Ugh! High blood pressure

(Chris Zarza) #1

I just had my first check up since been doing keto. I’ve lost 25 lbs, feel good, thought I was doing really well. I have no idea if I had high blood pressure before keto. I have routinely had border line high bp. 139/85. At the docs office I was 150/90. I bought the home bp monitor and I’m almost always 140/90. I’m 60 years old and very active. I don’t want to do the meds the doc is recommending.

I believe I know this is a stress problem more than anything else. Also I have chronic pain from spine injuries. I think that contributes to it.

I tried cutting way back on my salt and started getting dizzy at times. This happened a few months ago and adding some salt to my meals made it go away.

I am going to meditate more and I’ve upped my long walks, bike rides and short runs.

Is anyone else dealing with high bp while living a keto lifestyle?

I’be been doing keto for about 5 months. This was my first doc visit in a year. Last bp test was a year ago and it was slightly high. I was very disappointed when I left the doctor’s office. I thought I was kicking ass with my weight loss.

(matt ) #2

Less salt is rarely the answer. Have you tried adding salt, potassium and magnesium?

Also in the scheme of things there are lots of safe BP meds if you need them.

You might have White Coat Syndrome and always have elevated BP at the Dr’s . I do on most of my visits.

Even at 139/85 I would want to get that down a bit either via lifestlye and meds as needed. High BP is no joke.

(Brandy Fischbach) #3

First of all, congrats on your weight loss. My hubby had high blood pressure prior to keto. It has dramatically gone down since he started. He doesn’t supplement salt or anything.

(*Rusty* Instagram: @Rustyk61) #4

One of my problems also!

#5

I have been able to control my BP using keto to the extent that I no longer require medication. 2 years ago - before meds and pre-keto I was in the 190-200/90-100 range. Now after 8 months of keto, this morning I was 132/76 and quite content with that!
Agree - whitecoat syndrome may be at play. Focus on keto/lifestyle instead and yes! you have kicked butt with that weight loss.

(Jay AM) #6

Agreeing that less salt is likely not the answer. I’ve heard the book “The Salt Fix” has some decent information. But, it sounds like you’re having electrolyte balance issues. Sodium needs potassium to balance and, if you have low magnesium, your body will steal potassium. This causes an obvious cycle of unbalance. Consider making keto aide (there are recipes if you use the search box on this forum). And, continue salting your food. Also, make sure to get enough water in a day.

(Alan Williamson) #7

Lower your insulin, your BP will get lower. I guarantee it! If you lower your insulin, the BP will change in weeks. If insulin is low, ketones will be high. No sugar, no grains…FTW!!!

(Karen Parrott) #8

How much more weight you have to lose? I found that I had borderline high blood pressure no matter what with a certain amount of weight on my body. Once I got to a certain point of weight loss, then I could maintain my blood pressure at a medium to sometimes low level. Previously I was high borderline.

Since I’ve been maintaining a 70 pound loss over six years I’ve maintained the normal blood pressure. I know if I go over 25 pounds plus overweight, then my borderline high blood pressure comes in the play

(Consensus is Politics) #9

I’ve had high blood pressure for several years. When I think back about ‘episodes’ I have had, makes me think I’ve had High BP for around 12 years or so. Only been taking meds for it for about 5 years.

I don’t think my HBP had much to do with my weight. But I’m sure it was aggravating it. When I went Keto six months ago, I had an initial weight loss of 40 pounds in two weeks. I felt tons better. About a month after starting Keto, life got in the way of my meds, and I missed a dose (Metformin and metropolo (sp?) for blood pressure.) Life happens, and continued to get in the way of taking my meds. I was horribly worried at first, but I felt ok, so I didn’t panic. I just continued to test both my BG and BP several times a day. I was pleasantly surprised to find both were stable in the normal range. So after nearly a week of worrying about it I just dropped those two meds. But I continued to watch, and kept my prescriptions current, just in case :face_with_monocle:

So maybe two months later I noticed my blood pressure was up again. I was a bit concerned, so I continued to monitor it several times a day, noting my activity level, (basically sedentary, which probably is my main issue). I wasn’t getting better, it was getting slightly worse every day. So I went back to the BP med. within a week my BP was under control again.

After another month or so I also started back on the Metformin, but not for BG control. I had heard that Metformin helps with recovery from insulin resistance. And since the side effects were minimal at worst, I might as well make myself a guinni pig, and see what happens.

So far so good. My BG pretty much continues to be a daily avg of about 90 with lows in the 60’s when fasting, and highs of about 120 ish when indulging with a lot of protein.

Enough of that now, the salt…

If I remember correctly, salt effects BP by retaining water, thereby making your blood volume go up, raising pressure. The thing is, if you are in Ketosis your kidneys no longer recycle your salt, so your sodium will be on the low side. Have you had blood work done? What’s your sodium level? You sound like you are experiencing low sodium/electrolytes. The doctors usually just say cut down on salt, because they don’t understand that while in Keto your kidneys let the salt flow out. So keep an eye on your sodium level and do what you need to keep it in the normal range.

Do some research on safe BP meds, but also watch out, docs like to push the combo meds of BP/statin. I had to tell my doctor several times, no thank you. I refuse to take statins.

(David) #10

Yes. I have BP that’s too high. Usually something like 135/95.

I’m 50 yo male. My last visit to the doctor didn’t end with any med for the BP, but it’s only a matter of time if I can’t get it down.

(Chris Zarza) #11

Good point. I could lose another 20 to 30lbs and still be at a healthy weight.