Blood pressure elevated during peri

[Anonymous]

Hi, I'm 49 and am at the end of Peri (been in peri for 5 years now), I have every peri symptom and my periods are now 4 months apart so I am thinking I will be in menopause soon, probably in a year.

Anyhow, my blood pressure was perfect until age 47. Then here's what happened:

Age 47: BP slightly elevated at 124/70

Age 48: BP now more elevated but just the systolic number is concerning: 135/75

I am now 49. I keep all my doctor's appointment clinical sheets which I just looked through the other day from the last two years and tracked that my blood pressure taken at medical appointments was 135/75 at five visits in the last year, so this concerns me. My father has high blood pressure and went on BP meds at age 50.

I have an appt. with my internist in two weeks to discuss. I'd like to try to see if lifestyle changes can fix this first. My bloodwork and cholesterol is all good. I have already been doing the following things consistently:

-Healthy weight, BMI is 20
-Walk daily
-Never smoked, never drank
-Low sodium diet
-Mainly eat fruits and veggies
-Low sugar diet (no desserts, no sugary drinks)


What I need to work on:
-Take blood pressure at home which I have never done, only at medical visits
-Add in more cardio and strength training
-7-8 hours of sleep
-Fix low Vitamin D level
-Eat more potassium rich foods

What else can I do/add to try to lower my BP with lifestyle changes before I start on medication?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Those look good. I have been taking my blood pressure a few times a day and have found triggers for elevations. But yours sounds good.

[Anonymous]

Maybe try magnesium? Seems to be the magic pill these days. Also, see if taking the vitamin D helps. You never know.

This is probably going to sound really dumb… but could stress play role? This is not so easy to fix, but at least you know what you have to do.

[Anonymous]

Have you ever considered that you just have elevated BP now? For many its genetic and nothing to do with lifestyle. OR peri....

[Anonymous]

Any parents or sibs with hbp?

Estrogen wanes BP can rise.
You can screw around with salt, meditation, etc. But have you ever had a cardio eval?
Reason I mention it is I had a dad who died of it before there were good meds. I was a bit borderline. Did an exercise stress test. Apparently the delay in my "getting up to level and sweating" caused the cardiologist "you have the familial tendency you wil be on medication by 65." Well, 66 but yes.

[Anonymous]

Are you on HRT? Would you prefer taking statins to HRT? There are studies from the best journals comparing the outcomes from taking one or the other:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35594469/

[Anonymous]

Also blood pressure taken at doctor visits is highly unreliable. You do need to measure this at home at the same time each day and in three same body position. Google it.

[Anonymous]

cut down/out caffeine, weed, and alcohol. no fun but each increases BP slightly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:cut down/out caffeine, weed, and alcohol. no fun but each increases BP slightly.

Yeah all those and cutting out stress! GAH!