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  May 12, 2023

  2 min read

Managing My Hypertension Successfully

Updated: Dec 23, 2023

My Steps to Managing My High Blood Pressure (Hypertension_)

One evening in late February, 2022 I felt a lot of tingling throughout my body and my legs were starting to go numb. I went to an Urgent Care facility and found my blood pressure was over 200/90. I am 74 years old.

I began a program of medication to help me manage my hypertension.

Medication – I was put on several different medications over a year’s time – amlodipine, losartan, hydrochlorothiazide, lisinopril, hydralazine, spironolactone. I had some allergic reactions to a few of the medications – numbing in the legs, a jittery feeling throughout my body and hot flashes that lasted for hours. At one point I was taking 4 different hypertension medications – amlodipine, hyzaar (which is a combination of losartan and hydrocholorothiazide) and spironolactone. I also take Atorvastatin to manage my cholesterol levels – able to bring down from 270 down to 135.

I also keep my weight under 200 lbs.

I was also put on a cpap machine as I was tested for sleep apnea and measured a 5.1 “events” or “apneas” (moments that I stopped breathing for a few seconds) per hour at night. I was able to bring this down to less than 1 event per hour, so I was able to stop using the cpap machine and I am sleeping better without the machine.

These are the steps I took to begin to manage my hypertension to the point where I only take the Hyzaar medication and am able to consistently get blood pressure readings around 135/70 or less.

1. Make sure I am feeling warm (my blood pressure goes up when my body feels cold)

2. Relax 5-7 minutes before taking blood pressure reading

Place my arm on a throw pillow on the kitchen table to elevate my arm to heart level

I use an upper arm cuff that fits my arm and one that I plug in, so I don’t have to worry about the batteries going dead.

I take 7 more breaths after 1st reading and then take a 2nd reading.

3. I lowered my sodium levels to less than 1800mg per day (I eat a lot of oatmeal for breakfast & 5 fruits/vegetables per day)

4. Reduce my stress levels (slow down, take naps during the day, meditate and journal daily)

5. Eco – meditation (available on YouTube from Dawson Church)

6. RespeRate – biofeedback machine to train me in deep breathing techniques

7. Chakra clearing meditation

8. Tapping – EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques)

Affirmation: “I choose to feel empowered to create whatever I want.”

9. Donna Eden energy healing practices – 6-minute daily exercise program

A. Triple thump

I. K-27 point

II. Thymus Gland

III. Spleen CenterB. Cross crawl (march in place)

C. Wayne Cook posture

D. The Crown pull

E. Neurolymphatic massage

F. The Zip up

G. The Hook up

H. Sunrise/Sunset

I. Forehead stress points (one hand on forehead, one on back of neck) or thumbs on temples and fingertips on forehead.

10. Exercise at the gym 40 minutes 5-6 days a week (cardio exercise on a recumbent bike with handles)

11. Humidifier at night to keep moisture in the air

(I was getting nosebleeds during the night both with the cpap machine and without it).

12. Record the better of the two readings on a blood pressure tracking app on my phone

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