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GreekGuy 10-29-2013 11:39 PM

Quitting and Blood Pressure
 
So...
I stopped drinking again a few weeks ago and had very elevated blood pressure. My doctor put me on medication and told me to limit salt. Now that I have not drank my pressure is way down, morning pressure the past 2 mornings has been high 90's/60's... a bit low actually. Tonight it was 101/72. I stopped limiting my salt (I never used a lot anyhow) and it had to totally be the booze. I've gotten dizzy a few times also. My Dr. said if it continues I can get off the meds, which would make me so happy. My pulse is still high (usually resting high 90's or low 100s). I've had a high pulse my whole life but have to start doing some cardio to try and bring it down.

Did anyone else have this experience? Or any other kind of health experiences positive or negative when stopping booze?

GracieLou 10-30-2013 12:10 AM

I don't know if my BP was high before but I went to the doctor a week ago and it was 108/90. Even the nurse was shocked it was so good. Not sure why...lol. It was a new doctor and they had no history on me.

I have lost weight, 36 pounds so far so that is five pounds for every month sober. I was not really trying it just fell off. I feel a lot better and I look a lot better. The bloat is gone. I no longer snore. I have tons more energy. Many of my 40 year old aches and pains are gone or minimized. I no longer have an acid reflux cough.

All the physical aside, mentally I am much much better. I am alert and awake. It does not take me hours to feel almost normal.

There are times I have overdone though because my mind feels 20 but my body is 45..lol

Marcher13 10-30-2013 12:11 AM

GreekGuy I've had exactly the same experience. :) I've been sober for eight months, my morning blood pressure is about the same as yours or lower. My medication has been halved and will be reviewed again in another three weeks.

GreekGuy 10-30-2013 12:18 AM

OH yes, that acid reflux. I totally forgot about it. It used to kill me, I blamed all the raw vegetables I would eat but now I still eat all the raw vegetables and I have not had any reflux since about a week after I stopped drinking.

I'm glad about my pressure, it was starting to scare me.

The bloat? How long did that take. I still look bloated.

GracieLou 10-30-2013 12:52 AM

About a month, maybe two. I think the thing to remember is not to push it. Let go and let it be. That is the approach I have taken.

Last week I realized I was two pounds away from a goal I had in my head and I started to obsess about it to the point I was wearing myself out mentally and physically.

I let it go, I mean really, how important is it in the grand scheme of things?

I think some jump in with exercise, vitamins, eating schedules, doctor appointments etc.

I am not saying all those are not good, they were just not for me because I obsess. My approach is, "what will be, will be". I am not saying I will never get to the point to want to exercise but right now I try and concentrate on the mental aspects of recovery over the physical. I have had physical benefits for sure but I look at them as a perk, not a goal.

The statement " I want what I want and I want it now" comes to mind. Take it easy and one day at a time.

liberated 10-30-2013 03:25 AM

Greekguy- my blood pressure was SCAREY high and now- after a month of sobriety- is not NORMAL but much decreased. I blamed the High blood pressure on everything but booze at the time. Of course I was wrong. Best wishes to you!

resolute50 10-30-2013 04:35 AM

I had scary high BP as well. But, I knew it was the alcohol.
The first time I quit drink several years ago was because high BP and 2 diabetes.
I'm back to normal BP again. I would suggest that anybody that has high BP get their own BP machine to test at home. I check my BP every other day.

SoberForMySon 10-30-2013 05:33 AM

Mine is higher than normal. Before I drank it was always way low. Hoping it is back to normal after a few months sober.

ZeldaFan 10-30-2013 05:40 AM

Mine was very when I was drinking. Came down after I quit. Just another of the 10,000 reasons to stay sober!

WhoDey 10-30-2013 05:41 AM

Nice to read through this thread. My BP has been climbing and the last two years during my workplace physical exams the nurse has said I should consult with my family physician about controlling it. I never followed through because I assumed my heavy drinking was the cause.

It's only Day 8 for me, but I really hope my readings drop in the coming weeks/months.

happyhour 10-30-2013 06:12 AM

my blood pressure was 160/90 when i was in conditioning to kill myself as a booze hound. my blood pressure today, been to the doctors twice in last 3 weeks is 115/75. almost exact both times. this stuff has the full intention of taking us out :(

be well, congratulations on your sobriety :c011:, get yourself some cardio 3-4/week/20 mins. your resting pulse will absolutely drop w/ cardio, regardless of history. you owe it to yourself, your family, and your friends :)

Renarde 10-30-2013 07:12 AM

Your pulse could be high if your blood pressure is low. Pulse will rise to compensate for drops in blood pressure. My BP actually plummeted when I started running. Make sure you are drinking lots of water. That is the best and most natural way to take care of yourself.

duane1 10-30-2013 07:18 AM

My blood pressure was high when I drank. I just had a test the other day for a life insurance policy and I am now right in the middle of the normal range.

wpainterw 10-30-2013 07:40 AM

I can't give medical advice but I recall detoxes when they checked my pressure very often. I assumed that that was because it may have been higher than normal. Why not ask your doctor about this?

W.

cardoon 10-30-2013 05:48 PM

180/100 prior to stopping. Put on medication. Stopped drinking; started exercising and eating better. Now off medication and BP is 120/75. It took over a year but well worth the slow steady improvement. It's given me something positive and productive to work on too.

Zebra1275 10-30-2013 07:02 PM

My BP has been high for 20 years, but I take medication an it's very well controlled. Alcohol was probably a factor in my high BP, but my Dr. doesn't really know for sure. It doesn't matter to me what the causative effect was, I have it and it's under control.

My pulse used to be high, but I exercise a lot and now my pulse, cholesterol and all the other stuff a guy needs to watch once he passes 50 is excellent.

Physically, I feel about 15 years younger than my chronological age. Despite years of alcohol abuse, physical recovery is possible. Now if I just didn't have so much grey hair . . .

Ornithology 10-31-2013 01:18 AM

My blood pressure was 160/120 when I was drinking. My doctor told me it was stage 2 hypertension. I stopped drinking just over two months ago and now my blood pressure is 105/75. I also run 4-5 times each week.

micmac 10-31-2013 05:32 AM

My BP was out of control on alcohol. I even had Left Ventricular Hypertrophy caused by high BP. My BP this morning after 8 months sober is 113/77.

I replaced my wine habit with working out and eating clean. I love being told how great I look now. Just had blood work done two weeks ago and everything was in the normal range, including liver function.

gr9813 10-31-2013 10:57 AM

I quit because my blood pressure was 158/90. After I quit my blood pressure was 175/90 - month later (tested at a pharmacy). Made a doctors appointment and blood pressure was 150/90. I eat healthy, only drink water, yoga 4x a week, exercise and all that good stuff. I was told I'd have to go on blood pressure medication (I'm 32, 175lbs 6' male). I said no to the pills and requested to see a cardiologist. In the 10 days leading up to the cardioligist, I invested in a blood pressure monitor ($70 investment). I took daily readings 4 times on each arm at 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm. All the readings were normal 115/75, with the exception of a 130/80 here and there. I took the data to the cardiologist and diagnosed with whitecoat hypertension. No pills for me... I have social anxiety, which caused my blood pressure to skyrocket. I was told to learn to relax.

Messed up part was, I almost started drinking again after the 176/90 reading. It was lower when I was getting drunk all the time, what's the point of being sober? I stuck with it, and was determined to fix it one way or another. Today is day 54.

A side note, the drinking also had my blood sugar way high. They were also nervous I was going become a diabetic... I dodged that bullet too. All blood work was normal as well as liver and kidney function.

I'm done with poisoning myself.

resolute50 10-31-2013 11:04 AM

gr9813,

I could have wrote that as my own story. Right down to purchasing a BP machine and noting that I have white coat hypertension.
But,one difference.

My blood sugar is still on the high side after almost 100 days.
And I'm also over 50 and probably poisoned myself longer.
Congrats on stopping before it caused damage that can't be reversed.


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