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I went in to get my ribs checked tonight out because it seems that the muscle or lymph nodes are burning and very painful. I got medicine for the inflammation, but I found out that my blood pressure was 185\109.. that's up there, I've had high blood pressure years ago and got it under control, but it seems to of show up since December. I'm going back on lisinopril, even though it has side effects, they are less than the other pills I've taken.

I have a home blood pressure machine, and its down to 150\95
I've been doing pretty well health wise.. the inflammation rib pain may be related, but that spiked up way high. Not too happy...

It happens, my dad has high blood pressure. Usually when something else goes wrong it spikes too for him.

Hi Yos, it does seem strange that it flipped up this high.. 3 months ago I got a check up and it was a little bit high when I got to the doctors office, and I chalked that up to just rushing their after work, but not this high.

I took my first pill today, and I am cutting off the caffeine (coffee) this will be tough. My wife brewed up some nice decafe coffee today, and it actually taste really good, so hopefully that will be a good jedi mind trick.

Manage it with lifestyle changes....not meds.
Weight, exercise, breathing, diet, mentally.
Meds are just a bandaid, they mask it and don't treat the cause.

We had a little scare here at home with the wife. She cut out the coffee and things immediately got back to normal. Get some excersize, read a book and try to distract yourself for a few hours a day. It may not cure it but it really does help. Good luck!

So many things control blood pressure that it's almost impossible to figure out what's causing it. If it's that high though, I'd want a CATSCAN done on my aorta to make sure you don't have an aneurysm developing somewhere. As for coffee, there is no scientific proof that it raises blood pressure. It may increase your heart rate, but as far as I know, not your blood pressure.

Reason I post this little warning is because I was in your position in 95 and I had a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm. I should not even be alive today to tell you about it. Please get your aorta checked. I would not wish a dissection on my worst enemy. I've had part of my aorta replaced, a new mechanical aortic valve and I drink coffee like a mad man. Before all this happened, I was in your BP range. Afterward, I was put on Diovan and Atenolol and my BP is now 115/70.

To see if caffeine might be raising your blood pressure, check your blood pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee or another caffeinated beverage you regularly consume. If your blood pressure increases by five to 10 points, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine.

Dude... get this checked out as soon as possible. Get to a Cardiologist NOW. BP this high is not normal. 2 years ago (ironically, to the day!!) I went in for an angiogram. By BP had been a little erratic, and had started to climb. I was feeling its effect, and knew something was not right. I even had a stress test about 2 months prior, and all appeared well, even on that test. My heart itself was so healthy, nothing appeared out of order with the resulting EKG readings, or the sonogram. But I continued to feel something was wrong. My cardiologist said the only way we could ever know for sure was to have an angiogram, so on Tuesday morning I went in. I'll never forget lying there, as they injected the dye, and hearing him say "whoa". Twice. Turns out 3 of my arteries were 80-90% blocked. I recall looking at the result, and seeing how 2 of them looked like twisted link sausages. Next morning, I went in for a quad by-pass. Another month or two, and I probably would have died of a massive heart attack.

Get this checked out. Diet and lifestyle do not correct these issues. You owe it to yourself and to your family.

twwabw wrote:Dude... get this checked out as soon as possible. Get to a Cardiologist NOW. BP this high is not normal. 2 years ago (ironically, to the day!!) I went in for an angiogram. By BP had been a little erratic, and had started to climb. I was feeling its effect, and knew something was not right. I even had a stress test about 2 months prior, and all appeared well, even on that test. My heart itself was so healthy, nothing appeared out of order with the resulting EKG readings, or the sonogram. But I continued to feel something was wrong. My cardiologist said the only way we could ever know for sure was to have an angiogram, so on Tuesday morning I went in. I'll never forget lying there, as they injected the dye, and hearing him say "whoa". Twice. Turns out 3 of my arteries were 80-90% blocked. I recall looking at the result, and seeing how 2 of them looked like twisted link sausages. Next morning, I went in for a quad by-pass. Another month or two, and I probably would have died of a massive heart attack.

Get this checked out. Diet and lifestyle do not correct these issues. You owe it to yourself and to your family.

Ah so you've been through hell also. Please heed our warnings.

blebs wrote:Ah so you've been through hell also. Please heed our warnings.

LOL... Hell? Well, it wasn't that bad. I'm lucky- I was only 49 at the time, and otherwise healthy so recovery was quick for me. I was determined. Had a little bedside training session on Blackberries the 2nd day, with my surgeon... that was hilarious... and was working from the bed with laptop and cell phone the whole time. heh. LOL- came home Saturday (after 2-1/2 days), and was at a client site Monday, crawling under desks hooking up PCs. Not exactly in the "recovery guide", but I'm a bit stubborn (my wife could possibly attest to that- hahahaha).

In any case, it's sure not something you ever want to try to self-diagnose, ignore, or "wait until tomorrow". It can kill you.

twwabw wrote:LOL... Hell? Well, it wasn't that bad. I'm lucky- I was only 49 at the time, and otherwise healthy so recovery was quick for me. I was determined. Had a little bedside training session on Blackberries the 2nd day, with my surgeon... that was hilarious... and was working from the bed with laptop and cell phone the whole time. heh. LOL- came home Saturday (after 2-1/2 days), and was at a client site Monday, crawling under desks hooking up PCs. Not exactly in the "recovery guide", but I'm a bit stubborn (my wife could possibly attest to that- hahahaha).

In any case, it's sure not something you ever want to try to self-diagnose, ignore, or "wait until tomorrow". It can kill you.

I wish I could say the same. For me it was hell and still is. First time around I spent 40+ days in ICU and countless weeks of rehab afterwards. Second time around 50 days in ICU and 10 in rehab, along with 12 weeks home rehab. I had a stroke, multiple organ failure, staph infection from an IV line, pneumonia, you name it, it happened. No one, and I do mean no one, should ever have to go through that if it can be prevented.

I'm now stuck on oxygen for life, have congestive heart failure, COPD, kidney's are not filtering properly so I have gout attacks and in general, I'm a basket case marking my days. Oh yeah, I also have a new abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Bottom line---It ain't worth it. One ounce of prevention can save your life and allow you to have quality of life that I no longer have.

Wow... we're definitely talking about different circumstances for sure. Glad you made it through. Yes, that does sound like hell.

Thanks Everyone The day after getting on the meds (5m of lisinporil twice a day), I been checking my blood pressure and it has been 120\78... that sounds pretty good. About 4 years ago, I got a dye stress stress and a CT scan or an MRI, (I forgot which one) and I did not have any issues. My cholesterol also has been fine also, for years.

Shinobi wrote:Thanks Everyone The day after getting on the meds (5m of lisinporil twice a day), I been checking my blood pressure and it has been 120\78... that sounds pretty good. About 4 years ago, I got a dye stress stress and a CT scan or an MRI, (I forgot which one) and I did not have any issues. My cholesterol also has been fine also, for years.

4 years ago doesn't mean something hasn't developed since then. These things don't announce themselves, they just appear and then if they feel like, explode. Sorry if I sound like I'm hitting you with a hammer. I've just seen too many people die suddenly and never even knew they had one.

blebs wrote:4 years ago doesn't mean something hasn't developed since then. These things don't announce themselves, they just appear and then if they feel like, explode. Sorry if I sound like I'm hitting you with a hammer. I've just seen too many people die suddenly and never even knew they had one.

Thank You.

twwabw wrote:
Get this checked out. Diet and lifestyle do not correct these issues. You owe it to yourself and to your family.

Don't underestimate the ability of this approach. I've been immersed in all angles of the medical field, and "off the record" opinions of those high up in the field...since my lower back issue started last fall (we talked on the phone not long after that, was it around XMas or so?). Hearing people in the field talk about how sick they are of the way it's all run and governed now...it's really made me open my mind to alternative approaches, and learning about it..so much of it makes sense. And it's already building a track record with my back. Part of my learning experience...was talking to others that have taken on this approach...including those with hpb, etc. It's done wonders for them, they've kicked the meds. Natural techniques can replace meds..and you feel so much better.

Just my $.02....consider it as an option. I certainly agree with your statement to go get it checked out immediately, just to make sure nothing ominous is right around the corner. But to fall prey to a lifetime of meds...I encourage to open an eye to natural healing.

Hey Brian! No no, I agree- alternatives can be great in treatment of lots of things. My point was to make sure it is just something that requires management vs serious issues. Coronary artery blockages won't be cured by meds, and can also often be masked as "minor" problems. I'm proof of that. No meds or other treatments would have fixed me. And not discovering it would have killed me- soon.

Yup...I agree on that....being your point of checking it out first to make sure it's nothing immediately...ominous. I forgot to mention/should have mentioned that in my first post.

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Don't underestimate the ability of this approach. I've been immersed in all angles of the medical field, and "off the record" opinions of those high up in the field...since my lower back issue started last fall (we talked on the phone not long after that, was it around XMas or so?). Hearing people in the field talk about how sick they are of the way it's all run and governed now...it's really made me open my mind to alternative approaches, and learning about it..so much of it makes sense. And it's already building a track record with my back. Part of my learning experience...was talking to others that have taken on this approach...including those with hpb, etc. It's done wonders for them, they've kicked the meds. Natural techniques can replace meds..and you feel so much better.

Just my $.02....consider it as an option. I certainly agree with your statement to go get it checked out immediately, just to make sure nothing ominous is right around the corner. But to fall prey to a lifetime of meds...I encourage to open an eye to natural healing.

This is one time I will highly disagree. twwabw is very much correct.

You can wish things away as much as you want, but when it comes to this stuff, your lucky if medications slow the progession, but the end result is sitll surgery or death.

blebs wrote:This is one time I will highly disagree. twwabw is very much correct.

You can wish things away as much as you want, but when it comes to this stuff, your lucky if medications slow the progession, but the end result is sitll surgery or death.

Well, we're talking about 2 different things here. I'm talking about just dealing with hbp, Tim was talking about getting things checked just to make sure nothing extremely pressing needs to be addressed..such as a blockage. I agree with that...that needs immediate attention. However, dealing with purely hpb...I can quickle rattle off the names of quite a few people I know that have ditched being prey to doc offices and making pharm companies richer and fighting with insurance....and still feeling crappy, and learning to address lifestyle and diet (which is what the body needs)..and..even several years later..feeling great and doing well, and being able to say "I used to have high blood pressure". It's not myth, it's not "wishing something away" or sticking ones head in the sand.

It can be a choice. Maybe not for all people, I'm not going to take a bible thumping approach.

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Well, we're talking about 2 different things here. I'm talking about just dealing with hbp, Tim was talking about getting things checked just to make sure nothing extremely pressing needs to be addressed..such as a blockage. I agree with that...that needs immediate attention. .

Yep- exactly. I knew what you meant.. I agree medicine today can so often over-medicate. I think it's especially dangerous now that we're so often sent to specialists for everything,and although they may have a listing of current medications, they sure don't communicate with each other. And yes- I think we should be exploring and trying alternative treatments for milder symptoms of many maladies, pills are not always the answer.

On a side note- sounds like your back is getting better. That's good news for sure.

Health care professionals readily accept that a change in lifestyle can have a major impact on the general health of an individual. There is no hidden agenda. Rehabilitation centers are filled with patients recovering from poor health conditions through diet and exercise ( my wife is an instructor).
On a personal note, our practice uses nutritional counseling as a method of improving general health.

High BP, if not diet and weight, looking into renal function.