High Blood Pressure or Not

My new GP told me that People with Diabetes nearly always have high blood pressure. So I'm interested to see how many people also have high BP. Is it really typical?

So, please let us know if you have High BP (now or in the past), and if you take meds for it or just lifestyle measures.

I have never had high blood pressure. Typically my BP is 100 - 110 / 60 - 70.

Yes, and take a low dose pill for high blood pressure which also will protect my kidneys (I hope!). Your blood pressure readings look very good.

I don't have high blood pressure and never have had it. Good diet, reasonable stress and daily exercise are my tools. I've been T1 for only about 5 years so maybe I don't count.

Keep on doing what you are doing :)
Docs prescribe blood pressure meds not only to lower BP , but also aids in protecting kidneys ..as Pastelp alluded to .I was taking Ramipril ( low dose ) and had a follow up bloodtest performed and Potassium level was recording High . GP and I discussed stopping the Ramipril( July 2011 ) I take BP at home regularly , averaging around 115 /76 . At last visit to the diabetes clinic BP was 110/74(?); in GP's office last week 120/74 ...white coat syndrome ?? Bloodtest showed : kidney function : GFR (glomerular filteration rate ) at slightly below normal( 3.9).At my age ( almost 72 ) and living with diabetes for almost 30 years( no complications ) will monitor it regularly .

I'm type 1 for 25 years and have never had high blood pressure. I take a very small dose of Lisinopril (2.5 mg per day) to protect my kidneys. My last endo visit about a month ago, my blood pressure was 102/68.

I have no family history of high blood pressure but a strong family history of Type 2 diabetes. No other Type 1s in my family that I know of.

Never had high blood pressure, before and after diagnosis. BP ranges from 100/60....maybe slightly higher 110/70 after strenuous physical exercises. I do though come from a long family line of diabetes and high blood pressure.

t2 for 16 years never had an issue w/ high BP

My BP has always been SPOT on {except for the one time that I had to wait an EXTRA long time in the waiting room and I got REALLY mad--the nurse was surprised my BP was higher, but she shut up when I explained I was mad for having to wait so long :)}.

My new Endo said that they would eventually put me on BP meds and cholesterol meds because they do that for every diabetic. They didn't want to bother starting me on them now, since I'd just have to quit them in a couple years when I want to get pregnant.

Little do they know that I have absolutely no intention of taking either. I drink at least 64 oz of water (and ONLY water--no soda here) a day and my cholesterol levels are perfectly healthy {you know they keep lowering the standard for where your cholesterol should be so that more people will "need" the meds?}.

Not "high" BP but usually just above normal for me. I am T1 but in a strong honeymoon stage right now. I was running every day on a treadmill but hurt my feet so I have not been on the treadmill in a few days. I actually miss it and hope I can get back to it soon. I noticed that after a good run my BP was great for the rest of the day and most of the next day. so I really want to keep it up. But I do take Ramipril also for both BP and Kidney protection.

I have been T2 for 17 years or so. Last time in the doctor's office, BP was 112/70. I think your GP is uncritically accepting what he was told in school.

I have been T2 for 30+years. I have had high blood pressure for far too many years.

Today under control and on metoprolol and quinapril.
my pressurs have benn in past at 190 over 120 and at time of my stroke it was 210
when emergency room doctor wanted to use drugs to relieve stroke but decided i would bleed to death on table.

Saving ones kidneys; I am led to believe following:

a) get off sctos
b) dropping blood sugar - a1c/bg sub 7/150.
c) keep blood pressure down.

For me, kidney data stopped getting worse when a and b above done.

good luck to others.

It may also be true that excess glucose - aka t2 diabetes provides extra energy for heart to work overtime and in excess.

My blood pressue seemed to tack my brain's mental activity and press of effort ( concerns/stress).

I have taken my own blood pressure every day for 5 years now. One of my diabetic complications is autonomic neuropathy. My blood pressure is usually quite low, sometimes so low I end up sitting in a chair all day (64/40). When I go to the doctor, however, it's very high. It rises in the parking lot, before I even go into the office. So, even though I KNOW my BP is low, the doctors never believe me and they're always trying to get me to take Lisinopril, because I'm diabetic and if you're diabetic, they say, you need to take it. They also try to get me to take cholesterol medication even though my cholesterol is 125 or so. Again, because I'm diabetic. There must be a very simplistic brochure some doctors read as their only education about this disease. It sure is frustrating when you can't trust a doctor's judgement on simple issues, makes you question every conclusion he/she comes to.

Nope...never have and I also have low cholesterol and triglycerides. I have been taking a
pill for hypertension many PWD's are taking something even if it's just a prophylactic
to protect the kidneys. My Doc has tried for years to put me on a cholesterol Med just
because I'm a PWD but I have refused.

I do but is was high before diabetes.

Nope close to 30 years diabetic and my blood pressure is perfect, cholesterol is perfect and so's my kidney function, lol not bad considering I come froma family who has blood pressure issues. Im not on any add'l meds. Just my insulin.

My blood pressure tends to run normal at the doctor's office, normal to low in real life. Despite that, and despite all indications that I have normal kidney function, my endo keeps on pushing ace-inhibitors--just a tiny dose. I'm not planning on taking any UNLESS we have data that suggests that I actually need them--I don't want to take a preventative dose.

My dad (who doesn't have diabetes) was put on cholesterol meds as a preventative measure. It caused some pretty drastic liver damage and annoying side effects that he will have to live with for the rest of his life. If I ever start having cholesterol meds pushed on me, I'm just going to have to start eating oatmeal, which is how he got his numbers back down.

I have two strikes against me on the blood pressure issue. In addition to diabetes I also have polycystic kidney disease which also commonly causes high blood pressure. I currently take a max dose of Norvasc and 10mg lisinopril which keeps me in the normal range. With no drugs my BP hangs in the stage 3 catagory.

Yes, my doctors ride me about keeping my A1c's below that magic line of 6.5%

I take bp meds but like most of us years ago I was put on a med to protect my kidneys. I was given meds but not much education re: how to manage my Diabetes. After 53 years other then kidney disease am in pretty good health from a lifelong person with Diabetes. Recently had a heart stress test that showed no heart damage.

No high BP here either, but like several others have posted, doctors have tried to put me on BP meds. Supposedly for provention of complications, but I'm wary of taking any medication.

No high BP. Mine is actually low & always has been, which isn't good either but not as risky. Since BP meds would probably cause me to pass out, the issue hasn't come up with my doctor. But, every visit includes a statin lecture even though my lipids are good. Agree with Jan that there's a pamphlet. I'd wager it's distributed by big pharma.