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whisky and hypertension

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@Phil73805
Phil73805 started a discussion

I discovered today that I have level one hypertension, or high blood pressure in English. Considering that I am 39 years old and have only just discovered the joys of whisky, this is at best poor timing. From my enquiries it seems I can still drink whisky but must really cut down. Are there any other members here with high blood pressure? How do you balance the two?

I would really appreciate some feedback on this. I'll be going to the doctor tomorrow to explore my options and figure out what needs to happen but any rays of hope you may have would be invaluable.

10 years ago

13 replies

numen replied

@Phil73805, I'm sad to hear your diagnosis. I had pre-hypertension and a predisposition to acid reflux. The first step is getting the diagnosis. When I got mine, I went on some medication (still on) and focused on losing some weight and eating better, which helped. At first, I took time off drinking liquor (about a month or two) to let the meds run their course and help me lose some of the extra weight. After things stabilized and got into a good zone, I resumed periodic consumption. I never drank that much, really, but I watched it much more (especially with the GI issues) after the blood pressure issues. What I found worked best for me was to be sure to drink lots more water during the day, take my medicine every day, watch what I eat, exercise regularly, and lose weight. With that, my numbers got down to a good range and drinking isn't a problem.

Depending on how much you've had or how much of it was a result of the alcohol, you may also want to get your liver function checked out. Good luck!

10 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor replied

@Phil73805, well, Connosr is not really the place for medical advise, but...

Unless the cause of your hypertension is something odd like a tumour, the most frequent causes of hypertension are usually uncompensated for stress and excessive weight. Weight loss, plenty of aerobic exercise, and stress reduction, like meditation and adequate sleep, are usually more useful than medications, though in serious cases you really do need the meds too. If anything, moderate alcohol use is more likely to be helpful than harmful, because it contributes to stress reduction.

If the cause is something like a tumour, that is a totally different ball of wax.

10 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Benancio
Benancio replied

@Phil73805 read the discussion "Health and Whisky" on Connosr.
I always tell my whiskey drinking friends "Don't screw up a good thing. Don't drink to the point it affects your health and you have to give it up."
I know people that have given up alcohol completely because of alcoholism.
Drink in moderation, eat right and exercise.

I use to drink more but I've changed my drinking consumption to just the weekends. Drink quality not quantity.

Your health and your family come first. Enjoy and be responsible.

10 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Alexsweden
Alexsweden replied

I agree with Victor. Weight loss (if overweight), exercise - both strength and aerobic can do wonders. Also watch your sodium intake. Stress is another factor for hypertension aswell as high blood Glucose levels that might be potentially harmful. Hopefully you'll manage this well and still will be able to enjoy plenty of good drams in the future! Good luck

10 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Phil73805
Phil73805 replied

Thank you all for your perspective. Victor, I wasn't seeking medical advice, I'm going to the Doctor for that. I was asking for other members who have had the same problem and how they dealt with it. I have never been a big drinker and I do not enjoy the sensation of being drunk. When I'm tasting I drink a lot of water to between tastes to prevent myself from even getting slightly woozy. I've been drinking whisky for a few years now but I have only just learned to appreciate it properly. As a result I have been drinking more than usual as I try to educate my palate and learn to identify those elusive smells and tastes. Whenever I get into something I always endeavour to learn as much as I can as quickly as I can. This isn't to say that I've been drinking ridiculous amounts, I have been careful to remain within UK government guidelines for alcohol, but still, much more than I used to.

Numen really got to the heart of the matter (pun intended), I think what I was after was reassurance from others who have had this problem that I wasn't going to lose so fascinating an interest after having just discovered it. I certainly need to cut back and I may need to take a break but I can certainly manage that.

In terms of lifestyle choices, yes I need to lose weight, in fact I was already on a diet and I need more exercise which I can certainly manage though I have stopped diving until I can get the blood pressure under control or until my doctor tells me it's safe, whichever is sooner.

Thank you all.

10 years ago 0

@Phil73805
Phil73805 replied

@Benancio Thank you for pointing me in the direction of that post. Very much what I was looking for!

10 years ago 0

@Phil73805
Phil73805 replied

Okay, funny story. I went to the Doctor today and told him all that had happened. What's the first thing he does? Takes my blood pressure, obviously. 115/80...completely healthy and normal...machine at home? Not giving accurate results. Excuse me all while I wipe the egg from my face.

Having said that, this is certainly a lesson to me in moderation and careful monitoring of my intake so that this amusing mistake doesn't become a reality.

I celebrated by opening a bottle of the Bunnahabhain 12 and trying it. Wrote some notes but will spend more time with it over the coming weeks and months before I write a review.

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts with me on this. I can't begin to tell you how relieved I am.

10 years ago 2Who liked this?

numen replied

Home machines are notoriously finicky, especially if one doesn't get them just right. I used to have one in the early days of my pre-hypertension diagnosis to do daily checks. The problem was that, at some point, the thing went out of whack and gave elevated readings, and I probably wasn't putting the cuff on perfectly right. As a result, I went from 135/88 in a doctor's office to 160/95 pretty routinely at home. Naturally, I'd become more anxious, my heart rate would increase, and everything got bad. When I'd actually get checked out or go to a clinic to make sure that I wasn't dying, things were normal. Cost me a fortune and wasted so much time!

Still, glad to hear that it was a false alarm and that you're taking the lessons to heart all the same! Cheers!

10 years ago 3Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan replied

Last time I mentioned anything about moderation it didn't go over well. So I will let the Mayo clinic and the American Heart Association do most of the talking for me:

mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/…

heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/…

While some studies have come out suggesting that alcohol can decrease the risk of heart disease, these sites suggest that overuse can lead to hypertension. In my career I've seen many examples of how overuse can cause health problems, not just high blood pressure.

The creators of this site (under the drinking responsibly tab) have put a link to the UK site "Drinkaware", and here is the page that discusses high blood pressure:

drinkaware.co.uk/check-the-facts/…

My medical license does not extend into cyberspace nor does my malpractice coverage even more important) so I won't comment on any specifics, but I will say that most of the reading I've done around this topic ...

wait! does someone actually read about it? - yes - I even prepared a module to teach how to TAKE blood pressure correctly)

...suggests that the diagnosis of hypertension should be made by a qualified health care practioner after repeated high readings taken properly. Intervals and exact thresholds differ so consult your local health care person for detail, or look at the CHA, AHA, or other equivalent groups for details.


@numen - if you lived up in my neck of the woods you'd be better off for 2 reasons:

  1. You cost would have been as high as 2 subway tokens or parking (Universal Health care YAY!)

  2. After being reassured by your doctor we could have shared something good (in moderation) to celebrate.

10 years ago 2Who liked this?

@JJBriggs
JJBriggs replied

@Nozinan I have nothing but fond memories of the discussion.

9 years ago 0

@sengjc
sengjc replied

As others have mentioned: enjoy responsibly.

A hobby is just a hobby: family, health and financial responsibility comes first.

9 years ago 0

@Frost
Frost replied

@Phil73805 I'd like to weigh in here. It's great you have been to the doctor and received a consultation that informed you of your current health condition. I'm not saying it's good you have hypertension, it's good it has been diagnosed and brought to your attention.

I think you can take a positive angle here. It's a condition you can address with quality exercise and good dietary habits. I'm confident once you reach your goal weight, you will find the blood pressure has corrected itself. I've been there.

So what's the good thing? Firstly, you mention you only discovered the joys of whisky. Why not use this time to stockpile and not drink, so when your levels balance you can be amazed at the items you've got stocked to enjoy over the coming months/years.

Also getting fit doesn't mean abstaining from alcohol. Luckily you have discovered whisky that is mostly drank neat or with a few drops of water, and not some cocktail loaded with sugars and carbs. I keep fit by doing weights and cardio at the gym 6 days per week and can testify for the balance that can be achieved with healthy living and responsible dramming.

Also, you'll live longer and get to see what Ardbeg marketing ploy is pulled in the year 2076.

9 years ago 1Who liked this?

numen replied

@Nozinan, that's a generous offer indeed! And the more quickly we get through some of these bottles, which tend to linger in my collection, the better the excuse to get something new to try!

9 years ago 0