Recent blood pressure reading

DB1

DB1

Cathlete
Hi all,
I went to the Dr. for a routine exam last Thurs. and found out my blood pressure was 160/80! I have always had low-normal blood pressure so this shocked me. She is concerned and wants me to retest in 3 weeks. I am 39, 40 in July, normal weight, eat very clean, hike at least 1x a week, other cardio 2 to 3x per week along with weight training 3-4 days a week. She has me on a very low sodium diet to see if that will bring it down, if not, she will put me on meds.

I am so upset over this and had it checked today. It came out even higher than Thursday's reading a couple of times. I must admit this is frightening me and hope I am not causing more damage by not going on medication sooner. Has anyone else gone through this before? Any advice would be appreciated.

Rhonda
 
Hang in there, Rhonda. Hopefully, it is just a "freak" thing. It sounds like you are doing everything right. Unfortunately, genetics play a big role here. Anyone in the fam with high blood pressure?
 
Hi Rhonda,

I am soo sorry to hear about this. You weren't stressed or tense in the doctors office were you? A lot of times that can sky rocket your blood pressure, even just being annoyed your appointment is running late can do it. Did she test your blood pressure more then once? As usually it will go up when you first go back to the room then start to go down as the physical finally ends.

I don't know anything about your diet, but I do know some herbs do make your blood pressure go up so if you add any of those to your food, you might want to check into them and make sure they don't. Just to be on the safe side and if it was just and herb you know not to eat that one.

Also stress and hardships can really play into this as well, if anything has happen recently, in your life (with in the last year) it can play into raising your blood pressure as well. I don't know anything about your personal life, but that is one of the main factors of having your blood pressure raise and stay raised for a while afterwards. And if that is the case you may end up on blood pressure pills until the hardship/stress is over and then you won't need them any more.


Good luck, I really wish the best outcome for you and that her blood pressure cuff wasn't reading right the day you went in. I'll be keeping my fingers cross, on that. Also try not to get too upset or stressed over this, as that can cause your blood pressure to rise or just stay high. I know it is much easier said then done, but if you're able to do it, it can make a lot of difference. But I will be crossing my fingers for you, and sending good vibs your way that it was just a mis-reading. They happen, so it is possible.

Kit
 
Thanks Gina and Kit,
Gina: My mother has high blood pressure but she is nearly 400lbs. and smokes (a completely different topic on it's own).

Kit: They did take it twice and it was the same both times. It was even higher today. I really haven't had any major issues in my life at all (except being somewhat depressed about turning 40), so I don't think that is causing it. Good point though.

I am somewhat concerned about lifting weights and my blood pressure as I know that can raise it. I also hike very intense trails and hope that isn't causing further issues.

Thanks for the support. I will let you know how things progress.

Rhonda
 
I wouldn't worry if that were mine bloodpressure. Mayby you were nervous at the doctors visit, that can explan the systolic pressure (160). Your diastolic pressure (80)is good! ;)
 
Rhonda,

I was wondering if you had worked out, prior to going to the doctor's office that day, and when was the last time you had your cholesterol checked???

I know what you mean by genetics, my parents are both obese and have: high blood pressue, high cholesterol.....It is not fair,is it? I bust my behind working out, trying to eat well.. so maybe I can beat the odds..Maybe..

I hope that it is lower, when you go back and have it rechecked.

:) ;-) :D :p :9 :+
 
I have recently done this and put myself in this state of fear. They were having a free blood pressure screening at my wal mart so standing in line i felt myself getting nevous so by the time I got mine tested it was off the chart. I should have been dead. Anyway I eat healthly am in normal weight, exercise the whole thing. I was so nervous that that is what did it to me. The next day being strcken with fear went to the machine and it was at least 146 over something but as I sat there it progressivly went down after about 10 min. People thought I was insane sitting there. What I noticed as I sat there was if I inhale and exhaled deeply it would go down but then if I started to think about wal mart again it would go up even higher. So now like a maniac i go to the machine once a week and take my bp and I still am somewhat frightened of the machine, but after the third reading it is around 128/74 but it still never fails that the first attempt on that machine every time is like 140/80. It has now become machine anxiety. I go to the obgyn in June and I'm afaird she is going to do the same thing to me. I logically know that I do not need to be on the medication but I think I will make myself so anxious that it will be high. When you go back in a week is may be high from anxiety. Try to test before you go back to get over the fear of the cuff like i have been doing. I did some reseach on the machine( I know I'm nuts) but they say to take it three times and the third time is the accurate reading because it has given you time to relax. Also the machines could be off due to children playing on them. I think your reading could have been high due to anxiety especially the second time and the time you did it yourself. I thought I should wright because I have been myself truly crazy about this subject recently and was in fear of being put on medication. The only time I ever had high blood pressure was the last 4 weeks of my third pregnancy. Anyway I think anxiety is the answer this time. Does anyone know what the determining factors are to put someone on pb medicine. Will they go though the trouble of say a non stress test to see if you bp will stay raised over the course of time before putting someone on medication. I have heard medication is the last resort. Karen
 
I just wanted to add here , And I really know nothing but I had high blood pressure when I was pregnant ... But this is about my mom ... Shes a nurse . 71 years old ...plays tennis 6 days a week plus all her other stuff she does . Shes been eating clean for about 18 years . Is in great shape . But she suffers from LOW blood pressure . Anyhow for her and her DR to figure the whole big picture out . She had to for like 8 plus weeks take her own blood pressure Like all day long and she wrote it all down , Now shes on Meds and its all regulated but she still takes it a couple times a day ... She took her blood pressure in Bed Even !!! In the middle of the night !!! ...I remember her telling me that to take your blood pressure once in the DRS office,or like at Wal mart doesnt really tell you a thing !!!!!!It has to be done over a period of time .. It makes sence to me ... Hope this helps ease your mind . :) :)
 
>I just wanted to add here , And I really know nothing but I
>had high blood pressure when I was pregnant ... But this is
>about my mom ... Shes a nurse . 71 years old ...plays tennis 6
>days a week plus all her other stuff she does . Shes been
>eating clean for about 18 years . Is in great shape . But she
>suffers from LOW blood pressure . Anyhow for her and her DR to
>figure the whole big picture out . She had to for like 8 plus
>weeks take her own blood pressure Like all day long and she
>wrote it all down , Now shes on Meds and its all regulated but
>she still takes it a couple times a day ... She took her blood
>pressure in Bed Even !!! In the middle of the night !!! ...I
>remember her telling me that to take your blood pressure once
>in the DRS office,or like at Wal mart doesnt really tell you a
>thing !!!!!!It has to be done over a period of time .. It
>makes sence to me ... Hope this helps ease your mind . :) :)
>
Mary I thank God for people like you. You really do put my mind at ease because I know I am one of those kind of people who can really work myself up and listening and hearing kind words makes me feel better. It all makes sense to me to but it is nice to hear it from other people. Karen
 
Rhonda, this is probably a genetic thing. Trail hikes probably would not raise your blood pressure, if anything cardiovascular exercise is good for your BP. It is O.K. Keep up the healthy living. I have young friends with high BP that are fit, it's just something that happens sometimes. People that eat like pigs can have low BP too, it's not fair. :) Darn family history!! But like others say, it might be an isolated thing. Hopefully the low sodium diet will help things out. Aim for less than 2000 mg per day. I am sure your M.D. told you this. :) Good luck, and take care. :)
 
Thanks for the replies everyone.

Denise, I didn't work out before my appointment. I workout in the evenings and my appt. was at 10:00 am. I am going to get my cholesterol done this week. I have never had a problem, but who knows now, since this BP thing was never a problem before either.

Karen, I can so relate to what you are going through. Yesterday I was at 3 different machines and swear I was having an anxiety attack before each reading. Plus it was hard to relax with screaming kids running around and the stores being crowded. So I talked with a pharmacist and I purchased an at home kit. He said it is pretty dang accurate. Well so far, it seems to be. My pressure was the same number last night that I was getting from the in store machines and this morning my pressure was 148/82. Still high. Hubby just took his and he is 120/72 (those used to be my numbers :( ).

NurseLRT, I think you are right and my genetics have come to claim me. I am being a very good girl and eating very low sodium (it's harder than you'd think and verrrry limiting). Maybe that will help, but I don't know if I can eat this limited of a diet forever. I have already cut out all fast food, mexican food, most Italian food, and red meats years ago. But if I must do it, I must do it.
Do you think lifting weights ala Cathe is dangerous for me to be doing right now?

Once again, thanks for all of the feedback:)

Rhonda
 
Rhonda, 140's/80's isn't optimal, but it's not a life or death situation either. I would talk to my doctor, but I think continuing with Cathe would be okay. Nothing too heavy. I would stay away from heavy lifting of all kinds and stick with endurance and lighter weights until you speak with your doctor. You are doing everything right, and it's a good thing you are taking the bull by the horns and dealing with the problem. Buying a BP machine and posting is telling that you care about your health. :) Many people bury their heads in the sand and pretend it's not happening.

Did your doctor give you literature on a low sodium diet? I am sure you are informed in this area anyway since you are an exercise enthusiast. It's fabulous that you have given up fast foods, etc. Try to cook at home as much as possible. :) Keep up the good work, and let us know how your follow up appointment goes. :)

Lori
 
I agree with Lori, I'd stay away from heaving lifting and just watch my blood pressure really close while doing aerobics. As usually if they don't want you to exercise they come right out and say it. But I know doctors are human and they might have thought to say it and then ended up onto a different subject and didn't realize they didn't tell you. So do call and talk to them. That is actually my father's blood pressure on medication I can't get him to stop eating salt. But he works and works out every day, I do know if he goes up to what they consider heat attack range then he has to not do anything until it's back under control. The only experience I've had with high blood pressure was when I broke my back and the pain meds they were giving me weren't taking the pain away, and my blood pressure went ski high, until they got the pain under control, and I actually take medicine for low blood pressure, if I don't I get dissy just standing up from a chair, not to mention, I have no energy.

Also remeber to take a few deep breaths before you do a reading on your blood pressure especally if you are worried about it, and of course you would be, I would be anyway. So make sure your as relaxed as possible before doing a reading and yes do a reading threw out the day, not just once or twice. I remember having to do my blood presure, about every 2 hours, so they could see it was really too low, it wasn't just a freak thing. By the end of the week I was starting not to like my blood pressure cuff, as I had to take it everywhere with me. And waking up every 2 hours to take your blood presure is the pits. You just get sleeping good and your alarm goes off, and you repeat this cycle over and over again until it's time to actually get up.

Good luck and I wish you the best at your next visit, just remain as cool and calm as possible, being nervous can raise your blood pressure like no tomorrow. I've done that serveral times, as I didn't want to take medicine for low blood pressure, so I'd have almost a normal low blood pressure by the beginning of the office visit and by the end it would finally be back to my normal. So I always ended up having my blood pressure taken every 20 minutes when I sat in the little room talking to the doctor.

Good luck and I hope that that low sodium diet, takes care of the whole darn thing.

Kit
 
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