Very Worried about my blood pressure

[Vinny]

Hi Everyone

I've just taken my blood pressure on a home kit and am devastated because the reading was 155/85. This is high and now I'm so scared about it. I've never suffered from high blood pressure and was really shocked with the reading. I did it 3 times and it came up with the same reading. I don't know what to do. I have been quite good with my HA for the last 2 weeks and now I feel so worried and it's Sunday which means I can't even go to the doctors. Have any of you every tested your own blood pressure before and had a high reading? Please could someone try and reassure me, I feel sick with worry :weep:

[nomorepanic]

It isn't really that high to be honest.

Mine is about the same on occasions and I am on blood pressure medication already.

I wouldn't worry as that will make it worse!

Mine was high for 2 years before they put me on medication so you are not going to drop down dead with one high reading.

Don't keep taking it either as it won't change whilst you are stressed.

[Vinny]

Thanks Nicola. I used to smoke up until a year ago so I worry about the damage that may have caused. I've just come back from holiday and we did drink alot while we were away. I worry that I've caused some damage to myself and that's why my blood pressure is high. It's never been high before!! It's so hirrible worrying like this, I can't get it out of my head now.

[Trixie]

What type of monitor did you use?

[Vinny]

It was my sisters, she's had it about a year now. It's got a digital reading. She was worried about her reading because it was 140/82 so she asked if she could check mine and I was so shocked at the reading. I've never had high blood pressure before and was so confident that it would be normal. I'm getting myself in a right state about it now.

[eeyorelover]

That really isn't that high. The bottom number is the one that docs usually go by and yours is pretty good. If you are concerned I would make an appointment with your GP just to get peace of mind :)
Also it would be a good idea to take it from the other arm because one arm can be a little different than the other.
Don't forget that being anxious can raise it a little too.
xxx
Sandy

[Trixie]

It was my sisters, she's had it about a year now. It's got a digital reading. She was worried about her reading because it was 140/82 so she asked if she could check mine and I was so shocked at the reading. I've never had high blood pressure before and was so confident that it would be normal. I'm getting myself in a right state about it now.

Is it one that wraps around the upper arm?

[nickieb]

Vinny

Hiya, hows things?. Firstly the more you worry about your blood pressure the higher it will go. Your Bp isn't actually that high, in fact its borderline hypertensive (high ).
I had a much similar problem to yourself last year where i had a very high reading & panicked about it.
Despite it being quite scary it is very good as now you know you have to make some changes to lower it. I have cut out salt in my diet, i exercise more regularly and have made a conscious effort to avoid stress in my life, which was what increased it in the first place. This has now stabilized my blood pressure without the need for medication.

Try not to worry as this will only make it worse...

Best Wishes

Nicola

[countrygirl]

Remember home kits usually read a bit on the high side and if it was one that took the reading from your wrist rather than the cuff around your upper arm then it will be very inaccurate! Also make sure the cuff is big enough for your arm. If you are above normal weight you need a large cuff as if its too small it reads high. Breathing slowly ( less than 10 breaths a minute) for 10 mins before you take it will lower it wonderfully!!

Nurse in hospital explained all sorts to me a few months ago about blood pressure readings and why they don't take too much notice of them in hospital unless they are constantly very very high. She took my blood pressure on two different machines one after the other and got totally different readings - one was high one was low!!!!!!!!! She said I'll write down the average and laughed.

[Cathy V]

Hi there vinny. There are as many different bp readings on this forum as there are members believe me. That reading of yours is quite normal i would say, compared to other ppls anyway. If im on medication my bp hovers around 130/88 but if i dont take the meds it can be as high as 180/110. They worry about it for the future more than right now. As nicola said you wont drop down dead through one bad reading...untreated high bp takes quite some years to do permenant damage.

You dont mention your age, but its quite common for older ppl to develop higher bp too (also called hypertension) even after having normal bp all your life, as happened to me for the first time last year at age 54. I was given a home monitor (the cuff around the arm/digital reading variety) and at first would check it 3 times a day, but now that my meds are dealing with it well enough i dont bother with it too much coz it can drive you nuts.

The top number can change quite dramatically depending on what you are doing or how stressed you are (even taking the reading can increase it) its the bottom number they are more concerned with as this should ideally be below 90. But like everyone says, dont let it freak you out too much, that reading is one id love to have without the help of meds i can tell you! :)

If you're worried see the doc as im sure he or she will reassure you you are fine.

Best wishes
Cathy V xxx

[Vinny]

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply, it helps me so much.
I checked my BP again this morning (twice) and it now reads 137/73 which is much better than it was last night. I can't understand why it was so high before!! Trouble is it's another thing for me to worry about and I know I will be tempted to check it regularly now (something I've never bothered with before). How I hate this HA and all the worry it brings :-(

Take Care x

[jue67]

Hi
just a bit more reassurance for you, i had mine taken over 3 months and the lowest reading was 165/85, the highest was 200/110!!! so yes i was mad with worry, but felt i had a reason. I was given BP meds and have only had blood pressure taken formally 3 times, it was 144/73 which was okay given that i am now on meds, i take mine on a night. It took me 5 days to decide to take the meds once i had read the side effects! I have to go back next week for a review and another blood test but i figure if it was down 3 months ago to near normal the chances are its still okay with meds. I think the ideal reading is something like 120/130 over 70 but i dont think many folks have this.

i would have liked the chance to get mine down by doing relaxation exercises and taking something natural, but it was so high i had to take the meds. I still get het up about it, but then have to calm myself.
the other thing is i bought a wrist cuff and for a while it was fine, but i had a lot of different readings! i mean a lot and once i took it when i was on my meds it was still reading high, so now i have put the machine away in a cupboard to be sold to some unsuspecting person!!!

you will be fine, get checked by your GP who will monitor if they are concerned, i had to go every week. i know stress can higher the bp so doing some relaxation may help.

hope your okay

jools

[nanny]

Hi

Please try not to over worry that will only make it worse, i suffer with hight BP and am already on meds for it but once it was taken at docs it was 170 over 140, nothing happened to me.

To be truthful i don't think it's a good idea doing thse home kits because you can take it 10 times throughout the day and it will be different 9 times out of 10.

[pinkpiglet]

i have one of these monitors has i suffer from sudden drops in blood pressure and i have to keep a check on how low it goes. You really need to go to your doctor first to get a rough idea of what your own personal average is. This reading is not really high and it could be that it is very average and normal for you. You can't really monitor your own bp's unless you know what you are looking for and only your gp or nurse could explain this to you. Do not get obsessed about checking your bp's though.

[traciec39]

Cant offer any advice sorry xx

But the one thing that could really help you....throw the monitor away!!!!!!

Ive always been tempted to get one but i know i would drive myself to insanity with it......

Good luck..be strong.... get rid of more worry...bin it xxxx