Blood Pressure Medication

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
streamline wrote:
Smoke a joint.

LOL, I like it. Simple and effective - usually.

Actually, whilst THC has the effect of lowering vasomotor tone in the venous system, I’m not sure that is works as well on the arterial system, meaning that the heart still has to work hard to pump blood through restricted arteries.

Also, there have been times in my personal use of cannabis, where instead of chilling me out, the weed seems to have induced a stress/cortisol response, making me agitated and keeping me up for hours. This would obviously not be good for BP.

Bushy[/quote]

Just saw this… I actually have noticed that pot can be relaxing or agitating. That’s odd.

How about if you visit him about three days/evenings a week and go for a long walk. Any body can talk about it, get him out for a walk, and you can get that satisfying “walking the walk” feeling for your self, and your friend.

[quote]beebuddy wrote:
bushidobadboy wrote:
streamline wrote:
Smoke a joint.

LOL, I like it. Simple and effective - usually.

Actually, whilst THC has the effect of lowering vasomotor tone in the venous system, I’m not sure that is works as well on the arterial system, meaning that the heart still has to work hard to pump blood through restricted arteries.

Also, there have been times in my personal use of cannabis, where instead of chilling me out, the weed seems to have induced a stress/cortisol response, making me agitated and keeping me up for hours. This would obviously not be good for BP.

Bushy

Just saw this… I actually have noticed that pot can be relaxing or agitating. That’s odd.[/quote]

Yep, it’s true. As a “veteran” pot smoker for years earlier, I can say that while it does relax one in a big way as the high gets further along, the initial reaction is increased heart rate and all the things Bushy mentioned for a good 15-30 minutes for me. They can be slight or more pronounced depending on one’s general mood at the time also.
For me the anxiety/stim sides at onset were not near as prominent during the first decade of use, but have made more on an impact on the high during the second decade of intake. Not to mention short term memory misfiring big time during the immediate post tokeage time period, lol.

For the Op, I’ve been on the same ACE inhibitor as Head also. Lisinopril, but I only take 5 mg/day. I have had zero issues or sides whatsoever, and feel it’s an excellent top of the line BP med. Thanks to Bushy for recommending the ACE inhib’s when I first came to needing one too. :slight_smile:

Final note, I would use the ACE inhib now if he’s got borderline or high bp. Even if it’s a little bit high,(like mine was), you don’t want that to continue for years and years, as that small amount equates to a lot more stress on the heart as the time goes by, and we all know what that means for the long haul right?

Good luck to the involved party.

ToneBone

I used to weigh 205 and sit on my butt due to a back injury. I still have the back injury, but have gotten down to 170, eat better, and no longer need BP or cholesterol meds anymore. I do ride a bicycle whenever possible and ride an average of 50 plus miles a week. I thought I was doomed to BP meds the rest of my life because I am on T-Cyp shots and need to watch my hemocrit counts. I now give 250cc of whole blood a month (1/2 pint) at my doctors’ office and my numbers are good in spite of my past medical history.

My point is; if you you want a change in lifestyle and medical needs, it takes dedication. I realize not everyone will be able to get off meds completely, but it’s a place to try for, right?