Hormone Therapy & blood pressure

NoahsArk 9 days ago

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32 subscribers
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I have recently completed my radiotherapy for prostate cancer ( pace nodes trial ) & am midway through a 2 year programme of hormone therapy which I seem to be coping with reasonably well.

Last week I had my annual health check with my GP practice & to my surprise ( horror ) learned that my BP is raised & my cholesterol is higher.

BP: Although my GP has doubled my Ramipril twice in the last 2 months ( now 10mg from 2.5mg ) my blood pressure now hovers around 150/80 ( after being circa 130/70 ).

Cholesterol: My Triglycerides are up to 2.4 ( after being circa 1.1 constantly for several years )

From reading on the subject it appears that both of these raised levels could be - at least in part - due to the HT. Could this be the case? I’ve also had reduced exercise for the last 3 months after injuring my knee - this may also be a contributory factor.

High BP & cholesterol are not a good combination - can you give me any advice on what I should do ( I have redoubled my efforts to exercise - 4 miles a day - and being more watchful on my diet ).

I am due to speak with my Oncologist next week - should I be questioning him or my GP?

Vanessa - Macmillan 8 days ago

Hi NoahsArk

Welcome to the Online Community here at Macmillan. I hope you find it a helpful place to access support and ask questions. My name is Vanessa and I am one of the information nurses.

I see from your profile that you have joined our prostate cancer forum. Many people find the peer support of others in similar circumstances reassuring to have.

Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can slightly increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and blood clots.

It sounds like you have made some excellent steps by increasing your exercise and looking at your diet. This is often not easy during ongoing treatment.

It may be helpful to have a look at Prostate Cancer UK, who have comprehensive information about diet and physical activity for people affected by prostate cancer.

The British Heart Foundation also has the following more general advice:

How to reduce your blood pressure: 6 top tips

How do I lower my cholesterol? Your top 5 questions answered

As you are seeing your oncologist next week, we would suggest that you discuss these results with them. They may give further advice or may direct you back to your GP for further discussions.

I hope you find this information helpful. You can also always call one of our nurses directly if you want to talk over your concerns or require any further support.

Take care

Vanessa G, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.

Ref VG/CF

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Hormone Therapy & blood pressure