dramatic blood pressure change?

[Shelly80]

Hello,

So I had a Dr. Appointment to follow up on my PVC's and heart palpitations (which my doctor says is from my anxiety). As usual I was pretty scared going in there, my heart always races and in the past my blood pressure has spiked just by being there so the reading is sometimes higher than it might normally be. The last 2 visits though its been 118/80 which I'm told is very good.

So yesterday, the nurse checking my blood pressure had to do it twice and finally shook her head and said that it was a lot higher than a month ago. I asked how high and it was 144/88!!! I freaked out. My Doctor came in and didn't seem to be worried because EVERYTHING is always attributed to my anxiety. I know I have anxiety but that seems like a pretty big jump, especially when I'm scared every time I go to the doctor and a month ago it was so much lower.

So now I'm obsessed with my heart AND my blood pressure. When will this stop??????? What could cause such a big jump? Could building stress over the last month cause it to increase? Could the bracelet on my wrist that she checked the BP on (its a magnetic sports golf bracelet with 2 little magnets on it) cause it? Did she just mess it up?

Then I feel horrible because I'm sitting here obsessed with things that probably mean nothing, and then I'm smacked back into reality after hearing of Natasha Richardsons passing. My heart is broken for her family and Liam Neeson. It makes what I'm feeling feel so silly.

Thanks for reading my rant :-) It really helps to get it out.

[Missy69]

Hiya Shelly,

I use to worry terribly about my blood pressure, so i know know were your coming from in a way. I think a reading of 144/88 is only just on the high side hun, and doctors dont tend to take a one off reading as serious. There are many reasons why it could be slightly high, just being at the docs as you have said it can be somtimes, also you mention stress over the month, that can put your blood pressure up as well. You also mentioned having a magnetic sports golf bracelet on, well i do know that could affect your reading as can being near a mobile phone, computer, radio ect.... Even after smoking or drinking and eating can raise it.

Honestly i would try not to worry to much, its not seriously high at all. I do understand your worries though, its easy said to tell you to stop worrying.

When i had my blood pressure taken by the doctor mine could go as high as 180/111, my doc new it was my anxiety. I bought a blood preesure machine and i now monitor it for a few days myself whilst at home and relaxed and then take the readings to my docs to show him the norm, hes fine with that.

Im not advicing you to buy one as they you can become a bit obssessed with them and cause more worry, but for me it was mainly because i hated the machine, so i just wanted to get more use to it, so i wouldnt panick as much when i do need it doing.

Hope you feel better soon, you didnt say what the doctor suggested he was going to do ????

Take care for now

[Shelly80]

Hi Sarah,

Thank you for replying and for understanding. I fight against my rational side when I get so scared from my health anxiety. This forum is very helpful to me as it shows me how many other people suffer from this fear.

I am currently being treated for anxiety and I'm on meds for it. They keep me pretty much under control. Then I started getting heart palpitations and flutters and I got terrified again that I had a heart problem. I've been dealing with that fear for a few months now. Then yesterday was the weird BP reading. But I know you are right, I was thinking about what I did yesterday, what I ate (a ton of sugar), how anxious I have been lately. It makes sense about the higher reading and my doc didn't even bat an eye lash.

He prescribed me a beta blocker to help with the heart palps and anxiety. He said a very low dosage might help me. I haven't tried it yet though.

Thanks again :)

[Utility]

Hi

Please don't worry about this. Blood pressure can vary for dozens of reasons and not one of them means trouble ahead.

As you say yourself, it can even be down to what you have just been eating.
Your doctor is not concerned and neither should you be.

I make a point of not asking what my blood pressure is when it gets checked. My doctor has never prescribed anything for it, so I'm happy with that.

[Shelly80]

Thanks for replying guys. I know, usually I tell them before hand not to tell me what my BP reading is, but I watch the nurse's face anyway to try and judge if its bad or good.

It just startled me, it spiking about +20 in a month. I guess having quite a few cookies and 2 donuts a few hours before didn't help :blush:

[diane07]

I have white coat syndrome,

so basically the minute i see a doc i send my own blood pressure up, i like missy bought my own bp machine and all my readings are fine, its only when i go the docs it gets high.

hope this helps

di xx

[countrygirl]

My blood pressure can change dramatically in just 10 mins - on one occasion I ran into hospital late for appt and it was a long way at fast pace from car park to clinic - barely sat down and the nurse took my blood pressure - she let my arm dange down and asked me question all the time - blood pressure was 190/101!!!!!!!!!! I said give me 10 mins - put my arm on a pillow and don't ask me anything. she did this and it was 138/78 ten minutes later.

Huge amount of things affect blood pressure and yours wasn't even high!

[hendey]

the other day at the docs, she measured me at 151/93 whilst asking me stupid questions, she measured me again like 2 mins later when more relaxed 130/70

it means nothing, blood pressure is supposed to fluctuate, i.e with excersise, the only trouble is that it also does so when we are anxious.

those with high bp have high readings when relaxed or asleep, and even then this is not nearly as deadly as doctors would have us make believe, certainly it is not good, and left untreated could after many a year cause some healh problems, but worse case scenerio, high bp which i'm sure you don't have is treatable in so so many ways.

you are fine, stop worrying, if you can.

[NoPoet]

I've known someone whose blood pressure read over 200. She had been making herself sick with anxiety for three months. The doctor gave her a sleeping pill and told her to stop being scared cos there was nothing wrong with her. Last I heard, her blood pressure was on its way down again.

Don't freak out if you see a high blood pressure reading. You need to monitor your blood pressure at the same time of day for one to four weeks to get a general idea what's going on.

If your blood pressure was, say, 136/90 one day, then 135/85 the next, then 139/85 the next, then 136/80, you can probably assume your average is 136/85.

If you got 140/90, 137/85, 122/80, 130/80 then you can see a huge variance between the numbers and this suggests you have been suffering from anxiety.

Eating less than an hour before you do the test, or being anxious or nervous (which is very common when someone is having a blood test), or moving or talking will affect the results and make them worthless.