Blood pressure question.

[Pikarya]

Meow.

[Kohan]

A thing I could note though, is that I have been vomiting on/off every night around 3-4AM clear acidy fluid with no food contents. I know its no acid reflux though since I take anti acid after like Mylanta and it does not stop the vomiting. I've told my gas-doc this and he prescribed me prilosec and some 11.99$ prescription that prevents vomiting. Neither helps.

If you actually have acid reflux, and a severe case of it, over-the-counter crap like Mylanta won't make a difference. I'd argue that even Prilosec wouldn't. People have mentioned cutting out sodium, foods high in cholesterol, and things like that, but those are mostly related to high blood pressure -- something you really don't seem to have. The aforementioned "white coat syndrome" points to that.

Also, don't take the ER seriously. They treat everyone with high blood pressure or chest pains like they're having a heart attack. I've been hospitalized for severe acid reflux, and a bleeding esophagus before, and they treated me like my heart was going to burst when there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. People have mentioned going to doctors and specialists -- like your going to the gastroenterologist -- and that's what you want to do.

There's a chance your body is highly acidic. I don't mean the "Eat Right for Your Blood Type" garbage, but that you're consuming largely acidic foods and don't have nearly enough alkaline in your diet. This was the only thing that helped me resolve my extraordinarily painful GERD, and it helped my body heal after the problems with my esophagus.

Basically, I only drank mild fruit juice -- real juice, not the fake crap with HFCS and/or sugar in it -- and ate simple alkaline foods, like apples and cottage cheese, for a few months.

I'm not saying this is your issue, as my pains were in the chest and not the abdomen, but don't dismiss acid reflux just because you're taking medications. In my experience, they don't do shit unless you're a very, very mild case.

I was throwing up just like you are by the way, and I would often have chills while going to sleep, or wake up feeling like I was going to choke. I was propped up and all.

[Pikarya]

^ good read, I've heard alot of people actually who have severe acid reflux (especially at night, after dinner meals, etc.) and even with the best doctor prescribed medication, they still get it.

As you mentioned, not so much removing the acidity but neutralizing it with everyday foods seem to help. I've tried yogurt for about 1-2 weeks and noticed a significant improvement in the pain stopping. Only problem is, I'm semi-allergic to yogurt so thats out of the question.

[Khamsin]

See a doctor that can refer you to different places. Afaik that doesn't sound bad, but the fact that you're on medications without having ANY followup exams is stupid at best, and deadly at worst. My dad's on several different meds and it's been doctor visit after doctor visit for years, tbh.

Blood Pressure Chart - Normal Blood Pressure Range

so yes, according to this base chart you do have high blood pressure.

Get Thee To A Doctor (tm someone)

Nice chart, but there are only BP lowering tips, no tips for BP raising. What do people with hypotension do? Just eat more salt and fat, and avoid exercise?

[Pikarya]

Nice chart, but there are only BP lowering tips, no tips for BP raising. What do people with hypotension do? Just eat more salt and fat, and avoid exercise?

Guzzle down a warm pan of used cooking oil from Mcdonalds.

[Khamsin]

Maybe I need to do more of that, anyways.

I always have below normal blood pressure, despite not being an athlete. But at least it's not actually in the hypotension area, it's still normal. Just below the ideal mark.

[ByeByeTasai]

What you have is hypertension, join the club. While a dyastolic of 104 is high, it is still far from threatening. You have potential for moderate to severe episodes such as TIAs and strokes in the future if your over all health continues to decline.

Basically you are at a point where you will have to choose a few life style changes now to correct the outcome. Minor changes now can prevent this from ever governing your life style. Such as: cut back on caffeine, count your sodium intake, monitor cholesterol. If a Doctor wants to prescribe you medication, make sure to get 2nd to 4th opinions, and make the decisions for yourselves. Always remember Doctor's are running a business.

You are not in danger, but you are a risk factor which means prime target for medical abuse. Don't turn into those people!

[Silenka]

I don't know that I can diagnose, but eating oatmeal every day is a great way to lower cholestorol and possibly helps blood pressure too. Gogo Oatmeal.

You could look into some herbal remedies, they don't usually cause as severe reactions and side effects and aren't as harsh on the body as most man-made pills. Perhaps ask a doctor or do some research yourself on what would help your symptoms?

[ByeByeTasai]

Nice chart, but there are only BP lowering tips, no tips for BP raising. What do people with hypotension do? Just eat more salt and fat, and avoid exercise?

People with hypotension seek immediate care, it's not something you can live with. There is always another factor causing hypotension and it's usually life threatening or a chronic disease which keeps the person bedfast. Basically you find a treat the real problem.

But in the Hospital when Blood Pressure drops to dangerously low levels there are a few techniques such as IV flood bolus or Cardiac drugs. We use to use PASG trousers until we realized the pants were turning severe into terminal 9/10 times.

[Kohan]

You could look into some herbal remedies, they don't usually cause as severe reactions and side effects and aren't as harsh on the body as most man-made pills.

Don't bother with homeopathic medicines, though. True naturopathy and herbalism are very, very different.

[Talus]

Don't bother with homeopathic medicines, though. True naturopathy and herbalism are very, very different.

I second this - give me evidence-based medicine seven days a week, no woo or quackery please.

[Vigilia]

Nice chart, but there are only BP lowering tips, no tips for BP raising. What do people with hypotension do? Just eat more salt and fat, and avoid exercise?

Eat liquorice. It really does work and I don't mean the red or fruit flavoured stuff, the real black liquorice is where it's at.

The liquorice-root extract contains the natural sweetener glycyrrhizin, which is over 50 times sweeter than sucrose. This ingredient has various pharmaceutical properties, the most important ones being that it acts as an expectorant (facilitating removal of mucus from the lungs by coughing) and that it increases blood pressure

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquorice_(confectionery)

Ironically while my partner has super high blood pressure I've been borderline low all my life. I used to faint or just black out so I had to sit down for a few minutes and let my blood flow catch up when just standing up. I'm 5' 11 and was pretty skinny in my teens which made it worse (178cm, 60kg, no clue wtf it's in pounds), passing out in school is never fun. Nowadays I hover in 100/60 region (but 90/50ish was lowest I was ever measured at) and I'm not athletic, not obese or unhealthy either though. But yeah, I was seen by a few doctors when I was around 17-18 for the fainting and such and all they ever found was low blood pressure and recommended liquorice first and then if I still kept fainting and feeling dizzy they'd consider medication. I haven't fainted since I was 19 and the fact I've put on a bit of weight so I'm more average sized now probably helps. I don't eat liquorice daily but on weekends when we go out shopping I've got a habit now of nipping by the health food shop and getting a bag or a bar of natural liquorice. (Panda brand stuff is pretty tasty, you get it here in UK at most health shops, sorry can't help with where you'd get anything in the States.)

[Norelco]

Dude, just get some regular exercise 3 times a week. That will fix your BP in most cases. My numbers were 140-150/90 until I finally had a panic attack and it shot up to 160/105.

Since then I've been going to the gym 3-4 days a week and my blood pressure is consistently 125/75.

Good luck.