Had a check-up lately?

**Edbear** · 23rd April 2006, 21:50

Got a bit of a fright last week. We'd joined the gym to get fit and as part of the package, we each get a free session with a personal trainer. Well, as my guy was very busy, it was a while before I could get an appointment with him that suited us both so I've been going on average three times a week for about a month now. I am 177cm and 95kg, so considered borderline obese, (I hate that word!) Having been very ill I was working on improving my health and finally got to the stage I thought I could do some proper exercise. I started slowly and gradually worked my way up to 30min on the treadmill. I used to be very fit and loved to sweat hard on the tennis or badminton court, did lots of bushwalking etc. I was pushing myself pretty hard, watching the heart rate monitor and was interested in the Trainer to give me a guide. Finally met him last Wed. night and we sat down in his office whereupon he said he'd take my blood pressure. Now, I'd been to the Doc before joining he gym and while my BP was a little high, he gave me an unrestricted clearance. Well, my BP was way high and the Trainer said no exercise as it would be dangerous and to go back to the Doc! Well, went to a different Doc and the BP was still up at that level. I'm now on Beta Blockers, (as Inhibace gave me a splitting headache), and strict instructions to do only gentle walking for a couple weeks! I asked the Doc, (who'd reviewed my records over the last couple years and found each time I was tested my BP was too high), just how much risk had I been placing myself in over the month since joining the gym. I coulda keeled over, or at least done some serious damage to the old ticker! She said at least I got found out before such serious damage occurred! Man I thought I wuz doin' the right thing and it coulda killed me! She also confirmed that high BP was probably why I've been feeling so "blurk" for so long! Take care of yourselves people and if anyone is overweight and wanting to get fit, go to the Doc and have a check, and take notice of the results.

**Colapop** · 23rd April 2006, 22:19

That's a bit frightening! I still think (once you get the blood sorted) that you need to get some form of exercise in. I've always been told that you don't need to sweat to be doing good excercise - I've been bodybuilding and the best fat loss I've been doing is relatively gentle walking. Aquawalking in the pool is good shit too. Look after yourself matey.

**Streetwise** · 24th April 2006, 14:40

yea i know the feeling. I went to doc for a sore neck, Now im in surgery next week for a biopsy on a lump.......... Bugger.

Some times you just have to deal with what life throws at you....

**marty** · 24th April 2006, 15:14

high BP alone is not dangerous. maybe instead of now doing nothing, try looking at your diet, stress levels, exersize levels as a whole-life balance. it's all very well your dr medicating you, but what is the REASON that your BP is high? no-one seems to have asked that question. you seem to have a history of high BP - is that your normal level? not everyone is 75/110 or whatever the current accepted rates are. it amazes me that drs can say, here, take some medication and fuck off - you're a silly boy for trying to get fit! and we do!

**Edbear** · 24th April 2006, 17:12

Originally Posted by marty

high BP alone is not dangerous. maybe instead of now doing nothing, try looking at your diet, stress levels, exersize levels as a whole-life balance. it's all very well your dr medicating you, but what is the REASON that your BP is high? no-one seems to have asked that question. you seem to have a history of high BP - is that your normal level? not everyone is 75/110 or whatever the current accepted rates are. it amazes me that drs can say, here, take some medication and fuck off - you're a silly boy for trying to get fit! and we do!

She wasn't substituting meds for diet and exercise, but rather wanting to get it under control before pushing myself. She certainly encouraged my attitude in wanting to get fit and look at diet and exercise routines, but at the moment the BP is too high and places my health at risk. I go back in a couple weeks to see if it's come down and if she feels it's okay, then I can resume my exercises. I'm still going to the gym but not going hard. Appreciate where you're coming from, though, after my own experiences with prescription drugs, I'm rather paranoid about taking any drugs and quite skeptical about the current state of medical knowledge re: drugs and their effects.

**duckaddict** · 24th April 2006, 17:28

Edbear,

Check out this book if you're interested:

Link

High BP is bad, really bad.

Try yr best to keep it down and good luck.

**Biff** · 24th April 2006, 23:12

I'm the oppostie at the mo' - I've got low blood pressure. Every time I get a boner I faint as blood rushes to my vital organ.

Seriously - though I have. The erection thing is BS. No seriously it is.

Get well soon mate.
Scary innit?

**duckaddict** · 25th April 2006, 09:08

Remedy

**James Deuce** · 25th April 2006, 09:37

Originally Posted by marty

high BP alone is not dangerous.....

Errr, umm, can,t say this politely so umm, sorry marty you are wrong.

Malignant Hypertension with no other symptoms will kill you dead as a door nail. Father-in-law is a complete wreck after 15 years of largely untreated mild hypertension. The biggest problem is the small blood vessels in your brain can't cope with the pressure, so they shut down and your frontal lobe calcifies. The effects of a non-surgical imprecise frontal lobotomy are about as bad an outcome as you can expect. No impulse control, innapropriate emotional responses, no ability to plan or organise, right down to being unable to tell which way round your trousers need to be to make sure the fly is at the front.

Long term low level hypertension is most likely caused by an adrenal gland problem, such as a tumour, so it pays not to ever ignore stuff outside the norm.

**ajturbo** · 25th April 2006, 10:09

soooooo.... the blood presure ONLY went up when you went to see your trainer????

**Edbear** · 25th April 2006, 11:47

Originally Posted by ajturbo

soooooo.... the blood presure ONLY went up when you went to see your trainer????

Well, had it been an attractive young female that might have been a problem! HE was about 30 and had a bad cold, so not so attractive to me. After my session last night, where I did 15min @ 4km/h on the treadmill then a bit of upper-body strength stuff at a milder pace, I sat and watched my wife finish her exercises for a while. Now THAT was probably not the best for the BP... Seems the med is starting to have an effect though so hopefully I'll br able to resume where I left off in a couple weeks.

**marty** · 26th April 2006, 12:53

no worries jim2. no stress....

i realise that high bp should be a concern, but on its own, elevated bp should not be cause for panic.

my biggest issue is that of Drs medicating people on their history given to them in a 4 minute consult. it's a hobby horse of mine