Starting Keto High Spike in Blood Pressure?

newbies
(Searching for a healthiert ME ♥) #1

I’ve been searching all over the internet for answers and can’t seem to find any!

Today is my 9th day of keto. I feel great overall. I’m clear headed, hitting my macros, and have lost 9 lbs.

My problem is, I’ve noticed that my blood pressure is elevated. I take blood pressure medication daily because of a heart condition, but the medication is for heart function as I’ve never had high blood pressure. My heart rate is normal 65-78 bpm resting (for the first time in 8 years), but this blood pressure is worrying me.

Normal pressure - 119-120 over 75-80
Blood pressure without meds the past week - 147-150 over 91-100
Blood pressure with meds the past week - 130ish over 85-90ish

I was worried (as I already have a health condition) so I went to the ER on Monday, and they checked my blood, did an ekg, and did an x-ray. EVERYTHING was perfectly normal. They said that it was most likely my diet, that it might need time for my body to get used to it, but that everything else was fine. (I have all the numbers from calcium, potassium, hematocrit, hemoglobin. etc. And I checked it. It’s all within the normal ranges. The only thing I did not see on the tests was a test for magnesium (unless it is called something else that I wouldn’t know.)

Anybody else experience a spike in their blood pressure when first starting keto? How did you remedy it, and how long did it take? This worries the hell out of me.

(Alec) #2

My opinion:

  1. Your BP with meds looks not that far elevated from normal, so I wouldn’t be worried by that.
  2. Your numbers without the meds looks high-ish. But no different to where I was a year ago. Not spectacularly high.
  3. As you are on meds that affect BP, I would strongly recommend a trip to the Dr that prescribed your meds originally for a review on your meds and your BP, in the context of your new direction.
  4. 9lbs in 9 days… bloomin fantastic, and well done. Just KCKO, but do visit your doc just to make sure the meds are right now in the current context.

Cheers
Alec

(Searching for a healthiert ME ♥) #3

Thanks Alec!

I plan to see my cardiologist in about a week just for my normal check up. I definitely plan to discuss meds and everything with him then. Thanks for the reassuring words. :smile:

(Alec) #4

Definitely don’t get stressed about it. But do have a good discussion with your Dr. Is he/she keto friendly?

(Ron) #5

The keto diet will cause water you consume and that is stored in your body to be expelled more and quicker than it was doing before you were doing keto. With water loss you loose electrolytes as well and low sodium will cause my BP to raise some as the heart seems to have to work a little harder to get the sodium you are still retaining distributed to body operations. Try upping your salt intake some. Don’t go crazy but give it a try.

(Searching for a healthiert ME ♥) #6

Yes he’s keto friendly. He seemed to be pretty well versed on the science of it, and figured it might be able to help me out. He doesn’t think I should eat this way forever, but I plan to show him that it could be really beneficial to do so.

(TJ Borden) #7

The price of pork belly went up at Costco. I’m pretty sure that my blood pressure went up a bit too.

(Searching for a healthiert ME ♥) #8

Thank you! I saw that around the internet actually. While I kind of understand why, I can’t seem to wrap my head around it. I currently am around 1800-2000 mg of sodium per day (the latter is pushing it). A huge step from my normal “heart healthy” 1500-1600 mg per day.

(Searching for a healthiert ME ♥) #9

:joy::joy::joy:

(Ron) #10

If you really want to understand there is a lot of stuff available.

https://blog.virtahealth.com/sodium-nutritional-ketosis-keto-flu-adrenal-function/

(Searching for a healthiert ME ♥) #11

Thank you, I will definitely check this stuff out. I had normal potassium when I went in to the ER, so I’ve been a little confused about the whole depletion/replenish stuff I’ve been seeing a lot of. Thanks so much though I will check these out now.

(Kirk Whitehouse) #12

Same thing is happening to me!! I’ve always had normal blood pressure (118/76’ish) and since being in keto, I’ve had these spikes!! It’s very discouraging when it happens, but my BP will go back to normal. I just can’t figure out where the spikes come from!!

(Omar) #13

Most likely it is a transitional thing

(Philipp Briese) #14

I have exactly the same problem. I’m 3 days into my keto adaption and suddenly my blood pressure was at 165/103. Normally it’s at around 135/90. My weight is at 275 lbs and I’m 6ft 2 so my overweight is definitely the cause for that because 6 years ago I was at 195lbs and my blood pressure was like 120/75.

My doctor wanted my take valsartan to lower blood pressure but since these medications have to many side effects for my taste and only treat the symptoms and do not cure the the cause of high blood pressure I declined and wanted to try weight reduction first.

My doctor agreed but she was not sure that a ketogenic diet is the best idea because she thinks that it’s not healthy in general. Years ago I had massive weight loss success with LCHF and lost 80lbs in 6 month but I regained the weight I lost within 18 month because I fall back on a high carb diet.

I was especially worried because last time I adapted to a ketogenic diet I had no problems with high blood pressure at all but I had massive migraines, cold sweat and dizziness and some perceptual disturbances so I panicked because I thought I was falling into some kind of diabetic coma or something and drank a lot of orange juice to spike my blood sugar levels to “normal”.

I researched on the internet and found out that you lose a lot of water because you burn through your glycogen reserves and ever gram of glycogen binds 4 grams of water inside your body and since you have around 400-500 grams of stored glycogen in your body you lose around 2,5 liters of water and in the process lowers your electrolyte levels significantly and that spikes your blood pressure.

People who have normal blood pressure doesn’t notice it because it is only temporarily but in people like us with already high blood pressure it can go up to a higher level and this can be worrying but please don’t panic and try to drink some broth. I tried it and it got my blood pressure down a bit. Keto adaption is a lot of stress for your body you can try to gradually lower your carbs over a few weeks so your body has a chance to get use to it. You will experience a lot less side effects.

(Mike W.) #15

And Prime brisket! :rage: $.79/ dang ol cents a pound more.

(Erica) #16

I have to say that some of these responses are really worrying. My mother went on the keto diet and followed it religiously for 6 weeks. In that time, her blood pressure started to spike and she dismissed it because of boards like this where people are dismissing these potentially critical symptoms. She also was on blood pressure meds and her blood pressure was well controlled before starting this diet. After about 5 weeks, she started getting what looked like bruises on her arms and her blood pressure was still spiking. 10 days after she showed them to me, she had an aneurysm in her brain and is now completely paralyzed on one side of her body and can’t speak. No change of meds, only a change in diet.

Please… if you start any diet and start experiencing troubling symptoms, please see a physician.

(Running from stupidity) #17

They’re also months old.

#18

I am at day 10 and like you I’m feeling great. My blood pressure has always been normal. Today it was as high as 196/100. It’s lower now but still 145/90. I don’t know what to do. If it’s still elevated I’m heading to the GP. I’d really like to know if this BP is keto related.

(Searching for a healthiert ME ♥) #19

I wanted to give an update:

I was really worried about thos, so I went to see my doctor. My bloodwork was fine, electrolytes were good, I did t have any other issues. My blood pressure leveled back to normal after maybe 3 days from writing this post.

What I did:

  1. Went to the doc, and they tested my blood, and did an EKG. (Things were normal)
  2. Increased my water intake, and added a little more fat. (Added avocado to my food)

I can only suggest to call the doctor for peace of mind, and to be sure nothing really serious is happening. If you cannot get to a doctor for whatever reason, add more water and may be more fat and watch it for a few days. It might really just be leveling out like mine was.

(The Highest Virtue) #20

Hi I am experiencing the same elevated blood pressure after only two weeks of Keto. Did you stop Keto? Did your blood pressure go back to normal? This can’t be healthy?