Suggestions to Contol High Blood Pressure

[judykgirl]

I have just been diagnosed with dangerously high blood pressure. It was 220/120.  I am taking Losartan HCTZ 25 mgs and just added is Amlodipine 25 mg.  I have been taken medication since Aug 012 with little success. I am very stressed and just started with a counselor to help with with tramatic experiences that I have gone through as a child and stress as an adult.
I have never used a salt shaker, I've never smoked or ever drank alcohol.  I'm 44 and I do not really eat healthy although I try and am not as active as I should be.  I am 5'2" and weigh 205lbs. My dentist won't even fill a small cavity due to my high BP and calls the Dr. whenever I show up for an appointment.  I would appreciate any suggestions!

[judykgirl]

sorry.....I meant I AM watching sodium content.  I am convinced that my BP raised due the stress:(

[judykgirl]

Thank you for your response.  You're right as far as the eating I am not watching the sodium content as well but only after the high BP diagnosis..  I have started walking 30 minutes a day but losing weight has been a touch one, but I will have to work a little harder on it.  
It appears that stress has a lot to do with my high BP readings as well but hate to take a pill for that as well!
Sorry to hear about the new problems with your kidneys, wish I could help, but it's just another thing I will now watch out for.  You try to live a clean life, however things just creep up on you and you now have issues you may have been able to avoid.  Hope to hear some good results in your future results.

[ireneo]

You've probably heard this before but. . . .  eating right is one thing. There's a lot of sodium in foods, especially prepared foods like canned soups, TV dinners, etc. So even if you aren't using the salt shaker, you're probably getting way more sodium than you need each day and don't realize it.

The other things are being active. You don't have to go jogging but a walk each day is a good start. And then there's the weight. That's a big one. It's so hard to lose extra weight. I need to lose at least 10 lbs and I'm struggling with that much. But if you're carrying around an extra 50 or so pounds, it's like carrying around a young child in your arms all day. It's exhausting. And a strain on your heart.

You're taking medication which may help a bit but it takes more than one simple pill to fix high BP. I wish it was that easy but it isn't. My BP is creeping up a bit and my kidneys have been bleeding for 6 months now. It's scary because I don't know which came first: my increased BP or the kidney problem. I just know I need to figure it out. I want to keep my kidneys happy.