High blood pressure...

Anyone here know about high blood pressure? Last few times I went to the doc my blood pressure was up kinda high. Like 140 to 150 over 80 to 90. My norm for years has been around 120/60. Yesterday is was 148/84 at the gastro's office. Today I went with the ex to get her scripts filled and took my bp there. 120/61. WTF?!?! When you have high bp, can it fluctuate like that over the course of a 24 hour period?

Ryan

Ryan,

My mom is being monitored weekly for HER high blood pressure as well as meds, and yes, it can fluctuate on a daily basis, depending on a range of outside factors. Stress, weather, health (cold, flu, etc.) nerves. I was freaked when she told me. She too had to modify her diet and "life" habits as well.

Did your gastro give you any other advice besides modifying your diet and to quit your "vices"?

Relax...this too shall pass. The only thing to do is take it one day at a time, you are aware of the problem, watch your diet, try to get some exercise (playing with the ferrets IS exercise!) if you can't quit smoking, cut back, etc, etc, etc.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Jenn

Thanks for the advise Jenn. I did quit drinking and cut back on the smoking. The gastro doesn't think that this is related to anything other than poor living lately so he advised the lifestyle changes. I have a small home gym so I started working out yesterday. I think you're right that it'll pass and if it doesn't, well then there's always meds I can try. Thanks again for the advise Jenn.

Ryan

Rem, it could be that you were nervous about your appt.
this always makes my hubbys bl p go up
Angie

((((((ryan))))))

anytime hun

Jenn

Ryan:

My doctor calls that "White coat syndrome"...

I have an anxiety disorder and anyone "professional" makes my bp go sky high.

(((rem)))
hope the lifestyle changes work. It really is worth it.

Take care,
Kimberly.

Thanks Kimberly. I'm working on it. I didn't workout today as it was a stressful day at work and my body aches from tatoo removal treatment today, but I'll be back to it tomorrow. So for today, just no drinking and lots of healthy eating.

Ryan

((((((((((((((((((rem))))))))))))))))
BP can fluctuate alot during the day. Try to take it the same time of day and if it continues high seek help.

Take care ,
Leslie

Thanks Les. The times I took it were within a couple hours of eachother. Like 5 PM and maybe around 3 or 3:30 PM the next day. Thanks for the advise ((((((((((((((((((((Leslie)))))))))))))))))))). How've you been feeling?

Ry

REM: Please be careful. Working out (or jogging, etc.) can suddenly and significantly raise your blood pressure, especially if you're a person who tends to have "volatile" (very bouncy) blood pressure, as I do.

Weight can be a factor also. When I was overweight, I was already taking a blood pressure med. Things seemed fine. At the doc's office my BP was always normal. Then I began walking a lot, and sometimes I was huffing and puffing. So I performed an experiment. I rode the bus to see my internist. His office was only two blocks from the bus stop. The minute I got into the office, after walking only those two blocks, I asked a nurse to take my blood pressure. It was about 200 systolic. Oh-oh! A red flag went up, sirens sounded, and I was instructed to stop damaging my brain immediately. Someone popped an emergency fast-acting med into my mouth. My doc then immediately DOUBLED the dosage of my daily blood pressure med.
I was given the lecture. I had bad numbers. If someone said "Boo!" to me while I still produced bad numbers, I could have a stroke. And pain will also raise one's blood pressure. In the absence of adequate pain meds, my BP will be at least 160. So, non-narcotic pain relievers, taken before the pain gets too bad, are also part of preventing stroke.

Now that we see the problem, what to DO about it? I bought a blood pressure monitor, to be used immediately after jogging or working out. I kept a daily log of my BPs, plus the med dosages I was taking at the time. Those records painted a picture of how my body responds to meds. They also gave a very clear picture of my typical "numbers," my everyday in real life blood pressure readings. I wuz profiled!


Understand this. BP readings, taken at rest in a doctor's office, tell virtually NOTHING about how that BP behaves in real life, when one is not at rest, when one is stressed, and when one is exercising.

So, give your doctor a clue! Every 3 months or so, give your doctor a photocopy of a SEVEN-DAY log of your most recent BP readings, including dates and med dosages. Be sure it gets into your chart. Take 3 daily readings: (1) Wakeup reading
(2) After-exercise reading. (3) Bedtime reading.

<font color="red"> Picture this scene. You are lying cold and dead on a slab. You did not survive your one and only stroke. Who could know you had volatile blood pressure? Your doctor had prescribed the appropriate medication. And all of your BP readings in his office were normal. <font color="/">

<font color="blue"> NOT SO FAST! Your home BP records were in that chart. Your doctor knew all about your volatile blood pressure and changed your meds accordingly. You didn't have a stroke, and you didn't die. Instead, using your BP monitor and your BP logs, you saved your own life! Watta no-brainer.
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Here's another way to guard against stroke. Blood pressure is usually HIGHEST first thing in the morning! So, when you take a sustained-release BP pill, take it at bedtime. It's designed to be taken then, in order to give you peak coverage when it's needed, in the early AM.

Wow! Did my blood pressure ever shoot up after exercise!!! No way could I manage on only that double dose of meds. So I called my doc, who prescribed a NEW med also, at a low dose, to supplement the double dosage of the first med. To be taken in the AM and not at night with the other BP med. And I was given a new rule. If my immediately-after-exercise BP didn't go any higher than 160, the meds were working just fine, and it was safe for me to continue the same exercise regimen on a regular basis. The monitor does not lie.

In the doc's office, at rest, I would be at 110 systolic, which is pretty low. At 105, even lower, I would be asked, "Do you ever feel exhausted or dizzy or faint?" Nope. I felt fine.

In between doctor visits, as long as my after-exercise BP wasn't over 160, I didn't need to phone the doc to ask for a BP med adjustment.

If I stopped exercising for weeks or months, I also stopped the 2nd BP med during that time off (to prevent hypotension). Then I would restart both later. This was not perfect, in terms of when the 2nd BP med would "kick in." I found I had to restart the 2nd BP med about 7 days before I restarted the exercise. The formula for this will vary, depending on the time your particular medication requires to reach a good blood level.

Lastly, this is my reminder list for managing my hypertension.

1. Lose weight.
2. Own a good battery-operated blood pressure monitor.
3. Use salt substitute.
4. Go low fat.
5. Go zero dairy.
6. Buy SILK brand "Very Vanilla" soy milk because it has no
cholesterol and still gives you great vitamin D and calcium.
Yumm! Yes, it's at your supermarket and also comes in
chocolate, with "Nog" flavor available in the winter holidays
as well.
7. If you like creamer in your coffee, buy your supermarket's
generic brand zero-fat dry creamer! Yes, I said zero-fat. All
large supermarket chains carry the zero-fat type as well as
the regular. No sludge in your arteries from that stuff.
8. And put that buttery popcorn down!

DISCLAIMER: The above are merely my own opinions and experiences. They may not apply to you. Please check with your own physician(s) before designing or starting any health plan.



Adieu

<font color="green"> It can fluctuate due to stress and physical pain. Were you cycling when the bp's were high?

Jan
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It was so simple for me - I was seeing a sleep specialist and he noted my blood pressure was high each time I visited, so he wrote a script! He is an extremely nice man too.

Well, it seems that my BP really is all over the place. Lately one number has been high while the other is low. Then there are days where it's normal all day (I got a home BP kit so I can keep a close eye on it). Thanks for all the advise guys.

(((((((((((Ryan)))))))))))))

Ryan, the second leading cause of kidney failure is hypertenstion. I work in a dialysis clinic and next to diabetes...it's high blood pressure.....now if you can get it down and slowly work into an exercise regimen, that's good news. Watch the salt and the sodas....sodas are horrible...always check the sodium in anything you eat or drink. Checking your BP at the same time, preferably afternoon, every day will help you establish a pattern of your numbers....sodium lurks in every thing these days. it's a flavor enhancer and the food companies pour it on...check those labels!! avoid stressful situations....... pat