Blood pressure too high for surgery

I would start taking home blood pressure readings now, same times every day, and record them. That will be useful to see if it's just white coat syndrome, and also to see what effect blood pressure meds are having. This will be useful to show to your clinicians.

I think the medications are quite fast acting, but it will be a question of being on them long enough to see suitable stable values, and to make sure your body is handing them OK.

I had the same, except I was already on medication. My GP said double the dose until after the operation (brachytherapy in my case), and it didn't delay the surgery at all. (Don't do that unless your doctor says it's the right thing for you though.)

Hi John.

Despite, being a healthy weight and once being very fit, I've had high blood pressure for years and I'm on tons of medication.

On my first anaesthetist's assessment there was a slight concern over my suitability for surgery. Apparently during robotic prostatectomy your tilted at angle (Trendelenburg position) which puts more pressure on your heart. However, he deemed me fit enough to crack on.

A couple of weeks later I went for my op. I was all gowned up and ready to go when another anaethetist decided that it was too risky to operate. I couldn't believe it! My wife and I were devastated. I was so angry, I considered Trendelenburging the anaesthetist until he changed his mind.

I ended up having to sort the job out myself. I contacted my cardiologist who did a heart check and wrote to my urologist surgeon and aneathetist stating I was fit for the op.

This dispute, plus yet another last minute cancellation, where I was all gowned up again but had nowhere to go due to lack of beds; nearly pushed us over the edge and caused a three month delay in surgery.

Anyway, I eventually had totally unproblematic surgery. Then two weeks later, I had a heart attack. 😁

That was the worst time of my life. I was stuck on a cardiology ward for three weeks, suffering from the side effects of prostatectomy. I was almost totally incontinent, but couldnt have a shower for days, because I was wired up to a heart monitor.  It took them ages to decide how to fix my old ticker. Initially, they were going to do a bypass but eventually they drilled out the calcified arteries and stented them. Which was was probably the cheapest option. 🙂

Funnily enough, on hindsight, the heart problem helped me deal with the anguish of cancer. Most of the lads on the cardiology ward, some waiting for major heart surgery, felt really sorry for me for having cancer, yet their heart conditions were far more life threatening than mine. It was all a bit surreal. 

Sorry for rambling on mate, but the heart attack put everything in perspective to me. I began to think, okay things might go wrong with my cancer condition and I might, years ahead die of it, but it's less upsetting than the thought of immediately being snuffed out by cardiac arrest.

My heart goes out to you, excuse the pun. I know how disappointed you must feel for them to throw this spanner in the works so late in proceedings. Your problem will be convincing the pre-assessment team that there are no longer any concerns. In my case medication has never been quick in reducing my blood pressure, I hope that in your case it does.

Edited by member 14 Jan 2025 at 09:12  | Reason: Typo

HT increases blood pressure, I'm on a mixture of ramipril and amlodipine, once I started on these my BP was under control in a couple of weeks.

Hi John,

You've probably seen this and it's no quick fix but here is what the British Heart Foundation says about food and reducing blood pressure:

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/foods-that-lower-blood-pressure

If it's not saying the obvious many foods especially ready made have a lot of things in them you wouldn't normally be aware of.  Such as a lot of salt or saturated fat.  Salt adds flavour but too much adds tension.  There are foods called anti-inflammatories which tend to be fruit and tomatoes.   Many food habits can be broken such as too much salt and sugar and you then find too much becomes obvious.

If you're up at 180/110 I'd think food will be a small component in reducing it but a doctor would likely recommend a diet to stabilise it.  Walking is good.

I know some people think it's a load of guff and others will say they'd rather die earlier and happier but what you decide is up to you.   I've no experience of high blood pressure although I've had high cholesterol which was reduced by diet initially then further by statins.

Good luck, do all you can to get your pressure down.

All the best,
Peter

I see your nearly 60, the age when many folks start to have BP problems.
Yes, rattle your GP's cage, I expect Ace inhibitors + Statins will be recommended. I've been on both since around your age - minimal side effects thankfully. You will probably need to have a blood test after your on them, to ensure they are not having effects on your Kidneys etc. & an annual test for the rest of your life.
Yes, doing your own Blood pressure tests, is a pretty good idea - sit down quiet for 5 mins or so before the night & morning tests. 9am & 4.30 works for me. Gets away from the white coat syndrome problem.

Best of luck with your Prostate treatment. I see some hospitals are offering the 5 day high dose Radio therapy, with no Hormone therapy. Sounds a good option if it does the job.
I had the 20 sessions + Hormone for around 3 years total. Things seem OK now for me.

Edited by member 15 Jan 2025 at 11:03  | Reason: Not specified