Blood Pressure above 155; got medical cert.

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My Blood pressure was above 155 but the AME said they would issue my 3rd Class Medical Certificate. I am wondering if something has changed or if the FAA will just reverse the medical within the 60 day time period. For some reason my BP was high when they took it, but when I check at home during the weeks it high around 135/80 but not ever over 155. I do not take meds for BP.

When I saw the numbers I thought I would be deferred.
 
Unregistered said:
My Blood pressure was above 155 but the AME said they would issue my 3rd Class Medical Certificate. I am wondering if something has changed or if the FAA will just reverse the medical within the 60 day time period. For some reason my BP was high when they took it, but when I check at home during the weeks it high around 135/80 but not ever over 155. I do not take meds for BP.

When I saw the numbers I thought I would be deferred.
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If I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut, the doc did you a favor, BUT, you should go see your personal doc (or get one now) and get that under control, you have a problem.
 
Perhaps you should be taking bp medicine. 150 is not healthy. You should have a very complete physical by a real pro. I'd be much more worried about my health than flying at this point.
 
Your health comes first,exercise and diet may help you get the numbers down. See your own PCP.
 
Geico266 said:
Agree.
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Perhaps your a doctor? Often times diet and excercise won't cut it. The Internet is not the place to solisit medical advice. As I said before, see a real medical pro. Smoking and drinking, for instance, can have a very detrimental effect on your blood pressure. A complete medical with honest answers to questions should be the next step. Not the Internet.
 
Jimmy cooper said:
Perhaps your a doctor? Often times diet and excercise won't cut it. The Internet is not the place to solisit medical advice. As I said before, see a real medical pro. Smoking and drinking, for instance, can have a very detrimental effect on your blood pressure. A complete medical with honest answers to questions should be the next step. Not the Internet.
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If you need a doc to tell you that changing your lifestyle (the hard way) before you go jumping to popping pills (the easy way) you're lost.
 
Okay, thanks for everyone's concern. I really appreciate that people actually care and want help out a fellow person. That is very refreshing. I check my BP at home and its never that high. It is a little high, but NEVER that high. That first one was above 155, the second one I am not sure b/c was later and done with a mechanical meter so I can not be certain that one was above 155. Anywho, I will go and have it checked and take med if they recommend.
 
Jimmy cooper said:
Perhaps your a doctor? Often times diet and excercise won't cut it. The Internet is not the place to solisit medical advice. As I said before, see a real medical pro. Smoking and drinking, for instance, can have a very detrimental effect on your blood pressure. A complete medical with honest answers to questions should be the next step. Not the Internet.
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Wow, we actually agree on something Jimmy.
 
Unregistered said:
Okay, thanks for everyone's concern. I really appreciate that people actually care and want help out a fellow person. That is very refreshing. I check my BP at home and its never that high. It is a little high, but NEVER that high. That first one was above 155, the second one I am not sure b/c was later and done with a mechanical meter so I can not be certain that one was above 155. Anywho, I will go and have it checked and take med if they recommend.
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When I read your first post I thought you were saying that the AME did one reading that was above the limit, but he issued you anyway. If he did a second reading and they did not tell you the result, but issued you, then I would assume that it was within limits unless you have some other reason to believe this AME is giving you a pass. They do have the option to take several readings if necessary to get one that is under the limit. Dr. Bruce has talked about giving airmen with high first readings an isometric exercise trigger an autonomic reflex that (temporarily) lowers the BP.

That said, I strongly agree with the advice to see your doctor about this. You may have simple "white coat" hypertension, but if your body reacts that way to stress then you might have elevated BP elsewhere on a regular basis, which is not good for your future health.
 
It's called white coat syndrome. Many people get high BP readings in the presence of doctors and when something's at stake.
 
Jimmy cooper said:
Perhaps your a doctor? Often times diet and excercise won't cut it. The Internet is not the place to solisit medical advice. As I said before, see a real medical pro. Smoking and drinking, for instance, can have a very detrimental effect on your blood pressure. A complete medical with honest answers to questions should be the next step. Not the Internet.
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And you are a doctor? :rolleyes: Drugs are not the first place to start, they are the last for lowering BP. Controlling BP can be as easy as diet and exercise depending on many factors, but it is the first place to start, not the the last. Any DR will tell you that.
 
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Unregistered said:
Okay, thanks for everyone's concern. I really appreciate that people actually care and want help out a fellow person. That is very refreshing. I check my BP at home and its never that high. It is a little high, but NEVER that high. That first one was above 155, the second one I am not sure b/c was later and done with a mechanical meter so I can not be certain that one was above 155. Anywho, I will go and have it checked and take med if they recommend.
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Taking readings in a DR's office is problematic due to "white coat" syndrome. The stress of having it taken, and knowing if you fail you can't fly actually causes higher BP readings. By all means have it checked. Strokes and organ failure are not good. I don't know you, but you would not look good in a bib, drooling in a wheel chair in a corner. Exercise regularly, change your diet, cut out caffeine & salt. Do this before even starting BP meds. Once you are on them it usually is for life, and balancing them is a major deal with many ups and downs and many side effects.
 
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stratobee said:
It's called white coat syndrome. Many people get high BP readings in the presence of doctors and when something's at stake.
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Exactly. :yes:

I have it big time. I can blow the readings in the DR's office, go home and test just fine. Dr's & nurses are well aware of this.
 
Unregistered said:
My Blood pressure was above 155 but the AME said they would issue my 3rd Class Medical Certificate. I am wondering if something has changed or if the FAA will just reverse the medical within the 60 day time period. For some reason my BP was high when they took it, but when I check at home during the weeks it high around 135/80 but not ever over 155. I do not take meds for BP.

When I saw the numbers I thought I would be deferred.
Click to expand...

If it's not normally that high it might be white coat syndrome, which your doctor recognized.
 
One bp test is interesting but easily influenced by traffic on the way to the appointment, waiting for your turn, wondering about the outcome of the test, thinking what if ... Call the Doc and ask about the later bp test.

On the other hand, your body is reacting to stress and we can have lots of stressful moments. Excess weight and a less active lifestyle doesn't help.
 
Okay, had another Dr Appt the following day (already scheduled), they checked BP and was 140/80, still pretty high and i asked doc about BP medicine, he scheduled lab tests in 3 months and said eat good and exercise etc and will prescribe based on tests at that point.
I also took in my BP machine and was pretty accurate.

Does anyone know what the Dr sends to the FAA as far as results of the tests they do?
 
120 is a good reading. After a lot of hot air, going to see a specialist is the answer. Internet is not. " white coat" syndrome is well know to doctors. Not a factor. I've personally gone thru this at johns Hopkins with excellent doctors over 15 years. In the end, medication was the answer. Excercise, diet didn't cut it. Depends on the individual. High blood pressure is serious business. ( I do not drink or smoke)
 
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Unregistered said:
Okay, had another Dr Appt the following day (already scheduled), they checked BP and was 140/80, still pretty high and i asked doc about BP medicine, he scheduled lab tests in 3 months and said eat good and exercise etc and will prescribe based on tests at that point.
I also took in my BP machine and was pretty accurate.

Does anyone know what the Dr sends to the FAA as far as results of the tests they do?
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Salt and refined sugars. Make a concerted effort to avoid those and you may have success, IMHO, not a doctor here. Also need aerobic exercise 4 to 5 times a week. You need to do this for the rest of your life, hopefully you succeed, but if not, the medicines are not that bad, much better than the alternative.
 
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