High Blood Pressure

Well, I'm officially old. After watching my blood pressure slowly climb
over the last three years (strangely, the years we've owned the hotel --
coincidence? :-), my doctor has decided that my ineffective weight loss
efforts aren't going to do the trick.

Here are the facts: BP is 155/85. Weight: 197. Height: 6'. Exercise: 30
minutes every day. Family has a history of strokes and high blood pressure.

The good doctor says the elevated BP isn't being caused by my weight, which
isn't too far out of line for a 46 year old guy. (Although losing 15 pounds
would certainly help.) He has prescribed Vasotec for me, which *is* on the
AOPA's list of FAA approved medications, thankfully.

For those who have already been down this road, did this medication cause
any side effects? The doc says the most common one is a nagging cough, for
no known reason.

Thanks!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Here are the facts: BP is 155/85. Weight: 197. Height: 6'. Exercise:
30
minutes every day. Family has a history of strokes and high blood
pressure.

The good doctor says the elevated BP isn't being caused by my weight,
which
isn't too far out of line for a 46 year old guy. (Although losing 15
pounds
would certainly help.) He has prescribed Vasotec for me, which *is* on
the
AOPA's list of FAA approved medications, thankfully.

I've had some concerns about blood pressure and it has been addressed br
doctors. Mine is just a little lower than yours, and has been higher on
accasion. I (and my doctor) wouldn't be as concerned as your doctor is.
I'm the same size as you, exercise 1 hour vigorously (free weights) every
other day, and don't take any meds for it.

I'v been told that many BP meds cause erectile disfuntion. Maybe you can
give us a report on that?

Rod

I'm no M.D., but have you tried the weight loss first? I mean DO it as
opposed to 'I think I'll give it a go'. My BP wasn't high (I'm 44) but I
did notice the first 15 lbs I shed changed my BP rather noticably. I had
kind of got careless eating out at restaurants (Italian one's with yummy
pasta) and at one point a couple of years ago I found myself nearning 190
lbs [YIKES!] (I'm only about 5' 7''). I first moved to 175 and that was
still too much, now I'm at 167 and shooting for keeping and maintaining 155
lbs (150 -155). Anyway, when I dropped to 167 I noticed a further drop in
BP.

Pardon me for asking (but I have noticed this pattern with some docs) is
your doctor overweight?; I ask this because (in my experience anyways)
overweight doctors seem a lot less likely to propose weight loss than a
doctor that otherwise is trim and fit.

--
--
=-----
Good Flights!

Cecil
PP-ASEL-IA
Student - CP-ASEL

Check out my personal flying adventures from my first flight to the
checkride AND the continuing adventures beyond!
Complete with pictures and text at: www.bayareapilot.com

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery -

"We who fly, do so for the love of flying. We are alive in the air with
this miracle that lies in our hands and beneath our feet"
- Cecil Day Lewis -
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Qgg0e.96810$r55.62998@attbi_s52...
Well, I'm officially old. After watching my blood pressure slowly climb
over the last three years (strangely, the years we've owned the hotel --
coincidence? :-), my doctor has decided that my ineffective weight loss
efforts aren't going to do the trick.

Here are the facts: BP is 155/85. Weight: 197. Height: 6'. Exercise:
30 minutes every day. Family has a history of strokes and high blood
pressure.

The good doctor says the elevated BP isn't being caused by my weight,
which isn't too far out of line for a 46 year old guy. (Although losing
15 pounds would certainly help.) He has prescribed Vasotec for me, which
*is* on the AOPA's list of FAA approved medications, thankfully.

For those who have already been down this road, did this medication cause
any side effects? The doc says the most common one is a nagging cough,
for no known reason.

Thanks!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

You make a good point about overweight docs Cecil! I don't have blood
pressure problems but my weight had sure gotten away from me since I
retired. After seeing 201 on the scale ( I'm 5'10") I decided to cut back,
when I got to 194 the doc did a cholestoral test and well my blood was so
thick from the sat fats and stuff it could have dropped a rhino! Now I am
really watching sat fat and cholestoral intake and am down to 183 . 194 to
183 in two weeks!!!!! I am bound and determined to get back to 165, my
weight as a Marine.
But back to the docs, most of the fat ones may tell you to change your
diet but never tell you how. Hard for them to I guess because they are not
doing it either!!!
Everything I have read on high blood pressure pretty much has the
opinion that exercise is the key to getting it low. And of course evening
out stress and fun days can help as well. Problem with that is most people
still stress when they are doing something they love to do . Flying for
instance , we all love it ..but it can be stressful. Maybe a little country
airport with no tower and some good old fashined flying in a old Piper
without all the gizmos and gadgets may do the trick as far as keeping away
from rules rules rules and all the ATC crap that causes stress.
Years ago people used to go driving to relieve the tension of the day ,
now it's said people who drive more have more stress and heart attacks. I
forget where I read that , so don't get your panties in a wad Peter look
it up somewhere!!! HAHAHA

Patrick
student SPL
aircraft structural mech

On Wed, 23 Mar 2005, Jay Honeck wrote:

Here are the facts: BP is 155/85. Weight: 197. Height: 6'.
Exercise: 30 minutes every day. Family has a history of strokes and
high blood pressure.

There have been some studies indicating that Vitamins C & E can help high
blood pressure by improving the function of the heart & blood vessels.
Might be worth looking into. A good place to start would be to plug the
following into your favorite search engine:

"high blood pressure" "vitamin c" "vitamin e"

-Dan

Jay Honeck wrote:
Here are the facts: BP is 155/85. Weight: 197. Height: 6'.
Exercise: 30
minutes every day. Family has a history of strokes and high blood
pressure.

Jay,
Are the systolic levels always in this range? You may want to
monitor your BP at home througout the day to see it you can determine
the contributing factors. Rick had borderline high BP levels which go
up with high sodium-content food, coffee and cold medications. The
B.P. typically stays in the normal range after exercise. One of his
doctors advised him to use medication for preventive measurement based
on family history (both of his parents suffered strokes late in their
life) but the other said it was not needed. So far, he has been trying
to control it mainly through exercise and diet. Potassium supplement
(and eating bananas) seems to help also.
It's interesting that different doctors have different views about
medications. We both had our annual checkups last month and were
surprised to see our cholesterol levels crept up to the mid 200s. His
doctor advised him to be more vigilant in monitoring his diets and
inreased exercise activities. My doctor immediately wanted to put me on
lipitor. Granted that we have been doing all the right things (having
low BMI, exercise daily, eating lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grain
foods, avoid red meats etc.) but we can certainly be more strict with
our diets and to increase physical activity level. Lipitor is on the
FAA approved medication list but I will have to get a statement from my
doctor for my upcoming medical exam. I am considering replacing
lipitor with some natural supplements such as policosanol. Will see if
my doctor agrees to this approach.
Hai

("Jay Honeck" wrote)
Well, I'm officially old. After watching my blood pressure slowly climb
over the last three years (strangely, the years we've owned the hotel --
coincidence? :-), my doctor has decided that my ineffective weight loss
efforts aren't going to do the trick.


Sodium, sodium, sodium!!!! It's everywhere. BTW, caffine too - as in caffine
bad. That'll take down those numbers a bit.

....and drop those 15 lbs lardbutt! (Name calling has proven 80% as effective
as the Grapefruit Diet :-)

Oh, watch out for diabetes!!! BTDT. High BP is a gateway to diabetes. They
used to call it Early-Onset Type 2, now they just say you're either preggers
or you're not. Glucose Tolerance test will tell.

Sodium, sodium, sodium, sodium, sodium... Like I'm going to preach diet and
exercise? g

Good luck, keep us posted.


Montblack

Jay Honeck wrote in message ...
.. . .
Here are the facts: BP is 155/85. Weight: 197. Height: 6'. Exercise: 30
minutes every day. Family has a history of strokes and high blood
pressure.

The good doctor says the elevated BP isn't being caused by my weight, which
isn't too far out of line for a 46 year old guy. (Although losing 15
pounds
would certainly help.) He has prescribed Vasotec for me, which *is* on
the
AOPA's list of FAA approved medications, thankfully.

For those who have already been down this road, did this medication cause
any side effects? The doc says the most common one is a nagging cough, for
no known reason.

Thanks!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"



Vasotec is an ACE inhibitor. Persistent cough is a side effect of all
members of the ACE family. ARB are just as effective, don't have any
major side effects, but are more expensive.

Creeping b.p. is a sign of approaching diabetes and/or hidden high Insulin
Resistance. If your triglycerides/HDL ratio is 3.0 or higher, you
need some really good medical advice ASAP.

FWIW, ACE have marked beneficial effects on Type 2 Diabetics.

Umm. . .IMO, 155/85 is "waiting too long".

Regards
Old Al

Is that the pot I hear calling the kettle black? :-))

("Jay Honeck" wrote)
Well, I'm officially old. After watching my blood pressure slowly climb
over the last three years (strangely, the years we've owned the hotel --
coincidence? :-), my doctor has decided that my ineffective weight loss
efforts aren't going to do the trick.

Montblack wrote:
Sodium, sodium, sodium!!!! It's everywhere. BTW, caffine too - as in caffine
bad. That'll take down those numbers a bit.
...and drop those 15 lbs lardbutt! (Name calling has proven 80% as effective
as the Grapefruit Diet :-)
Oh, watch out for diabetes!!! BTDT. High BP is a gateway to diabetes. They
used to call it Early-Onset Type 2, now they just say you're either preggers
or you're not. Glucose Tolerance test will tell.
Sodium, sodium, sodium, sodium, sodium... Like I'm going to preach diet and
exercise? g
Good luck, keep us posted.

Montblack wrote:
Sodium, sodium, sodium!!!! It's everywhere. BTW, caffine too - as in
caffine
bad. That'll take down those numbers a bit.

Might be time for (dare I say) light beer Jay? :-) Oh no, now I've
done it, crossed serious line :-)

....and drop those 15 lbs lardbutt! (Name calling has proven 80% as
effective
as the Grapefruit Diet :-)
Hmmmm, does the pot calling the kettle black work too? ducking :-)


--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-IA Student-Arrow Shopping Student

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

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