The Blood Pressure Superthread

[PMedMoe]

Not to mention, if your BP is high enough just before an ExPres test, they will not let you do it.  Don't know what the "cut off" BP is, ask someone from PSP.  Although, for tour, you would be doing a BFT and no one checks your BP for that.

 

[brendanhm1]

Just to clarify, the issue being that I was exempt on fitness tests at a time when my blood pressure was not high.

However on my "medical" for the DAG process, I was not DAGed green due to blood pressure..

 

[brendanhm1]

Not to mention, if your BP is high enough just before an ExPres test, they will not let you do it.  Don't know what the "cut off" BP is, ask someone from PSP.  Although, for tour, you would be doing a BFT and no one checks your BP for that.

My BP issue is somewhat seperate then that of my fitness/BFT.  I was told my blood pressure was high while DAGing. During my medical I was not signed off as green.

 

[dangerboy]

Just to clarify, the issue being that I was exempt on fitness tests at a time when my blood pressure was not high.

However on my "medical" for the DAG process, I was not DAGed green due to blood pressure..

If you were not DAGed green for medical, you probably will not go overseas (it is not easy to overrule a medical decision) my advice is go to MIR and talk to them about your blood pressure.  They will be able to help you out as they have all your information as opposed to answers from the internet.

 

[RubberTree]

Dangerboy has the right advice. Speak to your doc at the MIR.
One high blood pressure doesn't mean much. Stress, illness, previous exercise can all affect your BP. The concern comes from trends. In my experience the MIR will ask for 3 or 4 days worth of consecutive BPs (same time of day) to establish this trend. If this is offered to you, lay off the coffee, smokes and booze as all these things can up your pressure.

 

[PMedMoe]

My BP issue is somewhat seperate then that of my fitness/BFT.  I was told my blood pressure was high while DAGing. During my medical I was not signed off as green.

Umm, yeah, I got that from your post 4 minutes before this one.  :
Guess I was a bit confused since you mentioned the PT test in the first post.  My bad.

 

[geo]

... lay off the salt too.

If your BP was good to go for your express test, what have you done differently lately - that has changed your BP so drasticaly?

The medical clinic on base can lend you a BP monitoring device.
Ask that they sign one over to you so you can monitor your BP for a week...

Now that the Medical types have identified your problem.... what have they proposed to correct the situation?  It's not enough to look at you and say "you have a problem" without proposing methods to correct your present situation.

 

[medicineman]

If you've been told your BP was high and you weren't immediately put on medication - it was high end or just above normal.  You'll have to do some follow ups to see that you're in a normal range normally.  Did they DAG you yellow or red?  Oh and yeah, a 21 year old with high blood pressure would be be held back until we found out why his BP was high.  Advice - low salt and fat diet, exercise, lay off the booze and stop smoking if those are applicable, and if you're like half of the army and live on ibuprofen, well anti-inflammatory medications can cause high blood pressure too - so if you eat lots of it, cut back or stop.  Also, lots of supps can crank the BP up, so stop those too.  If you're being followed up by your MIR, you'll likely get a machine to take home to take random readings for awhile - alternatively, you can go by the local pharmacy like Shopper's and take it there with the electronic BP booths most of them have.  With any luck, this was an isolated event.

Cheers.

MM

 

[brendanhm1]

For those doing a search about this topic later:

What ends up happening is they will either tell you to visit the MIR twice a day to get a blood pressure reading. Or you get to wear a 24hr Blood Pressure.

I wore the 24Hr monitor and the results indicated normal blood pressure. Turns out mine only goes up when I go into a hospital or see a Doctor.

I was DAG'd green for deployment.

 

[PMedMoe]

I wore the 24Hr monitor and the results indicated normal blood pressure. Turns out mine only goes up when I go into a hospital or see a Doctor.

White Coat Syndrome

 

[firm_believer]

I'm glad I saw this thread - I too have "white coat" syndrome, where when I give blood, my BP is usually 140/80, and if I sit and relax for 5-10 mins, I'm down to the mid-120's...Frustrating, but really it shouldn't be, since I'm aware of it now. I also figure that worst-case, as I get into my 40's and beyond, I'll simply need to pop a tiny pill each day. No biggie to everyone out there in this situation. Being intense and focused naturally brings up the body's rates. I don't know how NOT to be focused....I think I should be in mandatory meditation, lol. But seriously, just make sure you've got regular down-time to relaaaax and balance out.

 

[medicineman]

Some meds will change your cat, (ie I think a G4 med cat will not let you delpoy, and might prevent promotions ).  You can get it simply by being on some bp medication.

If you're on medication for high blood pressure and that only (ie - not a part of a post heart attack cocktail) and the pressure is well controlled, a category is not required.

MM

 

[time expired]

Going to Quebec always used to do that to my blood pressure,
pretending to be American helped to get served in Quebec City.
I have mellowed somewhat since then.Cholesterol does it for
me now.
      Sorry for the levity on a such a serious subject.
                        Regards

 

[Damonix]

Hi guys.  It has been about a month since I was in for processing.  I did well on the aptitude test, but on my medical, my blood pressure was abnormally high, 155/100.  I was not told at the time of the medical that this would disqualify me.

So one month since processing, I got a letter from the Recruiting Medical Office, that due to my high blood pressure, I don't meed their medical standard.

I have tested my blood pressure 12 times since I got this letter 2 days ago, its around 125/85 every time, which is normal for me.  My BP may have been elevated during processing because of the weather being minus 45 celcius here that day, or could have also been the power lifting workout I did before going in for processing.

My question is, how long do I have to wait until I can re-do the medical and get my blood pressure taken again at the recruiting centre?

I tried contacting the recruiting centre, but the physician's assistant isn't back until the middle of next week, and the recruiter told me they can't tell me anything about how long until the medical can be re-taken, only the physician's assistant can discuss medical issues.

Anyway, anyone know how long until I can redo the medical?

 

[the_girlfirend]

Hey

My boyfriend, just did his medical, and he had borderline blood pressure... he told the med tech that he had been really stressed out lately... the med tech let him rest and relaxe 5 minutes retook the blood pressure and it was fine... he got really lucky...

They probably sent your results to Ottawa for evaluation and the Doctors sent you the letter after reviewing your file. Usually once a verdict is received from Ottawa... you can reapply in a year.
But If you have good results at home and that high blood pressure was never an issue for you, I recommend to communicate with your CFRC, maybe they can retest you or explain you what your options are. After you communicate with them, if there is nothing that they can do... you can always go see your family doctor and ask him to provide an official document that states that you have never had any problem and provide official current blood pressure results. Bring the document to the CFRC, they will resend your file to Ottawa for second evaluation. (I personally brought about 5 to 6 documents back to the CFRC for medical revision it took about 4 months...  :nod: I know how that feels like)

Let me know if you have any more questions, but first step go see your CFRC and explain them the situation and see what are your options.
Good luck

 

[shadowkila]

I'm 24 years old and weigh about 162/lb's and when i did my medical test, the first time he took my blood pressure it was 150/79, and he said "whoa" it was not good and told me to relax abit and took it again, second time it was 142/80, i told him that i had just had 2 Tim horton coffee's about an hour before, which was very stupid now that i think about it, so he took it a third time, but this time with some other machine and it was 130 /80 and they said it was still high but passable.

I'm very nervous seeing my blood pressure that high, but they said it was probably due to me being alittle stressed and drinking those coffee's.

So I checked my blood pressure at the local Uniprix a week later and the results: 131/79 66 bpm, I think that's alright?

Best of luck.

 

[medicineman]

My question is, how long do I have to wait until I can re-do the medical and get my blood pressure taken again at the recruiting centre?

Get the PA at the CFRC to give you a form letter for your family doctor to fill out, have him recheck you as well and if all is alot better than the last time, that little supplement can be sent to the RMO for reconsideration.

MM

 

[Damonix]

Thanks everyone for your replies and insight.  I will pursue this with the PA when he is in this week.  Hopefully at a minimum he will let me take a form to my family doctor and I can get another BP reading, and allow me to submit that to him.

Joining the CF means too much to me, to just say ok and give up, especially when I'm being turned down for a health problem that I don't actually have.

 

[Doom]

Wait, so what happens... if The army doc told me to go get a high bp thing signed for the RMO, because i had 160 / 75 when i was there. And my family docter checked it was 128/77 and she wrote on the note that im normatension, now is that good enough for the RMO to go sit down and go "OK"

And I have blood work and everything here to, so I hope its okay, never had High blood pressure before.because when i went through the process before it was normal.

 

[sky777]

Who knows officially?
I know about  from 120/80 to 139/89  for men?
Is it true?