High Blood Pressure Questions

[8675309 0]

I have HBP. It runs up to 190/160 and is one of the main reasons I am having the surgery. My doc is still trying to figure out a med to get it inder control. I am seeking a second opinion next week, because my first doc is a scmo.

Anyways, those of you that have had the surgery, what happened with your BP? Did the weight loss help any of you enough to get off the meds.

[Alexandra 55]

(What's a scmo?)

I had high blood pressure before banding, and about three years into it I still had it. My BP wasn't as high as yours; it was only about 130 over 85 or so, but even after losing 100 lbs it was still borderline high. That's when my doctor decided it needed to be medicated, because it clearly wasn't caused by my excess weight.

Your numbers sound alarmingly high, actually. It would seem to me that it's important that be controlled even before surgery. Once you've lost a lot of weight maybe you can come off it, but in the meantime blood pressure that high is nothing to ignore.

Good luck!!

[randa8218 0]

I have a weird thing going on with my bp. I have never had high blood pressure. it was 122/80 2 months before my surgery and ever since march it has been 150's/90's and then 2 weeks ago it was 170/102. I am not on bp meds, but i just thought it was really weird that i would get high blood pressure when I have lost 40 pounds. Who knows??

[8675309 0]

(What's a scmo?)

:embarassed: Oops! That was supposed to be a schmo - One deficient in judgment and good sense.

[8675309 0]

I'm on a med for my BP now, but even with the meds it is around 150/120. I have an appointment next Friday with a doctor I trust a bit more. I'm going to speak with her about the lap-band as well.

[musicalmomma 1]

I had high blood pressure before banding, and about three years into it I still had it. My BP wasn't as high as yours; it was only about 130 over 85 or so...

That's not exactly high is it? More like borderline? Isn't normal 120/80? My BP is usualy 130-80 and every doc I've ever had feels it's fine. ???

[kyethra 0]

My blood pressure is high. Not very high, but high enough and sticking up there for a while that I got on lisinipril a few months before my surgery. It was about 140's over low 100s. Now that I have lost 50 pounds, my BP med dosage is cut in half! Its normal with the meds, unless I'm sick, and then it tends to go up. Doc says its quite likely that after I lose more I can get off the meds completely, but I have gotten on another medication since then for a different medical issue that is high sodium, so who knows (I naturally eat a low sodium diet and I've been watching it too since then, but...)

[conniesueb 1]

I have been able to go off one of my HBP meds completely. The other that she left me on is a diuretic, and I tend to have a little swelling in my ankles, so she wants me to stay on it. But my pressure now runs about 115/75, where before banding it was running about 145/90. So, I am very happy about that. I also was able to go off my Diabetes meds. recently.

[PaulaD 0]

I was banded one month today. I, too, had high blood pressure and was on two types of medication for it. Two weeks after lapband, I came off one of the medications and today my blood pressure was 118/76!! I am fortunate to work at a school and have it taken by the nurse daily. I am hoping that by losing the weight (22lbs so far) and walking daily, I will be able to get of the second medication.

Paula

[ousooner 1]

my blood pressure was high pre-op. In fact the Dr wnated me to come back after my annual physical to put me on medication. Since the weight has come off, I am on the low side of normal. The other day at the dentist, it was 112/62 and that was when I was very nervous about being there. It has helped me tremendously. The same story for my blood sugar

[8675309 0]

I always feel like my HBP is because of my weight, which I am sure at a minimum doesn't help it. My dad was very heavy and had HBP. But somehow, I tend to blame my BP on my weight more that genetics.

But then I see how many of you were around my size and had no real issues with your BP. I don't know if that is a good thing for me or a bad, but it does make me feel less guilty!

(I hope that didn't come across as offensive!)

[Alexandra 55]

That's not exactly high is it? More like borderline? Isn't normal 120/80? My BP is usualy 130-80 and every doc I've ever had feels it's fine. ???

Yeah, it's really weird, isn't it? My BP has always been right there, borderline-high, and as I got older it seems that my doctors got more concerned about it. I'm sure they wouldn't have been as ready to medicate that BP if I were a "normal" weight 45 year-old; even after a loss of 100+ lbs I'm still obese so I guess even a borderline set of numbers is not good.

My gynecologist was a little surprised to hear that my PCP had put me on medication, though. But when I told her what I am taking (Altace) she shrugged and said "well, it'll protect your kidneys, in any event." I know my mother took BP meds, so I'm fine with taking something if it will protect me in the long run.

Now I'm usually ~110 / ~75, which everyone is happy with.

[Jachut 487]

My DH is on blood pressure meds, his was about 140/90 and has always always been borderline high. He's moderately obese, BMI of about 31. He's desperate to come off it, mainly because of the way being on blood pressure medication makes him feel - OLD! You dont expect to be popping pills like that till your 60's. His doc told him you just dont come off blood pressure meds and that losing weight wont really help becuase his was high-ish even as a 20 something.

But I have told him that people say here all the time they lose weight and their blood pressure comes back down. Who knows? I didnt have high blood pressure even at a BMI of 35, and it remains unchanged now my BMI is under 25 yet I had pre-eclampsia for 2 of my 3 pregnancies.

Blood pressure is just not something you can control, it may come down, it may not and its not necessarily your fault or the fault of your lifestyle if its high in the first place, it may be just the way it is.

[ousooner 1]

My DH is on blood pressure meds, his was about 140/90 and has always always been borderline high. He's moderately obese, BMI of about 31. He's desperate to come off it, mainly because of the way being on blood pressure medication makes him feel - OLD! You dont expect to be popping pills like that till your 60's. His doc told him you just dont come off blood pressure meds and that losing weight wont really help becuase his was high-ish even as a 20 something.

But I have told him that people say here all the time they lose weight and their blood pressure comes back down. Who knows? I didnt have high blood pressure even at a BMI of 35, and it remains unchanged now my BMI is under 25 yet I had pre-eclampsia for 2 of my 3 pregnancies.

Blood pressure is just not something you can control, it may come down, it may not and its not necessarily your fault or the fault of your lifestyle if its high in the first place, it may be just the way it is.

Your definately right I think how your BP will react to weight loss will depend on whats causing the high BP. Some people have High BP caused things other than weight and weight loss would not help them. I am assuming mine was due to weight since mine did respond to weight loss.

[PaulaD 0]

You are absolutely right about blood pressure. My PCP told me that I could reach my goal weight and still have high blood pressure because both my parents had high blood pressure. He told me not to get my hopes up about getting off the medication entirely. He told me he has marathon runners who are on high blood pressure medicine! Yes....some things we cannot control.