Holy moly! Glad you're still with us. Not something to fool around with.

Here's the link to WebMD. Search on high blood pressure. http://www.webmd.com Lots of info there.
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Get under a doctor's care immediately and do what he says. Stop smoking, reduce salt, exercise (in moderation at first), reduce stress, take medication, lose weght...

Most important get immediate medical care and stay in long term treatment. Else you are risking stroke or worse...

I have gotten a higherblood pressure before, but only for about 4 hours. I find it increadably scary to think that I had almost died. I would not depend on the pressure medication for the reason you stated. Your body will become dependent on it and if you stop taking it your blood pressure will skyrocket. The sudden jump in blood pressure is probably very dangerous. As I said before exercise is the best way. Aerobic to be precise. Run a couple of miles everyday. That should really help. At least walk for a half hour everyday.

Do what goodmorphing says. Forget the internet. Get a new Doctor. The one your going to does not seem to have a clue. It can take a little while to ascertain the which medication suites you best. Also he should be trying to find out whats causing yours. And exercising, in itself, does not necessarily cure blood pressure. My advise ( i've been on blood pressure medication for 25 years) and will be forever. I and my Dr know the reason. Your best friend at the moment is your DR. Ask questions, do what he says - otherwise your dead Fred

I referenced WebMD because it is a good source of information and education. Not as a substitute for a doctor (a good one that is) or tests. But for someone who has gone to a doctor and still apparently doesn't know much about high blood pressure or its risks after it nearly kills him, it is a resource to learn more. And education needs to start somewhere...it's not always or even often provided by doctors. The more you know on the subject the better prepared you are to talk to your doctor and get specific information regarding your situation or you can more quickly figure out that you need to get a new doctor.

*lurk* everybody's got a handle on this. i'll just reiterate whats been said.. use webMD for an immediate guide on what are likely causes and what you can do to begin to help yourself. but you must consult a doctor - one with a clue - this situation is a hairy trigger on a bomb.

I just can't get over that I almost kicked the bucket.

I don't have a family history of high blood pressure. I do get allot of excises because, as a security officer, I have to make tours of my building. It takes a good 40 minutes to an hour and 10 minutes to finish a patrol... 2 or 3 times a night.


I don't know... all of this seemed to come out of nowhere. @ months ago I didn't have HBP and now I do.

I am currently under out patient care (because I was hospitalized for 3 days) and I am going to see the doctor tomorrow.

I just dont know what to do... I couldn't go to sleep last night thinking i might not get up.

Some doctors in the hospital are thinking that something is going on with my Kidneys and that is what is causing the problem. All I know is that they were saying with the high blood pressure, I could have a heart attack, stroke (and in turn become a vegetable), or organ failure .

That was my very first hospital stay EVER. Really scary.

Thanks everyone for your support. I will look at the WebMD website.

I've had really high blood pressure and actually had a "mini-stroke" in the past.  Don't *ever* just quit taking blood pressure medicine.  When they take you off it, they step you down so that your pressure doesn't spike.

I take baby aspirin every day to try and prevent strokes and so forth.  I am also on a mild blood pressure medicine and a "water" pill which gets rid of all the excess water that I tend to retain because of the blood pressure.  Mine is caused by a combination of Thyroid and Kidney disease (one is a cause of the other).

Get it checked out.  Blood pressure is nothing to mess with.

I hope it all works out OK for you.  You're doctor will give you advice on what to eat, how to exercise, etc. 

Hello Joe
You seem to have gotten some good advice here. I am also an Reg. Nurse.My specialty is cardiopulmonary and I have been in the biz for 16 years. First a single blood pressure by itself is not nearly as important as blood pressures over time. However the 205/180 falls within the parameters of a 'hypertensive crisis'. There are many causes however studies indicate that many who develop BP problems are genetically predisposed. This doesn't even have to mean that your family members have to have 'diagnosed hypertension'. Some people produce a lot of cholesterol [ your liver produces it and it can sometimes stay high even if you eat rabbit food-the fancy word is familial hypercholesterolemia or familial hyperlipidemia ]
The important thing is GO IN FOR A COMPLETE WORKUP ! Have your cholesterol and triglycerides checked if you haven't already done so.Next and most important is get on a medication a stay with it.There are beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE drugs, diuretics etc. If you take these and then stop, something called 'rebound hypertension' occurs. Which means your receptor cells are just getting used to the effects and then bam, that chemical effect is gone. Not good. May I ask your age? What were your previous blood pressures? Are there any kidney problems in your family? The reason I ask is that there is a kidney 'problem' called pheochromocytoma that can cause very high BP. If you think of your heart as a water pump and all your blood vessels as garden hoses in a closed system with a set amount of fluid it makes sense that the 'pressure' goes 'up' if a) the hose internal diameter gets smaller as in high cholesterol plugging the lining of those 'hoses' or those 'hoses' getting narrow all of a sudden because they vasoconstrict due to fear, stress, pain etc if the fluid in the system gets higher as in salt in the blood pulling fluid into the hoses, increasing the fluid volume ( hence low sodium diets ).Think about those pipes ( your blood vessels ) trying to accomodate that extra pressure. Thats why strokes occur. Think about the strain on the 'water pump-your heart trying to push blood into this system. Not good because like a motor it will eventually burn out. The good news is all this is very treatable with the appropriate meds and they are getting better with fewer side effects all the time.If you need more info in laymans terms please email me. I am also a clinical educator. Take a deep breath, try to relax.Fear will shoot up a BP quicker than anything. Take Care. We are here for you.

wow i know where to go after i go into diabetic shock you people rock.

Thank you everyone for your positive responces. i go back to the doctor tomorrow. I hope it goes well.

Being a police officer can be stressful. Sometimes I wonder if my job is helping to cause my stress levels to go up?

I felt lousy yesterday, but I fel better today. I see the doc today.

I'm only 29 they tell me!!! In the hosptial, I was on the floor with 60 and 70 year olds. It felt wierd that I was on the 'cardiac aresst' floor... I forget what they called it.

I'm only 29 they tell me!!! In the hosptial, I was on the floor with 60 and 70 year olds. It felt wierd that I was on the 'cardiac aresst' floor... I forget what they called it.

Joe ... age is not a factor!
Look at Karma ... she might wield 'The Fist of Doom' but she is still only a kid (in Wombat years)compared to me!
And stressing yourself out like this only does you harm.

Your job DEFINITELY causes your stress level to go up! Any type of security/enforcement career has such a high level of anticipation that your body is bound to react.

Not always, I've never come across any members of my ADF unit with anything other than lower than average BP .... even under fire.
But stress and a bad diet, as well as an inherited genetic pre-disposition (you never know) are very real factors.