High Blood Pressure

[2911plans 16]

Has anyone been taken off of HBP meds since losing weight with the band?

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Not all HBP is caused by obesity, but if obesity is causing it, then losing weight will "fix" it. I think my meds need to be adjusted or stopped and I've only lost part of my weight. I have orthostatic hypotension, though, so I'm anticipating the doc will take me off of the meds and just have me monitor. I'm sure others have gotten to d/c their BP meds, too...as I said, if obesity causes the prob, that is!

[NCLisa 0]

I was hoping that since I lost 30 lbs I'd be off the blood pressure meds, but my blood pressure hasn't gotten any lower. I'm under too much stress.

[SueAZ 3]

I had been taking two high blood pressure meds before surgery. Now I am down to one and that one has been cut by 75%. Went from a 40mg to a 10mg dosage. I hadn't been excerising much and am now starting back and should be off the last one pretty soon.

[2911plans 16]

Thanks for responding everyone.

Great news Sue!

NCLisa I am a teacher. With that comes stress. I hope with more weight loss I can be taken off of the meds and that stress levels will not be a factor.

Restless will you keep me posted? Good luck!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I used to use stress as an "excuse" for my borderline HPB but unfortunately (depending on how you look at it) while immediate stress can cause a spike in blood pressure (the old fight or flight syndrome) stress doesn't seem to contribute to long term HPB. On the plus side, our stressful lives don't cause HPB (although long term stress IS hard on a body).

Blood pressure is a funny disease, and many times there's no apparent "cause" for it (can you tell I'm a new nursing school graduate as I assume the podium? LOL) but losing weight can only help.

[Jachut 487]

It depends on the cause. DH has lost 50 lb and is now only "overweight" and really doesnt need to lose a lot more than say another 20. His BP hasnt come down at all - it was never very bad, 140/90 but he's on meds for it and its looking like he always will be. He's trialled going his meds, when his PB is measured as quite low but it always returns to 140/90 over a week or two.

Other people I've known came off medication as soon as they started losing.

[NCLisa 0]

Up until February, my BP was so low that if I was sick, the Dr. would make me sit at the office for a bit to see if it would go up before they wanted me to drive. It's always been very low, in Feb, it went to stroke level. Dr. says it is 100% stress. My 17 year old daughter got into trouble in mid Dec, and is now in jail without bond pending trial which may not be for a year or 2. So, I'm under severe stress. I also went into kidney failure at the same time, and a few other things. I got this surgery to try to stay alive long enough to pay her legal fees and hope she gets out of this mess. I don't wish this kind of stress on anyone, but it really does take it's toll on your health.

[Jill10191130 4]

I just had to lower my BP meds after going through a trial off of them. My BP was getting to low on my former dose and was too high completely off of it. SO he just had me 1/2 my former dose. It is working well so far. I hope that I eventually get to come off of it all together. I'm no holding my breath for it though. I have a very strong family history of heart disease and hypertension.

[bambam 0]

I've lost about 80 pounds and my BP was high (even on meds) and is now normal - still on my med. I had high hopes of not being on medication shortly after surgery, but my parents both had HBP, so I may never get off my medication, which is okay. The goal of this whole process is to be healthier! I can do everything in my power to get myself healthier, but my family history is out of my control.

On the up side - I did just get my cholesterol checked (still on my med), but my numbers were really down, triglycerides down from 158 to 79. Hopefully when I get it rechecked in 6 months I can discontinue that med. The only number that was higher than normal was my bad cholesterol which was 2 "points" over what is considered normal. I'm thrilled!

[sil 0]

since surgery i was taken off high chlosteral meds(hope i spell it right)an type2 diabetes meds. but still taking high blood pressure meds.i see my primary care docotr every six months for a check up.

[ParrotheadCathy 0]

My doc took me of ALL my medications starting the day of surgery and said he would re-evaluate me at 90 days. At 90 days, I'd lost a good amount of weight and didn't know what to expect. Well, surprise, surprise! My hba1c was near normal, so close that he didn't re-prescribe any diabetes medications AND my blood pressure was normal. Ditto on cholesterol so I never restarted any of my meds.

So, here I am having financed $10,000 of my surgery and my monthly payment for that is actually less than my drug co-pays were running pre-surgery.

[L12 13]

I've tried both reducing the dosage and stopping my meds, but my BP shoots up again when I do. I thought almost 50 lbs. lost, a better diet, and more exercise would make a difference, but not yet. Hopefully someday!