Why has blood pressure increased so much over a year or two span?

[Deepseathree]

I mean, it’s one of my thoughts as well. But even when I check it elsewhere such as grocery stores, it’s high. Checked today at a grocery store and it was around 160/90. It got down to 147/85 but stayed high after around 6 tries.

[Howanxious]

I mean, it’s one of my thoughts as well. But even when I check it elsewhere such as grocery stores, it’s high. Checked today at a grocery store and it was around 160/90. It got down to 147/85 but stayed high after around 6 tries.

Better talk with a doctor about this, I think that it's necessary to know if your high readings are legitimate or they're influenced by psychological factors or another physiological issues (what doctors call secundary hipertension). Once you know which are your REAL BP levels, you'll can leave it behind (if they're normal) or go for further investigation to see if you have primary or secundary hipertension (if they're still high). The ambulatory test I've mentioned here the other day it's the conventional test to determine if some patient does have or not hypertension.
Anyway, I think that you're fine, but It's better to be sure and take action over it if needed

[lofwyr]

That was my first though too minus the home BP machine. I HIGHLY recommend NOT to do that. It will only encourage self checking and feed the anxiety.

Positive thoughts

Absolutely agree. I was actually required by my cardiologist and surgeon to do BP self checks at home for a diagnosed condition, and it was an absolute exercise in anxiety. It was helpful in the long run for me to learn self control, actually, but it was tough. Now I take it once in the morning, once in the evening and keep a mental note comparing to the previous day, but no longer freak out. My BP can swing pretty wildly, in spite of meds.

But unless a doctor wants you to check your BP at home, don't do it. And that doesn't mean ask them if they want you too, wait until they tell you to. That way lies madness.