Blood Pressure.
I don't know much about alternatives to the drugs, don't know much about the alternatives that molly mentioned, but if the exercise and weight loss don't work for me, i'll have to remember this post and look into things like what she recommended.
however, what molly said about your BP not being too high. either 1) your doctor is giving drugs too readily and mine is being properly cautious about starting the drugs, or 2) your doctor is being proactive about your BP and mine is being too nonchalant about my BP and should be giving me drugs. as my BP was consistently higher than yours. i think the truth is somewhere in the middle.
there is a lot of talk about "white coat syndrome" but i read recently that people that start off with that end up with high BP. so i think my doctor was being too nonchalant but i do worry about the BP med if not absolutely necessary. from what i've read, BP meds can come with not so nice side effects.
thus, i think our doctors should be concerned, but i think they should be lecturing us about the exercise....i could be wrong.....and your situation could be different from mine.....but at least for me......i was not happy with my BP (and the other things which i've mentioned / will mention).....so i started the walking or biking at least 30 minutes (now more like 60) every day.....i've only lost a modest amount of weight, but noticed the BP coming down before the weight loss even......
i really think aerobic exercise can make a huge impact. personally, i'd try that first. and if it doesn't work, then think about drugs or supplements.
of course if your BP gets high when in a lot of pain, then its not as simple as exercise perhaps. but still, i'd go the exercise route first. JMO.
sue
