High Blood Pressure Questions

Anyone here have blood pressure problems? Whats the limit before your declined a med card?any advice would help i have 3 months to get it down they only gave me a 3 month card. Thanks guys

Go see your Dr. He/She will probably put you on meds. It can take a bit of time to find the right medication and dosage. Don't waste any time. That 3 month card can not be extended. Plenty of Drivers are on them. It will not inhibit your ability to get hired.

If I'm not mistaken, 140/90 is the limit.

When I started driving, I was on a 10mg/daily dose of Lysinopril. Within six months I'd lost enough weight that bp was no longer an issue. Off the meds and a two-year card. Get on the meds to get your card and if you can manage to improve your diet, Maybe you can get a handle on your bp.

Here's the short version of what I've learned about controlling blood pressure since having open heart surgery:

1. If your doctor prescribes medication(s) to help control it, take it.

2. You can really make a big improvement in your blood pressure by reducing your intake of salt. This requires 1) learning how to correctly read nutrition labels on foods, 2) making better choices when eating, and 3) sticking with it until it's consistent and second nature.

3. You can also make a big improvement by increasing your amount of exercise, especially aerobic exercise. Even just walking 30 - 45 minutes a day at a good pace will help a lot. You may have to work your way up to that amount of time if you're out of shape.

I have gone from a resting BP of 140 / 90 to 104 / 70 in three months by following the above.

And yes, 140 / 90 is the limit. At my last DOT physical, my blood pressure was 139 / 89 so I passed. Three months later I was in the hospital, and right now I'm jumping through hoops to get recertified medically.

My blood pressure historically had always been around 126 / 78. Instead of thinking I squeaked by and maybe it was just a bad day, now I think I should have paid more attention to the warning signs. But I also think most people are just like me and cruise along until it becomes a real problem, so I will not lecture anybody.

We have tons of great information about how to reduce your blood pressure in both the short and long term, and about the requirements for the DOT physical. Have a look:

• Blood Pressure Requirements For The DOT Physical
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) Guidelines & Advice