Blood pressure

[keeplookint85]

Hi all.

I have developed an anxiety about my blood pressure.

I've recently had all blood tests done, which were for thyroid, blood count and diabetes and they were normal. Because of a panic attack, I had an ECG done, chest X Ray and an echocardiogram and they were perfect, even though my heart was tanking along at 160bpm. When I was having these tests done, I had more blood tests and they were perfect. During a panic attack at the echo test, a nurse checked my blood pressure the old style way (manually and it was only slightly raised at 140/90 but my heart was raising along because I was scared that they'd find something, which they didn't. The lady who did the echo said that everything looked perfect and if I did get called back, it would only been routine. Of course, that stayed in my mind.

A few years back whilst suffering dizziness and pressure in my head, I popped into the pharmacy and it was raised. I can remember 140 something and that's about it. I was taking Propanolol at the time (40mg, 3 times a day), which after about 6 years altogether I've now stopped. I was feeling dizzy everyday and always put it down to anxiety, but looking back, it seems it was the medication, because I rarely get dizzy now unless its a panic attack. (I've only had 4)

When I stopped taking the tablets, I read the side effects could be a spike in blood pressure, so of course this was always on my mind, but I was determined to get off them and now for about 8 months I've been medication free.

Anyway, I was having pains in both of my temples one day a few months back and because I stupidly Googled it, I thought it could be down to high blood pressure.

The only time I find it to be high (140/90 - 170/110) is if I take it straight and I mean straight after I've walked or tidied up etc. I know this isn't an accurate reading but I'm worried I may have an Blood Pressure emergency whilst even walking.

But within literally a minute it will be back to completely normal (120 - 130/75-90)

This morning after cleaning my living room, I thought I'd put my mind at ease and check it straight away just to prove that exercise isn't going to raise my blood pressure stupidly high that I would pass out. It read 144/124. Which at first I panicked, but then almost instantly I thought that can't have been taken right. So I led down and it was prefect again within a minute and has been all afternoon.

All day now I've had it on my mind thinking as soon as I start walking or driving and I'm obsessing over it, I'm going to have an Blood Pressure Emergency (or whatever it's called) Can your anxiety drive it to such an extent that it causes an emergency like that?

I went out in the car about an hour ago and said to myself there's nothing wrong, everything's fine even though it's been on my mind and I was signing along (very loudly) to a song on the radio and when I inhaled through my nose, the only way I can describe it was it felt like I'd been swimming and then it felt like I swallowed something watery. Sorry, but this is going to sound disgusting, but because I'd read blood pressure emergencies cause nosebleeds, I put my finger up my nose and I'm convinced I saw the tiniest bit of blood 2 occasions on there and I mean tiny. This made me freak out, thinking all my anxiety and the singing had pushed my blood pressure up to extremely high numbers and immediately my head starting pounding, like I'd been held upside down, feeling hot and that I was about to pass out.

Because I was in a country lane I had to drive a little bit further and pull over in a carpark.

All I could think was dial 999, but I put it off and calmed myself down. It felt like the start of a panic attack, but I had stopped it after about 5 minutes. I drove home about 15 minutes after this whole episode relatively calm and when I got in my blood pressure was 133/90 (after walking up 2 flights of stairs and then after a few minutes was 118/76.

My biggest fear now is I did have a Blood Pressure emergency/crisis and it could happen again and what if I couldn't calm down?

My blood pressure at home is always in the good range 118 - 140/75 - 85 when I'm calm and relaxed.

Is it even possible at my age being 28 and never had any major illnesses to get into one of these blood pressure crisis' and die or something from it?

I know it's probably all in my head, but I'm convinced my blood pressure is going to go so high it will really hurt me. This afternoons episode REALLY didn't help. I eat relativity good, quit smoking around 5 years ago, drink maybe once a month. I've got to be honest I don't exercise as much as I should and hardly anything now because of this high blood pressure scare.

I never even considered my blood pressure until that day in the pharmacy and now I can't shake the fear

Sorry it's so long.

[robin321]

I have had a lot of anxiety about BP (feel free to go to my profile and read my posts).

Based on what your post, I don't think you have an issue. You are right, you shouldnt take it while walking or exercising. You are supposed to wait 5 minutes. Just standing or sitting can temporarily raise BP. The norms are based on resting BP.

I would often get a first BP reading of 165/110 or so, and it would come down. It was b/c I was nervous.

Your readings sound fine. 140 while in a panic attack is actually great! Just that will raise your BP.

[keeplookint85]

Thanks Robin for the reply.

I think what I'm more worried about is during an anxiety attack, not a full blown panic attack, that my blood pressure will go so high that something terrible will happen. I feel like I'm going to pass out out when I'm very anxious. (not panic attack, which I consider to be completely different)

[robin321]

You're blood pressure can go very high in the short term. This is 'normal'. It is the fight or flight response. The igh blood pressure docs worry about, is the chronic long lasting kind. Over time this damages your organs. But this is over a long time.
The fact that your BP goes to normal so quickly also shows you are healthy.

[Catherine S]

Blood pressure can go up and down depending on what you're doing, and of course, as a result of high anxiety. I doubt very much that at your young age your fluctuating BP will result in anything happening to you. As robin says, for any lasting damage it has to be extremely high constantly over many years to possibly do any damage. I suffer with high BP after menopause which is quite common, as average BP can raise with age. I have a home monitor that i used to test myself on almost obsessively but have calmed down about the whole thing now. Sometimes my BP is normal (for my age) at 130-140 over 75-85 and sometimes its higher if i'm more active or anxious but it does come down again later. Ive learned not to obsess about it and just get on with my life. Home monitors can work against us sometimes, as the doctors wouldn't check our BP every three hours, more like every three weeks :)

[Fishmanpa]

BP would have to be in the high range for an extended period of time to become detrimental to your health. There are normal fluctuations daily, hourly and even minute to minute in our daily lives. Your doctor would certainly be aware if there were an issue and order a 24 hour monitor if they felt there were the potential for problems.

As one who has had chronic BP and heart issues I can tell you that you don't fit the criteria of high risk based on your post :)

Positive thoughts

[Female healthanxiety]

Hello :-)

Please look at my latest post.

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=148222

I hope it will help in confirming that your not the only one.

I am Female, 30, but feel like I'm 50! X

[keeplookint85]

Thank you all for your replies. When I get anxious, I feel like I'm going to pass out, irritable etc..

I'm scared it's my blood pressure going incredibly high and need to get out of the situation, which isn't good.

I'm pretty sure though it's anxiety that's making me feel like that because my pressure is absolutely normal every other time.

[spacebunnyx]

Hiya,

I have had a bp crisis when I had a seizure,, let me tell you your bp is nowhere near. To be diagnosed with high bp your bp must be over 140/90 all the time you are awake. Also, arteries are incredibly elastic, temporary high bp is normal xxx

[keeplookint85]

Not sure if my BP machine is playing up or low on batteries or something. Earlier it came up with the letter E, but then once I tried again it have a not too bad reading.

It keeps stopping half way as well and then inflating again. The readings are also changing greatly within 30 seconds apart. Just now it said 103/73 then 30 seconds later 128/82



I can't find the manual for it either.

I have a bit of an headache but winding myself up now thinking there's something wrong with me to be getting such different readings or it is either very low or very high :(

I know I'm checking it far too much, it's just I'm scared