To be used in conjunction with my ebook on high blood pressure.
Showing posts with label blood pressure - medication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blood pressure - medication. Show all posts
Sunday, January 04, 2015
Weekly Blood Pressure Log
Friday, September 05, 2014
Do blood pressure medicines increase risk of osteoporosis and arthritis?
The only question is how much? In my opinion, the combination of three classes of drugs that are typically prescribed in cases of high blood pressure (ACE inhibitors, diuretics and beta blockers) can cause an alarming acceleration of arthritis.
I am now into 30+ years of working in the health sector and I can see a disturbing association between the use of blood pressure medication and the acceleration of arthritis and arthritis associated ailments, including deteriorating eyesight and dementia.
If in doubt - leave it out!
Take note that research evidence usually is preceded many years earlier by observations by field practitioners who then motivate the research. We should not ignore such observations, exercising the precautionary principle, especially if it is suspected that the side effects, in this case, arthritis, outweighs any benefits.
Its like arthritis on steroids!
“When compared with nonusers, continuous use of ACE inhibitors was associated with a small but significant increase in the average rate of BMD loss at total hip and trochanter over 4 years after adjustment for confounders,” the authors wrote
http://www.healio.com/orthopedics/osteoporosis/news/online/%7B8a09973f-1858-479a-9b07-1ca7cf6a4d02%7D/ace-inhibitor-use-increases-bone-loss-in-older-men
"There is also some evidence to suggest that ACE inhibitors might increase inflammation-related pain."
http://www.news-medical.net/health/ACE-Inhibitor-Side-Effects.aspx
Studies like these are disturbing to read when I have clients who are on these drugs and suffering such severe arthritis as to be needing multiple joint replacements. Sure, most have damaged their hips and knees earlier in life, but how come their joints are the ones that have deteriorated so quickly, whereas not the other person? The blood pressure drugs appear to be the difference. I need no convincing.
Does blood pressure medication even work to reduce blood pressure? I am extremely sceptical based, again, on many years of observation. Read this:
There are good alternatives. My advice is to contact an experienced health practitioner who does not dish out drugs as their first course of action. Find someone who is prepared to spend the time and effort identifying the root causes of your ill health and treating these and not just the symptoms.
High blood pressure is a symptom - It is not the root cause of disease
Giving drugs to suppress blood pressure is therefore doomed to fail.
Wednesday, September 04, 2013
Do blood pressure drugs improve health, quality of life and longevity?
I have really enjoyed this debate about the effectiveness, or otherwise, of blood pressure drugs.
Nothing in science is ever a closed subject. Scientific progress is fueled by informed debate. A scientist, including a doctor, welcomes detailed scrutiny. Those that seek to stifle informed debate are anti progress and anti knowledge.
I suspect the motivation for this complaint and subsequent legal actions are the result of my comments in Walking Magazine about blood pressure drugs being largely ineffective. This is a case of playing the man and not the ball. A case of suppressing healthy debate about matters that affect countless lives.
"Hello, I wish to pass on my sincere gratitude to Mr Moller for his excellent articles on Blood Pressure. I am a 67 year old female and been "on" meds for 30 years and at all stages experienced side effects of medications and run fowl of all sorts of G.P's for daring to say I experiencing side effects and the best thing that has happened is the internet and at hand knowledge which by some G.P's is frowned upon. I should (I now know) never been prescribed them in the first place which I won't bore you all with the reasons for that statement but for reasons unknown to me now, I just kept swallowing them cause I told I had to. Thats what my generation and upwards do. My mother is 92 and in the last ten years had inpatient events and they all to do with medications so I say to her you have lived in spite of them.
I work at the hospital here, I read consultants letters from patients attending and the despair of patients as they - men and women, complain of side effects, indeed last week a 57 year old man made the decision to consultant to abandon all and take his chances to have "quality of life" he noted.
I have had to go off Atacand due to Pharmacs ruling so once again been subjected to new pills and my blood pressure is extremely high now on the taking, but the side effects of these different pills most debilitating.
My back ground is serious runner, now realise more serious at 5.00am when effects of pills wearing off, that was when I was at my best, only gave this up four years ago, I now tramp seriously, eat well and never done anything wrong. I am on a mission to never have any of my four children prescribed any of this junk, my daughter is being monitered in her pregnancy very carefully as she had pre eclampsia in the last, the GP suggested BP but she said she would rather not and try an alternative. Good for her, what she is getting is regular check ups and excellent care. Last time it was pills given, into hosp and out within 24 hours!
Once again, thankyou, keep it up, my magazines been shown to all friends on medication, they express gratitude as well.
Regards XXX" (Name supplied but withheld)
"Good on you Gary. I have just read your rebuttal in the July Walking Magazine of the ascerbic letter from a member of the medical profession about drugs and blood pressure.
I have not, and never have had, bp issues but I do have what the doctors tell me is too high a cholesterol level. I have been under pressure for 15 years (Iam 64) to take statins and have resisted, the reason being that I have seen no proof that high cholesterol will lead to heart attack or similar. Indeed, I have read an article (which I would like to attach to this email but you do not allow that) that specifically opposes the use (or should I say wholesale prescribing) of statins.
The doctors seem to have been influenced by the manufacturers and not taken a holistic view of the issue."
(Name withheld)
_________________________
Thanks very much for the support. Here is the letter this person is referring to, the offending article that was published in
http://www.walkingnewzealand.co.nz/ (you can subscribe here) and my riposte:
To the editor
Dear Frank,
As a keen reader of your magazine I was very concerned to read the May 2013 article by Gary Moller, suggesting that most blood pressure medications do not work and that many blood pressure medicines cause weight gain around the waist and therefore increase the risk of heart attack.
These and other statements in his article display an inadequate knowledge of the high blood pressure and a woefully inadequate knowledge of how blood pressure medications work.
There is a high risk that a gullible reader might stop their blood pressure medication and suffer a heart attack or, possibly more likely, a stroke.
I am amazed that Mr Moller can blithely comment that he cannot back up his 'sweeping statement' with research yet continue to disparage blood pressure medication.
I advise that you:
1. Consult the NZ Heart and Stroke Foundations for their comments about the article
2. Publish a statement that the opinions expressed in the article are not necessarily the opinions ot the magazine
3 Advise your readers that anyone who follows Mr Moller's advice and suffers a heart attack or stroke report Mr Moller to the Health and Disability Commissioner.
Thank you. I look forward to your response.
(Dr) Murray Shaw
General Practitioner
Amesbury Health Centre
Palmerston North.
 |
| Has improving health been supplanted by the motivation for profit? |
Play the ball and not the man!
Recently, I received a very, very expensive letter, delivered by hand, from one of the the most expensive law firms in New Zealand. It was a letter threatening me with a law suit! A doctor had done a meticulous fishing expedition of my online materials, much like that being done by the NSA Prism Spying Programme, aiming to dig up the dirt on Gary Moller. I'm far from perfect. He found something - a minor matter; but one sufficient to make a formal complaint to Med Safe. Med Safe then passed this complaint onto the large drugs company concerned which then set the lawyers onto me. All very over the top when the matter could have been resolved with a single phone call!I suspect the motivation for this complaint and subsequent legal actions are the result of my comments in Walking Magazine about blood pressure drugs being largely ineffective. This is a case of playing the man and not the ball. A case of suppressing healthy debate about matters that affect countless lives.
"Hello, I wish to pass on my sincere gratitude to Mr Moller for his excellent articles on Blood Pressure. I am a 67 year old female and been "on" meds for 30 years and at all stages experienced side effects of medications and run fowl of all sorts of G.P's for daring to say I experiencing side effects and the best thing that has happened is the internet and at hand knowledge which by some G.P's is frowned upon. I should (I now know) never been prescribed them in the first place which I won't bore you all with the reasons for that statement but for reasons unknown to me now, I just kept swallowing them cause I told I had to. Thats what my generation and upwards do. My mother is 92 and in the last ten years had inpatient events and they all to do with medications so I say to her you have lived in spite of them.
I work at the hospital here, I read consultants letters from patients attending and the despair of patients as they - men and women, complain of side effects, indeed last week a 57 year old man made the decision to consultant to abandon all and take his chances to have "quality of life" he noted.
I have had to go off Atacand due to Pharmacs ruling so once again been subjected to new pills and my blood pressure is extremely high now on the taking, but the side effects of these different pills most debilitating.
My back ground is serious runner, now realise more serious at 5.00am when effects of pills wearing off, that was when I was at my best, only gave this up four years ago, I now tramp seriously, eat well and never done anything wrong. I am on a mission to never have any of my four children prescribed any of this junk, my daughter is being monitered in her pregnancy very carefully as she had pre eclampsia in the last, the GP suggested BP but she said she would rather not and try an alternative. Good for her, what she is getting is regular check ups and excellent care. Last time it was pills given, into hosp and out within 24 hours!
Once again, thankyou, keep it up, my magazines been shown to all friends on medication, they express gratitude as well.
Regards XXX" (Name supplied but withheld)
"Good on you Gary. I have just read your rebuttal in the July Walking Magazine of the ascerbic letter from a member of the medical profession about drugs and blood pressure.
I have not, and never have had, bp issues but I do have what the doctors tell me is too high a cholesterol level. I have been under pressure for 15 years (Iam 64) to take statins and have resisted, the reason being that I have seen no proof that high cholesterol will lead to heart attack or similar. Indeed, I have read an article (which I would like to attach to this email but you do not allow that) that specifically opposes the use (or should I say wholesale prescribing) of statins.
The doctors seem to have been influenced by the manufacturers and not taken a holistic view of the issue."
(Name withheld)
_________________________
Thanks very much for the support. Here is the letter this person is referring to, the offending article that was published in
http://www.walkingnewzealand.co.nz/ (you can subscribe here) and my riposte:
To the editor
Dear Frank,
As a keen reader of your magazine I was very concerned to read the May 2013 article by Gary Moller, suggesting that most blood pressure medications do not work and that many blood pressure medicines cause weight gain around the waist and therefore increase the risk of heart attack.
These and other statements in his article display an inadequate knowledge of the high blood pressure and a woefully inadequate knowledge of how blood pressure medications work.
There is a high risk that a gullible reader might stop their blood pressure medication and suffer a heart attack or, possibly more likely, a stroke.
I am amazed that Mr Moller can blithely comment that he cannot back up his 'sweeping statement' with research yet continue to disparage blood pressure medication.
I advise that you:
1. Consult the NZ Heart and Stroke Foundations for their comments about the article
2. Publish a statement that the opinions expressed in the article are not necessarily the opinions ot the magazine
3 Advise your readers that anyone who follows Mr Moller's advice and suffers a heart attack or stroke report Mr Moller to the Health and Disability Commissioner.
Thank you. I look forward to your response.
(Dr) Murray Shaw
General Practitioner
Amesbury Health Centre
Palmerston North.
Here's the offending article:
Friday, March 11, 2011
A 61 year old man who develops "blotchy legs" after walking 12 miles
"I get the same blotchy lower legs as "F" did. However I only get these blotches after I have walked for over 12 miles. (usually rambling) (which seems curiously precise). The blotchiness fades after a few days. It is unrelated to the type or grip of socks worn (or even if socks are worn at all).
(Although, reading about "F" it occurs to me that I haven't tried walking in airline support socks.) It is independent of what shoes are worn. Exposure to the sun makes no difference. (I usually wear long trousers).
The blotchiness is not itchy. The doctor said he didn't know what it was. There's not much on the web. Yet someone at the gym said his father (very overweight) got the same. And I noticed that, last year in Germany where they favour 3/4 length slacks, some others had milder (perhaps wearing off?) occurences of it. I am overweight: I'm 5'9" and weigh 105kg..
I take a statin and atenolol (low dosage) for blood pressure and cholestorol. (My BP and Cholesterol are OK, but my BP rises a bit without the beta blocker). I can't remember if I ever had the blotchiness before being put on the drugs.
My legs are not thin, like "F" but generally look swollen, I think, or just plain fat. I don't think my legs swell when I get the blotchiness, but I haven't measured it. I do not have any allergies. I don't know how one would massage the legs. If you can help I would be very grateful."
________________________________________
Gary:
Statins and blood pressure medications do not address the underlying causes of cardiovascular disease and may actually make matters worse over the long term by the actions of masking the disease process until it is too late and by complications from drugs side effects.
Statins deplete the body of crucial substances such as Coenzyme Q-10 which is critical for cell metabolism, heart and blood vessel health. That statin use may be causing, or worsening the blotching is worthy of serious consideration. Seldom will a medical practitioner admit to the possibility that a drug he has prescribed may be causing the harm. In my experience, the more usual action is to prescribe another drug intended to counter the side effect of the other.
Statin side effects tend to be much more severe in people who exercise. Coenzyme Q-10 is heavily involved during exhausting or intense exercise, so any drug that interferes with this nutrient will rapidly cause difficulties such as severe muscle and joint pain in the person attempting to reduce their heart attack risk by exercise!
Inflammation and not cholesterol is now recognised as being the main driver of cardiovascular disease. For more, please refer to the E-Books linked in the right hand column, some of which refer to the cholesterol myth and inflammation.
The blotching on the legs will be a combination of poor circulation through the legs, nutrient deficiencies and inflammation.
As an immediate course of action I recommend starting with therapeutic doses of powerful cardiovascular anti-oxidants (These are restricted "Practitioner" products dispensed by prescription) which you can obtain from me by email, plus daily Q-10 with selenium and omega 3 oils (Again, available from me). These should bring about a lasting improvement within 3-12 months.
However: These natural therapies are going to be largely a waste of time and money as long as you are on the blood pressure and cholesterol medications. I suggest you research thoroughly the natural alternatives to medication for cardiovascular health. Have a serious discussion with your doctor about safely withdrawing the medicines you are on, beginning with the statin.
Here is a good place to start your research and have a look at purchasing one or two of the E-Books that are linked to the right of this article.
_______________________________________
About this website
The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness. Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. While we may not always be able to compete with the big operators on price, we aim to more than compensate through personal service! Friday, November 19, 2010
Dietary Restrictions with Gout
My husband has real problems with gout.
He finds he gets a gout attack within an hour after eating even a small amount of any green leafy vegetable (including rocket, spinach, cabbage), capsicums, peas & beans, mushrooms, asparagus, salami and some sausages.
We also avoid the usual gout causers such as several types of seafood, liver and red wine.
He finds he can only really eat yellow, orange or white vegetables and broccoli or zucchini.
I find these dietary restrictions challenging when trying to prepare balanced nutritional family meals, and set a good example for our primary school aged son.
I also wonder what the long term effects on my husbands health might be from lacking nutrient areas and how we should be addressing this.
He is taking Allopurinol, Fish Oil, Glucosamine and Betaloc.
Many thanks !
"J"
_______________________________________________
Gary:
While dietary restrictions are necessary for now, the real solution lies with dealing with the "Elephant in the room" - Betaloc.
Gout is a common adverse effect of Betaloc. Betaloc is known to cause kidney damage. Betaloc is prescribed for high blood pressure; yet the crazy thing about this drug is the damage it can cause to the kidneys will cause further rises in blood pressure of the kind that is resistant to any kind of treatment.
There are safe and effective ways to maintain healthy blood pressure without resorting to potentially harmful drugs. The first step is to get a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis completed and to use the results to guide diet and lifestyle interventions. The root causes of high blood pressure are usually to do with calcification of the blood vessels, magnesium and B6 deficiency and imbalances between sodium and potassium. Chronic stress can exacerbate these. The hair analysis will help identify the exact mix of causes and guide us in developing an effective intervention.
Relying on diet alone to control the gout is futile over the long term. The condition will only tend to worse and complications will set in, including ones associated with nutritional deficiencies. The problem is with the blood pressure medication. The usual medical response is to prescribe more medications which serves only to further complicate matters even more.
Prescribing more medication to counter the complications of another is know as the "Cascade Effect".
Gout associated with blood pressure medication calls for an urgent review of your husband's medication with the most obvious action being cessation of the offending pills. This action needs to be discussed with the doctor who is prescribing the medication.
He finds he gets a gout attack within an hour after eating even a small amount of any green leafy vegetable (including rocket, spinach, cabbage), capsicums, peas & beans, mushrooms, asparagus, salami and some sausages.
We also avoid the usual gout causers such as several types of seafood, liver and red wine.
He finds he can only really eat yellow, orange or white vegetables and broccoli or zucchini.
I find these dietary restrictions challenging when trying to prepare balanced nutritional family meals, and set a good example for our primary school aged son.
I also wonder what the long term effects on my husbands health might be from lacking nutrient areas and how we should be addressing this.
He is taking Allopurinol, Fish Oil, Glucosamine and Betaloc.
Many thanks !
"J"
_______________________________________________
Gary:
While dietary restrictions are necessary for now, the real solution lies with dealing with the "Elephant in the room" - Betaloc.
Gout is a common adverse effect of Betaloc. Betaloc is known to cause kidney damage. Betaloc is prescribed for high blood pressure; yet the crazy thing about this drug is the damage it can cause to the kidneys will cause further rises in blood pressure of the kind that is resistant to any kind of treatment.
There are safe and effective ways to maintain healthy blood pressure without resorting to potentially harmful drugs. The first step is to get a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis completed and to use the results to guide diet and lifestyle interventions. The root causes of high blood pressure are usually to do with calcification of the blood vessels, magnesium and B6 deficiency and imbalances between sodium and potassium. Chronic stress can exacerbate these. The hair analysis will help identify the exact mix of causes and guide us in developing an effective intervention.
Relying on diet alone to control the gout is futile over the long term. The condition will only tend to worse and complications will set in, including ones associated with nutritional deficiencies. The problem is with the blood pressure medication. The usual medical response is to prescribe more medications which serves only to further complicate matters even more.
Prescribing more medication to counter the complications of another is know as the "Cascade Effect".
"Cascade Effect": One drop on another and another until it becomes an overwhelming torrent!
Gout associated with blood pressure medication calls for an urgent review of your husband's medication with the most obvious action being cessation of the offending pills. This action needs to be discussed with the doctor who is prescribing the medication.
_______________________________________
About this website
The advice in these articles is given freely without promise or obligation. Its all about giving you and your family the tools and information to take control of your health and fitness. Please give me your support by subscribing to my free email updates. Please shop at my Online Store. Please encourage your family and friends to do the same. While we may not always be able to compete with the big operators on price, we aim to more than compensate through personal service! Wednesday, April 28, 2010
More about Blood Pressure: What is healthy Blood Pressure?
A blood pressure around about 120/80 is pretty well perfect. Blood pressure such as 110/60, or lower, may contribute to poor concentration, feeling light headed upon standing up and feeling excessively tired at times. Pressures that persistently exceed 140/90 will be detrimental to health over time.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
I suffer vomiting and diarrhoea after cycling - please help!
hi Gary, i am an 58year old female who has been virtually inactive most my life, 18months ago i took up doing duathlons for a challenge(nothing Spectacular )but it least it got me active.
From there i decided that i would rather do cycling only at a recreational level. But ever since being on a bike i have had issues with nausea and vomiting. early in the peace it was only once a month i could feel fine going off to bed then all of a sudden i would wake and and start vomiting most of the time it is phlegm or bile, then i would start with passing bowel motions these would go from normal to water over the period of the two hours that this would go on, eventually the vomiting goes to a fowl tasting and horrible, i have trouble bring it up as it seem it is in big lumps.(normal there is no food particulars in this)
I have had all the blood tests that the dr can think of coeliac, etc, they thought it was gallstones which i have since had my gall bladder out 10 weeks ago,after 6weeks i got back on my bike and the same thing happened to me. the vomiting started again and the nausea has become a permanent fixture with me, so i stopped cycling again.
I had a bout of vertigo and went to a E.N.T specialist, so while i was there i explained to him my dilemma (which it is becoming now).and he thought it was reflux, even though i told him i don't get the heartburn or the burning sensation in my chest or stomach, so he put me on LOSEC tablets, this cured the problem for 2 weeks so i thought all was good so went for another bike ride and bugger me we are back to square one for no apparent reason i started to vomit the same stuff and the same scenario with the bowel motions as well it only lasts for a couple of hours and then stops, but leaves me feel week and tired. It seems to be only on rides that i push my self harder than normal i.e like racing in the recreational grade if i go for a slower ride it doesn't do it.
Over the period of the first 12months i lost 18 kgs, since then i have lost about another 5kgs, i have change my diet but i would say for the better, i never used to eat breakfast but now i also do, usually cereal, i don't eat a lot of bread, i do take drink out on the rides,i thought it might have been the powder i was putting into the water, but i took water only yesterday and i had another session last night.
It doesn't make any difference it it is on 20ks or 80ks i biking , my only solution i can find to this is to give up he sport of cycling but i don't want to do this, but no one can give me an answer, it is getting to the stage of desperate. thanks i hope you can enlighten me with what could be wrong. carol
From there i decided that i would rather do cycling only at a recreational level. But ever since being on a bike i have had issues with nausea and vomiting. early in the peace it was only once a month i could feel fine going off to bed then all of a sudden i would wake and and start vomiting most of the time it is phlegm or bile, then i would start with passing bowel motions these would go from normal to water over the period of the two hours that this would go on, eventually the vomiting goes to a fowl tasting and horrible, i have trouble bring it up as it seem it is in big lumps.(normal there is no food particulars in this)
I have had all the blood tests that the dr can think of coeliac, etc, they thought it was gallstones which i have since had my gall bladder out 10 weeks ago,after 6weeks i got back on my bike and the same thing happened to me. the vomiting started again and the nausea has become a permanent fixture with me, so i stopped cycling again.
I had a bout of vertigo and went to a E.N.T specialist, so while i was there i explained to him my dilemma (which it is becoming now).and he thought it was reflux, even though i told him i don't get the heartburn or the burning sensation in my chest or stomach, so he put me on LOSEC tablets, this cured the problem for 2 weeks so i thought all was good so went for another bike ride and bugger me we are back to square one for no apparent reason i started to vomit the same stuff and the same scenario with the bowel motions as well it only lasts for a couple of hours and then stops, but leaves me feel week and tired. It seems to be only on rides that i push my self harder than normal i.e like racing in the recreational grade if i go for a slower ride it doesn't do it.
Over the period of the first 12months i lost 18 kgs, since then i have lost about another 5kgs, i have change my diet but i would say for the better, i never used to eat breakfast but now i also do, usually cereal, i don't eat a lot of bread, i do take drink out on the rides,i thought it might have been the powder i was putting into the water, but i took water only yesterday and i had another session last night.
It doesn't make any difference it it is on 20ks or 80ks i biking , my only solution i can find to this is to give up he sport of cycling but i don't want to do this, but no one can give me an answer, it is getting to the stage of desperate. thanks i hope you can enlighten me with what could be wrong. carol
p.s. the only other medication is betaloc and inhibace tablets for blood pressure which is under control
_____________________________________________
Gary Moller comments:
Carol,
I think it is absolutely wonderful that you are taking up cycling and duathlon. Congratulations!
It is strange that none of the medical experts that you have consulted do not appear to have read the prescriber information for the very medications that they have prescribed you.
I have a very strong suspicion that the cause of your problems are the two blood pressure medications that you are taking. The reason the symptoms are so strongly associated with cycling is probably because you are pushing your heart rate higher than usual and for longer. Beta blockers and high heart rates do not sit comfortably together; nor does intense prolonged exercise with medicines that affect the kidneys.
Medication and Cycling Safety
I am uncomfortable about you riding in bunches with others and doing so competitively. The vertigo you suffered is no random event. The blood pressure medications you are on can adversely affect concentration and balance, especially as fatigue and dehydration set in. These effects may be so subtle that you may never be aware of them; but on a cycle, going at speed, even the slightest decrement may prove fatal. You may be a hazard to yourself and to those about you. As a competitive cyclist myself, I would not be comfortable riding with you in close proximity.
Recent cycling deaths involving older riders may be interesting to investigate closer. I speculate that unusually high rates of prescribed medication for blood pressure and cholesterol may be found in these group of unfortunate riders. Cycling requires extreme concentration, balance and lightning reactions. If you choose to ride a bike then you should not be on medication that may compromise safety.
Losec and the slippery slope
Prescribing Losec is an inadequate and short-sighted measure for the problems you are experiencing and is yet another step along the continuum towards medical dependency. Take Losec long enough and you will eventually need another medicine to counter the side effects and then another and another until the body finally gives out and you die a slow and miserable death.
The cycling or the pills
I think you need to make a decision: Give up the competitive cycling or the blood pressure pills. If you stay on the pills, then consign yourself to low intensity recreational sport and preferably stay off the highways well away from cars and do not ride in bunches. You need to talk to your doctor about this. Do you really need to be on these drugs at all? Has the exercise and lifestyle done away with the need for these pills?
Healthy Alternatives
What about the healthy alternatives of a few key supplements, a heart healthy diet, Active Elements and regular exercise? You should be asking your doctor: Why did my blood pressure rise in the first place? And go from there. Drugging for blood pressure control is akin to using a sledge hammer to repair a delicate Swiss Watch.
Gall bladders and medications
I wonder why you had to have your gall bladder removed? All that might have been required is to get rid of the blood pressure medication which is known to be toxic to the liver and thus might have been the root cause of your gall bladder problems. Unless one is faced with a life-threatening situation, then all non-surgical options should be thoroughly explored and exhausted before proceeding down the path of non-return. This should have included withdrawal of the blood pressure drugs and then watching you closely for a few months.
The gall bladder is there for a good reason and this is to do with proper fat digestion. You should now be ensuring that you have in place long term dietary measures to compensate for the loss of the gall bladder.
Does it work anyway?
I am surprised at how ineffective blood pressure medication can be and constantly wonder why these are prescribed like lollies when the raft of side effects can be so damaging. Especially when there are perfectly safe alternatives. After a few months the body has a habit of habituating to these drugs and the dose needs to be upped or the medication changed. Unless you have a personal BP machine, do you really know that the drugs are even working properly? You need to be taking regular readings throughout the day and weeks and recording the readings in a diary.
Please let me know how you get on and all the best with your duathlons and cycling Carol.
Gary Moller comments:
Carol,
I think it is absolutely wonderful that you are taking up cycling and duathlon. Congratulations!
It is strange that none of the medical experts that you have consulted do not appear to have read the prescriber information for the very medications that they have prescribed you.
I have a very strong suspicion that the cause of your problems are the two blood pressure medications that you are taking. The reason the symptoms are so strongly associated with cycling is probably because you are pushing your heart rate higher than usual and for longer. Beta blockers and high heart rates do not sit comfortably together; nor does intense prolonged exercise with medicines that affect the kidneys.
Medication and Cycling Safety
I am uncomfortable about you riding in bunches with others and doing so competitively. The vertigo you suffered is no random event. The blood pressure medications you are on can adversely affect concentration and balance, especially as fatigue and dehydration set in. These effects may be so subtle that you may never be aware of them; but on a cycle, going at speed, even the slightest decrement may prove fatal. You may be a hazard to yourself and to those about you. As a competitive cyclist myself, I would not be comfortable riding with you in close proximity.
Recent cycling deaths involving older riders may be interesting to investigate closer. I speculate that unusually high rates of prescribed medication for blood pressure and cholesterol may be found in these group of unfortunate riders. Cycling requires extreme concentration, balance and lightning reactions. If you choose to ride a bike then you should not be on medication that may compromise safety.
Losec and the slippery slope
Prescribing Losec is an inadequate and short-sighted measure for the problems you are experiencing and is yet another step along the continuum towards medical dependency. Take Losec long enough and you will eventually need another medicine to counter the side effects and then another and another until the body finally gives out and you die a slow and miserable death.
The cycling or the pills
I think you need to make a decision: Give up the competitive cycling or the blood pressure pills. If you stay on the pills, then consign yourself to low intensity recreational sport and preferably stay off the highways well away from cars and do not ride in bunches. You need to talk to your doctor about this. Do you really need to be on these drugs at all? Has the exercise and lifestyle done away with the need for these pills?
Healthy Alternatives
What about the healthy alternatives of a few key supplements, a heart healthy diet, Active Elements and regular exercise? You should be asking your doctor: Why did my blood pressure rise in the first place? And go from there. Drugging for blood pressure control is akin to using a sledge hammer to repair a delicate Swiss Watch.
Gall bladders and medications
I wonder why you had to have your gall bladder removed? All that might have been required is to get rid of the blood pressure medication which is known to be toxic to the liver and thus might have been the root cause of your gall bladder problems. Unless one is faced with a life-threatening situation, then all non-surgical options should be thoroughly explored and exhausted before proceeding down the path of non-return. This should have included withdrawal of the blood pressure drugs and then watching you closely for a few months.
The gall bladder is there for a good reason and this is to do with proper fat digestion. You should now be ensuring that you have in place long term dietary measures to compensate for the loss of the gall bladder.
Does it work anyway?
I am surprised at how ineffective blood pressure medication can be and constantly wonder why these are prescribed like lollies when the raft of side effects can be so damaging. Especially when there are perfectly safe alternatives. After a few months the body has a habit of habituating to these drugs and the dose needs to be upped or the medication changed. Unless you have a personal BP machine, do you really know that the drugs are even working properly? You need to be taking regular readings throughout the day and weeks and recording the readings in a diary.
Please let me know how you get on and all the best with your duathlons and cycling Carol.
Email Gary: gary at myotec.co.nz (Replace the "at" with @ and remove spaces). Please include any relevant background information to your question.
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