First some background in rough chronological order:
In February 2018 I was having what felt like persistent heartburn (that I couldn't shake) and then the pain moved into my right arm. Visit the emergency room; BP was high, ekg normal, troponin high. I end up with 1 stent placed (via angioplasty). IIRC I had a 100% blockage in a non-critical place.
Cardiologist prescribes a slew of drugs, then we proceed to 'haggle' over affordability of prescriptions and side effects. Meanwhile, I have a stress test (imaging/ekg/treadmill) and am told it looks good.
I stop taking my meds for 4-5 months (side effects) and have an episode of atrial fibrillation (pounding heart, shortness of breath) that gets captured on the ekg (I went back to the ER – Jan. 2019).
ER referred me to another specialist who prescribed me metoprolol tartrate 50mg 2x/day and said I didn't need to take any of the other prescriptions (lol). Also recommended I purchase a bluetooth ekg device and record with it periodically (which I hadn't done until very recently when I was gifted such a device).
I am - 50 yo male, 6'1”, ~230#, smoker
During this period my typical (resting) blood pressure was 120/80 and pulse of 60.
I have had a few, milder episodes of A fib before Jan. 2019 but did not know what they were.
I was only insured in 2019.
Roughly 10 days ago I start feeling a bit 'off' for lack of a better description, and noticing an increase (number & severity) in chest pains. ** There were always 'twinges' after the stent was placed, almost as if I could feel it.** I borrowed my mother-in-law's blood pressure cuff and at one point saw my blood pressure rise to 190/105. Back to the ER. EKG/troponin levels ok, my BP was 167/100 on arrival and dropped back to 135/95 on it's own in 2 hrs time. I wonder if I didn't worry myself into the extreme (for me) high blood pressure...
May 26, have a follow up visit with the cardiologist. Am told I need to lower my cholesterol (no numbers handy) and blood pressure via two new prescriptions. I don't know what they are (yet) other than the cholesterol drug is not a statin and the BP drug has “dry cough” as a potential side effect (lol). I told the doctor to write the prescriptions and I would decide whether or not I will take them.
I would like to not rely on any prescription meds and have begun to research options. First thing I did was try some montmorency cherry since I remembered seeing this article: Skip the meds: Montmorency cherry juice as effective at reducing high blood pressure as medication -- Sott.net
which seems to work for me (plus it's tasty lol). Typical resting BP now is 125/85.
While reading here I saw some interesting info on pycnogenol and it looks like I should have been taking it all along...
In February 2018 I was having what felt like persistent heartburn (that I couldn't shake) and then the pain moved into my right arm. Visit the emergency room; BP was high, ekg normal, troponin high. I end up with 1 stent placed (via angioplasty). IIRC I had a 100% blockage in a non-critical place.
Cardiologist prescribes a slew of drugs, then we proceed to 'haggle' over affordability of prescriptions and side effects. Meanwhile, I have a stress test (imaging/ekg/treadmill) and am told it looks good.
I stop taking my meds for 4-5 months (side effects) and have an episode of atrial fibrillation (pounding heart, shortness of breath) that gets captured on the ekg (I went back to the ER – Jan. 2019).
ER referred me to another specialist who prescribed me metoprolol tartrate 50mg 2x/day and said I didn't need to take any of the other prescriptions (lol). Also recommended I purchase a bluetooth ekg device and record with it periodically (which I hadn't done until very recently when I was gifted such a device).
I am - 50 yo male, 6'1”, ~230#, smoker
During this period my typical (resting) blood pressure was 120/80 and pulse of 60.
I have had a few, milder episodes of A fib before Jan. 2019 but did not know what they were.
I was only insured in 2019.
Roughly 10 days ago I start feeling a bit 'off' for lack of a better description, and noticing an increase (number & severity) in chest pains. ** There were always 'twinges' after the stent was placed, almost as if I could feel it.** I borrowed my mother-in-law's blood pressure cuff and at one point saw my blood pressure rise to 190/105. Back to the ER. EKG/troponin levels ok, my BP was 167/100 on arrival and dropped back to 135/95 on it's own in 2 hrs time. I wonder if I didn't worry myself into the extreme (for me) high blood pressure...
May 26, have a follow up visit with the cardiologist. Am told I need to lower my cholesterol (no numbers handy) and blood pressure via two new prescriptions. I don't know what they are (yet) other than the cholesterol drug is not a statin and the BP drug has “dry cough” as a potential side effect (lol). I told the doctor to write the prescriptions and I would decide whether or not I will take them.
I would like to not rely on any prescription meds and have begun to research options. First thing I did was try some montmorency cherry since I remembered seeing this article: Skip the meds: Montmorency cherry juice as effective at reducing high blood pressure as medication -- Sott.net
which seems to work for me (plus it's tasty lol). Typical resting BP now is 125/85.
While reading here I saw some interesting info on pycnogenol and it looks like I should have been taking it all along...