BecomingSober

Hi, I have seen it numerous places that alcohol particularly binge drinking raises blood pressure. In fact it is one of the things that scared me enough to quit (only day 13). Anyone have any experience? If you quit drinking will your blood pressure come back down? Is there hope? I plan to see a doctor in about 6 weeks. At least with alcohol out of the picture, I can tell the truth and address the issue. The last time I was in to the doctor about 2 years ago I lied about my alcohol use. I feel I need to fess up this next time.
Lucy

MycoolFitz

High blood pressure but off ALCOHOL ON BLOOD PRESSURE MED, BIG DIFFERENCE

Nevertheless

I started taking medicine for my high blood pressure about 11 years ago. It was scary high when I found out. I quit drinking almost 3 years ago. I quit taking blood pressure medicine about 8 months ago. It is picture perfect in the morning,but creeps up some during the day. (caffeine and salt). But it's low enough I don't take medicine anymore.
Sooo,while it didn't drop in a few weeks it did return to almost normal. I drank for 30+ years,so I really didn't expect it to happen overnight. But I was also very surprised when after over 2 years it came down. (I have always tested it from time to time by not taking my medicine) I bought a cheap but accurate machine for under 50 bucks when I found out I high BP.
I wasn't a binge drinker,but I drank at least a 12 pack every day.
It IS true that this "crap" raises your BP.
Fred

Dee74

Hi Lucy

Drinking definitely raised my BP - to dangerous levels - but it came back down to normal after I quit drinking, smoking, and not doing much in the way of exercise.

Noone here can tell you what might happen or not happen in your case tho, so it's a really good idea to get checked out by a Dr - and I'd do it as soon as possible.

I know it's scary but why wait? - get checked out and you can set your mind at ease

D

indakut

I have been on BP pills for 15 years. Seven years ago, my doc added a second BP pill to control it. It was nothing to wake up in the AM and have a bottom #of 120. I stopped drinking and smoking cigarettes 10 months ago and made changes in my diet. In December, my doc said I no longer had to take both BP pills. I attribute the decrease in meds to weight loss from drinking so many calories every night.... next up for me is to get out of the diabetes borderline category

Good Luck to you

Bikeguy

I had to be on blood pressure meds when I was drinking, after I quit drinking I was able to throw the pills way in a matter of 2 months. I can really control my blood pressure with exercise and diet but it is different for everyone, check in with your doctor and they can help you establish a game plan to get it under control.

Workingdrunk

My blood pressure had been creeping up to the point that last Aug, 2011 I noticed it at about 155/110, this is while on vacation. Resting heart rate was mid 90's It stayed pretty much at this level until last week when I stopped. I measured it two days ago and I am around 143 / 97, more or less, resting heart rate mid seventies.

It is a pretty much accepted fact that alcohol, especially excessive consumption will in most cases raise your blood pressure.

ImReadyToQuit

Blood pressure is what sent me to the ER.. BP is lowered while drinking, when your body kicks into withdrawals (it only took a few hours for me), it goes way up... Mine was 200/110 when I went to the hospital.. A lot of people have strokes/heart attacks from that swing because of alcohol.

Today mine is 110/70.. No medicine required.

midgetcop

I had blood pressure issues while drinking (I was a binge drinker). My BP was back within normal range within a few months of quitting drinking.

Congrats on day 13!

Justfor1

Not sure when I was drinking but when I sobered up from a bender, usually in the hospital, my blood pressure would be sky high. I would need a couple of different drugs to lower it.

Joene23

I smoked and binge drank on weekends. Its only been 14 days sober for me and 27 days off cigs my blood pressure has dropped from 150/100ish to 118ish/76. Heart rate has gone from average resting rate of about 85 to 60. Honestly I think it was mostly due to the cigs. Within the first week of quitting my BP was down to 130/80.

FBL

My blood pressure was thru the roof when I was actively drinking.

Even after I quit drinking, it was still too high. I finally went on BP meds nearly two years ago and now my BP is perfectly normal. I also get more exercise, which has also helped.

SnazzyDresser

I also had crazy high BP. Quitting drinking didn't magically make it come down, but after several weeks/months of combining sobriety with weight loss and exercise I've finally got it under control now. I still watch it very closely with my home monitor. High BP is not to be trifled with.

Ariesagain

My husband has lost ten pounds and halved his BP meds in two months of not drinking and he was not significantly overweight.

GnikNus

I've been on blood pressure meds for the last several years, but it's come down considerably since I quit drinking almost 2 years ago.

KAD

I've been on two blood pressure meds for years, but it used to be that whenever I quit drinking for any substantial amount of time, I could stop taking one and cut the dosage of the other. I've been sober close to a year and a half now but I do still have to take the meds at the usual dosage. I don't know if that's just because I'm older, or I pushed my luck with continuing to drink when I already knew HBP was a problem. During alcohol withdrawal, my blood pressure would get frighteningly high. It usually took about a month and a half for it to get closer to normal.

I'd advise you to be upfront with your doctor about your drinking history. I lied to mine about it for more than 10 years before the truth could no longer be hidden.

ScottFromWI

It's a great benefit of sobriety to be sure...better health in general. Looking back though it's not surprising...when you pour large quantities of poison down your throat every day something bad is bound to happen, right?

JeffreyAK

Mine used to be as high as 165 over something, almost dangerously high, but now it's solidly in the normal range and the docs are always surprised. I don't take meds, I just quit drinking and very quickly it went down. Incidentally I think that can be a challenge to us in early recovery sometimes - we're used to high blood pressure, and when it quickly drops and stays down for good, our bodies have to re-adapt to normal pressure.

Corgi

I have a blood pressure monitor at work - high stress job. Historically I was in the 140/100 range. I would describe my drinking as that more than social but not fall down drunk. That dangerous area of 3-5 glasses of wine daily - sometimes less but sometimes more but daily. I've not had a drink in 30 days and today I tested at 119/85 which is the best it has ever been. I have many older relatives on high blood pressure medicine and 2/3 are big drinkers. So i definitely noticed a big difference.

SoberJohn

When I was drinking my BP was about 140/100 and now being sober my BP is 110/78 with no meds.