High blood pressure

[Lenier]

Mild hypertension doesn't really impact hiking, you're going to be fine. If anything, it makes passing out from blowing up your air mattress slightly less likely at altitude!

[John Harper]

My bp was 190/110. No symptoms at all. Been on lisinopril for 5 years now. I walk 4-5 miles daily. Bp now 110/65. Has not impacted my hiking at all. No dry cough.

[Harlen]

Hi Aura, I second Maverick's advice:

Don’t worry, it only increases anxiety.
Listen to this podcast, there are also dozens of others that may be helpful in other aspects of your life, Love the Sierra. I have found a lot great advice and ideas on this podcast.

https://hubermanlab.com/dr-peter-attia- ... -lifespan/

Lizzie and I both listen to Huberman, and I for one approve of his defense of caffeine... re. alcohol, he is less inspiring. We wish you well with the blood pressure. On the other hand, I would love to forego dementia, and alzheimers, and die in a flash from a massive heart-attack.

[LMBSGV]

Since you were interested in other’s high blood pressure experiences, I’ll add mine. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure in 2006. My cholesterol and the other common indicators were all fine, but blood pressure was high. (The best cause determination is that I was exposed to pesticides when very young. My parents lived next to a golf course, which sprayed who-knows-what everywhere including our backyard. One of my earliest memories is crawling through this misty residue in the grass.) I was prescribed Lisinopril. I developed intermittent numbness in my hands and feet. I went to see my Kaiser doctor. He refused to see me, saying numbness wasn’t a known side effect of Lisinopril. I immediately switched to a different Kaiser doctor. My new doctor took me seriously and referred me to a specialist who concluded it was a reaction to Lisinopril. He switched me to Nifedical.

I remained on Nifedical until 2016 when I had to switch due to Medicare not covering it. At the same time, I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. A cardiologist put me on Losartan. While my blood pressure was fine, I had minor side effects from the Losartan. I finally complained and my doctor took me off Losartan and put me on Amlodipine. I haven’t had any side effects since.

I’ve never had any issues with hiking/backpacking due to the high blood pressure. (My stamina issues didn’t occur until I was 65 years old and developed cancer.)
The one lesson I’d like to pass on is listen to your own physical reactions. Don’t rely on only what the doctors say you should be feeling. If a doctor does not take your feelings seriously, switch doctors. You know your own body and mind better than what the doctors and the textbooks proclaim. (End of self-righteous rant.)

Good luck!

[John Harper]

(The best cause determination is that I was exposed to pesticides when very young. My parents lived next to a golf course, which sprayed who-knows-what everywhere including our backyard.

Wow, I grew up surrounded by orchards, lots of pesticide spraying, weed control (paraquat for sure), and fertilizers. Perhaps that's part of my BP problems as well. My weight, diet, and cholesterol are all fine, as well as daily exercise.

I had never heard about childhood exposure causing BP issues later in life.

John

[rlown]

The one lesson I’d like to pass on is listen to your own physical reactions. Don’t rely on only what the doctors say you should be feeling. If a doctor does not take your feelings seriously, switch doctors. You know your own body and mind better than what the doctors and the textbooks proclaim. (End of self-righteous rant.)

Good luck!

excellent post. I'm moving North of Crescent City end of the month. New doctor, new hospital. No Kaiser there so it is Sutter at that point.
Have friends there that recommended a primary doctor. I'll start with her. My medical history is on a usb stick so they will have all the info.
Looking forward to a good interaction with a new doctor. Sometimes it is best to be your own doctor. My feet swelled up and my GI specialist prescribed a drug with side effects including swollen feet. I emailed him and said no.. He agreed. The drug was for IBS which I don't have.

Do your research on what you take.

Side note: Parts cleaner makes your hands skin sag. CRC brake cleaner removes the grease from hands as well. Glyphosate is used here in Wilton for weed control. Mom used to bathe in it as she sprayed. Yes, I'll die younger than most but I've led a good life.

[Love the Sierra]

Thank you all for sharing.
I hope that mine is mine enough not to need meds. Maybe it is age and not BP that is making altitude so much harder for me lately. LMBSVG I always listen to my own body and not the docs, unless what they say makes total sense. Yes, pesticides of the 60’s and 70’s were something special!

[Harlen]

Aura wrote:

Yes, pesticides of the 60’s and 70’s were something special!

And in the '90's-2000's. I might as well have been spraying it into my breakfast cereal for all the 100's (1,000's?...2.5 gl. backpack sprayer, x 10/day average) of gallons I applied to invasive exotic plants in my early work at Cal. State Parks. So far, so good, great BP too. Can I blame my broken ankle on it, ruined my balance perhaps?

[Love the Sierra]

Hi my friends,
Thank you all for your encouragement and feedback. I wanted to follow up.
The cardiologist gave me a completely clean bill of health and my blood pressure was low normal all three visits to his office. Stress test, was not stress at all and I told him it was too easy, but totally normal.
When I asked how all of the other doctors, pulmonologist mainly, were getting such high numbers, he said, “the machines are almost always wrong.” My husband fervently disagrees. However, for now, I will take it.
So, my only issue is seriously damaged and degrading lungs from years of asthma. Well, I took it as good news since I have been living with horrible lungs for years.

[oldranger]

Completely agree with last post of LMBSGV. Listen to your body--really! pay close attention. Despite a better than average diet and continuing lifting and cardio regime, I have high blood pressure controlled by tiny dose of losartan. But more important I have had 5 stents. Each time I recognized a feeling in my chest that wasn't normal. Only the first stent back in 2013 did anything appear abnormal in diagnostic tests. On the 3 subsequent occasions (one resulted in 2 stents) all tests indicate no issues. The last 2 times I had to insist on cath exam and each resulted in discovery of 80 to 95% blockage. The first of these occasions the doc actually appologized. My personal cardiologist has told me just to insist on cath. but of course the ER folks insist on doing the whole gamut of tests that always show no issue. Apparently my issue is genetics and the doc describes it as "sticky plak" which while not good is better than plak that breaks off and creates a sudden complete blockage and drops an apparently healthy person dead. At any rate at 76 still doing my backpacking but age plus neuropathy in my legs has limited my speed and with a pack I typically average about 1.2 mph which limits me to a max of about 6 miles per day and I am lucky that my son and daughter both tolerate my slow speed (they hike at their own rate and wait at all fords and trail junctions and have filtered water waiting for me) and took over cooking and bar tending at camp while I sit in my camp chair or look for something I have forgotten where I placed it (missed a great sunset pic because I couldn't find my phone which I later found in the bottom of my pack). Getting old sucks!