My BP is still down at 140/85 as opposed to 150/95 a few days ago,im also eating brown rice and blackstrap molasses which are both very hign in magnesium which also lowers BP...
BTW,my study nurse told me today that HEP B is incurable because its not the the RNA virus type like hep C is.I did not know this.She says hep B is DNA strain similar to the HIV virus so i guess im lucky to have the C
Thank you for your very helpful post DD,i will be keeping track of my autoimmue issues as i continue on,the only health issue i had before TX was hayfever in the spring every year.I have been tracking my BP everyday ever sinice i stopped TX and it has been higher that normal,i wll let you know if this Hawthorn is going to continue to help as i have noticed a drop in my numbers already,
I experienced the exact same thing right after ending tx. It seems to be somewhat common after tx, from anecdotal comments that I have read on this site. I honestly believe that the tx (chiefly all the interferon) creates new metabolic patterns in many of us, and by some not yet understood mechanism provokes high blood pressure.
I suspect that the development of an 'autoimmune' type response from the interferon, may be what is causing the blood pressure issues. If you research problems that Lupus patients experience, cardiovascular issues are high on the list. Also, note that many post-tx issues that people complain about (joint pains, fatigue, depression, brain fog, neuritis, rashes, sun sensitivity, etc. etc. are all major symptoms of autoimmune diseases, especially Lupus, Sjogren's, etc.....THIS is really what I suspect is at the root of our post tx problems. Some people do tx, and DO NOT develop autoimmune type responses....others develop a permanent autoimmune response.
Many rheumatologists out there have been regularly dealing with these issues, and some of the more 'tuned in' doctors understand fully the link between interferon tx, and autoimmune manifestations. My post-tx profile, using state-of-art blood testing, was a "somewhat Lupus-like" pattern, that could not specifically be labeled Lupus, but could not be labeled anywhere near "normal" either. My rheumatologist just called it the Interferon response, and said that he has seen many cases of HCV tx'ers with the same problems.
If you do a personal inventory of typical autoimmune symptoms (from a Lupus site) you can then compare your post-tx issues with a range of sx, to see if you have more of a pattern of sx, from 'autoimmunity', rather than just isolated, unrelated BP symptoms. In other words, the high BP issue, MAY just be part of a bigger, more encompassing problem, which involves more organs and systems than just the cardiovascular. (Or, of course, it may not)
I hope these comments are helpful in provoking further investigation, and consideration on your part...to determine what your high BP is really related to.
DoubleDose
In Germany one of the most frequently prescribed treatments for heart conditions is the herb hawthorn (Crataegus orycantholdes). Germany, like many European countries, has a government agency called the Kommission E which produces official monographs guiding the safe prescription, usage and manufacture of herbal medicines. Amongst current monographs is one on hawthorn which states that it is useful for heart insufficiency (classes 1 and 2) by strengthening heart contractions, lowering blood pressure and lowering pulse rate, as well as improving physical work capacity and anaerobic capacity (the ability to continue functioning in low oxygen conditions). The berry from hawthorn is widely employed for arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats, palpitations), high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries.
i meat it was 130/85 today..opps.
I got some good news on my HBP.i tested it today and it was 130/35,it was high ever since the day i stopped TX ,145/95...i only took 3 doses of the Hawthorn extract since yesterday,i am only over weigh by 10-15 lbs because i eat like a horse,i dont look fat or anything.im just solid with big bones i guess ,right now im at 205 lb...some drugs and herbs dont work for all
Sorry to tell you this but I tried every herb & supp for high BP and nothing worked. My BP was in the 145-85 range so I thought since it wasn't that high maybe the herbs / supps would work. No luck. Ended up having to go on the RX meds. I stopped the meds during tx because BP was normal but since I finished tx it has gone back up. Looks like I may have to start back on the BP meds again.
I agree about the weight will cause high BP and I'm trying to lose 20 lbs to avoid the meds.
Just curious, from what I read about all the good food you eat plus the supps you take how you can be overweight?
Good luck
The only drugs ever took in my life was the PEG-RIBA and the PI drugs,i had no choice.Except of coirse what i did im my re-"create"-ation days.
ScienceDaily (Jan. 23, 2008) — Adding another twist to the ongoing debate over the value of an herbal treatment for patients with heart failure, a new review of existing research suggests that hawthorn extract "significantly" improves symptoms
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080122203321.htm
I had elevated BP before tx and after treatment it was very high for about a year. Then as my Liver healed it started to come down one year after treatment. It is now considered pre hypertension and I would never take blood pressure meds for that because I don't like the side effects.
Bobby
Yes ,i have read this before,thanks for the heads up.
Ronnie, DON'T take Gingko Biloba, it's bad for people with liver disease...
Jd, I got a little machine at home too. I'm so glad I have it. All through tx my blood pressure was even lower than it usually is and I was able to monitor it. Now it's back up to MY normal, which is still a bit low. But better low than high.
Here in the freezing cold north we have accuate BP machines in every corner drug store and free to use
I have a blood pressure unit (wrist style by Omron) that I use daily. I got it about 8 years ago, at CVS for under $70, and it logs and stores bp and pulse data. It will produce graphs and give you a really good picture of where you stand bp wise. When the visiting nurses were coming to me after surgery, I had them check it against the bp cuff they used, and we found that it was very accurate. Its a good investment for anyone who has to monitor their bp.
Another natural treatment for high blood pressure is Ginkgo Biloba, one of the top-selling herbs in the United States. This herb enhances blood circulation by expanding blood vessels and reducing the stickiness of blood platelets. Many studies have shown that ginkgo can also improve memory and lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It achieves this by allowing more blood to flow to the brain.
Thanks for the tips,ive decided to use this to help with my HBP:
Hawthorn contains many substances that may benefit the heart. However, it appears that two substances in particular -- flavonoids and oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs) -- are most likely to contribute to hawthorn's beneficial effects on the heart. Flavonoids may help dilate blood vessels, improve blood flow, and protect the blood vessels from damage. Both flavonoids and OPCs have antioxidant effects.
The berries, leaves, and flowers of the hawthorn plant are used for medicinal purposes. The leaves and flowers are believed to contain more of the active compounds than the berries.
i will let you all know if im still alive tommorrow after taking this wild berry
A diagnosis of hypertension isn't made until a person consistently has BP readings greater than140 over 90. One BP in that range isn't enough to dx as high blood pressure.
The best thing you can do is to begin tracking your BP. In the States we have BP machines in many drugstores so folks can track their own BP, do you have access to something like that? If I was concerned about my BP, I'd probably check it every day or two at different times of day and see what the trend is. Track it for at least a week or two, writing down the date, time of day, and the BP value. Then take your BP readings to your doctor and find out whether there's any reason for concern.
Being overweight can also affect BP, so that's another thing to track.
Keep us posted.
Lapis
I'm by no means an expert in high blood pressure, as I've had low blood pressure ever since I can remember.
I think you should talk to your doctor about it and have it monitored regularly. You don't want to neglect it, it can become serious. Check into your diet and supplements again, you might be getting too much of the good stuff, which might not be so good for the blood pressure.
I'm careful with eating stuff which reduces blood pressure, as mine is too low.
Was your MD's office where you got this B/P reading? If the nurse was the one who checked it, if it's like my MD's office, she just wrote it in the chart. Next time your in for an appt. ask your Dr. about it. 150/90 isnt terrible,but if it stays there,later on, you could have some problems. Thats the problem with hypertension. There's no symptoms until your in trouble.
I thought you were "exploding with muscle"?!! LOL! Sorry to hear this is happening to you. Maybe you are still toxic from the Tx, I mean your body has just gone through chemo. Talk to your doctor. Maybe one of your Canadian counterparts can answer the price question. I would think this stuff is covered by insurance in the States, but I don't need it so don't know.
Maybe you should also check for the grand slam of health status. How's your blood sugar?
With hepatitis C, stress, high blood pressure and overweight you are now like anyone else who has a diet of cheeseburgers and french toast.
I am on medication for hypertension, but during tx I stopped that medication because my bp dropped so much. After I stopped the treatment drugs my bp went back up and I resumed the hypertension meds. (The same thing happened while I was on chemo)
By the way, 120/80 is not the low range it is the top of the normal range. When you get above 120/80 (at all) most doctors will put you on meds.
Here in the US, I get a 3 month supply of my bp meds for $10.