green tea-blood pressure

Good day I was wondering something...I have not been diagnosed with hbp yet, but I am prehbp...I know my heart is suffering and I can feel it and when I take my blood pressure it comes out as prehypertension...When I go to the doctor the doctor says I am fine...this is what they told me...the story:

I went to visit the doctor because I have been trying to lose weight for the past 1-year, I excercise 3 days of the week, 1 hour-1.5 hours of walking, and doing some cardio... I have 3 kids and am a single mom...I eat 1500 calories per day... Take vitamin supplements for the foods I miss eating, I have had a heart issue since I was in an accident my heart started skipping beats since my 2nd pregnancy...OK So with all this history I go to my doctor because I have only lost 12 lbs, I have a really hard metabolism, taken every supplement possible to help me lose weight...AM DESPERATE! Am 100 lbs over weight...SO I go to the doctor and they tell me: "you are fine, you're not even that badly over weight, just keep doing what you are doing, eventually you will lose the weight, oh your heart's fine, oh you might feel a little dizzy no biggie it's ok!!" SOOO I started taking the heart supplements like omega3 to help me... They have made my heart feel great...The doctor then suggested "drink green tea helps with weight loss!" I started drinking it and all of a sudden I feel dizzy. At first I was ok...BUT now I notice my heart is speeding a lot more often... I actually lost another 2 lbs in a period of 2 months since I started drinking the tea but at the cost of feeling my heart racing...I can't even go to the bathroom or walk to the bathroom without feeling my heart all funny...

AM desperate to lose weight...I am a single mom and work, and have 3 kids, 3 dogs and barely enough time for myself... I am trying my best at losing weight but I am so stressed about working out so hard and so much and watching what I eat and how I eat etc and no weight loss...Instead am feeling ill, and not happy about my health and situation at all...

And to add to it I love the green tea but not happy at how it is making my heart feel....I would appreciate some advise, please!!! Thank you!

First of all you are doing things to take control of your health that is great. Try adding EFT to help with your stress. Look into doing more interval type of training and adding weights to your workout. Doing only cardio is not the best way to loose weight. You can do interval training as part of the cardio too. I would stop the green tea because the caffeine can raise your blood pressure cause heart to race. Switch to plain Tulsi tea. Keep up on the omega 3. Try eating your proteins and fats first. Add probiotics may have to go slow at first. Raw apple vinegar can be helpful to some. Watch the simple carbs those are really converted to stored fat by the body. Keep looking on this site for en sites into other info that can help with your health. Don't give up!

Thanks for your help... Actually I was told by a "dietician" not to eat things like yogurts because of some bs reason... I have heard about taking a shot of apple cider vinegar, my sister has been doing that since she started dieting with a little help from subitramine or phentermine, she went from a women's size 16 to a juniors size 8 in a period of 9 months...and so far has been keeping it...they are "weaning" her off the pills now as we speak since she's down to the size she wanted to be...I believe now she's like a size 7...maybe even thinner... I would love to give those pills a try but I am all ready having heart issues don't want to get worst, thus trying everything as natural as possible...BUT let me tell you it's not easy and I am seriously wanting to just quit... My bf has been very supportive and trying to work out with me, he just started to do this he doesn't watch what he eats as much as I do and in a period of 8 months he has lost 20 lbs...without watching what he eats... I have lost 14 in a period of 1 year... I am very discouraged...Extremely discouraged...I am not sure where to find Tulsi tea but will definitely look into that...I will also have a vinegar shot every day or 3 every day hopefully that will help me some... Before I got divorced I had postpartum depression with all 3 children, I didn't get on meds until my second child for about 5-7 months, then I started losing my hair and almost went bald well the ZOLOFT meds were doing this and when I asked the doctor and further investigated side effects found out that most antidepressants had similar side effects so fell into a deeper depression because now i was losing my hair!! :( Not very happy at all..SO I decided I was better than that and got off of them, shortly after I was in a death defying accident. Was in a coma, needed major reconstructive surgery and the depression came again, I finally got out of the coma and was put on bedrest for about 1 year...My son was only 9 months old when this happened and he fell into a depression as well..He shut down stopped talking and walking and couldn't accept me nor wanted me near him...IT was a very tough few years after my accident. AND then I got pg with my 3rd child...THEN my body went haywire...ALL kinds of things were going terribly wrong with my body...It was not happy that I was pregnant and that I was causing me more problems than not...I gained double the weight even with me watching what I ate...I didn't have huge cravings or anything so it was frustrating to see my body going from about 150 bls after my accident, (I am 5'5"-so I wasn't that badly overweight then) to about 235lbs during my 3rd pregnancy... THEN I decided I was tired of it and I decided I was going to do something to lose the weight... I started using hydroxycut, and doing some excercise 5 days a week, 1-2 hours a day... I didn't change my eating habits at all..I was 25-26 years old...I went from a size woman's 18-a size 12 juniors in a period fo 9 months... I was super happy...I weaned off hydroxycut and even with my 1800 daily calories was keeping my weight down and losing even more...I was about 160lbs then but I was a fit and muscular 160 lbs because I did a lot of weights during my weight loss... Not only that but since having 3 children allowed my body to be even more curvy I embraced it as much as possible...AND Loved being thick... I enjoyed myself a lot more and my confidence and health was great! WELL then came my divorce and I moved to another state with my 3 children while my exhusand moved to another state as well...AND here came the stress and depression and economical problems etc...AND that didn't help me stay in shape... I didn't eat at all and my metabolism is the worst one to do that with... I don't get a binge at all what I get is bloated...If I don't eat on time, I blow up when I finally eat and it could be nothing but fruits or veggies, or garden salads or chicken or fish, or just milk it doesn't matter I blow up... I wouldn't eat and I started gaining so much weight I didn't even know what was going on... When my family would ask me how in the world I was gaining weight, I told them I didn't know...Even my instructor when I called to ask for advise was in shock... Well there came 200lbs in less than a year while my divorce was processing...AND like I said I am now 100lbs over weight... I decided 2 years ago I was not going to be over weight so I started with hydroxicut again, big mistake...That's when my heart started having problems... I really screwed myself up then...Because not only did it start making me have heart issues it didn't help me lose any weight at all!!! Instead I was blowing up even more and swelling... IT was really depressing. So I was not happy and I stopped using it...But of course the heart issue remains... I joined the gym and for 6 months straight with an instructor didn't lose a single lb... She was disappointed and she even was discouraged, but she still egged me on to continue, without any loss. So I stopped going and started just cardio and walking and in a period of 1 year lost 14 lbs...that's it... Therefore the disappointment stays... I will continue giving other things a try...BUT let me tell you my friend whom has been overweight for many years started dieting counting calories, etc, and walking 3 days of the week, has all ready gone done in a period of 6 months 2 whole sizes, I am still overweight, and still having health issues and I don't know what else to do about it... I decided to see how my body was so for 1 week I stopped walking, and I gained 5 lbs...In 1 week...this was just recently...SO I am stuck now trying to lose the 5lbs I had previously lost which I gained in just 1 week... Believe me I am seriously ready to quit... I am 30 years old and would like to be around for my kids a little longer but let me tell you it seems that even with me watching what I eat, and trying to be healthy it is still not working at all... I understand why people go through bipass surgery and do other drastic things because after 1 year of trying really hard and having no results at all is seriously depressing... Thanks again for your help and hope you have a great day and weekend!

Hi Anika,

 You really have had a rough time of it. Good on you for being so persistant. Children seem to make it all worth while don't they?

Have you had your thyroid checked? A friend of mine had similar problems losing weight and was working really hard. At times she would gain weight when she should have been losing. It turned out her thyroid was underactive and probably had been for years. She started losing weight about 2 months after going on the meds. She still ended up having a stomach band op as it was the surgeon who discovered the thyroid problem and he already had her booked in. She has lost lots of weight but there are problems with how much and what she can eat. She ate much healthier before the op and I think if she had stuck to the exercise, her body would have had a chance to reajust naturally. I did encourage her to research natural solutions but she has just stuck to the meds. So she has lost weight but is not very healthy and is often in pain which is a shame, but i think she had had enough of trying so hard and not getting anywhere.

Another friend had similar problems and it turned out to be a side affect from taking anti-depressants.

I hope this helps and good luck.

 

Well here's the thing, I have had my thyroid checked and I was told that it was fine... I was told I have PCOS which means that anything I eat pretty much turns into sugar or stored fat because my insulin isn't working properly so it's as if I am very close to being diabetic... Something like that...I don't know much about it because my doctor won't talk to me about it...He tells me to look things up on google or something like that...Very frustrating...I haven't been on antidepressants for many many many years since my second child was born and he's 9... I have been trying to do all the natural stuff, from green tea, to counting calories, to more fiber intake so that it helps regulate my blood sugar, to more supplements, etc and still I am here gaining more weight instead of losing it! When the doctor put me on birthcontrol pills to help regulate my pcos I lost 15 lbs in 1 month, all water and I was full of energy... BUT I started having more heart issues. It's very depressing. I gained all that weight back when the doctor requested I stopped taking the pills...SO I am still stuck with zero I am still not losing weight at all and very depressed about it...Especially since I have been getting very ill lately. I have caught bronchitis 2x this year all ready and sinus infections 2x, ear infection, and I can't live like this any more...SERIOUSLY! I try to eat healthy, try to lose weight and nothing. When I was thin I was healthy got sick maybe 1-2 times a year and just a cold or minor flu...NOW I am hurting my body so much taking antibiotics for 2 weeks at a time it's very frustrating... I don't know what else to do and I can not afford to have that band surgery even if I wanted to. That makes things even more frustrating for me. But thanks anyhow for all your help and support. If anyone has any positive stories to tell about women like me whom have been trying to lose weight for over a year without success but finally make it please let me know and pass on the secret!! Thanks!

I figured that you may have blood sugar trouble too. Add proper sun exposure between 10 and 2 without sunburn to get your Vit D. You may have to add cholecalciferol form of D3 to your diet after testing your levels. There is much more detail on here about that. There was an article about alpha lipoic acid for blood sugar helps with insulin resistants. Swansons vitamins has R factor form of it which the best metabolized by the body. THe tulsi tea is good for blood sugar too and you can get that here.

I have had my blood sugar tested for diabetes, nothing wrong...Which upsets the crap out of me because my thyroid is fine, and bloodsugar is not too high, it's like then what's the matter with me???!!! My good friend told me to ask the doctor for glucoflash my goodness don't know how to spell that, but anyhow, and I haven't gone to the doctor because I was advised to look for another one. This week I went to the doctor for terrible cough and found out had a sinus infection and bronchitis and that I am hypertensive...Doctor told me to go and get a new doctor..AND FAST! So hopefully next week I will find a new doctor...I stopped drinking green tea but haven't been able to stop drinking tea at all, it's addicting! I drank some chai and chammomile tea today, I feel wired, no kidding, so I am guessing I can't drink those either...Can't find no tusil tea...BUT I am still looking... So how do I get that cholecalciferol form of D3??? how do I get alpha lipoic acid??? And swansons vitamins has R factor? Ok so much information can't take it all in my brain right now!! ;0) lol...Will try to investigate newfound information, thanks for your help!

Hi Anika,

Boy, your story sounds a lot like mine. I was recently diagnosed hypothyroid after telling doctors for more than three years that I had the symptoms. What was your TSH number? The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists announced in Fall 2002 that it was shifting the acceptable range for TSH scores from 0.5 to 5.5 previously, with the new target range at 0.3 to 3.0.  Unfortunately, patients whose TSH is in the high and low end of the range (both the old and new range) do not seem to experience "normal" thyroid function. Many holistic or integrated medicine doctors will target the TSH at approximately 1.0, or as close to zero as possible if the patient is diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. The doctor I previously used told met that my test results were in range and therefore I was "normal" at 2.54, even though I my thyroid was visibly swollen, I was desperately fatigued and ached like I had the flu. I changed doctors. My new doctor is targeting 1.0 TSH.

According to some researchers, PCOS and hypothyroidism may go hand-in-hand. If you do a Google search on the two words "hypothyroid" and "pcos," you'll find a lot of information. There's even some discussion out there that Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome actually could be undiagnosed hypothyroidism.

I also have PCOS, and was diagnosed nearly six years ago. One of the hallmark symptoms for PCOS is insulin resistance, which means that your body makes insulin but doesn't recognize and use it properly to control blood sugar levels. The more insulin you have circulating in your body, the more your body tends to put on weight, so with PCOS and hypothyroid it's a double whammy. Birth control pills are sometimes used to treat some of the symptoms of PCOS, such as irregular periods. The problem is that the BC pills mask the true levels of your labwork. If you're on BC pills, your estrogen and testosterone will look normal. Once you go off the BC pills and wait about a month, the levels will begin to show properly and you can be re-tested. It seems the standarly accepted treatment for PCOS is Metformin/Glucophage for the insulin resistance, with some docs prescribing Spironolactone to bring down the androgen (testerone) levels and help with hair loss. Believe me, you're better off treating the actual symptoms than being on birth control pills. On a side note, I noticed that I had a LOT of infections and illnesses before my PCOS treatment began.

if your doctor won't talk to you about PCOS, maybe he doesn't have enough knowledge to adequately explain or treat you for either condition. A reproductive endocrinologist will pay attention to your PCOS and will treat you for it - likely with dietary changes (reduced carbs, good protein). PCOS can lead to heart disease and diabetes, so it's important to push for proper treatment. And if you can find an endocrinologist who practices integrated medicine, that doc will likely look at your whole picture and treat everything in harmony.

So here's my recommendation. I'm not a doctor, but I know that there are good doctors and effective treatments out there to help you.

First, find an integrated medicine doctor (one who prescribes pharmaceuticals but also uses vitamin supplements, dietary changes, etc.). I'd recommend you look for an endocrinologist, since that specialty focuses on the glands such as your thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, pituitary, etc.

Have that doctor run your full labwork again, and make sure you tell them you want to check for your male and female hormones, adrenal function, thyroid function, insulin resistance, etc., as related to thyroid issues and PCOS. They also should look at the T3 and T4 in addition to the TSH, as the TSH is really considered to not be a reliable measure by many.

Once you get your lab results, discuss them with your doctor and also find some a good thyroid and PCOS discussion board. Yahoo has some good ones, and it looks like this site might too.

Pursue treatment by prescription drugs AND other more natural remedies. For example, I take Glucophage and Spironolactone for PCOS, and my endocrinologist put me on Armour Thyroid (natural thyroid hormone), Phentermine (helps with energy and brain fog), vitamin injectgions that I now give myself (B12, B-complex, Folic Acid, Magnesium), and additional vitamin supplements such as B1- and Magnesium (muscle pain), Biotin (hair loss), Fish Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Vitamin D, Folic Acid, and a good multivitamin. The doctor also suggested a potential intolerance to Gluten, Soy and/or Dairy, though I haven't pursued those tests yet.

Finally, once your treatment is started, speak up and don't be afraid to be vocal if you still feel like your health isn't right. You live in your body - you're the best judge of whether or not something isn't right.

Unfortunately we all have to be advocates for our own health nowadays. Doctors are so specialized that many of them seem unable to look beyond their primary area of interest to look at the whole patient and his or her symptoms.

Good luck!

Lisa

Links that may be of interest:

http://www.mercola.com/article/hypothyroid/diagnosis.htm

http://thyroid.about.com/cs/testsforthyroid/a/newrange.htm

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/01/02/armour-thyroid.aspx

http://www.endocrineweb.com/hypo1.html

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/hypothyroidism-topic-overview

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000353.htm

http://www.pcosupport.org/

http://women.webmd.com/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-topic-overview

http://www.soulcysters.com/

 

I have just read your post and can sympathise with you. I have had similar health problems.  Recently I discovered the toxic effects fluoride has on your thyroid and everywhere else in your body. I am now drinking and showering in R/O filtered water, have ditched fluoridated toothpaste, don' use mouthwashes, and only drink Japanese green tea. Chinese green tea has lots of fluoride in it, as does grape juice, most fruit juices and most processed food. I meticulously read labels and my mother in law tells me I have become fanatical, but I no longer suffer from asthma or dizziness and I know within a couple of hours if I accidentally get a dose of fluoride. (takes me a week to recover)  You can search it on Mercola, he has lots to say. Also there are many legit sites which have much info on this.  good luck!!!