Blood pressure

[JASE]

Hi I'm only 31 and I keep worring about my blood pressure all the time when i go to the doctors it goes up to 160/90 and my pulse goes like mad because i hate having it checked
I have tried checking it at home normally 151/90 my first reading and then it goes to about 137/75 but still think this is too high
The thing is i'm starting to get really obsessed by it and feel uptight all the time

[Jaco45er]

The high reading at the docs is just white coat syndrome, try not to worry about that reading, lots of peoples BP rises when at the doctors.

Technically, anything over 140/90 is high, but there are phases. 160/95 and below is MILD hypertention and I would imagine a doc would just ask you to look at your lifestyle to bring it down.

Eat less salt, if you smoke, try and give up, less alcohol, more exercise.

If most of your readings are around 137/75, then you are fine.

Docs only say its an issue if your BP is constantly over 140/90 (like as soon as you wake), even then, its controllable with drugs but you are nowhere near if 137/75 is your average.

Its all too easy to get obsessed with BP (I am. was, well still am sometimes) but I am pretty sure you have nothing to worry about.

If you really are worried, ask the doc for a 24 hour monititor so he can get an average reading, I am sure he will not be worried by the results.

TC

Jaco

[spuds]

You can lower your blood pressure within a few weeks by changing your lifestyle a bit. This is the advice from the Blood Pressure Association:-

http://www.bpassoc.org.uk/information/lifestyle/changing.htm

My blood pressure has always been around 130/80, but at the last GP visit it was 130/88 and I started worrying. My mum had high bp and died from a heart attack at 66. I am 3 stone overweight, but have lost a stone at Weight Watchers and have tried to cut back on processed foods. Had my HRT check-up today - bp was 110/60, so I am pretty happy to have got it down in less than 6 months. I still have a long way to go with the weight, but it is possible to lower your blood pressure through diet fairly quickly. I never eat salt now, not on chips, no crisps etc. No caffeine either. I eat bananas too which are good for bp.

If your doctor was worried they would soon put you on bp tablets for a while, but really with a bit of healthy eating (and exercise if poss) you can soon sort this out. Don't worry, good luck.

[cattttt]

My bp has a pattern like this too, always high at the doc, so she never does it now, she just looks at what I do at home. At home, the forst one is always high, so I do it two more times and take an average, that always comes out OK. Sounds like you are just the same, 137/75 is fine so don't worry about it.

[mandie]

I know how u feel. I hate having mine taken. I get so anxious that it always goes up.

The nurse where i work took it for me last time and because i felt more relaxed it was 130/75, where at my own gp it went to as high as 150/100 before.

[JASE]

Thanks guys you made me fine better !!!

[rob3231]

Hi I'm only 31 and I keep worring about my blood pressure all the time when i go to the doctors it goes up to 160/90 and my pulse goes like mad because i hate having it checked
I have tried checking it at home normally 151/90 my first reading and then it goes to about 137/75 but still think this is too high
The thing is i'm starting to get really obsessed by it and feel uptight all the time

I think the bottom number is the most important one, this is the pressure when the heart is at rest. The top number is the pressure when the heart is pumping. 75 is fantastic, with a number like that I wouldn't even bother looking at the top one.

[rob3231]

You can lower your blood pressure within a few weeks by changing your lifestyle a bit. This is the advice from the Blood Pressure Association:-

http://www.bpassoc.org.uk/information/lifestyle/changing.htm

My blood pressure has always been around 130/80, but at the last GP visit it was 130/88 and I started worrying. My mum had high bp and died from a heart attack at 66. I am 3 stone overweight, but have lost a stone at Weight Watchers and have tried to cut back on processed foods. Had my HRT check-up today - bp was 110/60, so I am pretty happy to have got it down in less than 6 months. I still have a long way to go with the weight, but it is possible to lower your blood pressure through diet fairly quickly. I never eat salt now, not on chips, no crisps etc. No caffeine either. I eat bananas too which are good for bp.

If your doctor was worried they would soon put you on bp tablets for a while, but really with a bit of healthy eating (and exercise if poss) you can soon sort this out. Don't worry, good luck.


The problem is when your doctor tells you your BP is too high, they are thinking that you will suffer the consequences in 20-odd years time, whereas the classic health anxiety sufferer is thinking "Am I going to live to the end of today"?