The Ref Stop

Blood pressure

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es1

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Fitness test tomorrow but I've not been able to get my BP down so I'm having to cancel (not miles over 138/93 but after that it kept shooting up).

Gutted as I've been training hard and would definitely make the distance but a symptom I guess of being injured and ill for 3 months earlier this year, spending much of June and July isolating and having a 2nd child 6 weeks ago leading to me putting on several pounds.

I'm going to make a conscious effort over the next month to eat healthier, lose weight and really hit the fitness hard but anyone have any solid suggestions that worked for them to get BP down over a relatively short time?

Cheers!
 
The Ref Stop
My wife is on medication that does the trick. It's very effective, no idea how bad you have to be to get it prescribed.
 
I'd recommend seeing your GP as they might be able to prescribe you some magic.
 
Cheers gents. Want to steer clear of medication if at all possible. Only young and should be perfectly manageable with lifestyle changes. Agree it might be worth chatting though to see what they suggest
 
Speak to your GP as you might just have what is known as white coat syndrome, i.e. your blood pressure is fine but when you get tested the fear of a high reading actually raises the level. I used to have it with the BP tests, I would read high but when I checked myself at home it was fine. GP was so concerned she gave me a wrist device that I had to wear for a week, when I took it back it showed my GP was almost perfect for someone my age.

Also avoid coffee, tea, or anything containing caffeine, and NSAIDs in the day leading up to your test as their can raise your BP.
 
RustyRef said:
Speak to your GP as you might just have what is known as white coat syndrome, i.e. your blood pressure is fine but when you get tested the fear of a high reading actually raises the level. I used to have it with the BP tests, I would read high but when I checked myself at home it was fine. GP was so concerned she gave me a wrist device that I had to wear for a week, when I took it back it showed my GP was almost perfect for someone my age.

Also avoid coffee, tea, or anything containing caffeine, and NSAIDs in the day leading up to your test as their can raise your BP.
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Cheers rusty, what are nsaid's? Caffeine not a problem as I don't drink tea or coffee...it's more the chocolates, sweets and other fatty (delicious) foods!
 
es1 said:
Fitness test tomorrow but I've not been able to get my BP down so I'm having to cancel (not miles over 138/93 but after that it kept shooting up).

Gutted as I've been training hard and would definitely make the distance but a symptom I guess of being injured and ill for 3 months earlier this year, spending much of June and July isolating and having a 2nd child 6 weeks ago leading to me putting on several pounds.

I'm going to make a conscious effort over the next month to eat healthier, lose weight and really hit the fitness hard but anyone have any solid suggestions that worked for them to get BP down over a relatively short time?

Cheers!
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Either my systolic or diastolic number would've been above the threshold a little while back, but 5 weeks of hardcore Balboa style training has seen my numbers drop back to that of a virulent 25 year old
High intensity exercise is the order of the day, none of this plodding the streets like an old lady business
Do you have another opportunity top to do the test?
 
Big Cat said:
Either my systolic or diastolic number would've been above the threshold a little while back, but 5 weeks of hardcore Balboa style training has seen my numbers drop back to that of a virulent 25 year old. High intensity exercise is the order of the day, none of this plodding the streets like an old lady business
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High intensity? I'll get on it
 
es1 said:
Cheers rusty, what are nsaid's? Caffeine not a problem as I don't drink tea or coffee...it's more the chocolates, sweets and other fatty (delicious) foods!
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Non steroidal anti Inflammatory drugs. Ibuprofen, basically.
 
es1 said:
Haha with a 6 week old I guess that's off the table atm!
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Plenty more fish in the sea!
Seriously though, blood pressure varies quite a lot with the circadian cycle. I've no idea why the FA suits are masquerading as GPs
It's only one of a dozen or more factors that determine the risk of a 'cardiac event'. Nanny State nonsense.
Make sure that you've been sat down for a while, that the HRM is at the same height as the armband and that the palm is facing upwards ;)
 
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Big Cat said:
Plenty more fish in the sea!
Seriously though, blood pressure varies quite a lot with the circadian cycle. I've no idea why the FA suits are masquerading as GPs
It's only one of a dozen or more factors that determine the risk of a 'cardiac event'. Nanny State nonsense.
Make sure that you've been sat down for a while, that the HRM is at the same height as the armband and that the palm is facing upwards ;)
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It’s just an arse covering exercise in case someone keels over during the test.
 
Have a look at your salt intake. Though not the same for everybody, salty and/or spicy food in the days leading up to a BP test will raise mine quite significantly. Potassium is good for lowering it too so scoff a banana a day for maybe a week before your next test is due. ;)
 
Kes said:
Have a look at your salt intake. Though not the same for everybody, salty and/or spicy food in the days leading up to a BP test will raise mine quite significantly. Potassium is good for lowering it too so scoff a banana a day for maybe a week before your next test is due. ;)
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yeah salt definitely something i'm keen on! already looking to reduce it
 
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I always struggled to get an acceptable BP reading despite being a non smoking, moderate drinking, healthy eater with body fat around 17%. Salt / Potassium balance definitely made a difference to my BP but in the end I had to concede defeat this year and start on a low dose of Ramipril. Frustrating but certainly made the run up to the L3 fitness test a lot less stressful!
 
Always had really low BP until about 3 years ago, where it has always been on the very edge since.

Hopefully it will stay there. I know myself that it's too much sugar, caffeine and all the other things that raise BP. I suppose at some point in my life I will be forced into making changes.
 
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JamesL said:
Always had really low BP until about 3 years ago, where it has always been on the very edge since.

Hopefully it will stay there. I know myself that it's too much sugar, caffeine and all the other things that raise BP. I suppose at some point in my life I will be forced into making changes.
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i'm the same as you. kinda thought it would be a little later than 33 that i'd need to think about it mind!
 
es1 said:
i'm the same as you. kinda thought it would be a little later than 33 that i'd need to think about it mind!
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You could do what one unfortunate did for the fitness test near me this weekend and not bring a blood pressure certificate because they "didn't know"
 
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