high blood pressure?

Question

im 23 year old female with high blood pressure. im on meds for it and it does help but im scared of later in life. im only 23 and already have high blood pressure. my family is not very healthy most have high blood pressure or heart attacks or have diabetes or cancer. i feel like im not always very healthy either and that scares me since im 23. my blood pressure when not on meds for it gets pretty bad, and so high i have nose bleeds get super dizzy/light headed and need like 10-14 hours of sleep a day. i get grumpy but when i remember to take the meds everyday im good. i also have other problems like constipation all the time and if im not taking birth control i go months without having a period sometimes like 4 months, but the high blood pressure is what scares me the most because i get chest pains, never have energy ect. so what will this mean when im older? i also have a fast heart rate most of the time anyway what do you guys think?

what health problems will high blood pressure cause? also will i beable to have kids with all my health problems? i dont have any yet and dont plan to have any for about 2 years but think i can even have kids? i dont have normal periods unless on birthcontrol and some in my family cant have kids and this scares me for me. oh and im not over wieght im 5'4 and 128 pounds

Answer 1

Hi,
I know you are scared. Stay on your meds. Cut sugar in your diet and any refined grains (white flour, white rice,etc.) Eat only whole grains.

And see a doctor who knows a lot about BP. You might do well to have your kidneys scanned to check for vascular problems. Also make sure your bp is close to the same in each arm and each leg. A nurse could take this for you. Bilateral readings should be close to each other. If there is a big discrepancy between the right and left arm readings or the R/L leg readings you need to see a doctor about a possible vascular problem. Sometimes a vascular problem causes hypertension, so rule those out because you are so young. This is important. Do get a good evaluation. Don't just let some quack put you on meds without looking into underlying reasons for hypertension. You are young.

Now, go back and ask this question on the alternative health boards. They will give you ideas about supplements like Magnesium and Arginine that will help to cut blood pressure too. I don't know a lot about supplements, but I do know that a lack of certain ones can raise blood pressure.
Don't use hormonal birth control. Stay off the pill or any other hormonal product. Use a barrier method for now.
Yes you will be able to have children if you keep your bp in check. The long term effects of hypertension are kidney disease and heart disease. You want to get this under control and avoid those.

Answer 2

Blood pressure measurements don't count for anything if you've been walking around. Ideally, you should be sitting down for at least 5 minutes or so. Blood pressure also can vary during the day, so it's best to get measurements from similar times during the day. No caffeine in the morning either. These measurements should be repeated on a few separate occasions. Some people get "white coat hypertension" when they go to the doctor's office because they are nervous. Probably blood pressure medicines wouldn't kill you. But you don't necessarily need blood pressure medicines if your blood pressure is only high while active. When doctors study the effects of high blood pressure, they study the effects of people who are diagnosed with it as described above. You are probably at no higher cardiac risk from your blood pressure.

Answer 3

i'm also 23 and have found few people with problems like this i also have high blood pressure and wpw and was in the hospital last year i have diabetes and so many other to list that it'd take all day my dad has had 2 heart attack and my mom a stroke and they aren't 50 yet. i know the feeling of worrying or feeling scared about the future my parents are actually in really bad shape and i'm scared to die early. i take medicine as well and sleep 12hrs a day and have sleep apnea and use a mask. as for having kids me and my husband are trying right now and you can but they told me i would need to be monitored and call the docor as soon as i found out i was pregnant. i've leanred you can't spend your whole life worrying about what will happen in the future and health all you can do is do your best to control it now and wish for the best. i'm sure you'll do fine and live a normal long life good luck with everything i know how frustrating it can be to be young with problems.

Answer 4

I wish I had time to give you a more complete response.

Please consider joining the Yahoo! bloodpressureline group. It is run by a doctor who is very thoughtful and responsive, and there is a lot of good reading material on hypertension there, as well.

Good luck!

Answer 5

Stay on your medication, and hope for the best.