Ok Im SCARED TO MOVE SCARED TO EXERCISE WHAT CAN I DO?

[looking4answers]

I have found that monitoring my blood pressure so far im pre-hypertensive.

That means I average 133/83 almost everyday. Ok I notice that when you get up and move around and then come back and take another reading it goes up about to about 170/91 . Thats not taking the reading that is just walking around and coming right back and then taking an immediate reading without stopping and resting.

OK now im scared.. They say don't smoke.. Ok that probably won't happen but don't eat salt which we haven't in years, don't eat sugars which in our home is very minimal and keep your weight correct.. which most of the time is within a pound or so of my perfect weight. Also it says to eat fruits and veggies and nuts.. We do this all the time.. I mean.. even the bread has nuts in it.. We have also been doing this for a number of years.

Also when you have a ranch you have certain things you HAVE to take care of everyday .. its strenuous and physical.. I would think that would make for exercise.. We don't drink.. Just a couple of cups of coffee a day and maybe two diet sodas mostly non caffeine..

So what else can we do besides not smoking. Im getting afraid now if I exercise or even have to go work with the animals and even walk around the house or do anything my blood pressure is going through the roof..This is not good I can't just sit here the rest of my life. .And to top it off they say that EXERCISE is the key to keeping your bp down? HUH drop dead and of course you are going to keep your bp down? Whattttttttttttt? I mean whattttttttttttt? I don't get it .. Ok your pressure is up so go and exercise so it will be higher and then you die right?:-) Im confused here.

Funny a few weeks ago I didn't worry and was working hard and pulse beating hard never thought anything about it..SO am I dying or am I going to die . According to what I read about taking blood pressure measurements you are to sit correctly . Wait and stay still for at least five minutes and then also don't smoke prior to the test, drink caffeine and don't drink water, make sure you use the bath room first and don't talk during the test.It says it could bea false reading if you don't do all these things SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Was the 170 reading not correct or false since I had just plopped down and put on the bp reading thing and took my reading ? After two more tries it went down to 130/83 these tries were within a minute a part .. so what say you ? High blood pressure because I walk around with 170 or the other two readings more correct after relaxing two minutes?

[den68]

you are supposed to rest for 10 minutes before taking blood pressure

[gypsywomen]

bit of advice stop taking your bp not good ,,when you take it all the time when anxious,it will shoot up ,also if it goes back down after doing work thats good ,the problem starts if it dosent go down ,it means your heart working properly when it goes back to normal both readings are ok ,,

[looking4answers]

But the doctor requested me to take it a few weeks to make sure i don't have consistently high blood pressure..If it wasn't for that I would not even bought the horrid thing.. Thanks for you both replying..Its given me something to think about. I think the worry is going to kill me more than the blood pressure.. Take care

[angstsoup]

Michael

Please do not be afraid.
My mother is 80 and has had high blood pressure for years- she is always on the go go go.
BP changes minute to minute thus checking it a lot will only make you batty.
I can get a high reading when I go to the doc as I am anxious there.
One of the docs I see always finds me normal as regards my BP I guess because he is an easy guy to speak to and we speak of our dogs etc thus I am not as nervous with him versus other docs.
My Dad is 84, a WWII vet, Battle of the Bulge, and he first got it a few years ago. He too is active for his age.
Have a retired doc friend who has it and she is thin as a rail. She must walk a zillion miles a day.
Do not make yourself crazy with this as it will only elevate the BP.
Try and get out of your head for a bit- whatever way is good for you.
God Bless.

[Jaco45er]

Angstsoup has great advice Micheal, listen


Your BP is the same as mine, 130/88 (ish) when at rest, and climbs on activity. That's what BP does, it is designed to go up with exertion.

Now DO NOT make the mistake I did for a couple of years and avoid exercise totally due to fear. I got so sick of that feeling that one day I went to the gym, and continued going, and all the fear went (and as a by product my anxiety just about went too ).

Fella, you could be worrying about this until you are 90, then get hit by a bus.

Your BP is not the problem, it's the faulty thinking that's keeping you in distress.

Now start gently, but get out and get some exercise. Trust me, after a few weeks? you won't look back

TC

Jaco

[june]

Hi some really good advice there I wrote this in another post, someone else is worried about exercise.
If you start gently and build up you will not get sooo scared
I have had to go to physio for my breathing
They start with very gentle excersises.
* Just 5 mins (if you can manage it) on an static cycle
* Just 5 mins (if you can manage it) doing step ups
* hands on a wall doing (upright) press ups
And other exercises.
Do what you can - but NO more than 5 mins
it is amazing how unfit i had become
* 3 mins of step ups and i am whacked.
in between they advise 2-3 mins rest.
Everything is planned to build everything very very slowly.
Hope this helps
June

[looking4answers]

Thanks to all for the great advice..Im working on it a lot..Today I did more than I have ever done I think...and it was below freezing all day outside..I had to do some heavy work and well.. still here lol. But everything is much appreciated to all..Im a little better..Michael

[Alisonj]

Good for you Michael! Every bit counts