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I have high blood pressure and was not denied surgery. I take 160mg of Diovan and 12.5mg of hydrochlorothiazide daily to keep my blood pressure under control. On a good day my BP is 135/72 but it often goes higher. I agree about the consumption of caffiene...mine is much higher on days that I drink more than 2 cups of coffee. I would inquire about different blood pressure meds...as the first script that I had (can't remember what it was) wasn't nearly as effective as the Diovan. Are you exercising? Physical activity often decreases blood pressure. In addition to exercise you might want to decrease the amount of sodium that you are taking in and take note of any over the counter medications that you are taking. Causes of High Blood Pressure In most cases of high blood pressure, the American Heart Association says there is no one identifiable cause. This kind of high blood pressure is called primary hypertension or essential hypertension. It is usually a combination of factors, such as: Weight. The greater your body mass, the more pressure there is on your artery walls. That's because more blood is produced to supply oxygen and nutrients to tissues in your body. Activity level. Lack of physical activity tends to increase heart rate, which forces your heart to work harder with each contraction. Tobacco use. Chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco can damage artery walls. Sodium intake. Excessive sodium in the diet can result in Fluid retention and high blood pressure, especially in people sensitive to sodium. Potassium intake. Low potassium can result in elevated sodium in cells, because the two balance one another. Stress. Stress can raise blood pressure. Alcohol consumption. Excessive alcohol intake can, over time, increase the risk of heart disease. Age. The risk of high blood pressure increases as you get older. Family history. High blood pressure often runs in families. Natural Remedies for High Blood Pressure Lifestyle changes and natural remedies may help to control high blood pressure, but your doctor may also recommend medication to lower high blood pressure. It is important to work with your doctor, because untreated high blood pressure may damage organs in the body and increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, brain hemorrhage, kidney disease, and vision loss. See a drawing of a hypertensive heart. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) There is some evidence that the supplement coq10 may help to reduce high blood pressure. A 12 week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 83 people with systolic hypertension examined the effect of CoQ10 supplements (60 mg twice daily). After the 12 weeks, there was a mean reduction in systolic blood pressure of 17.8 mm Hg in the Coq10-treated group. Another study conducted at the University of Western Australia looked at the effect of CoQ10 on blood pressure and glycemic control in 74 people with type 2 diabetes. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 100mg CoQ10 twice daily, 200mg of the drug fenfibrate, both, or neither for 12 weeks. CoQ10 significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure(mean reduction 6.1 mm Hg and 2.9 mm Hg respectively). There was also a reduction in HbA1C, a marker for long-term glycemic control. To learn more about CoQ10, read the Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) fact sheet. Garlic In a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials of garlic supplements, three trials showed a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure and four in diastolic blood pressure. Researchers concluded that garlic powder supplement may be of clinical use in patients with mild high blood pressure. Garlic supplements should only be used under the supervision of a qualified health practitioner. Garlic can thin the blood (reduce the ability of blood to clot) similar to aspirin. Garlic may interact with many drugs and supplements such as the prescription "blood-thinners" drugs such as Coumadin (warfarin) or Trental (pentoxifylline), aspirin, Vitamin E, gingko. It is usually recommended that people taking garlic stop in the weeks before and after any type of surgery. To learn more about garlic, go to the articles about garlic. Hawthorn The herb hawthorn is often used by traditional herbal practitioners for high blood pressure. In a randomized controlled trial conducted by researchers in Reading, UK, 79 patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to receive either 1200 mg of hawthorn extract a day or placebo for 16 weeks. Medication for high blood pressure was used by 71% of the patients. At the end of the 16 weeks, patients taking the hawthorn supplement had a significant reduction in mean diastolic blood pressure (2.6 mm Hg). No herb-drug interactions were reported. Fish oil Preliminary studies suggest that fish oil may have a modest effect on high blood pressure. Although fish oil supplements often contain both DHA (docohexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), there is some evidence that DHA is the ingredient that lowers high blood pressure. Learn more about fish oil. Folic acid Folate is a B vitamin necessary for formation of red blood cells. It may help to lower high blood pressure in some people, possibly by reducing elevated homocysteine levels. One small study of 24 cigarette smokers found that four weeks of folic acid supplementation significantly lowered blood pressure. Learn more about folic acid.

Thanks! It's hard to believe its only 2 weeks away!!! :confused:

Over the past two weeks I have all but stopped going to the gym and I've been eating crap. I went to the dollar general this morning and bought chips, dip, and mini candy bars. Why am I doing this to myself? I feel like crap afterward but the compulsion to buy the stuff and eat it was more powerful than my willpower to overcome. It makes me wonder if I'll even be successful post sleeve.

I was only about 10 pounds heavier than you. I am about 3 months out. I have lost 40 pounds and I am still losing. I am losing a lot slower than people that were bigger than me, but have to keep telling myself it's not a race. I just had to stop listening to other people because they kept telling me that I should try to do it the natural. I have never felt better about myself. I bought a swimsuit from Banana Republic the other day for my Spring Break trip. When it came in the mail, it was TOO BIG!

I feel like this is taking a long time, but then I read what you all are doing and I seem to be moving pretty quickly. October 22 will be 2 months and I will be done with all requirements by November 1st. That's like 10 weeks or so. I just hope there are no red flags on the tests and that there is still room on the surgery schedule. Sent from my LGLS992 using the BariatricPal App

Hi there! I had my bypass on Sept. 26,2014 HW - 315 SW - 310 CW - 199 I hit Onederland last Monday and have been bouncing back and forth between 199 and 200 all week. I am looking forward to getting another 5 lbs down so I never have to look at that 200 number again. I am recuperating from a serious spine surgery so I am on restriction from anything but walking and am up to a little over a mile a day until I can't take it anymore. Hopefully I will be able to extend to more this week. It's kind of a bummer because I was doing an hour of cardio every day prior to this little set back. Makes me feel like I am back to 310lbs, I get so tired and sore. However, I will not let it get the best of me. I have 34 lbs to go to get to goal and I can see that light coming closer all the time! Having this bypass gave me my life back! And other than my spine I am the healthiest I have been since my mid 20's! No more comorbitities! Woot, woot!

My gerd is out of control and I'm 4 years sleeve post op. My r n y revision will be Nov or Dec this year. Even with fasting Water alone for 3 days the gerd is still there and it's too much medicine barely helps anymore !!! Sent from my Z981 using the BariatricPal App I am so sorry. I hope the revision helps immediately. I've heard it does!! Prayers. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I can't drink muscle mike it makes me stick and yes it take me forever to shop I'm reading labels all the time..That will do it magnesium citrate I had diarrhea for the 1st 3-4 days of my per op I'm better now 10 days now but if I eat to fast boy o boy I pay for it.I all so had diarrhea about 3-4 days of post op it's all the liquids and the change in your diet hang in there per op is the hardest part and the 3-4 days of post op but every day gets better and better Good Luck with your life!!

One day at a time. I'm about 2 1/2 week post op and it seems like it came and went fast. Even though I started 3/20/14

U r so correct yes that is very much me! So today after such a good eating and exercise week I gain 1.4lbs, lord I am getting frustrated! I just keep telling myself see this is why u need to do this but goodness dealing w myself is so hard! Impatient and on going irritating slaps of reality make me crazy.

I met with the dietician last week and will be doing my dietary consult on 9/19. The dietician explained that they advise use of Bariatric fusion Meal Replacements. Has anyone used these and if so which flavors are good? Just want to know what to buy on 9/19! Thanks!

I recently met with my dietician because I was not losing weight at a steady pace. She says that a low carb, high Protein diet is the best. I am still eating mushy foods since my last fill so I either eat an egg lightly scrambled with a little salsa or 2 tablespoons of low fat cottage cheese with a teaspon of low sugar strawberry preserves. Both of these meals are around 110 calories and pretty filling. For lunch, I usually eat a cup of Soup that I make on the weekends using low fat meat and lots of vegetables. The soup is about 300 calories. For dinner I eat one lean cuisine. There are many choices out there and they are not too bad. I find myself not finishing the whole meal so I always start with the vegetables first. This meal is usually about 300 calories. I then have a snack before bed. I eat Kozy's Tapioca pudding with Splenda. I just found this snack and I love it. It has only 90 calories. All these together keeps me under 900 calories. This should keep me at a steady pace of 2 to 3 lbs of weight loss a week. Hope this helps. Helen

chicken and turkey! My personal trainer says "i shall not eat anything that walks on four legs more then once a week" Stay away from rice, breads, pastas, Cereal. And if you do have any of this, make sure its whole wheat. If this was my pre-op diet I would just stay away from it all. Hope you like eggs!! eggs have no carbs and good Protein. I eat lunch meat and pickles a lot for lunch. Be very aware of the nutrition labels, look for low carbs and high protein. You should also try a protein low carb shake, it will refuel you! Oh and i noticed when i was craving carbs i got sugar free Jello and that helped alot!

Mine is this week on the 15th. I'm so nervous! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Ok, so I am choosing to start my pre-op diet 1 week early not because i wanna lose lbs but i want to really jump start my liver reduction to limit any surgical problems. As of today i have 2 days left to indulge myself and eat all the goodies that i want cuz come monday it's on! Has anyone else done this or am i the only one?

JCsMamaBear, you just expressed what I've been experiencing. I've finished all evaluations and playing the waiting game. It took 3 weeks to get an approval letter from my insurance company. When I called my doctor's office, they said it was just a letter approving that I was a candidate for WLS. They said now I have to wait for a letter actually approving of the procedure. It's sort of frustrating because it's causing me to rearrange summer plans, kids schedule, etc., but my husband said that this isn't a process that we want to rush so let's just make sure that everything is done right. In the meantime, I see shows like the new season of Extreme Weight Loss and think-- okay, can I do that? Do I really need surgery? Then I'm reminded that that is TV and I don't have Chris Howell working with me. Good luck to you!

Yup first 3 days are the hardest and by your last 3 you will be lucky if you get 3 shakes a day in lol I was not hungry at all my second week and I lost 15 lbs which was nice! I was so excited to do my pre op because I knew the big day was near finally, that kept me motivated.

Of all the protein I tried from Pure Protein, Premier Protein, EAS, Isopure my favorite is Unjury chocolate splendor powder. You can go on Unjury website and order a sample/starter pack and they will send you 2 envelopes of 5 flavors to try. The premade shakes after surgery are now way to sweet for me. For vitamins I use trader joes chewable multi and get a chewable calcium from celebrate vitamins. Celebrate vitamins has a sample pack you can get for $3 bucks as well and the. If you rider you get a $3 credit in your first order.

It sounds like you never got out of old habits. When I start to over eat or go straight for the suger I stop and make myself think about the day I had surgery and the weeks of recovering, I tell myself "who in thier right mind would go through all of that and then go back to the same old habits" You really need to detox yourself like Kris suggested, go back on the 2 week liquid diet and start again. For sure go back to your Dr. Face up to everything and then put it behind you. There is noting you can do about it now. You're not a failure, you're human. hang in there

Wow, welcome to all the newbies....that is great to see so many people interested in being banded and the new ones that have been banded, recently.... I was banded on 4/6/07....I was required to go on liquid diet two weeks pre-op and then two weeks post -op....I have lost a total of 27 lbs..I will have my first fill on 5/17/07.... My surgery was a self-pay...15,000.00 but worth every penny...I had my surgery done at a surgery center here in my hometown...I was taken back for surgery around 9:00 and was home by 11:30..so 2 1/2 hours total....I did just fine...little soreness, but nothing major...I also had a hernia repaired at the same time I was lapbanded....I am so glad I had this surgery done...I couldn't be happier...I have been a bit anxious at times, only because I am so afraid I will do something wrong...I eat what I am told to eat, and I don't eat, what I have been told not to eat!!! I follow the diet to the letter....after paying 15,000.00 out of my pocket, you can bet I will do everything possible to be a success....