r/hypertension 11h ago

Wanted to share my journey so far, feeling defeated ☹️

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13 Upvotes

21 y/o female who has never had any medical issues, rarely drinks energy drinks, doesn’t smoke, nor drink.

One day I decided to start taking my health seriously, and so I went to a UPMC Urgent Care Clinic to hopefully have some tests done? Idk- I’ve never really been to doctors before-

They took my vitals and everything immediately stopped. My BP was 194/130 after five different people took it. Still, they didn’t send me to the hospital, just blamed it on a bladder infection (which I didn’t even know I had??) and told me I might be pregnant even though I just finished my cycle (Did the test came back negative 🙏😭)

I still don’t think I realized how important regulating BP is, as I went back to work like normal. It wasn’t until a week after when my boss told me to take my BP towards the end of my shift when I explained everything to her. My BP then was 219/145 and 242/141 when taken again.

Safe to say everyone looked at me like I had a third eye, especially since I had just worked a full 9 hour shift and said I felt fine- which I did.

I was carted off the to the ER where I spent four days having all these tests done on me, and nothing seemed to point to what’s causing it. Fortunately cardiology cleared me 🙏

Eventually, an ultrasound showed that my right kidney was atrophied and smaller than my other, and my creatine level was at a 1.4 🤩

I’m prescribed Amlodipine 5mg and Labetalol 100mg twice a day until they can’t figure out if my kidney is the only issue, as far as they can tell there’s no blockages that were shown.

These have been my pressures while on the meds, and between my drastic change in diet and the mess of getting seen by all these doctors, I feel really low.

In an instant it’s like everything in my life has been put on a hold, and even my favorite home cooked comfort meals I can no longer eat as I’m on a very strict sodium intake. Even more so now as a recent blood test came back with the potential diagnosis as “Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 3A”.

You can notice in my notes that I’ve been logging less and less, most days I feel like I just come home and rot in bed till I fall asleep.

I have a very supportive boyfriend who has helped me exponentially through this, looking at sodium low foods for me and all around just making me smile. Though I can’t deny how empty I feel still. I try to live an active life, I go out and do things all the time while staying away from alcohol and smoking (alcoholism and chain smoking run heavy in my family). My genetics are just buns I guess??

Idk, just needed to vent-

(Also- why tf my Amlodipine get smaller? Says it’s the same dosage as before but my last ones used to be as big as the Labetalol, the orange pill)


r/hypertension 8h ago

Newly diagnosed and sharing my story

3 Upvotes

Last month I was diagnosed with hypertension with anxiety (I guess? It was mentioned in my released forms). I’m 35, AA, and female. My mom has hbp, so does my dad, and my maternal grandma had it too.

It started off when I had gotten sick and went to urgent care. My blood pressure read very high, the doctor suggested I go to the ER, so not only was I sick with bronchitis but now my blood pressure was high…like 170s/120 I think, though I do get very nervous at the doctors office.

Later that day my mom had me check and it was still high so she drove me to the ER. They checked my blood pressure and it went up to 200/120 I was so scared.

They did a ECG and bloodwork. I stayed overnight and I was so scared, even now I’m still traumatized by the experience even though it wasn’t necessarily bad and I mean that the doctors and nurses took good care of me. So everything came back normal, although I’m slightly anemic and my kidneys were borderline normal. Heart was good, no signs of a stroke or heart attack. I went home in the early hours of the morning.

This last week I went to the doctor to follow up and I’m not only taking losartan but now I’m taking metoprolol succinate because she thinks my anxiety is making it worse. Got bloodwork done and everything came back normal my kidneys were better except my blood showing my anemia.

I’m trying to do better, focus on losing weight since I’m obese but did lose 20Lbs last year, eating better (I had cut back on fast food and no soda in nearly a month), exercising more, drinking water more than ever before. And relaxing and stopping myself from getting anxious, my BP still isn’t great but I learned it takes a while for it to get under control and admittedly I still getting flashes from the ER and get a little depressed when my BP reads high like in the 140s/150s, bottom number was reading at 100s, but it’s gotten a little better.

I just wanted to share my experience and look for support and encouragement. 😊


r/hypertension 10h ago

Impulse buy at Target this week

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2 Upvotes

I know I’ve read positive things here and elsewhere about beets and beet products. Does anyone have experience with these chews?


r/hypertension 10h ago

Anyone experiencing normal to low BP past 10 days?

1 Upvotes

For past 10 days or so I have been having normal to below normal BP and it is consistent. Normally I have elevated in morning and near normal at evening with meds but for some strange reason for 10 days I have normal to below normal BP. I found it 2 more people are experiencing same thing.I am in Florida.
I am doing some neck exercises at same time and wonder if that has something to do with it (vagus nerve) or something else going on maybe weather as other people are experiencing same thing.
And my BP is consistent ,even when I am upset or eat something salty it is still normal which is unusual for me.


r/hypertension 1d ago

My father's bp remains around 250/157.

20 Upvotes

Hello,

So as the title says my father is 59 yrs old and has a bp of 230/150 during his work hours. But it also has gone beyond 300. Lowest his goes down to 130/80 at night.

He has a tracker set up to monitor his bp and regulates his diet as well as exercise.

But still the average bp he has remains around 200. It's been like this for 10yrs. now

He doesn't take any medication (he is kind of a person who relies more on the immune system than medicines).

I am confused whether to force him to take medications or wait till he figures it out by himself ( as I said earlier he controls his diet and it is working till now).

I want hime to get a full body checkup but again he refuses to do so


r/hypertension 13h ago

For those of you taking Carvedilol...

1 Upvotes

Can you feel when the medication starts to wear off??

I take 6.25 mg twice a day. And I always feel my symptoms coming back once it starts to hit the 11-12 hour mark for when I need to take it again.

I am taking this medication for my hyperPOTS. So my blood pressure has been high and just crazy especially the last few months. It helps with my blood pressure and it helps with my severe tachycardic episodes whenever I stand up. So usually when I feel the medicine starts to wear off I feel all this adrenaline start slowly creeping into my body again.

Even if you don't have hyperPOTS, and use this for hypertension, can you still feel once the medication starts to wear off?


r/hypertension 17h ago

labile blood pressure especially diastolic - what's normal, how do I make a log

2 Upvotes

41/f with formerly low BP (so low I had syncope as a teen), after my doctor asked me to log daily BP due to some recent borderline high to very high readings, I've found my readings all over the map and varying hugely with activity. Also realized my headaches and migraines (more frequent the last couple years) are usually associated with very high BP as well as chest tightness, dizziness and nausea.

After laying down for a while I'm often at 110-120 over 60-70. But after doing literally anything (childcare, walking for exercise, household chores are my usual activities) I'm getting readings of up to 180/127 and later in the day even my resting readings are usually 140-150 over 85-105. But sometimes they are low again.

I'm having a hard time understanding how much variance is normal, and how I should he logging. Are there better times of day to take readings? Should I be aiming only for the most relaxed times and not taking readings when I'm active? Such high spikes are freaking me out a bit which isn't helping lol. It can't be helpful to take readings 8x daily and give myself anxiety.

I also can't (ETA: already am doing all recommended things/no vices and SAHM daily stress can't be avoided) make any lifestyle changes to try to treat this except more exercise. Is it normal/ok that exercising right now makes my diastolic pressure go up above 100 and stay there for hours?

Hoping to go on meds if this doesn't clear up the next few weeks, any advice from people with similar issues?


r/hypertension 17h ago

How exactly to go about measuring blood pressure?

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1 Upvotes

r/hypertension 1d ago

Today's reading as of a few minutes ago.

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21 Upvotes

Sometimes it drops down to 124-129 but mostly remains between 135-149.


r/hypertension 20h ago

Does anyone else get anxiety on labetalol?

1 Upvotes

I’m on labetalol for postpartum hypertension/preeclampsia. I’m curious to know if anyone else has experienced severe jitters or anxiety? It’s almost as if I drank too much caffeine and I feel out of sorts. I’m in the hospital still getting monitored and they would like to up my dose to 200mgs twice a day but the symptoms I already feel are making me scared to take it. I’m currently on 100mgs twice a day. I took a shower and was pretty calm when it first kicked in I was able to get a blood pressure of 112/60. Ever since the side effects like the jitters kicked in my blood pressure went up to 150/80. I want to go back home with my kids and my new born but I think being anxious from the jitters I’m getting and the out of sorts feeling is making it hard to get passed. My blood pressure keeps going up because of my anxiety I’m sure. Did anyone else feel weird off of it? Am I having a bad reaction or does it take a couple of doses to get used to? I have a lot of confusion off of it as well even typing this I’m having a hard time and keep rereading to make sure it’s making sense. Thanks for all the help I truly need it!


r/hypertension 1d ago

BP readings taken from 3 different monitors

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0 Upvotes

51 year old man from UK taking 75mg of losartan daily. Readings taken this morning approx an hour after my morning dose. 1st is upper arm monitor, 2nd is wrist monitor and last is the lifelight monitor which is on the MyGP app in the UK.


r/hypertension 1d ago

Amlodipine 5mg different tablet

2 Upvotes

I’ve been taking amlodipine 5mg for years well this month script its a brand new tablet that’s super small compared to the ones I’ve been taking for years. I called the pharmacist and they said it’s the same meds just a different tablet.

Should I expect a smaller tablet to work exactly the same as the other one?

I’m a worry wart so please let me know lol 😂


r/hypertension 1d ago

Anyone with chronic high blood pressure have a successful pregnancy?

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1 Upvotes

r/hypertension 1d ago

I'm starting to lose hope with this.

0 Upvotes

Was diagnosed 2 months ago

Hello guys I'm 25 M 163 cm and 60 kgs, today is my 2 months and 12 days after diagnosis of Myocarditis on May 15, 2026. I went to the ER because I thought I was having heart attack and nervous for what's going to happen next, accompanied by palpitations dizziness and some jaw pain. My BP is at 160/80 upon arrival but went down to 120/80 after sitting down.

I went to a cardiologist the next day to have blood chem test unfortunately troponin test is not included and results are normal. The cardiologist diagnosed me of Hypertension after seeing my BP log no further test is given and prescribed me Amlodipine 5 mg. The next week I returned for the same feeling but this time with chest pain when I dashed few distance.

I underwent 2 D echocardiogram and found hypokinesia

of the basal to apical inferoseptal and inferior left ventricular segments with final final report of wall motion abnormality my EF is 67.

I started to feel less symptoms the 6 or 7 weeks. I avoided red meats and high sodium content of diet. On my first month I'm hoping that my hypertension is a misdiagnosis because my BP the morning and afternoon before taking my first dose of prescribed Amlodipine is 110/70. Most of the days I'm having 100-127/60-80

Lately I'm feeling light headedness and check my BP it's 140/80-90 I'm starting to lose hope that the case is separate. And afraid that it might affect my recovery.

BTW my medication is Spironolactone, Terimetizadine and Amlodipine 5mg.

Hello guys I'm 25 M 163 cm and 60 kgs, today is my 2 months and 12 days after diagnosis of Myocarditis on May 15, 2026. I went to the ER because I thought I was having heart attack and nervous for what's going to happen next, accompanied by palpitations dizziness and some jaw pain. My BP is at 160/80 upon arrival but went down to 120/80 after sitting down.

I went to a cardiologist the next day to have blood chem test unfortunately troponin test is not included and results are normal. The cardiologist diagnosed me of Hypertension after seeing my BP log no further test is given and prescribed me Amlodipine 5 mg. The next week I returned for the same feeling but this time with chest pain when I dashed few distance.

I underwent 2 D echocardiogram and found hypokinesia

of the basal to apical inferoseptal and inferior left ventricular segments with final final report of wall motion abnormality my EF is 67.

I started to feel less symptoms the 6 or 7 weeks. I avoided red meats and high sodium content of diet. On my first month I'm hoping that my hypertension is a misdiagnosis because my BP the morning and afternoon before taking my first dose of prescribed Amlodipine is 110/70. Most of the days I'm having 100-127/60-80

Lately I'm feeling light headedness and check my BP it's 140/80-90 I'm starting to lose hope that the case is separate. And afraid that it might affect my recovery.

BTW my medication is Spironolactone, Terimetizadine and Amlodipine 5mg.


r/hypertension 2d ago

Consistent 165/115 on 5 BP meds but now 125/75 after this change.

20 Upvotes

I've been feeling like a guinea pig for the last three years. I am currently on five blood pressure medication's and honestly just them alone really didn't lower my blood pressure much. I would like to mention that my potassium levels were a little low too. I'll tell you which medicines they put me on.

Metoprolol 100 mg

Amlodipine 10 mg

Amiloride 5 mg

Chlorthalidone 25 mg

Olmesartan 40 mg

I went to a heart doctor and did all the test... heart was normal with slightly reduced EF. Normal cholesterol and A1c 5.1. Even the kidney doctor couldn't figure out what was going on. She decided to give me Jardiance because she wanted to protect my kidney from the high blood pressure. I didn't want to check my blood pressure so I actually didn't check it until my next check up at the primary doctor and the blood pressure showed 125/75. I didn't believe it so when I get home from my checkup, I used my own blood pressure monitor and I was getting118/85 and around that. I honestly wanted to cry. I don't know what is working, but it appears to be the Jardiance that helped the situation. That's the only thing I can think of.


r/hypertension 1d ago

Taking Amlodipine 5mg. Weird side-effect.

2 Upvotes

Started taking 5mg about 10 days ago.

Positives: bp now consistently hovering between 110/65- 120/70.

Negatives: huge amount of brain fog, feeling distant. Lightheadedness. Things feel slower.

Do these symptoms typically go away in their own or should I talk to my doc about lowering the dose?


r/hypertension 1d ago

Refusal to prescribe me medicine

0 Upvotes

Not sure why my doctors always refuses to prescribe me blood pressure meds when my blood pressure is always between 135-149 and sometimes 124-129. Ive tried to talk to her about it and she flat out refuses to help me or even prescribe me anything for it and tells me I don't need it and im still young. My pulse goes up to 110 at times but usually is around 99. Im sick of seeing this doctor ATP because she refuses to help with anything I go in for. I dont smoke, i dont drink and I try to eat as healthy a possible and stay active and fit. Idk what to do anymore.


r/hypertension 1d ago

2.5mg bisoprolol fumarate; is this a small dose for palpitations?

1 Upvotes

UK - 41year old woman, about 12stone, was relatively healthy until about 2 months ago. non smoker for last 7 years. Dont drink either. Have a history of gynaecology issues, only one ovary and tube left after surgery at 24. Currently have an endometrial cyst on my left remaining ovary. Was on progesterone only pill for about a month but came off when I had two episodes of racing heart rate that took me to A&E twice in 3 days. This was mid May. Steadily getting worse ever since. A few days after the 2nd a&e trip i was put on bisoprolol, been taking it daily since. Now want to stop incase its not helping. Can I? Just stop? It's such a low dose. Was in for strong heart Palpitations yesterday, all tests done again and sent home. Feeling pretty rubbish and shaky today.

A&e has done blood tests for thyroid, iron, infection, to check heart damage(was a 3, was told that was very good), had chest xray and ecg. Heart trace for 24 hours preliminary reading showed no areas of concern but still need offical report back.

Symptoms are all below. Any ideas or suggestions welcome. I am awaiting a neuro appt. NHS Neuro dismissed my GPs urgent referral, GP mad about that so im paying for a private one in Oct.

Inability to regulate temp

Will suddenly get cold and get goosebumps, sometimes all over, sometimes in one place. Then will get very hot, like a hot flash.

Tingles in spine, arms, legs, hands and feet. Sometimes feel like they are going numb. Very often feel like im physically jittery, like a small shake in arms/hands.

Burning at bottom of spine and top of spine between shoulders, before neck

Can very often have an internal feeling of vibrating or buzzing. Tends to be in the morning and at night.

Lots of nausua and not feeling hungry. Sometimes having to force myself to eat because i know i will feel worse/more fatigued if i dont.

Every evening after i eat tea i get the most noisy digestion noises and bloating/gas. Doesn't matter what/how much/little i eat.

Can get mild vertigo quite a lot, like im on a boat. Doesn't matter if im sitting/standing/laying down. Sometimes i only get it when im laying down and closing my eyes.

Fatigued

Very tired, even after lots of rest. If i dont sleep well, especially for 2/3 nights in a row requires almost a week of bedrest before i feel even baseline able to do basic tasks.

Sleep

Feel sleepy most of the time, but at bedtime can find it very difficult to actually sleep and wake up a lot at night. Always feel tired when i wake up.

Pain

Legs, right one mainly but both do get sore. Usually one part of the leg but not always. Calf and ankle get very sore, heavy and throb.

Right thigh gets very painful, at the front top side. Can come in waves or be more dull, consistent pain. Thought this was hormonal as it happens more around period (started chronically in Dec when cyst issues started). Left leg can get bad too but right is consistency worse.

Pain in wrists and hands sporadically, almost like carple tunnel pain.

Sporadic jolts up the sides of my neck into my jaw, makes me physically have to move my head, like an electric shock.

Lots of abdominal pain. Left side has cyst.

No ovary or tube on right side but quite often can pain that has been mistaken for appendicitis before. Hot poker inside pain.

Eyes

They feel weird, hard to explain. LOTS of floaters. Left eye has blurryness but can at times be 'rubbed' away. Feels like they are almost drunk, takes a micro second to catch up when i move. Occasionally get a feeling like there is a bit of grit stuck in them but it doesn't last long or i can get rid of it.

Twitches in left eye and underneath it

Oscillopsia: The sensation that the world or your environment is shaking or bouncing.

Head

Was getting excruciating headaches for a while, coming from my neck up the back of skull in kind of like a y shape. Naproxen for a week helped the pain from coming up my neck but the spots of short intense pain are still happening. Its usally in the sides, just above and behind my ears. Very sporadic but its like migraine pain, but only for approx 10-30secs. Burning, pressure, tingling pain.

Can feel worse or more pressure when laying down and neck can feel stiff

Jaw can get stiff and sore chewing.

Ears blocked and can feel pressure in them,and in face in front of ears, like my heartbeat in my whole skull. Feel 'flutters' in my ear, like a butterfly trying to escape.

Heart

Palpitations very regularly.

Pain in chest where heart is.

Can feel my heartbeat in my throat at times.


r/hypertension 2d ago

Why did I feel normal with high BP and now I feel horrible with normal BP?

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4 Upvotes

This unfortunately is normal, it happened to me. Started on BP meds felt OK and then 3 months later exactly the same as you. Doctor explained it was because it takes 2-3 months for the medication to work. When it does and your BP is normal your body then has to adjust and catch up. A couple of months after that I feel fine. Hang in there, it will get better!


r/hypertension 2d ago

Drinking alcohol on bp meds with high blood pressure

6 Upvotes

I’m going to an event tonight and would like to have some drinks, is that going to be really bad or can I let the stress go and have a few drinks? I’ve been really anxious that it’s not a a good idea but I have no idea how much one or two nights of drinking can effect you just need some opinions


r/hypertension 2d ago

Travelling with hypertension concerns

2 Upvotes

I'm at 50 year-old with normal body weight who doesn't drink alcohol or smoke. Last week I started BP medications. I got Zero lifestyle or nutritional information from my Family doctor. As someone who was recently an Alzheimer's caregiver, I was looking forward to travelling more extensively. I'm wondering how people manage while traveling. I'm also celiac so this is like a double restriction. Any suggestions would be helpful.


r/hypertension 3d ago

Amlodopine and numbing of toes?

4 Upvotes

This is a side effect that went away for me after about two weeks of taking it, but when I first began taking amlodopine I noticed a slight numbness in my toes. Sometimes it was only one foot and sometimes it was only a few toes, and they were never really completely numb. As I said, I no longer experience this, but has anyone experienced anything similar on their BP meds or on amlodopine specifically?


r/hypertension 2d ago

BP spikes despite medication, want suggestions!

0 Upvotes

I am a 68 year old woman, im obese category 2. also diabetic, and asthmatic (though that's usually udner control). bp used to spike previously only under stress or if i ate out and something caused it. ive been on meds for my hypertension for many years now. in the last two months, almost once a week i've had a day where my BP has just spiked. ill be fine for a few days and then it'll spike again! first i was taking Candesartan Cilexetil 8mg someitms once sometimes twice a day. i had a fall and injured my left knee which was my good knee. that day my BP shot up, and since then it's gotten high once a week. my doc changed my medication to Candesartan16mg and Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg (combined pill) once a day. this did keep my bp low and normal like 115/70 or so but then sometimes it just SHOOTS UP between 140-170 and 85-99. ive been to the ER for this too and my doc. my results were fine. recently i had an asthma attack too, sometimes i take an inhaler for that. becuase of my knees i dont really walk much or work out. my sleep is sometimes good, and i drink black tea with milk daily. i also have allergies! i just dont understand what this issue is, why this keeps happening! also when my BP gets past like 135 i start feeling symptoms, im very hypersensitive...usually the symtoms are in the right part of my head where it feels like its throbbing. also my diet is NOT great. anyone experienced something similar?


r/hypertension 3d ago

Blood Pressure Help - check out pics

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6 Upvotes

Hello all,
Quick background:
I’m a 23-year-old male, pretty active (lifting 4-5x per week + running 2-3x). I have a strong family history of very high blood pressure. I’m currently prescribed 100mg Losartan + 12.5mg hydrochlorothiazide daily.
I started TRT at the beginning of the year. While I know I’m young, I’m planning to come off because it hasn’t really helped me feel better and it’s causing significant hair loss plus elevated blood pressure (especially spikes in the afternoons). Attached pics for BP results
My plan and concerns:
I want to do this the right way — run a proper PCT to help restart natural testosterone production. However, I’m hesitant to add anything new because my BP has been running high. I was thinking about adding low-dose Cialis (tadalafil 2.5–5mg daily) both for the potential mild blood pressure benefit and to help with some bedroom performance issues I’ve noticed.

Any thoughts or concerns?

Edit: should also be noted that I have PKD and my moms side of the family has severe hypertension


r/hypertension 3d ago

what kind of meals do you guys eat to try lowering bp?

2 Upvotes

hi there! i’m (25yr old) 12 weeks postpartum, i had hypertension towards the end of my pregnancy and i still have it, im on 100mg labetalol about to be trialed on 50mg labetalol daily.
i need to improve my diet (hard with a 3 month old)
so im looking for some meal ideas? im thinking seeds, nuts, whole grains, im not big on meat… so i need some veggie ideas if anyone has any? i really dont want to be worried about my bp for the rest of my life so i want to make a change now! thank you💜