Hypertension

Ok well first off, sorry about this, cause it's going to be a little venting.

Met with my primary doc today to start the lovely process of 6 months managed dieting or however you want to call it.  Weight happily didn't go up, but then it didn't go down either (damn).  So they took my blood pressure and it was high, at least the diastolic (bottom number).  I was 134/94.  WOW!!!  Yeah that one shocked me.  I'm 29 y/o and was diagnoised now with hypertension.  29 that's damn young for this.  I so wanted to go home and just cry and hate myself more.  Yeah I know that wouldn't help either.  But sure as hell didn't help my depression.  So the doc put me on medication, and hopefully she said that with the surgery, which she feels is the correct path due to my extened life as being obese, but she's hoping it will go away.

Second she put me on dieting medication to help curve the craves, not sure how yippie skippy i'm about that, but am willing to try anything to help me lose weight.

Once again, sorry, needed to vent.

hehehehehe....it happens handsome.  My blood pressure used to spike to 200/150.  since surgery, I have been off my blood pressure medication for the past 8 months and my blood pressure never goes above 130/80  :)  so you have something to look forward to.  Now is the time to manage your brain and get on the track to eating healthier and making better choices for yourself.  this won't be easy.  you have to sort of beat yourself mentally into submission.

Like Aaron said, it can get better after surgery. I was on two meds for it and I am off both. I actually have low BP now and eat salt every day to try to help it.

Yeah I am crossing my fingers that it will get better after surgery.  I was more depressed or disappointed that I hit hypertension at 29 y/o.

I was put on blood pressure meds when I was 24........it's a blow but you have to realize that you need it in order to not blow a gasket so to speak.

The doctors at the clinic I went to in college tried to put me on meds when I was 19. I told them I would talk to my PCP at home. I was 32-33 when I was put on meds and ended up on two meds to control it. I was prolly younger than that and needing meds but I never saw the doctor.

OTOH - it is another documented comorbidity, your doctor is actually being proactive starting you on BP meds and not jus****ching, it is a wake up call to you that you actually do need to loose weight because you are hurting yourself with your size and - you don't want a heart attack or stroke - that's why you are pursueing surgery.

Sucks when they point the finger at ya and give ya a diagnosis though.

I suffer from high blood pressure as well. I made it up to stroke level if it makes you feel any better. My doctor told me to go strait to the pharmacy. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

The good news is that the medication that they put me on actually helps you lose water weight and I've heard that there are several others that do the same.

Vents are welcome here, bud! 

On my 3 month managed diet I ended up the same weight. I was up and down and just before the end, I was on a one week business trip and had 2 banquets to attend. I was not a good dieter. So, isn't that the point of WLS? My surgeon constantly repeats "WLS is for you only after you have exhausted all other means" when he speaks. That is why you are here and having surgery. You will have a tool that will help you control your weight in the future. So, don't beat yourself up over this.

Hypertension... Sadly I was diagnosed when I was about 30. At that time I was not very much overweight. I do have a family history of hypertension and heart disease. It is everywhere in both of my families. So, there is a component of this that you can not control. Given that, there is a component you can control. That is your weight. I have seen the statistics somewhere that after WLS and 1 year post-op a large percentage of folks with hypertension see it disappear or their RXs are greatly reduced. This only gives you another reason to have the surgery.

You should also be aware that most insurances see hypertension as a co-morbidity that can be addressed with WLS. This might very well help your claim go though smoother.

Take Care!
Tom

man I was on BP meds when I was 16...it happens..but you are working to a new life now..