My symtoms, extreme high bood pressure/hypertention, head aches, 7 years ago.

Two years later, I went to a doctor, started taking Toprol, seems to work, but I was not serious about my condition so I stopped. Finally I understood what kind of desease this is, a silent killer. I started again after a few months of hiaitus.

I also changed my diet and exercise regularly, I cut my meds in half and I was find with 50mg.

Tragedy happenned, the meds don’t work, increase meds to 100 to 150mg a day, worked for awhile. Seven monthes ago another sadness, so now I have to incooperate it with the blue pill. Doctor said I have to drink orange juice and eat banana everyday, so I did, not a big problem. Now my blood pressure is under control again.

Two months ago, my meds is about to be replenish. I decided to find an alternative way with natural products to replace the prescription drugs.

I went to Wholefoods and ask the sales associate who is knowledgible of the natural pills. I was told Hawthorne Berries is the one, helps to regulate heart/cardio vasicular. So I stared taking it, I see the same result in one week, it worked. Second week, my feet started to swell in the evenings. Didn’t know why. Two weeks later ask the associate at another Wholefoods. I explain my situation and my symtoms, he said you are probably retaining water, the blue pill is probably a diuretic pill, I was like oh yeah, the O.J. and bananas that explains it, it’s potassium. So he recommended the Water Factor herbs. I took it, twice a day for a few days, it worked then my feet got swollen again but not as bad, so I take 3 times a day, then it’s all good, but I also learn that my body has to adjust to the new herbs and listen to my body, now I take the water factor 1 to 2 pills a day with Hawthone berries 3 times a day. Still eat healthy, regular exercise.

It’s like OMG! I finally understand something about my body. Listen and understand what I need, and go natural.

Then I wanted to understand more about diuretics, I found your site. I never want to take precription drugs again. It’s a good thing I only took the blue pill for 7 monthes, hopefully I won’t have side effects later.

I have always known that, you have to help yourself first before anyone else can help you including your doctor.

p.s. Blood pressure at this moment 120/77. Comments please

If you are taking HCTZ only for your blood pressure, tell your doctor that you’re experiencing unacceptable side-effects and that you want to be put on a different kind of blood pressure med. There are much more effective types of drugs for treating high blood pressure.

For that matter, Toprol is a beta blocker which should be one of the last drugs a doctor should prescribe for high blood pressure. Unless you need to be on a beta blocker for cardiac arrhythmia (like me), other heart issues or migraines, you probably shouldn’t be taking a beta blocker. They used to be the first drug that most doctors tried, but now they’ve fallen out of favor due to many adverse effects that can develop with long-term use. One of the big adverse effects is diabetes. ACE inhibitors and Angiotensin II receptor antagonists, two newer types of blood pressure medicines, actually decrease your risk of developing diabetes.