Oh boy...I could write an essay on this. Short version: just because you're relatively slim, don't let the docs (and don't do this yourself)ignore your BP. I am somewhat slim (less slim than I was), and around the beginning of menopause my hitherto LOW bp (90/60) suddenly jumped to about 145/90. My then-doc treated it half-heartedly, because I just *couldn't* really be at risk for heart disease, given my appearance. yeah. no risk at all. I exercise a lot, and it still never got back down to normal.

The bp turned out to be the *only* thing that the cardiologists could find that could possibly have caused a heart attack I had on 9/1/08, which occurred when I was racewalking! I even wrote a post here back then about how women need to be *proactive* and *vigilant* about their bp even if their docs think it's nothing.

So don't live in denial, don't be proud, don't think you must not be exercising enough -- take meds if you need to to get that BP back down to *NORMAL*. My cardiologist wouldn't let me leave the hospital until they'd adjusted my new meds (I take three now) to get me down to 120/80 at most. Take This Seriously.

I have heard, and a friend expeienced, that cholesterol levels can increase with menopause. I don't know about the blood pressure though.

I'm definitely taking this seriously! flyleft, I do remember your heart attack. Do you think I need to rush to a doctor ASAP? DH and I have been looking to change primary care physicians because we don't like ours that much, so I have an appointment with someone else for a first visit in about a month (soonest I could get). Our current doctor could probably see me right away, and he does seem to be up on the current meds, at least.

And oh, I wouldn't describe myself as "slim" :) Just "relatively" (cf. relatives, ha) speaking.

Hi Harriet--ah, I'm glad you remember. I would definitely suggest getting seen soon, although it's not an emergency situation (or even urgent care). But I would make clear at the earliest possible opportunity that you want meds to get your bp down to 120/80. Every day that it's high does permanent damage to your organs :(. If you exercise and get it lower, and you find you can go off the meds, that's great. But IMO (and of course this isn't official medical advice, just my experience and what I've read, so do more research--I'm just a lonely data point : )), getting it down as early as possible is what's important. The meds may very well knock you for a loop until you adjust to them, too. The docs said no driving for a month but I was back behind the wheel of a car, no problems, in a week and a few days.

terri, that was another odd thing - my cholesterol is beautiful. I'm not the highest in HDL, but my LDL was *quite low* (blanking on the #s) at the time of the heart attack. As much as I believe in taking bp meds (within reason), I was *staunchly* against statins, and got out of it only by digging my heels into the ground and saying I'd take red yeast rice. I took that for a while and then stopped. My LDL isn't bad enough for me to worry about.

There's also debate over what numbers are o.k. and what are worrisome wrt cholesterol anyway. But this little lonely data point would encourage you to take action on the bp as soon as you can (non-rush).

Just read this at the gym this a.m. and thought the info might be of value to you before you see your doc.

Paraphrasing from the Dec 2010 issue of More magazine:
If you've been told you have hypertension & you've tried diet & exercise the next step is usually medication. The latest research says your best bet may be the oldest medicine: diuretics, used to control HTN since the 1970's. Diuretics flush excess water & sodium from the body, not only lowering BP as successfully as channel blockers & ACE inhibitors, but also are better at preventing stroke & heart failure. They are also cheaper than those other drugs, according to data from the Antihypertensive & Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (aka ALLHAT). The Nat'l Heart, Lung & Blood Institute already recommends diuretics as a first-line tmt. Physicians don't always follow that advice, thinking newer & more expensive drugs must be better. (Isn't that the goal of a Pharmaceutical Rep?)

As Fly wrote, definitely follow-up on this with your doc. Good luck with whatever you & your doc decide is the best treatment.

I wonder if there's any chance you have the same problem I had about 3 years ago. At one of my regular visits to my PCP, my blood pressure was high, just like yours. However, along with that, he also noticed my blood calcium was also a little high. To make a long story short, it turns out I had hyperparathyroidism. The parathyroid glands are not the same as your thyroid gland. There are 4 of them, they are very small and they are located behind the thyroid. Please take a look at the link on hyperparathyroidism. It will explain everything much better than I can. All I can tell you is that after I had the simple surgery to remove the enlarged parathyroid gland, my BP went right back to normal. And BTW, I was around your same age at the time I found I had an enlarged parathyroid gland. Please feel free to ask me any other questions, should you be diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism.

Barb

Here is a link that might be useful: Hyperparathyroidism

Barb, that's fascinating--thank you for posting it. Did you have any physical symptoms?

Not really except for maybe being tired a lot, but that can be attributed to so many things, I didn't think much of it. Turns out it is on the top of the list of symptoms of hyperparathyroidism.

Barb

Very interesting, Barb, thanks. I linked to an article from NIH about it just for comparison with your link.

You know, I've been having problems with extremely itchy skin recently, too, which is one of the symptoms listed on the NIH site in the link. Here's the list:

�Back pain
�Blurred vision (because of cataracts)
�Bone pain or tenderness
�Decreased height
�Depression
�Fatigue
�Fractures of long bones
�Increased urine output
�Increased thirst
�Itchy skin
�Joint pain
�Loss of appetite
�Nausea
�Muscle weakness and pain
�Personality changes
�Stupor and possibly coma
�Upper abdominal pain

However, I wouldn't say I have any of the other symptoms. My OB/GYN asked me if I'd had a bone density study done (I had, about a year ago, and all was normal); I wonder if that's why she asked? She would have had blood drawn at that visit to send out for testing, but I had eaten breakfast that morning so it wouldn't have been useful. She just told me to get in to see a primary care doctor soon to get checked out.

FWIW, my blood pressure measured in the normal range this morning.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hyperparathyroidism

I think one of the key symptoms is the high blood calcium. Perhaps you should have some blood work done. On a positive note, tho -- if your bone density test was normal, that's a good sign. Mine was not and was another clue to my diagnosis.

I'm glad about your blood pressure, Harriet. Now keep it that way :)

And very (strangely) itchy skin, hm?...I have been having that too. But I had to read your post twice -- I thought you meant that of the list of symptoms, the ones you typed out were the ones you had! Stupor, coma...ay ay ay...

Re the bone density test -- if it was a year ago, could enough time have passed for the reading to change? And in a larger sense, I love how knowledge gets shared here.

Boy, if I had all those symptoms I'd be in the hospital right now instead of at work. :)

What has helped with the itchy skin, whatever its cause, has been plain, unscented "calming" cream (I got Eucerin, about $10 at the drug store for a big tube). I put it on after I shower, and it helps a lot.

hhireno, thanks for the tip about diuretics. I'll keep that in mind.

I do think that there is a link between menopause and high BP for some people.
Approximately 10 years ago I experienced higher than normal readings while going thru menopause. I was advised to see my doctor who started me on diuretics and benzapril, which keep BP readings back in the normal range.
Previously always had very low readings. I am still slim and have been exercising for the last 30 years +. I 've been very conscientious about my family's diet for the last 2 decades, no red meat, low fat/low salt, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
My mother also developed it in her later years, she was not overweight, although other than walking did not attend a gym etc.
The funny thing is I have an older and a younger sister who both have smoked most of their adult lives, do not exercise, eat whatever they want, junk food included, and do not have high blood pressure! We are all in our 60's and we all take HRT also!