Has anyone had success lowering BP without meds?

I have been on a medium strength bp med for over three years now.

There is a reason that high blood pressure is called the silent killer.

A few years ago I wasn't feeling very well, washed out, tired etc. So I went to a walk in clinic and when they took my blood pressure it was dangerously high, as in we need to call an ambulance. Since the hospital was just down the street they gave me the choice to have DH come take me.

I ended getting iv meds to lower it enough to be discharged with an Rx of meds to hold me over until I could be seen by a cardiologist who put me on meds and made me stay on bed rest and then house arrest until we could get my numbers under control.

This is not something to chance

Who prescribed the as needed meds? Your gp or a cardiologist?

If you have not seen a cardiologist that may be your best choice so that you can find out what is causing the episodes.

I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv (or this board) but it seems like waiting until you feel bad or feel an episode coming on to take meds would not be the best way to handle things.

Please get a second opinion and please take care of yourself. The holidays can be so stressful and stress is never good for your blood pressure.

Forgot to add, invest in a really good BP cuff/monitor with digital readout.

Take your blood pressure a couple of times per day and vary those times. Keep a record of them (I just used a spiral notebook and wrote date and time and also made a note if things were unusually stressful).

Then take it with you to show the doctor. Most doctors will have you do this anyway, so doing this will make you one step ahead.

It helps show any patterns etc and will give the doctor a better starting point if they are going to prescribe a daily dose.

It may take several weeks to a few months to get your numbers to where they should be and keep them there, so just hang in there and know that you will eventually start to feel better.

You need to see a cardiologist. There are supplements that you can take that will help lower cholesterol, bp, but they're often an adjunct to western meds. I've never heard of bp meds that you only take for PVC's. Granted, I'm not a doctor, but that sounds strange. Get a full workup and let an experienced cardiologist plot your course. You can let him/her know that you don't want to take meds and ask if there are supplements that you can take, first. You probably need a full workup.

I’m on Metoprolol for HBP and it helps with anxiety (don’t know how, but I haven’t had anxiety since I’ve been on it). If you feel your BP is high, check it several times a day, keep track, and then make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the numbers.

I've been on BP meds for 4-5 years now. I was running in the normal range, but at the high end of that for a couple of years. My dad and brother have BP issues, so my GP and I agreed to put me on BP meds. No side effects, they just do what they're supposed to do, which is keep my levels in a healthy range.

I have had great experience with this. When I was younger (I'll be 58 in March) I always had low BP, so I never worried about it. I was thin, ate like a horse, and ate whatever I wanted. About 10 years ago, I started having continually high blood pressure, and my doctor gave me some literature from the American Heart Association, and told me to cut down on my sodium. I <3 sodium. I would get french fries from McDonalds, and add salt packets to the catsup I dipped them in. I would eat dill pickles by the jar because they are low calorie and I loved them. She REALLY wanted to put me on blood pressure medication. I didn't think I could get off my sodium habit, but the AHA said it was easier than you would think...that all you have to do is track your sodium input. I doubted that, but gave it a go. My mother told me that it for sure wouldn't help, because our family just has high BP. Holy cow. The AHA was right! Most days I keep my sodium under 2500 mg. For YEARS now...including about 3 weeks ago, when I go to checkups, I have low blood pressure again. At my last visit, after running in from the parking lot, my BP was 109/70, which the doctor said was fantastic. A nice side effect is that my migraines have disappeared. I am vegan, and while that is good for heart health, I don't think that affects my BP. I have a Fitbit and on most days, get in at least 250 steps an hour for 12 hours. That probably helps some, but the sodium thing is what really helped IMHO. And to be honest, I don't miss the sodium at all (except maybe eating half a jar of dill pickles in one sitting, but they are SOOO high in sodium). So, no BP meds, I am about 20 lbs overweight by the doctor's standards, 40 lbs more than I was when younger, and I have low blood pressure. I hope this helps you!!

Edited to add: while this worked for me, I agree with the above posters, heart health is nothing to mess with. I would visit with a cardiologist ASAP...maybe while lowering your sodium intake.

I am generally the same way - but BP meds aren't hard core. Weight loss will work for some of it but might take too long to make the difference you need. I take low doses of irbesartan and hydrochlorothiazide and they've done a great job with zero (literally zero) side effects. In your shoes? I'd start taking them and work on the lifestyle changes - you could get to the point where you don't have to stay on them. 

I feel the same way about meds.  My early 30s I had high bp so my gp sent me to a cardiologist and I was put on meds.  I didn't like the idea of being early 30s already on bp meds and seeing a cardiologist. I didn't have a long wait time.  Think it all happened within 1-2 weeks. At this time I was also going back to school for my degree and working full time. Once I finished my degree it lowered some and then when I changed jobs it lowered again to the point that I no longer needed to take meds.

For me it is/was stress (need to lose weight though too) induced. I can feel when it is creeping up again and I have to constantly remind myself to breathe and whatever I am stressing about is not important enough to potentially lose my life over from stroking out. 

Like I said I understand wanting to avoid the meds. I think if I were you I would start down that avenue with the goal of lowering it so you don't need it.  I wouldn't want to risk doing damage to my heart in the meantime, kwim?

I’ve been in BP meds since the month I turned 30, so for over 28 years now. My hypertension is idiopathic- no underlying cause other than genetics, so there is no way to control it other than meds.

No side effects from the meds - which have changed over the years as I needed one that was safe during pregnancy when I was planning to and having kids. I’m now on 10 mg of Lisinopril- it is a relatively low dose.

Taking medication is MUCH preferable to having a stroke, or other dire consequences of long-term high BP, IMO.