View Full Version : Got my blood pressure monitor in the post.
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 15:28
I've checked it a few times already but now put it away out of reach and sight.
So far:
142/82
139/72 ???
145/85
142/83
144/86
So consistently high-ish...what should I do?
dont use it! it will only make your anxiety worse i know from experience, i have one and when you check once you have to check loads of times to see if it is rising or falling. it is a vicious circle your brain is worrying what the monitor will read next, therefore the reading will be raised.
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 15:42
But why is it raised each time? Surely it should be lower than that at my age? My pulse is always in the 90s too.
---------- Post added at 15:42 ---------- Previous post was at 15:42 ----------
I'm 25 by the way
Hide that thing or better yet, throw it out.
Go to your doctor and get medication for anxiety.
I've been in an anxious state this past week, and if it wasn't for my medication I would still be a basket case. Please get on the appropriate meds and you'll feel tons better.
its because you are anxious that: a) you want a nice low reading, and b) you dont want it to get any higher. we anxiety sufferers put our own blood pressure up by worrying. my advice is to leave it alone until a time when you are totally relaxed and then take it, im sure you will notice the difference.
i have done all this myself, i.e constantly monitoring my bp and have scared myself often.
:doh: THROW IT AWAY!
Positive thoughts
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 16:11
But guys, isn't it better that I know I have a high reading then I can get it sorted more easily?
But guys, isn't it better that I know I have a high reading then I can get it sorted more easily?
i can see where you are coming from. if you are concerned book an appointment to see the Dr, but constantly taking your BP while only make it higher as we have said it really is a vicious circle.
Catherine S
12-11-14, 16:17
The problem is that the 'baseline' readings are different for different European countries. We're given what is considered to be a 'normal' reading for BP in UK and we measure our reading on that, but somebody in Germany for example may have the same reading and its considered to be high. Its only a guide really, and BP can fluctuate so much. If you don't have a monitor and relied on the doctor taking your BP he would only expect to take it every 3 months or so, probably longer at your age but not every day. It will drive you nuts believe me. Ive had my monitor since 2007 and it practically turned me into a nervous wreck thinking I was about to have a stroke any day, but these days I hardly look at it and i'm 61, so please don't worry about your BP...it doesn't seem to be that high compared to what it can be when its really high. Other factors can also raise BP such as too much stress/alcohol etc. But raised BP only causes problems if its really high consistently over many years, and even then its only a maybe that it will hurt you.
ISB x
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 16:21
The problem is that the 'baseline' readings are different for different European countries. We're given what is considered to be a 'normal' reading for BP in UK and we measure our reading on that, but somebody in Germany for example may have the same reading and its considered to be high. Its only a guide really, and BP can fluctuate so much. If you don't have a monitor and relied on the doctor taking your BP he would only expect to take it every 3 months or so, probably longer at your age but not every day. It will drive you nuts believe me. Ive had my monitor since 2007 and it practically turned me into a nervous wreck thinking I was about to have a stroke any day, but these days I hardly look at it and i'm 61, so please don't worry about your BP...it doesn't seem to be that high compared to what it can be when its really high. Other factors control it such as too much stress/alcohol etc.
ISB x
I know but the doctor took it before and it was 153/85 which is pretty high still!
Should I go to the doctor or go to A&E tonight? I am on the birth control pill which I know can cause BP to rise.
---------- Post added at 16:21 ---------- Previous post was at 16:20 ----------
i can see where you are coming from. if you are concerned book an appointment to see the Dr, but constantly taking your BP while only make it higher as we have said it really is a vicious circle.
Do you think I should be concerned? Are these high numbers? I'm scared to look up online :(
dont worry please. i know how you feel just book a normal appointment. as 'i still believe' says it is not as high as it could be so try to calm down. to be honest those readings are the same as mine about 2 years ago when i went through the same thing.
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 16:30
But as soon as I step foot into the doctors the blood pressure sky rockets.
Sunflower2
12-11-14, 16:33
DO NOT GO TO A&E. Please, trust your doctor. They wouldn't be dismissing your fears if they thought you were in danger. They do study the body for years and years! They aren't just filling their heads with rubbish! How many people will it take to convince you?
Catherine S
12-11-14, 16:37
Yes that happens to alot of people. My doctor takes mine twice, one and then another because of this, and the second reading is always lower than the first.
ISB x
PS...it may be an idea to have a chat about your pill if you think this could be a reason too, perhaps a change of pill might help.
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 16:51
Just took again twice
136/80
138/84
Going down at least
But as soon as I step foot into the doctors the blood pressure sky rockets.
i get this, its called 'white coat syndrome' bp is raised when it knows its going to be checked. its like a schoolkid making out its got a temperature to get a day off school! ha ha.
please dont worry, i know it seems that i am not taking this serious but i am its so so hard i have been through this and so have most of the other people on this site. your not in danger please try to calm down, try to distract yourself
---------- Post added at 17:57 ---------- Previous post was at 17:55 ----------
Just took again twice
136/80
138/84
Going down at least
there you go because you are more relaxed. how do you feel now?
You need to throw it away! Otherwise your just going to fixate on your blood pressure when there's no need to.
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 17:20
i get this, its called 'white coat syndrome' bp is raised when it knows its going to be checked. its like a schoolkid making out its got a temperature to get a day off school! ha ha.
please dont worry, i know it seems that i am not taking this serious but i am its so so hard i have been through this and so have most of the other people on this site. your not in danger please try to calm down, try to distract yourself
---------- Post added at 17:57 ---------- Previous post was at 17:55 ----------
there you go because you are more relaxed. how do you feel now?
Feeling a bit more relaxed but it's still not low enough really
it will get lower, dont worry
nomorepanic
12-11-14, 17:32
I did say you would become obsessed over taking it!
If you are really worried see your GP and express your concerns over the pill and your perceived high BP and they "may" do a 24-hour reading one for you.
I did say you would become obsessed over taking it!
As did I.... Unfortunately, these are words on a screen and we can't reach through and do anything about it! :shrug:
Positive thoughts
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 18:10
Sorry I didn't listen to sense but I feel this is important!
I have a headache now, I hope it's not related.
Are you in therapy or doing anything about your anxiety?
Positive thoughts
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 18:43
Are you in therapy or doing anything about your anxiety?
Positive thoughts
No because this is the first episode I've had in a number of months. I thought I was better but as soon as something health related comes up...it all comes to the surface again.
---------- Post added at 18:43 ---------- Previous post was at 18:42 ----------
It looks as though my general resting BP is 136/80 and my heart rate was 74 this time.
With all due respect GirlAfraid,
I looked back over the last 5 years of posts and you really should consider some help or even intervention. Anything to help you get out of the spiral your in. It's just quite apparent that something needs to be done. I truly wish you the best and hope you find a way to get a handle on the dragon.
Good luck and positive thoughts
I just wanted to offer some reassurance. Like you, I have white coat hypertension. My BP was always around 128/85. A got a reading of 155/100 one day, and from then on, I couldn't get a lower reading. I avoided taking it for 2 years. Finally at a checkup last year they took it, and again it was 158/100.
I bought a machine. Luckily I live with my wife/kids. So I cannot take is obsessively. But I would take it every day, about 10 times in a row.
At first I got in the 150/100 range. After a week I vowed to only take it every 3 days. After about 2 weeks, my readings slowly came down. One week it would be 145/95, and the next 135/80. And finally 120/75. I thought the machine was broken. The Dr had me take it to my apt, and we compared it to his machine. Mine was actually higher.
Obviously I got used to taking it, and as I did, my readings came down...
This worked for me. But it worked because I couldn't take it over and over again.... each day. And also during the process I accepted that high BP isn't the end of the world. It is common. This also helped.
Good luck
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 21:14
I just wanted to offer some reassurance. Like you, I have white coat hypertension. My BP was always around 128/85. A got a reading of 155/100 one day, and from then on, I couldn't get a lower reading. I avoided taking it for 2 years. Finally at a checkup last year they took it, and again it was 158/100.
I bought a machine. Luckily I live with my wife/kids. So I cannot take is obsessively. But I would take it every day, about 10 times in a row.
At first I got in the 150/100 range. After a week I vowed to only take it every 3 days. After about 2 weeks, my readings slowly came down. One week it would be 145/95, and the next 135/80. And finally 120/75. I thought the machine was broken. The Dr had me take it to my apt, and we compared it to his machine. Mine was actually higher.
Obviously I got used to taking it, and as I did, my readings came down...
This worked for me. But it worked because I couldn't take it over and over again.... each day. And also during the process I accepted that high BP isn't the end of the world. It is common. This also helped.
Good luck
I'm not going to take mine consistently, I live with my parents and they won't let me take it every minute of the day. I've taken it less than 10 times today, yes still quite excessive but not massively. I just want to monitor it and make sure there is no problem. It has been as high as 170 in the doctor's surgery before.
I've clocked 190/110 in the doctors a few years ago when my panic was at it's worst, a few weeks later I was there with a rugby injury and somehow the nurse took my bp without me really realising while we chatted. I was 120/75 :)
Thinking about taking it makes me flap! If I was really worried I would ask GP for the 24hr one that catches you out at night so you can't get pre-hyped!
once i started i found it hard not to keep checking mine. you might be like me and get used to it after a while i have a bp monitor but i rarely use it now.
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 21:33
I've clocked 190/110 in the doctors a few years ago when my panic was at it's worst, a few weeks later I was there with a rugby injury and somehow the nurse took my bp without me really realising while we chatted. I was 120/75 :)
Thinking about taking it makes me flap! If I was really worried I would ask GP for the 24hr one that catches you out at night so you can't get pre-hyped!
I know, I know :( it's just scared me because I've never thought there was anything wrong with my heart/blood pressure. Plus because I am on birth control, I'm worried there's a connection and something will happen - DVT, stroke or worse.
ive also had 2 24hr bp monitors fitted in the past they showed that mine was lowest when i was asleep! in fact it went the other way - low bp!
I'd honestly throw it in the bin if it was me, I'd be scaring myself silly!
Speak to the GP about your fears, I'm sure they'll think your bp is normal for somebody anxious :)
I'm not going to take mine consistently, I live with my parents and they won't let me take it every minute of the day. I've taken it less than 10 times today, yes still quite excessive but not massively. I just want to monitor it and make sure there is no problem. It has been as high as 170 in the doctor's surgery before.
Taking it everyday would be considered excessive.
Seriously, everyone advised you against getting this and you have gone and done it anyway. I don't know what sort of advice you are after?
GirlAfraid23
12-11-14, 22:00
Taking it everyday would be considered excessive.
Seriously, everyone advised you against getting this and you have gone and done it anyway. I don't know what sort of advice you are after?
I actually ordered it before anyone gave me any advice. It's arrived now so I was in two minds whether to send it back or use it, yes I probably should have sent it back :weep:
Been there and done this. My readings were way higher than these. The more I focussed on getting a lower reading, the higher it went and that was at 55 bpm! Your obsession to get you BP down means that your results simply cannot be relied upon other than to inform your anxiety. I subsequently became preoccupied with a different symptom and the BP dropped! Ironic really. Do not do home monitoring unless prescribed by your GP. Mine told me to stop, and I did. In any event, the levels you refer to are really not so bad for hyper anxiety or white coat. Mine was 170/106, yet sits around 130/80 mostly. FMP is bang on the money, you need to focus on the psychological issues here. To ignore such advice and pursue the BP issue is only going to feed the genuine problem and is tantamount to fanning the flame of your fear. Don't do it. I wish you all the best.
Ant
Catherine S
13-11-14, 05:12
I've only just read the previous posts you have about your bp and didn't realise you'd already had lots of advice about this issue when I replied here, and so I've only really repeated what's been advised in your previous thread.
ISB x
GirlAfraid23
13-11-14, 16:28
Only took it 3 times today :
131/78
139/86
136/85
Is it ok there is quite a lot of variation in those readings?
---------- Post added at 16:28 ---------- Previous post was at 16:27 ----------
Also a pulse rate of between 88 and 90 which is probably due to anxiety and I have a chest infection at the moment. Can that raise your pulse?
Girl afraid,
Keep taking your BP 3,5, 10 times a day. Let it eat into your day and take over. Obsess over the readings, maybe plan a trip to A&E do a lot of googling or BE KIND TO YOURSELF and ditch the idea of high blood pressure and with that the machine. You are not going to miss anything. You are 25 and have HA - please concentrate on getting that sorted:hugs: Lucia
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