The last time I took my blook pressure meds was Friday at about noon. Last night my blood pressure was 114/83. This morning (Sunday) at 8:30 AM, it was 120/79. I've been on the Bernstein diet for about 14 months. I'm not going to take the meds again until one of the following happens: a) the systolic goes above 120, b) the diastolic moves above 80. Just maybe I'm soon to be medication free.



Jim

What's great, c6h6o3! I know that some of those blood pressure medicines are bad stuff.

I've never taken bp medicines, but my blood pressure was routinely in the 130/95 range before low carbing. Now, it's generally around 115/75. This change in bp occurred within the first two weeks of being on Bernstein's plan.

Even when I get really stressed or upset, my blood pressure hardly goes up now--although my blood glucose levels still soar. Last Saturday morning, my waking bg (before my feet hit the floor) was 110. I read my e-mail and was very angered by a message. I hadn't eaten yet and decided to check my bg again. It was 190! (A level that I never reach even after LC meals.) Does this happen to any other diabetics out there?

Stress/anger will do it to you! Just talking to my mom on the telephone is good for at least 40 points. Stress on top of stress (the original stress plus the stress of knowing my sugar is over the top). It seems something like the adrenaline rush of fear - anxiety can cause your liver to pump out some extra glucose to cover whatever you are going to do next (run, scream etc.) If you are a silent simmerer like myself, that glucose just sits there.

Maybe we diabetics are lucky in one way - we are forced to find ways to deal with stress if we want to keep our sugars even. Whatever works for you (punching bag, yoga, etc) - just find something that calms and soothes you so that you can take stress like those type B personalities.

What, me worry?

Twitch

Great...I get "ticked off" just taking my BG. Wonder how much of the higher than normal is stress?

This whole ordeal has me in constant stress.....

What wonderful news, Jim!

Isn't it great how just changing the proportions and types of foods that you eat can have such a positive impact on your health?

In 1995, my wife, dog and myself were stranded in the desert for 4 days with no food, at a time when the temperature reached 122 degrees. When the rescue squad dropped us at the hospital, my BG was 593 (My latest A1C was 5.4, or an average of 97.5). You bet stress matters!!

I went back on the meds. The systolic crept up to an average of 130 or so and the diastolic to the high 80s. That's right up on the edge of my doctor's "never exceed" readings. (130/90)

I'll try weaning again in 6 months.

Hi Jim!

I don't know what type of blood pressure medication you were taking but with some of them if you stop taking them suddenly instead of weaning off them gradually, you can get a condition called "rebound" hypertension where the blood pressure goes up in response to the sudden lack of medication, not because of an actual problem with your body (Altace is one of these).
Instead of quitting "cold turkey", you might consider asking your doctor if you can lower your dose or take it every other day as well as asking him/her what would be the best way to wean yourself off it when you do decide to try again.

I already asked about this. The meds I take are Lisinopril (ACE Inhibitor) and Lasix (diuretic). She says that the best way to attempt to get off of them is to stop and see what happens. Residual amounts in the bloodstream will keep it down artificially for a few days and then when it really wears off you see what you've got. If you try to taper them off, it never really wears off and you'll get a false sense of hope. She's never mentioned a rebound effect.