Blood Pressure!!!!!

[Mark801]

Hey guys, I'm freaking out a bit. I've been anxious all day today. It all started when I slept a bit late last night and woke up early. Didin't really sleep well.

Anyways my mom aksed me to go to the bank and pay a bill and to go and buy chicken for dinner. Immediately I started to panic since I've been felling panicky when I had to go out.

Anyway I managed to go and do the errands w/o freaking out and I actually felt goood for doing the chores and coming back home. But for some reason when I came home I kept having these adrenaline surges that made me really panic.

They happened when I was at rest and I felt sharp chest pains that lasted for only 1 second as well as shortness of breath and palps. I decided to test my blood pressre and its 130/80 and my hr is 99!!!!!!

My normal blood pressure is 105-115/70-75 and my normal resting pulse is usually between 78-84. I'm really freaking out and the only possible reason I can think my anxiety is acting up is that I had a cup of coffee this morning. I'd say it was a strong cup cuz I needed a boost to wake me up but now I feel like I'm suffering from the caffeine. I still have breathing issues as well as palps and my chest is tight and I feel a bit trembly/shaky. I also feel slightly lightheaded but I figure it's me being tired since I can't stop yawning. :weep:

Thanks for listening guys.

[Thyme]

Hi Mark

Your blood pressure is fine. Blood pressure is not a fixed quantity. Everyone's blood pressure changes throughout the day depending on the time of day and what that person is doing. A person's BP will tend to be lower between 3.00am and 6.00am and then tends to rise over the day until it will be at its highest between 5.00pm and 7.00pm. It can be affected by whether you are resting, driving, listening to music, watching a scary movie or a quiet movie or running a marathon or whatever. It can also be affected by whether you smoke or take alcohol. It can also rise during the simple act of taking your blood pressure. You should view one reading in much the same way that you view a still photograph...it tells you what was happening when the picture was taken but not what happened before or after.

Medics usually view BP in terms of normal range and 130/80 is well within any one's normal range (unless you are a child below the age of 15-16 and I'm assuming you are not!). Your heart rate was raised because you were getting adrenaline surges because you were feeling panicky. So well done for completing your chores....I nearly finished painting my spare room today so we can congratulate each other.

Have you considered relaxation classes? Or just getting hold relaxation CDs ...I have one that is just one hour of listening to waves washing against a shingle beach...it is sooooo relaxing. Also exercise brings the heart rate down but does take time.

Take care and be kind to yourself you achieved something today.

Thyme

PS How do I know that stuff about BPs? I used to be a medic but don't practice now...too stressful for me!

[Mark801]

Thank you Thyme for responding. Congratz to you too.

The only time I don't feel so anxious is when going to school. Anywhere else I have to go(especially alone), I get extremely anxious and I feel like somethig terrible is going to happen to me when I'm outside.

I'm 21 years old. I had actually got back into exercise a week ago but stopped after I saw a news report of 2 young lads dying when playing sports and ever since then I''ve been terrified to even move sometimes.

[daisycake]

You're not alone - there was a lass over here that went in a similar way, it was in the news yesterday. We were discussing it on a forum specifically for UK students and everyone - even those without anxiety - said they found it terrifying. It is scary - but it's so rare. Have you had an ECG (EKG)? The website (CRY) for such disorders says an ECG and an ECHO if needed will point out problems... I know how hard it is though, I have had an ECG at age 7, a futher one at 15, and four last year and I still find it terrifying - I get palpitations mainly after exercise and eating. I'd like to think that without a family history or other signs of heart issues you're at fairly low risk. You might want to look up "extrasystoles" on "patient UK" - some good info there. I had a chat about all this with my GP this morning who said fortunately these things are rare and we here about them only becasue they are so scary. I'm sure you're OK. PM anytime x

[Thyme]

Hey you will always read about the guys (and girls) who come to grief when doing this that or the other, that's the sort of thing that sells newspapers but those cases are extremely rare, you don't read about the millions who go to their sports and enjoy themselves and go home and watch TV or see their friends because that is not considered news worthy.

Have you spoken to your doctor about what is making you panicky? Perhaps you should ask him/her to check you over just for reassurance. Check out CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) I've found it a godsend.

[Mark801]

Thanks again guys for responding. I'm due for a physical at the end of the month. I had many heart test a year ago that included an echo, 5 ecgs, and a chest xray with loads of blood work.

I was on meds but managed to wean off them and I was fine until a month ago when my anxiety returned with a vengence.

[molly36]

Hi there the blood pressure reading you had was perfectly normal ,once when i was very anxious the doc took my blood pressure and it was 186/123 but it gradually came down within the hour .Its anxiety and panic that plays a big part in our blood pressure .My doc gave me a monitor home to make sure it not that high but when i first do a reading it always a bit high cos i get in a state about taking it but by the 3rd time the reading is normal range.Beleive me your reading was in no way anything to worry about ,i would be happy with that reading.kind regards molly