So sick of it....

[kivyt73]

Well, I went and did it again today...I checked my blood pressure. I don't know why I always have to do this and can't leave well enough alone. I don't have high bp (my average is 109/75), my doctor is not concerned but I keep checking. I had been doing so good for so long and now I am anxious about checking again and I am starting to spike. Today I went to check at the pharmacy and I got 111/78 (heart rate 105 so I was nervous) and of course after getting a good reading of 111/78 I had to stay and take it again and up and up it went, the highest was 125/91. I sat there and took it like seven times until I finally gave up and left. I went across the street to rite aid and bought a home monitor ( I had one before but had to get rid of it because I was checking like thirty times a day) anyway as soon as I got home, I sat down with the monitor and of course 113/74 and then 115/72. So ridiculous, I know it is anxiety at the pharmacy and I shouldn't even be checking but I hate the idea that it spikes that high.

What do you guys think, talk me down please.

Ivy

[justina]

Well it is not very high in my opinion, I've seen worse on myself, for instance, and I am still here...:)

Why are you concerned about your bp? Did it use to be high?

I think it is clearly related to anxiety when it goes up like you describe, when you measure it several times.

:bighug1:

[saab]

I would love to have blood pressure that low. Mine is at the bottom end of the high range, and my gp has never suggested I need medication or anything, though I do need to lose abour 50lbs in weight.

If you are concerned about blood pressure, why not try changing your diet to low salt, low fat etc.? It would be more useful than constantly checking. I can't criticise though, as I get ectopics beats and constantly checkk my pulse when I am anxious. Once it becomes a habit it's hard to stop.

Blood pressure can vary greatly due to stress, health, even whether you have just stood up, so I wouldn't worry - all those readings sound ok to me, certainly within normal limits of acceptable.

Why do you focus on your bp so much?

[waunder]

Anxiety makes you fearful and fear makes you worry .You just pick something that you can worry or obsess about. It sounds simple enough but the emotions are not simple. I was told once or twice that to rid yourself of something you can replace it with something and that something can be something better for you. Say you want to take your bp well just do something else that is good and takes your mind away from the monitor for as long as you can ,maybe it can help some. I like to clean when I anxious ,it wears me out as well and I feel good about getting things done.:)

[dan1234]

Chuck the blood pressure monitor out the window is what I suggest.

[Mountainclimber]

Throw that bp monitor in the bin, your bp is fine. Take control and STOP. Good luck, and all the best from an Irish friend across the pond.:)

[kivyt73]

Thanks everyone for so much good advice and so many good suggestions.. I agree with all of what you guys said. Saab and Justina, I don't have high bp, I had some high readings at the the doctor and then began obsessively checking it at home and at stores until my therapist had to call my gp and tell him to tell me to stop. Like Waunder said it seems to be the thing I am focusing on and I really like the idea of just focusing on something good and positive when I want to check and Dan1234 and Murphy's law you are both right and I got rid of the monitor. I just really hate this obsession and am working on realizing that I don't need to do this. I am wasting so much of my life worrying about something that 1. I may never have and 2. I can't control anyway. I exercise every day, watch what I eat, do yoga to relieve stress there is really nothing more I can do. Its exhausting.

Thanks again for all of the kind words.
Ivy