Which reading do I believe?

[Mark801]

Hey guys, hope all is well.

I've been so stressed lately with so much going on in my life. Going to uni 5 days a weel with 5 classes and working all weekend. My body feels so weak and heavy and achy, I feel like I'll just collapse and die.

I just sat down to take my bp again and its 136/86. These numbers in the 130's have really been stressing me out. I mean as bad as my anxiety was before, I never ever had numbers so high. Now all of a sudden, everytime I take a reading, it's always that high.:ohmy:

I reetook a minute later and it was 121/79. My hr remained at 96 both times. I'm just so confused by all these symptoms that I don't know what's going on with me.

Thanks for listening guys, Mark

[kivyt73]

when you took the first one, did you wait at least five mins, sitting quietly before you took it or did you just sit down and take it immediately? It would seem that you relaxed a little after the first reading and it came down. My first reading used to always be the highest but now the first one is the lowest as I work myself up after taking it worrying that the second reading will go up and bam it does.
The point is whenever you feel the anxiety, that is when the reading will go up. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Your elevated heart rate also suggest anxiety. You can have white coat even at home its called cuff anxiety.

Why are you checking anyway, do you have diagnosed hbp?

Ivy

[Mark801]

Thanks for your reply.

I don't have hbp(atleast I hope I don't).

I used to be very very obsessed with taking my bp when my anxeity started 3 years ago. It was so bad that I tested it atleast 15 times a day. I eventually came over the fear and threw away the bp machine.

But a few months ago, I went to see my new GP(which made me very anxious) and I took my bp there and it was 155/85. I was so scared cuz I never had a high reading before.

She retook it about a minute later and it was 128/80. Ever since then, I've been very stressed about why my bp was high at the office and I keep going to my nan's to use he bp machine and everythime I use hers, the reading is always in the 130's/80/s and it absoultely terrifies me.

My normal bp is usually 110-115/70-75. But ever since the doctor visit reading, the old fear has returned and I'm obsessed again.:weep:
I'm even thinking of buying my own machine again

[SleeplessFog]

If it helps at all, when I am resting my HR is 80, so perhaps 96 is just a little higher due to being stressed? You have a lot on your plate right now with classes.

When I am super anxious my BP is always 130 something/70-80 too. Then it goes right back down to my norm which is about where you said yours was.

When your doctor took your BP that time when it was high...what did they say?

[kivyt73]

Well now I am stressed about my bp too. I just checked mine and I got 122/76, 113/81, 122/80 and finally 110/78. I just don't like it when I get anything above 120/80 EVER. I know it is ridiculous standards that I have but I hate to see anything really over 115/75. This obsession with bp is miserable. I know how you feel and i am with you. I have not been taking it like i used to, which was several times a day, several days a week but I still think about it too much. My average is 108/74 what is your average?
Ivy

[nomorepanic]

Don't get obsessed over blood pressure readings.

All of those readings are acceptable and not high.

The more you worry the higher it will be when you take it as you are not relaxed when taking it.

A couple of high readings does not mean you have hypertension. The readings would have to be high consistently.

Do NOT buy a monitor and keep doing it at home all the time as you will make youself ill with worry.

Trust what the doctor says

[jothenurse]

Those are not high readings. Blood pressures fluctuate very easily and even if you are just a little anxious, the readings can go up. Don't keep taking your blood pressure, as it makes you focus in on it, and of course it will go up then because you are anxious about it.
When I get anxious mine can go up into the 150/high 80 range.
When I am relax, it can be 98/60. Then I can get nervous because I think that is too low, so I retake it, and just because I'm nervous about it, it goes up to 110 or so systolically.
Don't worry about it and stop taking it all the time.