My doctor would consider those numbers High already. You really should see a doctor to be sure the home tester is accurate.

I've been advised by a nurse-practioner to see a doctor immediately if my diastolic ever reached 90.

About controlling it, Do you exercise? I credit my daily walk for lowering mine, 1 hour every single day.

yes, I do exercise, probably about 4 - 5 times a week - a 2 - 3 mile walking tape.
What I don't want to do is have to go on meds - so want to get this under control.
And yes, the home thing might not be too accurate -

My DH's cardiologist told us to monitor his, daily for awhile, to determine a pattern, and then discard the highest and lowest results.

Right now you are understandably concerned so you might have a case of "white coat syndrome". Each time you take it you might be stressed about the results which will increase the pressures. Once when my DH was hospitalized, the staff was instructed NOT to tell him the results because it would further stress him out.

Monitor it for a week - same time every day, feet flat on floor, sitting comfortably, arms relaxed. Then call the doctor to discuss the numbers and what you can do without drugs to improve them.

Walking is good. Watch your diet. Maybe practice some type of relaxation exercise. Try not to obsess and stress about it. Easier said than done but try anyway.

Good point. Every time I try to do it I am trying to be relaxed, but sitting there all nerved up. I hope it is nothing, but really want to be sure I keep this in check.

I agree with the white coat syndrome- sometimes in the office my BP is high for me. Last time I was relaxed and it was my normal range. At home it is always in my range too.
So relax. don't stress over it. dont assume there is a problem or you will need meds- unless your doctor examines you and mentions it. just breathe..

Thanks, Cooper. I had a minor surgery a few weeks ago - no anesthesia, but they did do the blood pressure and it was about 150 / 90 and they didn't even blink. Maybe this will be the incentive to lose the last 10 pounds! I know that will make a difference. My doc has always said I am incredibly healthy - just want to keep it that way.

Even when I go to the doctor, he takes my blood pressure despite the fact that the nurse has already done it. One reason-he thinks the monitor in the examining room attached to the wall is more accurate than the mobile one the nurse uses and two-he takes it while we are just chatting and laughing, so I am way relaxed! Make it a point to laugh a lot since that lowers your BP.

Also, make sure you aren't overdoing the salt.

Hmmm, my doc says that talking while taking bp gives inaccurate readings. My bp was always in the lower/normal range, but the past few years it's gone up considerably...to pre-hypertension levels. No explanations, no significant changes in my lifestyle. I'm curious if it's tied to age and that it has a tendency to go up as we get older?

I'm not taking any meds, and my doc is not overly concerned with it...maybe it's because each time I see them I get the same reading? Also...machines are all calibrated a bit differently. I'd gotten a home kit and found that my measurements were a lot higher than at the doctor. And I've tried out those machines at the drugstore...and each time got a vastly different reading, even at consecutive readings.

But you definitely want to keep an eye on your BP. Drink more water...you'll urinate more and that has a tendency to lower BP a bit. Weird, I know, but it works for me.

Watch your salt intake, too.

Just wanted to comment on the home machines. I thought they were OK. I would sometimes get readings on mine that would be pretty bad. Then retake somewhere else (my mother's machine, or maybe I'd be going to doctor) and it would be a lot lower. My mother's primary care physician just told us recently he doesn't like the home digitals, they can be as much as 20 points off. :/ (And he said B.P. should always be taken with cuff over a bare arm, not over sleeve.)

I'm curious if there anyone else has been told that about home machines being inaccurate?

I used a home machine through most of my pregnancy with DD but that was 20 yrs ago. I tend to have white jacket hypertension and my ob was not so happy about it.

There are many ways to change your lifestyle to lower your blood pressure. You just have to start moving more, eating less/better. Have a discussion with your doc about using lifestyle changes as opposed to meds if your blood pressure continues to creep up.

I took it when I got up and it was 131/89. I just read Moonshadow's point about the bare arm, so I took it again (but had to go upstairs to do it - maybe going up the stairs? It was 157/92 --- so something is inaccurate. Of course, lifestyle changes are not going to hurt! Off to do my exercise video - way late today. This daylight savings time thing threw me off this year! Thanks for the insights.

Although I don't feel particularly nervous when I go to the doctor, I definitely have "White Coat Syndrome". Had to have a routine checkup the other day, so I took my blood pressure at home for a week, knowing it would be sky high at the doctor's office and she'd be concerned again. It never went over 123/80 when I took it for five straight mornings--it was 162/82 at the doctor's office!

Next time you go to the doctor, take your home machine with you. They can calibrate with the machine at the office and that will let you know if it's accurate or not.

Almost exactly a year ago, I had a similar thing - my bp, which had always been on the low side, started running 145/90 or so. The docs wanted to put me on meds, but I tried them for a week or so and had awful side effects, so I decided I was going to try lifestyle changes. I had really let myself go and gained a lot of weight over the past several years, and I was pretty much a couch potato. And I had a strong family history of heart disease working againast me as well.

So I went from halfheartedly exercising once or twice a week to 4-5x/week for 45 mins or an hour at a good clip (usually, I ride the recumbent bike and I'm usually dripping sweat by 20 minutes into it). I also cut back on salt and started eating healthier food and less of it. I've lost 50 lbs in the past year and my bp has been pretty good for the last 8 months or so -- it will still occasionally spike with stress or too much caffeine so I know I don't have the problem licked, but I am at least keeping it at bay.

A few things you might consider if your bp is up even though you don't seem to have changed anything (and you don't have 50 lbs to lose like I did, LOL!). Some meds have the side effect of raising bp - these include antihistamines, cold medicines/decongestants and some antidepressants. If you've started any meds since the last time your bp was normal, you might want to talk to your doc about whether that could be contributing to the problem.

Also, watch what you drink -- too much caffeine can definitely raise your bp. Also I found that all the diet coke/nutrasweet I was drinking seemed to be contributing -- when I was diagnosed, I was drinking probably 8-10 cans of diet coke a day. While researching high bp, I came across a page that said that nutrasweet breaks down into a chemical very similar to epinephrine and can raise your bp. So I quit diet coke cold turkey and within two weeks, my bp was much improved. I have since had diet coke a few times at parties and such and I always notice a bp spike afterwards (not sure if it's psychological though - maybe I'm just expecting it so nerving myself up). But if you drink a lot of diet soda or eat a lot of artificial sweeteners, you might try cutting them out for a week or two to see if it helps.

Also, be sure you are eating enough potassium. Potassium helps remove water from the body in the same way that sodium retains it. Many folks do not get enough potassium in their diets and that in itself can raise bp. Try eating some foods high in potassium or taking some supplements to see if it helps.

Finally, try amping up your exercise if you are physiucally able to - walk faster, work harder, and sweat more. Sweating removes excess water from the body and will help to lower bp, while the cardio helps strengthen your heart and overall health of your circulatory system.

Good luck - I hope you are able to find something that works for you!

I have been working on my blood pressure by following the Eat To Live eating plan. It has worked great for me.

I usually check mine at the pharmacy or food store also.

When I use the home machine, I use the option to test three times and I think they average. My Doctor also told me to use the home machine various times a day (not in the same day - just once a day, sometimes in the morning, lunch time, night time, etc), record it in a log, and I have also read that sitting 10 minutes before taking it would give more accurate results.

Hope that helps!

lkplatow, thanks for your inspiring post. I'm trying to shed 40 to 50 pounds (I've lost 19 already), and a recent visit to the doctor revealed my bp is starting to rise. Your success story is a wonderful motivator and full of practical information.

I didn't eat junk or fast food & have long been an exerciser. But you can gain weight even with healthy, nutritious food if you routinely have second & third helpings. It's so easy to eat more than you burn off. Calorie counting software has been my best friend for the last four months, LOL!

Many congratulations to you on your weight loss/lower bp. Your sensible approach to handling the issue sure has my admiration.