primary care doc to help, the
>following will transpire:
>
> 1.) Doc prescribes bleeding-edge drug costing an eyeball and
>     a testicle. Doc collects office visit fee.
> 2.) Patient returns for new script, complains of hi pressure
>     and/or side effects.  Doc prescribes something else,
>     collects office visit fees.
> 3.) Repeat 2.) ad nauseum.
>
>Can anyone suggest reasonably priced BP med(s) appropriate
>for such a situation? How does one handle docs who "Dwell
>In The Domain Of The Mega-Pharmaceutical Companies", writing
>for meds that not even the insurance companies wanna pay for?
>
>  Thanx,
>  Puddin'
>
>"The doctors, to a material extent, serve themselves (and not
> their patients)!"
>
>*******************************************************
>*** Puddin' Man            Pudding_Man at mail.com  ***
>*******************************************************;

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Hi puddin , did you mention how bad your pain issues are ??? when my
pain reaches the 7 on a 1- 10 range my bp goes into the triple digets !
have you considered that this may be a factor ???? . all the best
....................   nancy

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Pudding_Man@mail.com (Puddin' Man) seems to think in news:41333703.8279705
@news.east.earthlink.net:

> On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:01:09 -0500, "Jon Miller"
> <jonmillere1@comcast.net> wrote:
> 
>
> I kinda sorta reached this conclusion without the docs.
> 
>
> Glad to hear! One-or-more additional headaches avoided.
> 
But[vbcol=seagreen] 
>
> I asked the PM doc if he'd treat my hi BP a couple weeks
> ago. He intimated that he would not. I'm not sure my
> primary doc is even well-qualified to treat BP. He doesn't
> know very much about po' me.
> 
>
> 3 cups half-caff coffee, maybe 1-2 quarts (depending on season)
> of 50%/50% soda (often cola) / water, a cuppa apple juice.
>
>   Cheers,
>   Puddin'
>
>
> *******************************************************
> *** Puddin' Man            Pudding_Man at mail.com  ***
> *******************************************************;

I had a similar problem with bp. Amazing how sensitive the body becomes to
foods one eats without much thought, after age 50.

I think it's the sodium in the soda pop. 2 quarts of soda/water is 1 quart
of soda. That's one source of sodium you could get rid of.

Try 50%water/50%juice for a week and see what happens.

Also, watch your processed foods. They are full of sodium.

good luck.

-- ipgrunt

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On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 14:23:53 GMT, Pudding_Man@mail.com (Puddin' Man) :

>On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:01:09 -0500, "Jon Miller"
><jonmillere1@comcast.net> wrote:
> 
>
>I kinda sorta reached this conclusion without the docs.
> 
>
>Glad to hear! One-or-more additional headaches avoided.
> 
>
>I asked the PM doc if he'd treat my hi BP a couple weeks
>ago. He intimated that he would not. I'm not sure my
>primary doc is even well-qualified to treat BP. He doesn't
>know very much about po' me.
>
I find this hard to believe. I'm on lisinopril, which is neither expensive
nor habit-forming. Of course it's always desirable to be on the minimum
necessary number and quantity of drugs, but it sounds like you need the
medication pretty bad. And any doc who can't or won't treat high BP is
either too lazy or too stupid to be treating you anyhow.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
KFabu
"No matter where you go, there you are."

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On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 16:54:09 GMT, IPGrunt <ipso.facto@yahoo> wrote:

>
>I had a similar problem with bp. Amazing how sensitive the body becomes to
>foods one eats without much thought, after age 50.

'Tis indeed. Promises to wreak havoc with "How I feed
my po' self"!

>I think it's the sodium in the soda pop. 2 quarts of soda/water is 1 quart
>of soda. That's one source of sodium you could get rid of.

My cheapo 12 oz cola sez 20 mg sodium. 2 a day
is 40 mg. My sources (such as they are) indicates
that 1500 mg is "pretty good". The 40 mg is 2.6% of
the 1500. Doesn't seem like much ..

>Try 50%water/50%juice for a week and see what happens.

What juice? Is there sodium in apple juice?

"I fear there is sodium in the air and in the stars!" <g>

>Also, watch your processed foods. They are full of sodium.

Its hard to do (for the caveman bachelor), but I'll try.

Thanks,
Puddin'

*******************************************************
*** Puddin' Man            Pudding_Man at mail.com  ***
*******************************************************;

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