As an update on my blood pressure issue. I had a dr.'s appt today a litle over a week after

[CTyankee]

release from the hospital. I've been on a big doses of Norvasc for a week and today my bp was NORMAL!

130/80!

The only bad news is that I am spacey from the Norvasc so my doc is having me try 5 mg instead of 10. So I will split them in half. Fine. I just don't want to be so dopey.

I'll go back to him next week for another bp check and see how that goes. I kinda thought something was up when I had had normal bp for a while and then, after I started relying on frozen entrees for dinners every night (because I was sick of cooking,frankly) this episode occurred...those prepared foods are LOADED with sodium!

I am very happy with my results and with the caring professionals that have helped me through this process! It has been an interesting journey, that's for sure!

[Mnemosyne]

1. Good to read you are doing better, CTyankee! Think I missed your post on what happened.

[CTyankee]

4. Oh, long story, just had to be hospitalized for a very high bp reading but it is all resolved.

I cannot tell you how glad I am. It was pretty mind focusing. I got serious about stuff in my life...and now am eating much better and actually tasting the food and it's so good!

With me, it takes a kick in the pants to change. And how.

[johnp3907]

2. Good to hear!

Yeah those prepared foods are bad news. My wife and I often make large amounts of the dishes we like and then we freeze about half of it. When we don't feel like cooking, we have our home made frozen entrees.

[CTyankee]

6. it's a good idea. Thanks.

[NYC_SKP]

3. Post aneurism this May, Stanford had me on 7.5 mg Norvasc BID (twice daily). Too much.

My PCP changed it to 10 mg lisinopril in the am, 5 mg Norvasd in the PM.

Was at the PCP today and had a stellar 107/75 BP.

Good luck and don't skip your meds!

[CTyankee]

5. geez, post aneurism ain't good...luckily my CT scan and MRI showed no sign of stroke and

my EKG was normal...I was warned by this...so I have learned...

[NYC_SKP]

7. Glad to still be here, and glad you're here too!

I was cocky, had lost weight and was walking a few miles a day, but had not picked up my Rxs from last insurance when I moved to ACA.

Stupid.

I posted in this group after the first complication post op, an infection:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/114212702

Take care!

[CTyankee]

17. I take my meds religiously!

Being under a doctor's care is a good thing. I feel very positive about having my doc's guidance and encouragement. It's definitely helping me get through this health incident carefully and calmly.

[elleng]

8. Good to know its in control,

and to have 'evidence' about those frozen entrees. I don't use them; a friend occasionally does.

[Triana]

9. I had the same issue with frozen meals.

I still eat them - but read labels religiously and buy the low-sodium varieties when I can. Canned soups - even the low-sodium kind - are ridiculous. Never touch them anymore (except Amy's lo-sodium vegetarian chili on a baked potato - whole meal though, still considered low sodium).

Even veggie burgers are loaded with it. Top one with soy-ginger sauce and you're killing yourself.

Damn "food" manufacturers load their crap up with sodium and sugar - far too much of it. Make friends with Mrs. Dash.

[CTyankee]

12. I make small Angus burgers...top quality meat, but not a lot...with no salt seasoning...

good tip about Amy's low sodium vegetarian chili. I love plain baked potatoes with unsalted butter and pepper...yum...

I've also switched breakfast cereal...found one with dried fruits and nuts and a bowl is only 45 mg of sodium, compared with 230 for my Raisin Bran! Eeek...who knew?

Given the season we are blessed with lots of fresh fruit so that's dessert at my house...in the dead of winter I guess we'll have citrus and dried...

It's humid today so will have a salad plate tonight with hard cooked eggs and fresh raw veggies. My husband gets the olives, I skip them...

I found out that Swiss cheese is not high in sodium and have bought some aged Swiss singles and chop up one slice for salads...Before I was eating feta and greek olives at lunch...zowie, talk about sodium, now wonder I had high bp!

What is interesting is how my taste buds are waking up after the deadening effect of those high sodium frozen entrees. That's a real bonus...besides those frozen items began to taste all the same after a while and that took a lot of pleasure out of eating...

The Mayo Clinic has low sodium recipes online and I've downloaded a bunch. We love fish and have it pretty abundantly here so I try to make two or three fish dinners every week.

I am thinking that I will make my own soups come fall. You can get really low sodium chicken broth and skip salt entirely. I love soup in the cold weather...

[Triana]

15. I didn't know that about swiss cheese.

I also used to eat feta ie: greek salad. Not anymore!

I may have to try some swiss.

[CTyankee]

16. I discovered it online! There was a whole article on how you don't have to write off cheeses as

high sodium necessarily, which I was about to do. The news about Swiss cheese is good, since I love the flavor of Swiss. I have started to make filled omelets for Sunday brunch, usually using onion and green pepper chopped fine. Now I'll use some grated Swiss...

[Warpy]

10. Good for you!

After five years of cutting it in half and cutting it in half again, tapering off slowly as it dropped my pressure to the point I was kissing the floor, I am completely off mine.

If I knew how I did it, I'd tell you.

[CTyankee]

13. The only time I went to very low bp was when I was recuperating from a surgical complication and

was laid up for a while and lost 30 lbs. I was dizzy as hell...doc lowered my prescription asap...

[cbayer]

11. I having some of the same experiences you are

and trying hard to get my meds right.

Check out the cooking and baking group! There are lots of great people there and tons of ideas that may inspire you to get cooking again.

[CTyankee]

14. excellent suggestion! will do!

Making the most of the season's bounty right now...and will go to the root vegetables and citrus fruits as winter approaches...

[leftyladyfrommo]

18. If I eat healthy vegan (Joel Fuhrman's diet)

my BP goes way down. Salt really bothers me.

Before I started eating all veggies and fruits and beans or lentils my bp ran about 135/80 while on Norvasc. After I starting eating all good stuff it went down to about 115/75. I still take my BP pill every morning.

My blood pressure spike a couple of times and it really scared me. It went to about 190/110. I have also had it go way low for some unknown reason. It dropped to 87/58, I think.

Now with my meds and really watching my diet I am keeping it in a really good range. I do check it just about every day just in case it starts to go too low. If that happens I will get into see my Dr. about the dosage I'm on.

[CTyankee]

20. Set-back yesterday...had an allergic reaction to the Norvasc...called doc

and he's taking me OFF the norvasc. Still taking my regular bp meds, tho. I'll see him Friday a..m. to get another reading and another prescription.

Needless to say, I'm disappointed but today, norvasc free, I didn't feel so spacey. The redness from the allergic reaction and the swelling have diminished somewhat and with enough cover up make up I can go out without scaring people. I guess I just have to get the norvasc out of my system and start over with a new med. My new very low sodium diet is going well. Food tastes better!

[leftyladyfrommo]

22. I love salt.

Hope you are better. There are gobs of BP meds out there. They will find one that works.

[hedgehog]

19. I try to do all my own cooking - generally might have a restaurant meal

(including chinese take-out) once a month. What I notice if I eat at a chain restaurant is that I am very thirsty after from all the salt.

It's another reason for buying organic - most organic products (breads, pasta, soups, frozen entrees) are low or no sodium.

[CTyankee]

21. No more processed food for me. It didn't taste that good anyway.

I read every label but fresh fruits and veggies are always low or no sodium.

I'm now concentrating on some good recipes. We tend to eat a lot of fish and chicken and I find it easy to make good dishes (some with modifications) but have run out of new ideas. I'm researching online and got some cookbooks from the library...

[leftyladyfrommo]

23. Fruits and veggies are also high in potassium

and that helps to lower BP.

[CTyankee]

24. that's good to know, esp. since I find it hard to get a med that doesn't have a bad effect on me...

[Lex]

25. I have had good results with Losartan.

No side effects. My BP has a tendency to be very high too.

Losartan is the generic name for the brand Cozaar. They also make another formula that has a second med in it to help keep down water retention called Losartan HTZ (Hyzaar). The generic works fine for me and is inexpensive.

Don't know if you've found one that works well for you without side effects yet.

[CTyankee]

26. I am and have been on Hyzaar for some time now with no side effects. Also atenolol. but now my b p

is high again. so the doc had to add something. we tried an extra half of the atenolol but it didn't do the trick. Back to the doc this week for another crack at it, now that the verapamil has turned out so badly for me...

[Lex]

32. I was on hyzaar and propranolol

for a while but we dropped the propranolol after several months because I was maintaining normal numbers with just the hyzaar (well, the generic).

The propranolol sure chilled me out, one of its uses besides BP control, is anxiety control--which I don't have, but I could feel its slight relaxing effect, nothing too 'medicated' feeling though.

[CTyankee]

33. That sounds good, after what I was feeling with the other meds...I was just

spacey and "not myself."

I am disappointed and a bit depressed about this. Maybe I could use the "slightly relaxing effect." I sure could use it right about now...

[Shrike47]

27. It is amazing how much sodium lurks in prepared foods. Hang in there and feel better!

I find Metroprolol very helpful. Of course, retiring worked wonders for my BP.

[CTyankee]

28. I have been nearly salt free for a few weeks now...we'll see later

this week when I go back to the doctor. I couldn't seem to break 160/80 and I hope for a better outcome this time.

[cap]

29. Also gentle exercise helps

20 minute walk ... Yoga, stretching ... Whatever is fun to you

[CTyankee]

30. I have my yoga stretches every morning but they are mostly for my arthritic spine...

however, they are identical to many of my dtr's Yoga class stretches...

[Thirties Child]

31. Good for you.

Your bp must have high, high, high to put you in the hospital. My husband was 36 when his went off the charts - 178/118. It was/is caused by a diseased kidney. He's lived with it for 40 years, has taken different drugs at different times, now on Lisinopril. His bp will go too low - 65/56 - if he's dehydrated. A problem when we lived in sw NM, not so much in hot, humid Ga.

I pretty much cook from scratch, which means I can control the salt. Which is a good thing since he craves it. I fussed at him about it until I had our DNA done, discovered that he is a carrier for CF. Other carriers reported the same experience he has - excessive mucus, copious sweating and crave salt. I figure his body is asking for what it needs.