High blood pressure?

[Guest]

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[Weird Harold]

WTF?

I know someone mentioned this on a thread yesterday but I can't find it right now.

Just got back from the store. While I was I there decided to check my blood pressure. I've felt on edge the past few days, highly anxious for no good reason, and today I've just felt as if my heart is racing, racing, racing.

My normal BP is 116/72. It's been that way for years and years.

Okay, I won't say what it was when I checked it but it was high enough to scare me. I know it's one of those machines, not a doctor, but apparently my pressure is indeed higher than normal.

Figures it's a holiday weekend. I'm not in danger or anything, it wasn't that high, so this can wait until next week, but dang it, anyway. How does something like this happen all of a sudden? I don't have any other symptoms.

I don't want to call my mother and ask, retired DoN, because she'll panic. And high BP doesn't really run in my family.

Could stress or worry kick up your BP 40 points?

Stress, worry, or just exercise can boost your BP quite a bit.

While the store BP checkers aren't exactly inaccurate, they're fairly easy to get a false reading from. I wouldn't get too excited about a single high reading from a BP machine at the store. Two or three such episodes using different BP machines would be cause for worry, but not a single instance because you have no idea whether the machine is working properly or you had your arm positioned properly.

 

[rgraham666]

*HUGS* sweetie.

Next time don't use the machine after hubbie's been playing with you.

 

[tickledkitty]

I've even gotten inaccurate readings from the doctor's office on a couple of occasions over they years. They'll have me return in a couple days to have it checked again, and it's normal. They attribute it to medical anxiety, which is odd because I don't remember feeling anxious. At any rate, I think false readings are fairly common. If you're concerned, call your doctor on Monday and ask if you can come in just to have it checked.

 

[Recidiva]

"White coat hypertension" is the medical term for getting high blood pressure in the doctor's office.

My husband has it - he despises being kept waiting and by the time they get to him he's well into mad.

I have low blood pressure, but I've changed my diet and exercise in the last year or so, and also I'm taking a birth control pill that I think raises blood pressure, so I've gotten to be more quickly tempered and I now have normal blood pressure for the first time in my life.

Which doesn't mean that my heart races, but it means it isn't sunning itself on a rock.

You can definitely have situational or chronic blood pressure spikes in certain situations. Just get a reliable reader and check it yourself at different times in the day, then at least you get a steady trend.

My husband's to the point that he'll know if his blood pressure is going up if he starts trying to change the thermostat to cooler because he's burning up.

 

[Guest]

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[neonlyte]

The doctor/nurse at the surgery usually 3 or 4 readings... they tend to use the second highest. Mine is around 170/110, it is a cause for concern but nothing can be done to reduce it at the moment until I finish cholesterol meds. I wouldn't be too concerned about a 'one off' reading, it's sensible to check it again in a couple of weeks - if it's still high, go see a doc.

 

[Guest]

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[The_Fool]

I am accustomed to very low readings. Have been proud of them, even.

It wasn't this high when I gave birth.

Ahem.

Good advice, neon. I need to unstress about stressing about this.

Or something.

rum....



and sex...

 

[Guest]

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[voluptuary_manque]

Yes.

Yes, yes, yes.

When I go to the VA, my BP is always high enough to scare the admitting nurses. By the time I'm seeing my PA, it's down. Unfortunately, it never got down quite low enough so I'm on very small doses of mild meds. This getting old sh*t sucks!

Long, deep inhalations followed by quick exhalations lowers blood pressue as much as 20 points.

 

[Chantilyvamp]

I am accustomed to very low readings. Have been proud of them, even.

It wasn't this high when I gave birth.

Ahem.

Good advice, neon. I need to unstress about stressing about this.

Or something.

*raises hand* it was me freaking on the mood thread yesterday. I as well am accustomed to low readings and never go to high even in heavy exercise. Which is why it also seemed to worry the nurse so much. She's never seen me with a reading like that.

And de-stressing is a very good thing and like mat told me try not to worry about it. Worrying about it was making it worse.

I hope you get it sorted darlin and you can come sit with me in the de-stress chairs if you like

 

[Guest]

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[voluptuary_manque]

Oh, I know how we could unstress together.

I keep telling that to Hot Mama, that sex is the best cure for hypertension there is. She's not buying . . .

 

[champagne1982]

If your heart was racing (I mean racing and not just elevated) your blood pressure will climb quite high. If you experience this tachy feeling again, it's time to have some actual diagnostics performed. It could be as simple as your hormones being a little out of whack or a bit of a cold or fever to something as serious as pericarditus or heart valve problems.

Never discount your instincts. If you don't feel normal, you are probably not in a normal state of health at the time. When in doubt, check it out ... and do it at an ER.

 

[Guest]

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[Zeb_Carter]

Sarrahh, not to worry...my SO (wife) always had low blood pressure. Then she started to feel like you describe. Just happen to have a blood pressure (auto inflate) wrist cuff. It was showing high - 145/85 (usual is 112/72).

Went to the doc's they got the same reading. They put her on med's, after a week she was feeling cold and lightheaded, no that's not her normal state, we took her BP and it was 102/64. She talked to the doc and stopped taking the meds. Pressure was back to normal 112/72 for her.

So don't worry...we figured out hers was due to stress what with what we are going through with the grandkids, etc. It's been normal ever since, just a fluke thing.

But do have the doc check you out...blood pressure wise.

 

[MagicaPractica]

My blood pressure is typically around 120 over 80. When I went in to have a lump removed from my left breast it was about 190 over 112. The nurse said that was actually pretty normal for women having that procedure. The second time I had to have it done I used guided visualization and deep breathing to prepare for the day. When I went in my blood pressure was normal.

I have noticed that decongestants can raise my blood pressure as well.

 

[Guest]

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[Guest]

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[OhMissScarlett]

It feels odd. Like panic attack odd.

It isn't continuous, just every once in awhile I get this rush of sensation. I try to relax, breathe deeply and it goes away.

My hubby is attentive, concerned. We've both been dealing with allergies and wonder if that may be the issue. (I haven't taken any meds today, though - on purpose. We'll see.) No coffee for me tomorrow - we'll drop all caffeine and see if that helps.

Thank you - I'm concerned enough not to let this go. It just isn't right.

Yeah, caffeine and loads of sodium run my blood pressure up in an instant and make me feel crazy. Hope you get better soon.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

My voodoo doll works!

 

[Guest]

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[voluptuary_manque]

Thank you, sweetie.

I don't do sodium (we don't own a salt shaker, even). But I have been overdoing caffeine, I think.

It is certainly an uncomfortable feeling, especially not knowing what medical reason is behind it. (The list of possible causes for this is endless and some of them aren't too good.)

Yeah, we've been living with hers for years, now. It's no fun.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Have you thought of the one thing that is a sure fire cause???

Menopause.