Alcohol and blood pressure First day
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 6
Alcohol and blood pressure First day
I'm 39 and suffer high blood pressure from drinking 160/110. I have an 8 year old girl and am looking for support. When I stop drinking about a week my blood pressure will be close to normal. But then I drink again and it comes right back up as well as the anxiety. I want to see my child grow up and am afraid I am killing my self. I can't wrap my mind around taking bp pills to continue this habit of heavy alcohol use. So I'm going to try and quit day by day.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,503
Welcome!
I moved your thread to the Newcomers Forum where more members will see it.
I'm glad you have decided to take care of your health and to stop drinking. You will always find support here.
I moved your thread to the Newcomers Forum where more members will see it.
I'm glad you have decided to take care of your health and to stop drinking. You will always find support here.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 437
Alcohol raises blood pressure and heart rate so you will see and feel the benefits abstaining from alcohol
My fitbit recorded my resting heart rate at 88bpm on day 1 sober.
I'm on day 19 today and I'm at 63bpm. So minus 25bpm! There's no way that isn't good for my heart
Good luck in your sober journey, I've found its difficult to begin with but I'm definitely more relaxed and my complexion- I'm not as red and flustered looking all the time.
My fitbit recorded my resting heart rate at 88bpm on day 1 sober.
I'm on day 19 today and I'm at 63bpm. So minus 25bpm! There's no way that isn't good for my heart
Good luck in your sober journey, I've found its difficult to begin with but I'm definitely more relaxed and my complexion- I'm not as red and flustered looking all the time.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 6
Thanks zombie I cant stand the red face. Gives me anxiety when I see it. Usually goes away in a few days to a week. Problem is for the last 6 years almost every family photo I see it.
Did you ever check your BP or mostly just HR
Did you ever check your BP or mostly just HR
Forum Leader
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 16,945
Welcome to SR Clemsondoc. I had high BP and heart rate when I was drinking too, and also have been diagnosed with Anxiety since I quit - but I'm certain my drinking was making that worse too.
Anxiety itself can raise your BP and heart rate, so constantly checking it can actually elevate it too.
The good news is that you can absolutely make a huge change if you quit drinking. If your goal is to quit and stay quit you've come to the right place! Hope you can stick around and read/learn/share with us.
Anxiety itself can raise your BP and heart rate, so constantly checking it can actually elevate it too.
The good news is that you can absolutely make a huge change if you quit drinking. If your goal is to quit and stay quit you've come to the right place! Hope you can stick around and read/learn/share with us.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 4,553
Hi Clem. During my last "quit" (aka going totally cold turkey) my heart was racing and I was genuinely fearful I was going to have a heart attack. Went to the docs a week later under the cover story of anxiety (wasn't ready to confess all at that point) and my BP was around 148/90 (ish). I was loaned a BP monitor for a couple of weeks recently and it is now around 115-125 / 75-80. That's 11 weeks in.
Yes anxiety raises the BP that's true but I am still quite the stress head and it is certainly reduced.
I had to accept that drinking was really taking its toll on my mind and body and spirit. It gave me absolutely nothing any more.
The human body is pretty amazing and cutting out one thing seems to be doing amazing things. I hope you choose sobriety rather than resorting to medication instead. It really is worth those initial few days or weeks.
Yes anxiety raises the BP that's true but I am still quite the stress head and it is certainly reduced.
I had to accept that drinking was really taking its toll on my mind and body and spirit. It gave me absolutely nothing any more.
The human body is pretty amazing and cutting out one thing seems to be doing amazing things. I hope you choose sobriety rather than resorting to medication instead. It really is worth those initial few days or weeks.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 593
Clemsondoc I was diagnosed with high bp when I went in for a routine checkup. I had tried to sober up so as to "look nice" for the doc, but both she and the nurse gave me a look like they knew the story.
I fessed up, told them I was alcoholic. I still have troubles with alcohol but I do know it might take (my experience only) 6-9 days for things to settle on the bp heart rate front. Interestingly, and I researched this but could find nothing on it, heart rate and bp sort of see-saw during the first week. One goes up, the other goes down. Again, just my experience.
That said, unless you're convinced you won't slip, I have had no noticeable side effects from the bp med I take. Half the time it feels almost like a placebo, but placebos work surprisingly well.
Bottom line? Stay entirely sober starting now. Second, see a doctor. If he/she recommends bp meds give it a go. If you have side effects and don't like them, sign off. But I recommend taking your bp every day or two just to keep tabs on it.
Best wishes for your lifetime of sobriety! You can do it!
I fessed up, told them I was alcoholic. I still have troubles with alcohol but I do know it might take (my experience only) 6-9 days for things to settle on the bp heart rate front. Interestingly, and I researched this but could find nothing on it, heart rate and bp sort of see-saw during the first week. One goes up, the other goes down. Again, just my experience.
That said, unless you're convinced you won't slip, I have had no noticeable side effects from the bp med I take. Half the time it feels almost like a placebo, but placebos work surprisingly well.
Bottom line? Stay entirely sober starting now. Second, see a doctor. If he/she recommends bp meds give it a go. If you have side effects and don't like them, sign off. But I recommend taking your bp every day or two just to keep tabs on it.
Best wishes for your lifetime of sobriety! You can do it!
Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,981
Did you let them know that you have a drinking problem? Personally I think getting into treatment first to address the alcoholism would be your best bet, be it rehab, an addiction therapist, AA, or anti-alcohol medications. I'm sure with sobriety alone, it will get your BP down, not to mention end the risk of the the countless other health problems alcohol causes.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
You'll be much happier and healthier taking nothing. If you start to control your BP with medication, the excuse to drink will be right there. So instead of ingesting two chemicals you don't need daily, if you quit drinking, you won't have to ingest any.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 370
I also like you had high bp due to drinking. 20 days sober today and my mp was
105/ 59 this am and no bp meds. Quit drinking. It does the body good. Best of luck. Stick around and watch your daughter grow up.
asixstringnut
105/ 59 this am and no bp meds. Quit drinking. It does the body good. Best of luck. Stick around and watch your daughter grow up.
asixstringnut
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,298
My resting pulse is around 40bpm. I've seen it as low as 35.... freaked a nurse once after I fell on my bike and had to go in for some messed up ribs. Bp is normal 120/80. Quitting wine helped with anxieties which certainly helped several medical metrics.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 6
Update
So today my BP is now 117/79 HR 70. That's about one week sober. Very happy with that being it was so high. Now it's just staying sober to keep it that way. Also need to keep diet and exercise and take milk thistle and will get blood work to monitor my fatty liver. Hopefully my enzymes will be normal but I think that will take at least 3 months
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Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 666
Originally Posted by Clemsondoc 
So today my BP is now 117/79 HR 70. That's about one week sober. Very happy with that being it was so high. Now it's just staying sober to keep it that way. Also need to keep diet and exercise and take milk thistle and will get blood work to monitor my fatty liver. Hopefully my enzymes will be normal but I think that will take at least 3 months
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