weird blood pressure results

[rosekay]

My blood pressure has always been low - the average over the last couple of years is 108/69 A few days ago I was feeling a bit odd and off balance, so I checked my BP and it was 141/77 - way higher than I've ever had before. Been checking since - it's 118/72 when I wake up, then up to 137/87 mid morning. It's even reached 151/94 one evening! What on earth is going on? This is way off scale for me and it's worrying me, which won't help! I am currently taking Tegretol, Bisoprolol and Omeprazole.

[nomorepanic]

If you are really worried about it then talk to your GP who may give you a 24-hour monitor so they can see what happens over 24 hours.

[kivyt73]

Are you following the guidelines for taking your bp when you take it? You should be sitting quietly for at least ten minutes before taking it. Sit in a chair, legs on the floor, arm at heart level. Chances are if you normally get 108/69 then this is just anxiety related. I notice in your post, that you felt odd so you took your bp, this is the worst time to take it. You are supposed to take it when you are relaxed, not having some sort of symptoms.

Why are you checking your bp any way, did you doctor tell you to monitor it? The reason I ask is because I am a recovering obssesive bp checker and it is a hideous obsession and awful thing to do to yourself and your body. I don't even have high blood pressure, my average is 110/75 and that is with anxiety. In reality when I relaxed my bp is like your lows of 108/69 or even lower.

The bottom line is blood pressure changes all of the time and raises depending on so many things...level of hydration, whether your bladder is full, if you are stressed, tired, etc. I would leave the bp checking and monitoring to your doctor, that is what I am trying to do now. My last bp check at the docs was 126/74 and of course I went home to check it again and just kept checking and checking looking for my magic number of 115/75 but couldn't get it of course because I was stressing and taking it repeatedly. I finally left it at 126/80 and threw away the machine. My doc said 126/74 was near perfect so I am going to let him be the doctor on this one.

Good luck
Ivy:)

[rosekay]

Thanks both. I did check it originally because I felt dizzy, then when I saw it was 141 I couldn't understand it as it had never been anywhere near that before. When it hit 151 I did worry.... seems to be settled around the 120's now, except first thing when I wake up and it is nice and low like it always used to be. I will try to avoid the machine! My younger brother had a stroke a few months ago, so I think that's why I was more worried when it was so high - extremely high for me. Sigh!

[Ihatesnow]

I know this is a little old but I am on bp medication which controls my bp except for exactly one week before menstruation where it goes high - doc thinks this is onset of higher anxiety etc from Pms. Even if high it has to be at around 220/120 to require medical attention! Had episode today and for the first time took an Ativan to test out theory! Bp fell from 185/115 to 119/73 within 30 mins of taking the Ativan!! Anxiety causes hbp and unless its seriously high it's best not to check it when anxious. I have only being doing so to prove that it only happens as part of Pms as the specialists keep trying to double my medication but my clever gp says no way! Control the anxiety during Pms and you will not have a problem! Hence starting prozac next week. Hope this has reassured you

---------- Post added at 15:28 ---------- Previous post was at 15:26 ----------

Oh and also bp rises over the day so don't worry about higher readings later on - they are only looking for an average of say 130/80 over a 24 hour period not on every single reading!