View Full Version : Blood pressure worries
Hello. So have seen my Dr about 3 times over last 5-6 months for heartburn issues. My blood pressure would read around 130s/80s. Dr wasn't concerned and said to keep it under 140/90. I saw the Dr again 2 days ago. I was nervous for the appointment. I was concerned my BP would read high, and it did, 150/95. Before I left the office it was done to 144/90. He suggested I monitor my BP for 2 weeks at home. 1 reading per day, any time of day is fine. So I got an BP monitor at the store. When I got home I tried it. Was 133/89. Did it again the next morning. 127/95 and tried again 127/84. Then this morning it was 136/87. Even at home I feel nervous when I take it. And now all day all I think about is how to keep my BP lower. Anyone go through BP issues? I'm 39, about 20lbs overweight. I do workout but don't eat well (fast food, junk food)
I had to monitor my BP for a while with a switch up of BP meds. The key here is to do it the same time every day and make sure you've chilled a bit before doing so. BTW... mornings will typically get you a higher reading just due to the fact you're up and about after sleeping. Best to do so in the evening when your day has settled down. Take three readings and reference the lowest. You obviously have some white coat syndrome going on and your anxiety is increasing the numbers which, while a little on the high side are not bad really.
Modify your eating habits, cut salt (i.e. junk food) and keep on exercising.
Positive thoughts
I had to monitor my BP for a while with a switch up of BP meds. The key here is to do it the same time every day and make sure you've chilled a bit before doing so. BTW... mornings will typically get you a higher reading just due to the fact you're up and about after sleeping. Best to do so in the evening when your day has settled down. Take three readings and reference the lowest. You obviously have some white coat syndrome going on and your anxiety is increasing the numbers which, while a little on the high side are not bad really.
Modify your eating habits, cut salt (i.e. junk food) and keep on exercising.
Positive thoughts
Ok. My Dr actually said I may have white coat syndrome, said it's fairly common. I will try a reading before bed and see how that is. I started eating better yesterday as well.
So it's been a week now since the Dr told me to record my blood pressure each day. Some recent readings were 125/83 128/86 133/89 140/93 132/83 142/93 127/87. If I got a higher reading I would wait 5 min and test again almost always getting a lower reading. Do you think he will be happy with the results? I don't want to have to take pills. I've become obsessed with this.
---------- Post added at 17:56 ---------- Previous post was at 17:55 ----------
And just to clarify, he wants it under 140/90 which for the most part it has been except for a few readings which ened up being lower after I tested again.
I think all is well :)
Positive thoughts
Catherine S
04-04-17, 00:27
My doctor allows for age increasing the readings naturally. I'm in my early 60s so he wouldn't expect to see readings of less than 130 unless I'm super fit,, but he likes to think it stays around 140 and he's happy with that. I did have a big increase a few weeks ago when it read between 175/90 and 180/100 for a few days and scared the life out of me. It's been that high before although some years ago, and was the reason I was given beta blockers in the first place, but it's not that high very often.
So the doctor suggested medication to take alongside the beta blockers, but then the bp started to come down again thankfully so taking the med has been postponed. My bp has been averaging at 140/72 ever since. I don't know why it peaked over those few days :shrug:
I think your numbers are fine Brian. It's easy to obsess about it though I know.
ISB ☺
I'm still obsessed over by BP. Maybe it's because I'm going on a trip. I always get anxious when traveling far from home. Here are the last 4 days of BP readings....
121/91 , 130,89
137/85
138/91 , 126/81
131/95 , 132/86
If the first reading was high I would wait 5 min and take another. Again Dr said he wants it under 140/90. He said if it's consistently over that we need to discuss medication. What do you guys think?
countrygirl
09-04-17, 18:51
I think your bp is absolutely fine. My Gp says the most important words are persistantly raised so if very reading was above 140/90 and this was for the two weeks then he would be concerned.
I have the worst white coat syndrome ever. I have home moniter and my bp is actually low when I am calm (117/76 etc) but I had to have it take in a hospital a few days ago and before I went my bp was 118/78 and two hours later it was 189/93. This is obviously pure anxiety related.
My Gp says I am never to allow anyone to give me bp meds unless my home results taken 3 times a day for 2 weeks shows persistantly raised bp otherwise when calm I would be in a dead faint due to severely low bp!
Hey countrygirl thanks for the reply. It calmed me down. I know my Dr used the word "consistently" so obviously it hasn't been consistently high. I'm guessing having some readings in the 120s/80s should look good as well. Im going to send him the results in the next few days. Thanks again.
---------- Post added at 17:47 ---------- Previous post was at 14:20 ----------
Very happy. I was nervous to take my reading for the day. Sat in a chair and took deep breaths for about 5 min. As the cuff was tightening I started to panic. I could feel my heart racing. I almost stopped the test. Turns out it was 128/87! Very happy.
See? There you go! :D Keep exercising and get that diet in order and things will improve even more I assure you.
Positive thoughts
See? There you go! :D Keep exercising and get that diet in order and things will improve even more I assure you.
Positive thoughts
Yeah! Thanks bro.
ScaredLizard
10-04-17, 01:15
I'm glad you posted this! I'm having blood pressure woes myself! My anxiety definitely raises it. I was freaking out earlier and literally watched after three pressures it rose up regularly!
I'm not sure if this will help you but during my last pressure my best I was coloring and that seemed to have distracted my brain enough so I didn't stress my pressure higher
I'm glad you posted this! I'm having blood pressure woes myself! My anxiety definitely raises it. I was freaking out earlier and literally watched after three pressures it rose up regularly!
I'm not sure if this will help you but during my last pressure my best I was coloring and that seemed to have distracted my brain enough so I didn't stress my pressure higher
That's funny. A few days ago when I was checking I was reading my daughter's homework in order to keep my mind off that stupid blood pressure cuff
ScaredLizard
10-04-17, 03:40
That's funny. A few days ago when I was checking I was reading my daughter's homework in order to keep my mind off that stupid blood pressure cuff
It's hard! It's like as soon as it's on my arm I can feel myself tensing and it goes up! Earlier today it was 137/89 and then I freaked and my second reading was 146/99 UGH so I took it easy and waited and colored and most recently it was 125/87 so much less.
I need to stop being so freaked about it because that doesn't help at all.
snowghost57
10-04-17, 03:58
Being nervous will certainly make your blood pressure go up! I have always had normal BP and one time I was stressing over multiple things. When I went to the doctor, my BP was so high I almost fell off the chair! Anxiety and worry is a terrible creature. I'm glad to hear you cut out the fast food. 128/87 is great! Stress, worry, processed food and poor exercise are all culprits of high BP. Sounds like what you are doing is working!
orthagonal
10-04-17, 19:07
If your second reading is always lower than the first, sounds like anxiety to me. Take three readings 2 minutes apart and average them (many machines have this as a built in function). Also make sure you are seated for five minutes beforehand and that your arm is supported at heart level.
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