Blood pressure goes down with exercise?

[kathylynn]

My father has had a terrible time over the past year with a strange blood pressure situation.  His resting blood pressure is very high (today 184/96) and so he is prescribed blood pressure medicaitons, none of which have helped the problem, with bad side effects.  The stranger thing still is that when he exerts himself his blood pressure drops!  He becomes tired, lightheaded, cold sweats,  upset stomach, sometimes gastric problems (stomach cramps and diarrhea)  and general feelings of being "outside himself".  He has been to doctor after doctor with this situation and cannot seem to get any answers.  He feels that he is treated like he is crazy by them and we have  taken the blood pressure and prepared a log for them to see that it is really happening.  Have you ever heard of this situation or have some suggestions for things we could have the doctors look for to help my father.  My father is now on Toprol and is having a lot of bad side effects but the blood pressure is still high.  We really need some new suggestions!!!!! Thank you.

[gymdandee]

The Best Forms of Exercise for Those Suffering from Heart Disease
What exercises work best, how often, and how long. Our bodies were made to walk.
My advice is to walk for at least one hour per day (please consult with your doctor before starting any exercise regimen). This is even better than running or jogging, particularly over the long term, because it avoids the problems with arthritis that crop up in runners’ hips and knees.
Our bodies were made to walk. Just do what comes naturally and you’ll find a tremendous improvement in your overall health.
Here's the very best exercise for those suffering from heart disease. It’s ballroom dancing.
Like walking, ballroom dancing demands natural and vigorous movement over an extended period. Its social and relational aspects add an additional measure of stress reduction. Since you will probably be dancing with your spouse. And you are likely to go dancing at least once in a while in the company of friends, adding to the enjoyment of a social event. For these reasons, ballroom dancing is a powerful stress reducer as well as an enjoyable form of exercise.

[va_tony]

It may be that your father requires more than a single BP med to resolve his symptoms. My 92 year old mother had similar BP (180/75).  It took many months of trial and error to find the right mix and dosage of  3 meds (beta blocker, ace inhibitor and diuretic) to get the BP down WITHOUT making her feel weak and faint. Getting the BP down was easy but then she suffered occasional bouts of dehydration and had to be whisked off to the ER afer fainting. Fortunately a proper combination of 3 meds has been found for her that is satisfactory. You didn't say how old your dad is but epending on his age, it may be ncessary to take him to a nephrologist (blocked arteries to the kidneys are often a cause of high BP in those of advanced age-- also the BP meds could be dangeros for the kidneys in such situations).

Best of luck.

[CollegeGirl143]

an exersice stress test would be ideal right now if he hasnt already had one.