Joined: 12 Oct 2005 Posts: 32 Location: Lovejoy, Georgia - USA
High Blood Pressure Related to Birth Control Pills? Posted: 01-13-06 21:25pm
I have discovered that I have high
('elevated') blood pressure a few months
ago. I am probably about 20-30 lbs
overweight but relatively healthy.
I read something about birth control pills
being linked to causing high blood
pressure. As anyone else heard of this?
I haven't been on bc for a long time but
I took it for about 3 months prior to my
wedding/honeymoon in april of last year.
I stopped taking it once we got back and
then about a month later my feet started
swelling and I was getting headaches.
After a couple of months dealing with it,
I went to the Dr. My blood pressure was
145/102 in the office that day and the Dr.
Sent me in to have some blood tests and
an ekg. The tests show that I seem to
have a salt sensitivity (that is what the
dr said) but the ekg shows that heart
appears to healthy at the moment.
So I have been trying to get back into the
habit of exercising again and cut back on
salt/sodium intake. My bp goes up and
down but it is still a little high for my
age, according to the Dr. The average
seems to be 140/90.
Both my parents have high blood pressure
too and I hear it is hereditary but I
wonder if the bc pills have anything to do
with it as well. And if so, will I
always have this now or can the effects be
reversed? I am trying to lower my bp
without meds because I don't like taking
drugs unless I just have to.
Thanks for reading my ramble and for any
advice you guys can give.
~ flutter :)
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TLK
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 4 Location: Troy NY
Birth Control Pills & Hbp Posted: 01-26-06 17:18pm
I was also on birth control pills when my
Dr. Discovered my blood pressure to be
150/110. I was 23, not overweight, always
exercised, but I did like my salt. She
took me off the pill (blameing the pills)
and cut out my use of salt but it did not
go down. Thats when I was put on medicine
(reluctantly). After all the tests
(ekg's, stress test, ect.) came back and
everything was fine they labeled it
hereditary. Needless to say 7 years later
im still on bp meds with no sign of ever
getting off them.
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Flutter
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Oct 2005 Posts: 32 Location: Lovejoy, Georgia - USA
Posted: 01-26-06 18:04pm
I have been trying to exercise more but I
have found that walking and such makes my
feet and ankles swell alot. So the dr
recommended yoga and/or swimming to get me
back in the habit. So I have been doing
that for a couple of weeks now. But, I
haven't seen any changes yet.
I have been getting better about cutting
back on the salt. I am cooking more at
home and that helps alot.
I checked my blood pressure the other day
and it was actually in the 'normal' range
(128/82)! And I am not on meds! So I
wonder if I can keep this under control
without meds? I still have a problem
with my feet swelling from time to time
though. I am taking water pills and
trying to drink more water and hope that
will help too.
I sort of want to get a blood pressure
thing to keep at home but my husband
thinks I will get obsessed and want to
check it everyday. Right now, I just go
check it at my dad's or my friend's house
about once a week.
So I want to know what exactly the meds do
to your body. Do they make you tired or
lethargic and such? Both my parents are
on bp meds and they always seem tired ...
My mom still has high bp even on the meds,
the dr's seem to have to keep changing her
prescription.
Well, I don't know what my point with all
that was ...
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TLK
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Sep 2005 Posts: 4 Location: Troy NY
Posted: 01-26-06 20:11pm
They absolutly make you tired but you get
used to it. Some meds are better than
others but it all depends on you. There
are so many out there with so many
different side effects. It took my dr
awhile to find one that worked for me. If
your bp is down on it's own thats great,
mine has just been really stubborn.
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Flutter
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Oct 2005 Posts: 32 Location: Lovejoy, Georgia - USA
Posted: 01-26-06 20:27pm
Ok, I checked mine a little while ago and
it was back to like 140/90 ... I guess it
could be because I am a little stressed
today.
I am suppose to go back to the dr about
this in march and I want to have made a
change in my weight and bp so I will keep
trying.
