Lose Weight or Die Soon

DCarr10760

DCarr10760

New member
That was pretty much what my Doctor told me on Thursday.

I went to my new Doctor (my old Doc retired and I didn't get a new one for a couple of years). A couple of weeks ago I went for my first visit and my blood pressure was high (160/95) this is not really that bad because I have white coat syndrome and my BP gets all spastic when I am in a Doctors office. It has been this way since I was 14. My bloodwork looks great, lipid panel is good (though not as good as last time). If I get my BP checked at home its much better.

So, says he, let's fit you with a 24-hour BP monitor which will test you every 20 minutes and see if you really are normal. So I went to some cardiologists office and got hooked up for a day. When they got the results the folks at the cardiologist's were so alarmed that they actually hand delivered the results to my doc. (down the street). My baseline BP was about 160/100 even while asleep and on several occasions it spiked to 220/125!!!

I was called in and told that I was way beyond what any modification in lifestyle would likely control and that I needed to be on meds now, probably 4 different ones, we'd work through the side-effects like dry hacking coughs, dizziness and impotence...

I said I refused to go on any medication until I have lost a significant amount of weight and have seen it's affect on my BP. He told me that if I haven't lost weight up to now, the probability that I would do so now is low. We argued back and forth awhile, (He measured my BP during this time and it was 200/110) so rather that watching me have a stroke there in his office he relented.

We agreed that I would have 90 days to lose weight and get in shape and then repeat the 24-hour monitor. If there is no substantive change then I will swallow whatever he wants me to. I have to sign a letter stating that I am taking responsibility for my health against his advise. So I am.

I always have wanted to be thin and healthy and I never was. My feeling is that if I took the pills it would somehow be giving up taking responsibility for my own health and likely I would never become healthy and I would spend the rest of my life managing illness.

It might sound stupid to you (mmy wife is still just barely talking to me) but I have to to this or die trying (maybe literally).

So at the office I weighed 280. I got a new scale that's accurate and have begun. Tomorrow I weigh in for the first time. I have a new BPP monitor that's accurate and has been calibrated against the one in the office. I need to drop my BP to an average of 140/80 which is stage 1 or prehypertensive (right now I am stage 4 I think).

I'm also looking at diet and natural suppliments to help. So, by the middle of October I must be healthy. No whining or screwing around anymore.

Thanks for listening,

David C
 
David,
It took a doctors visit for me to get focused on weight loss but mine was my blood sugar. It scared the (^% out of me but i used it as motivation and really focused.

You are going to have to change your diet and exercise. Lots of fruits and veggies.

Anyway, you can do this, stay focused and you will feel great.


Good luck

Matt
 
time to read the sticky threads and educate yourself. Weight loss is do-able, and it will help with the health.

exercise i think is the key to bringing down the blood pressure, even if you can only manage 3 10 minute fast paced walks for now. Try and work it up to an hour a day giving yourself a couple of days off a week.
Cutting back on sodium - ie soda, salt in and on foods etc.

And you know all about eating healthy im sure, but basicly calories in vs calories out. Signup at fitday.com and eat less calories than you use to burn off weight.
 
I think you are taking the right step by signing up here as well as taking what the doc says seriously. Kudos to you for wanting to make a life-style change and for wanting to do it your way rather than with meds...

You will find all the support and motivation you need here... but having support at home helps too... give your wife some time, she will come around... maybe you can make it a goal you can reach together!

Cheers,
MissDFITT
 
Thanks for the encouraging words all. I will re-read all of the stickies and have just now started up with Fitday. I was an active member on this site a year ago. I lost 30 lbs but fell into my old bad habits and ended up gaining it all back and more...

I've been walking (my Doc told me to limit myself to walking for the first month or so until my cardiovascular system is built up a bit better) and I have been limiting myself to 1800 - 2000 calories, healthy foods.

I have been reading everything I can pass my eyes over about Blood Pressure management and it comes down to a healthy diet, a healthy weight, daily exercise and stress reduction.

Anyway, I did get my backside out for a walk this AM and my weight was 274.7 So I'm shedding water. My blood pressure following my walk was 138/90 I have to take it 3 times a day. So far so good!

David C
 
Not all blood pressure can be controlled by diet and exercise... so don't be so pigheaded that you avoid all meds...

However, that said - fi the doctor hasn't suggested to to you-- take a good look at the DASH diet (dietary approach to stop hypertension) It's basically a very low sodium diet (and fairly low flavor but there are non-salt based additions that can be added) Using a food diary and keepinh your sodium in check (under 2000mg a day -preferably under 1500 for your bp) will help if your bp is diet based... that and regular consistent movement... Ya know -walk 30 minutes a day.

I was heavier than you are... and older... and a strong family history of heart disease... (my dad comes by his heart disease thru genetics not because he lacks diet and exercise0.. My bp went from 150/95 (sometimes higher) to 110/70...

Nice to see you back..
 
A friend of mine was just telling me that his Dad lost 30 lbs b/c of his bp, and he did it by following the low sodium diet. He was also trying one of the medications that his doc recommended. I think it's awesome that you're taking responsibility for your own health, but like Mal said, make sure you're open to other possibilities.

Good luck with your weight loss!
 
I am sort of pigheaded... but I am reasonable. If I don't lose a bunch of weight and/or if my blood pressure doesn't drop considerably in the 90 days I'll be amenable to whatever I need to do.

But I do believe that dropping weight and eating right will make a big difference. If it makes enough of a difference to avoid meds, well that remains to be seen but I want to give it an honest try.

David
 
Sodium and fiber will play the biggest factors in the change...

and just take it one day at a time...

I'd also avoid any herbal type supplements and just go wwith real food... just because something's natural -doesn't mean it's healthy and safe for you long term... (though you knew that)

Some say red wine is good for blood pressure and cholesterol and I read recently that straight espresso and/or french press coffee (basically non filtered coffee) can raise blood pressure and the bad cholesterol...
 
Mal, I read that same thing about the unfiltered coffee. I was drinking a lot of coffee (12 - 20 6oz cups/day- engineering department fuel, pot's always on) so I cut back to a single 12 oz mug in the AM. (the caffein withdrawl was pretty remarkable, jitters, lethargy, headaches, and then in the second hour...)

I did the 24-hr BP monitor the day after I stopped drinking so much coffee, I wonder if that influenced the results. I asked the Doctor about it and he didn't think it would be a major factor.

Anyway, today I was 118/85 after a walk and my secret weapon (petting the cat- they say it can lower BP).

DC
 
Yeah... just after I hit the post button I realized how it would come out. Like an old Steve Martin routine I heard back in the 70's.

DC
 
Today wasn't so good- I overslept and missed my walk (this is not so bad really because I have probably been pushing myself a bit too hard and I was tired) but it sorta got my morning routine outta whack. My BP was 134/84. Not so bad.

SWMBO had to get up early to work with her boss, which meant that I had to do the Daddy brings the boy to daycare routine. Mom was grumpy, boy was grumpy and I was stressy. I took my BP in the middle of this and it was 165/100!! So gotta work on the stress management along with all of the rest. Breath deeply. Let it go...

DC
 
Yesterday I rested (no walking) today I hit the pavement with new vigor and did my usual route in just under an hour which is about how long it took last year when I was in far better shape (not good but better than now).

Breakfast was oatmeal with raisins and walnuts, skim milk and a banana along with 2T of flax seed meal and a big glass of water. My 12 - 20 cup a day (6 oz cups) coffee habit has been replaced with a 1 - 2 (6 oz) cup a day habit. After the initial withdrawal which was a week or so, I feel alright.

BP is 129/85 this AM. I did step on the scale this morning and weighted 270.4 so everything is working.

Thanks for the kind words all, and my new meditation mantra is "Pet the Kitty" ;-)

David C
 
David - I think it's awesome you are taking control for your self on trying with your BP. I've tried to convince my DM to do that forever, she'd rather swallow the pills. But I digress. I'm sure the coffee played a large part in the 24 test. I've read many times about coffee's role in that.

Another thing to take a look at besides the sodium, is hyrdrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils in what you eat. Avoid them like the plague. That should help too.

Your breakfast sounded excellent.

I will be checking up on your, you're doing great so far so keep up the great work!

Have you thought about getting a ticker for your loss. They are a help if you like them.
 
Hi bigdigmom, thanks for stopping by! I put a ticker on my signature line! My ultimate goal is to be under 200 but I didn't want to stare at "70lbs to go"

So I had a plant visit and met with clients today, which meant having lunch out. We managed to find a Ruby Tuesdays and I had a grilled chicken dish with steamed veggies. It was good and (I hope) not too fattening. I'm pretty much ready to gnaw the formica off of my desk top but dinner's soon...

I did have a beer, which in today's business atmosphere is a no-no, but I was buying lunch and I wasn't driving and I was dealing with rotating machinery at high voltage (that stuffs way too scary to be around sober). So I bet my calories are up there for the day already. When I get home I'll plug it all into FitDay to see if I can have one or two cerery stalks for dinner.

I'll probably dream all night about eating chewy tough marshmallows only to wake and find my temperpedic pillow shredded.

DC
 
David - I'm sure you're fine to eat some dinner and not eating would be more stressful to you body. I'm sure when you plugged your info into fitday it gave you what you burn without moving, so you need to eat at least that much. One beer is about 150-250 depending on the type. Steamed veggies are basically free and the chicken should not be too bad. Don't let yourself get overly hungry. Try a piece of fruit or some carrot sticks with a low-fat string cheese. Low cal and balanced and it will take the edge off.

Have a great night, oh and at least eat a salad for dinner, we don't want you consuming a foam pillow by mistake. LOL
 
oh, forgot to say, great job on the ticker. you can always set it for mini-goals if you like. I see you kept it smaller, but you could go smaller still like 10-25bls stretches.
 
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