Is it normal to be on blood pressure meds at age 21?

20% Normal
33 Comments

Basically I was put on it about a year ago when i went to see my doctor following a stint in a rehab facility. I have taken it maybe 6 times since then because I always forget about it.
Why do I have high blood pressure when my bmi is healthy (21) along with my waist size (30)? And is ignoring this really that big of an issue?
I just don't like the idea of taking a prescription daily, im 21 I shouldn't be needing a daily pill box.

Voting Results
20% Normal
Based on 35 votes (7 yes)
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Comments ( 33 )
  • wigz
    8 years ago

    Have you checked your blood pressure since then? Do you have symptoms?

    It could've been a temporary thing. I had unexplained high blood pressure for a short time and it went away. I got prescribed meds for it and I didn't like taking them because honestly, they were scary, but it beats having a stroke so I took them when I needed to.

    I'd say get your bp checked at a pharmacy or go back to the doctor. See if it's still a problem.

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    • Ellenna
      8 years ago

      Firstly, high blood pressure usually has no symptoms whatsoever and secondly, WTF is so scary about BP lowering medication?

      Oh, thirdly, it's not only strokes which are caused by high BP but also heart attacks

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      • wigz
        8 years ago

        Jesus Christ, bitch, what's your problem?

        I asked if he had symptoms. I didn't say anything else about that. I didn't say they were common. But, you know, a lot of the time when symptoms DO present, it's when blood pressure is at a dangerous high.

        I did not like the side effects of the medication, they freaked me out. So fucking what? What does it matter to you?

        Thirdly, eat shit.

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        • Ellenna
          8 years ago

          What's all this vitriol about? Calm down or your BP will definitely become a problem!

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          • wigz
            8 years ago

            Because I was talking to this guy casually and you reply as if I stated I was a medical doctor talking in absolutes. Then you get on my case about my personal experience taking these meds. Nitpicking me for no reason and discounting my experience. The question is, why did you respond to my post like that?

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        • Reff3
          8 years ago

          THANK YOU.

          You have voiced the concerns I have for taking a pill that a doctor i spoke to for twenty minutes prescribes and it includes "suicidal thoughts" as potential side effects.

          I appreciate your dissent.

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          • wigz
            8 years ago

            For me, it's one thing to take a drug that has a mild effect on the body in general and taking one that its sole purpose affects a vital function. It gave me massive anxiety. It also made me feel weird physically...in an uncomfortable way. An out of control kind of way.

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  • yourdeepestshame
    8 years ago

    Don't ignore this. High blood pressure damages your cardiovascular system over time; if untreated, you could have anything, ranging from premature heart attack, to stroke, to heart failure.
    I can't say it enough, high blood pressure is terrible for you.

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  • Ellenna
    8 years ago

    Was the high blood pressure a result of drugs or prescribed medication in rehab?

    If you're concerned enough to post on here about it, have your BP checked at least twice over a short period of time and if it's high and you're prescribed medication for it, take it as prescribed.

    Uppers and some prescribed medication can put BP up and high BP isn't something to muck around with unless you want to get really sick and risk a heart attack or stroke

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    • Reff3
      8 years ago

      It runs in my family. Both my mother and father are healthy weights and on bp meds. But my older brother is not. I just dont want to be on them any earlier than the future probably has in store for me...
      I dont like the idea of foreign drugs in my body; it has been an important new rule on this straight and narrow ive been walking lately. Not to say im not loving being clean; i do, it's just hard work. I will continue to succeed.

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      • Ellenna
        8 years ago

        Congralutions on your recovery process, but I don't see the point of giving up dangerous illegal drugs and then allowing yourself to risk potentially fatal conditions by not controlling your high blood pressure.

        Your body, your choice, but it doesn't make sense to me and all the more reason to take medication if there's a familial trend. You've mentioned weight a couple of times: that's only one factor for some people with high blood pressure: the important thing is what the blood pressure guage says about your individual situation

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  • green_boogers
    8 years ago

    It's your choice. Die from CHF at age 35 or take the meds.

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  • TerenceTheTiger
    8 years ago

    So, can you say what is your BP?

    Mine has ranged between 115/70 to 125/85 with a pulse between 55 and 60.
    A friend has a device to check BP at home so I use it when I visit.

    I have never liked the idea of taking drugs to control anything, especially long term. There's almost always some kind of negative side effect.

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  • Reff3
    8 years ago

    I dont want to die hahaha clearly... I put all this effort into saving myself why would i give up now? I just hate seeing doctors they make me overwhelmingly anxious. My bp apparently was just above the line required for meds and it was described to me as "stage 2 hypertension" so it doesn't sound life threatening.

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    • Englishman_Abroad
      8 years ago

      Apologies, of course I have no idea about your history and what you've been through to get where you are now, and that kinda prooves my point about not taking medical advice from strangers on the net - none of us know the first thing about you (that is not a request for more info). At the risk of inviting angry replies... the advice given by two people on here to either "relax and it will go away" or "see a naturopath" is particularly dangerous, but you probably already know that.

      I get a bit of white coat syndrome around docs and hospitals too - and I work in veterinary medicine. I thnk it's the unfamiliar setting, smells, apprenhension about results etc. Unfortunately they don't call hypertension the silent killer for nothing so I really don't see much choice for you. If nothing else controlling your bp now will avoid a lot more visits to docs in the future (at least bp monitoring is non-invasive!).
      All the best for your future health and wellbeing.

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  • Englishman_Abroad
    8 years ago

    Asking is it normal is probably the wrong question. There have been vavious studies looking at the prevalence of high blood pressure in young adults and it's more common than you'd think - somewhere between 7 and 19% (depending on which papers you look at as age group cut-offs and definitions of hypertension vary). However a good proportion go undiagnosed so you are actually lucky to be in a position to be able to do something about it.

    I think you should ask your doc to explain why you have high bp and see if there are any lifestyle or dietry changes that could reduce you need for meds. In the meantime don't stop taking them and go to all the repeat checkups to get your bp re-measured.

    Also don't take medical advice from the internet.

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  • snarkygirl
    8 years ago

    Its hard to say but if you doubt I'd get a second opinion and talk to a naturopath

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    • Ellenna
      8 years ago

      I've tried many naturopathic "remedies" for high blood pressure and guess what? They didn't work.

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      • snarkygirl
        8 years ago

        Some of its garbage true. But some genuineness cause horrible side effects.

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        • Ellenna
          8 years ago

          If by "genuineness" you mean pharmaceutical medications, of course some of them cause side effects, but do you realise that at least they're tested to some extent? I don't know about other countries, but in Australia "alternative" remedies only have to not cause harm, they don't have to do what they're claimed to do and aren't tested independently to check whether or not they work. This results in many gullible people using them rather than seeing a doctor who will prescribe something that yeah, may have side effects, but will actually work, which won't do much harm if it's a cold or the flu but can have disastrous consequences in serious conditions.

          The other thing a lot of people don't realise is that just because something has a nice "natural" type label on it doesn't mean it's not manufactured by a company out to make money from the public in the same way as so called "Big Pharma" does.

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          • snarkygirl
            8 years ago

            Sorry I meant " genuine meds". My keyboard is a bit jacked up.
            Well that's true. Hemlock and poison ivy are natural if you think about it!

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  • DADNSCAL
    8 years ago

    Doesn't sound normal but if they were prescribed you must take them every day for them to work. Have you seen the dac recently?

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  • boy1
    8 years ago

    I think you should go to one of them sites that has free doctors or something or just ask your doctor. I take medicines a lot these days and iam 20 but it's because i have a problem with my shoulder... it will go away .. relax.

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  • thegypsysailor
    8 years ago

    It isn't normal at all. However, not taking the meds is tantamount to killing yourself. As an ex addict, you are pretty familiar with the process of killing yourself slowly, right?
    Why bother with rehab or seeing a doctor if all you want to do is die anyway?

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