A woman who lived with uncontrolled high blood pressure for years is urging others to take the condition seriously and gain control of their health before it is too late. Charmaine Rowe, 49, was first warned about high readings in her early 30s. Her general health had always been good, but doctors were concerned. She said: “I tried to kind of — I wouldn’t say fob them off — but to me, it wasn’t a priority.”
It was only a few years later when another doctor described high blood pressure as a “silent killer” that Charmaine realised how serious her situation was. She said: “I had never heard that phrase. When I used to hear older people talk about their blood pressure, they would attribute symptoms to it. He was saying that most of the time there aren’t any symptoms.”
Charmaine began taking blood pressure medication but did not always remember to take it on schedule. In 2021, she was referred for weight loss surgery after years on the NHS waiting list.
But when the operation took place, she woke from anaesthesia to find the surgery had not been completed because her blood and oxygen levels had plummeted. Doctors had feared that she might die or end up in intensive care, Charmaine said.
A second attempt at surgery in 2022 also failed and Charmaine, of south Croydon in London, was referred to a cardiologist. She was diagnosed with a thickened left ventricle due to uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Charmaine, who regrets not getting on top of her condition earlier, said: “That that was definitely a wake up call. I now make sure I take my blood pressure medication every single day and I also have to take a heart medication to keep my heart rate down.”
The housing association worker underwent successful weight loss surgery in 2023 and has now lost six stone, which has helped to keep her blood pressure under control. She is sharing her story in support of Blood Pressure UK’s Know Your Numbers! campaign, which encourages people to check their blood pressure readings regularly.
Charmaine said: “To be in control you need to know. Being in control of your own health is key. For me, knowing what my blood pressure is for myself is important. It’s not down to my doctors.”
She added: “We need to reassure people that it’s better to have your blood pressure controlled because there are so many issues that could occur if you if you don’t stick to it. It’s something that I seem to be preaching to family members about, making sure that they take their blood pressure medication.
“A lot of people do tend to leave things until they are unwell or they have symptoms. It’s always good to just have a general health check-up as well, so you can be informed about your own health.”
A recent poll of 2,000 adults aged 18 to 50 found that just over one in five (21%) wrongly believed people would usually know they had high blood pressure because they would feel ill, while just over one in seven (15%) thought blood pressure checks are not relevant to adults under 40.
Dr Pauline Swift, chair of Blood Pressure UK, said: “High blood pressure does not usually make you feel ill, which is exactly why it is so dangerous.
“Too many people are waiting for a warning sign that may never come. By the time high blood pressure causes a stroke, heart attack or serious kidney damage, the harm may already be irreversible.
“Blood pressure checks are not just for older people or those who are already unwell. Adults in their 20s and 30s also need to know their numbers. A simple check takes only a few minutes and could identify a serious health risk early enough to do something about it.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
