High Blood Pressure - Physical Examination

[Shyness]

I got a new job offer (non-dot required) and I just had a physical examination and I have high blood pressure (162/107 first time and 149/96 second time after several minutes). I'm not on any medication for it. The problem is I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep it down to 140/90 in order to keep my job.

I was wondering is there any of you who have hypertension (high blood pressure) to where you cannot continue with a physical examination in order for continued employment (I may lose the job just over high blood pressure)? I have a big history of High Blood Pressure and of Uncontrolled Anxiety and Panic Attacks.

High blood pressure runs in my family also.

[IrisHouse]

Hello

I have pre hypertension but heres a bit of my advice, I have heard that foods in sodium usually spike up blood pressure (least for me anyways) . firstly maybe cut down on those, these can include pizza, fries, and fried chicken

Secondly Ive heard excersise is important for this, the excersise doesn't have to be hard either, try walking in your neighborhood

thirdly get rid of any stress , write down a list of some of the stresses your'e having and talk to the lord about these and also talk to a friend, co worker, or family member about this as they may have advice on how to handle this.

and Fourthly if it doesn't improve in a couple of months, medication may be the best way, but start out on a low dosage as if you start at a high dosage it may make you sick.

I hope some of this helps Ill be praying for you

Chances are you will still have your job. While your low numbers are quite high, your doctor can start you on medication ASAP to lower it to a better level if he deems it necessary. Also as IrisHouse has mentioned, cut out the things that stress you out. Eat a healthy diet, especially with low sodium. Of course exercise! Which can also help you lower your stress levels!

All in all shyness, I don't see them discontinuing the assessment. Worst comes to worst you take a pill a day.

[zeroturbulence]

Do what you can to get it down without medication. I had prehypertension and now a few months later My BP is well under control. My last reading was 111/71. When diagnosed with prehypertension my reading was 142/93. What I did was begin jogging on the treadmill at the gym and doing this every other day, sometimes two or 3 days in a row. I did a minimum of 30 minutes each session. Now I do 40-50 minutes. The other thing I did was cut out fast food. If you look at the sodium content of fast food items you will be shocked. Also the fat content is through the roof on most fast food items. Not to mention cholesterol. I still eat a few fast food items which I have previewed online and found to not be so bad but these are only 3 or 4 items from all the fast food menus collectively! Another thing is I check labels on everything I buy at the grocery to make sure it is not overloaded with sodium.

The reason I say to do what you can without medication is because ace inhibitors (a family of meds that lower BP) have side effects that are not pleasant, like dry cough. I am a pharmacy technician so I know a little about meds.

Oh and high BP runs in my family too!

[zeroturbulence]

As a suggestion, you might want to buy an electronic or manual BP monitoring device for your own personal use. There are many inexpensive ones on the market now. I have one that cost around $50 and its digital and automatic (no hand-pumping needed) and I got it at wal-mart. It will really help you keep track of your BP so you don't have to guess if what you're doing is working. I know mine is accurate because I tested it before seeing my doctor one day and it was very close to what the doc's machine got (the reading at the doc's office was slightly higher and that is expected).

[zeroturbulence]

3 more tips for lowering blood pressure (and I do these myself):

- take a baby aspirin a day

- take fish oil capsules (you need at least 1000mg a day for it to be effective)

- eat bananas (they have a regulating effect on BP due to their potassium content) NOTE: BE careful if you are taking any meds. Some meds have a potassium-sparing effect which means potassium is not exiting your body at a normal rate and this could lead to a very dangerous build-up of potassium. Check your medication's warnings/precautions.

Of all these things..the #1 tip would be to reduce the sodium in your diet.

[superdave5221]

Originally Posted by Shyness

I got a new job offer (non-dot required) and I just had a physical examination and I have high blood pressure (162/107 first time and 149/96 second time after several minutes). I'm not on any medication for it. The problem is I'm afraid I'm going to have to keep it down to 140/90 in order to keep my job.

I was wondering is there any of you who have hypertension (high blood pressure) to where you cannot continue with a physical examination in order for continued employment (I may lose the job just over high blood pressure)? I have a big history of High Blood Pressure and of Uncontrolled Anxiety and Panic Attacks.

High blood pressure runs in my family also.

There are many jobs that require you to maintain normal blood pressure. For example, most people working in transportation, such as truck drivers, are required by DOT to keep their blood pressures normal.

The good news is that there are many prescription drugs out there to help you in this quest. You may have to continue to take these drugs for the rest of your life. However, it is possible to bring blood pressure levels back to normal through lifestyle changes, without drugs. These lifestyle changes usually include losing weight, increased exercise, and changes in diet. It is also possible to begin to take the drugs, and then discontinue them in the future if the lifestyle changes are effective. Your doctor can advise you as to the best course of action to take.

[Kaitlin]

I suggest you see a (Christian) Orthomolecular consultant for advise on supplements and diet. Yesssss... take fish oil capsules! Everyone should anyway. (the orthomolecular consultant would tell you to too).
Try to avoid meds, indeed, they can have side effects possibly leaving you with something worse than high blood pressure.

Do what you can to get it down, period!

Untreated hypertension can lead to later health problems or even a health crisis like heart trouble or stroke.

Watch your sodium intake (try to keep it at or below 2g daily - it IS doable without sacrificing flavor!), limit your caffeine, drink plenty of water, and walk around the block or neighborhood whenever you can. And work with a doctor to monitor it, and make sure the hypertension isn't just a symptom of something worse. Meds are not always required - but they are available if/when they become necessary.

Praying for God's blessings for the job, and on your health!