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Blood Pressure readings?

16 years ago

Yesterday my husband went to the doctor and the nurse checked his BP and it was 122/80. Then 15 min. later the doctor came in and checked it and it was 140/89. How could that be? I said it was maybe because he was stressed over waiting for the doctor to come in next. He didn't think so and thinks maybe his blood pressure isn't high after all. Any ideas on this one?

Thanks

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Comments (4)

catherinet
16 years ago
There can be minute-to-minute variations in blood pressure.
Also, unfortunately people take BPs differently and that could factor in. Maybe the nurse did it over his clothes and the doc didn't; maybe it was a different machine, etc.
Tons of people have "whitecoat syndrome", and its quite normal to have your BP go up when seeing the doc.
I don't think 140/89 is that horrible in a stressful situation.
If you're concerned, purchase a BP cuff/stethoscope and have a medical person show you the correct way to take a BP. That way, you'll know what your husband's pressure is at home throughout the day.
mboston_gw
16 years ago
My BP is always higher when I go to the doctor, its a stressful situation as you get older! However, it has shown an increase in the last couple of years from around 115/60'ish to the low 120/60's ish. I take mine at the places where they have the machines like our grocery store pharmacy and my rec center. I don't compare the results between the two places but over a period of time at the same places. Plus it does vary during the time of day. I would be more concerned if it stayed in the 140's on average than just that one time. It doesn't hurt to check it routinely.
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Hi John, I hope you are still following this thread. As a high blood pressure patient myself, my first concern is that you see your GP and get a basic check up and diagnosis, before you take anything at all. This is a subject too near and dear to my heart to pass by. During the check up, be sure they do a thyroid blood test, as both hyper and hypo thyroid, cause altered metabolism and high blood pressure. What you and I must avoid is a heart attack or stroke. If I have a stroke, I will be forced to watch my garden go to rack and ruin. :-( As it is now, I am as in control as possible, but I must be careful with all garden tasks, and take much longer to complete projects that in the past. IF I had gone in, and been diagnosed correctly years back, the solution would have been simple, and I could be running at normal speed. Not being able to ever again hike up a steep hill and enjoy the wildflowers is one of my biggest regrets. Back then, when things were only starting to go bad... I sounded exactly like you do in this first post. I know you fellows think going to the doctor is for girls...but this time you really need to just call and make an appointment. Not knowing does not make it go away. And not knowing but aware...causes stress...which causes long term damage to the immune system, and then the heart. With no diagnosis... and not knowing your current thyroid status, I will strongly advise against adding any so called safe supplements... the wrong guess and "bad to much worse" is the story. We get new people all the time being diagnosed either hyper or hypo... all because they added the wrong vitamins and herbs, thinking it was harmless and so basic and simple... it wouldn't hurt them. And I have to tell all of you... as a long term support person elsewhere... I am tired of picking up the damaged patients. Let's always insist on a diagnosis before a cure is prescribed. Don't take me wrong. I am a huge supporter of alternative healing, and my use of supplements and herbals was a HUGE part of my own "rare" success/ remission. But ya gotta' be aware of all the possible problems before hand. Be smart and careful. AFTER you have a diagnosis, THEN self education and a good, experienced NP will be of great value. We need to enjoy our golden years . Plus... have the opportunity to finally enjoy those tiny little plants we started, the ones that had to grow for years and years to be magnificent. ;) I'm starting to see this... and can not even start to tell you the joy ! Take care of yourself, so we can all enjoy your garden. :-D -Pam L- my rant for the year ;) Don't be skeeered... I'm really am nice, *lol*
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Oh, my, can I relate to this! My BP was creeping up into the 160's/90s and with trial and error and modifications I finally got it down to the 120s/80s and felt SO faint that I couldn't function!! I honestly couldn't even go to the grocery store without nearly fainting from exhaustion! After about a year of keeping it in MY preferred range of mid 130s/whatever (which my doc said was just fine for me), it's now dipped to those 120s and I don't feel dizzy and weak this time! I imagine, after operating in hyper-mode, that huge drop nearly dropped me! However, having eased it along, I now feel fine in that lower range. Perhaps that's what happened to you? A sudden change could have you on the floor like I nearly was! Hopefully you'll either have it lower itself naturally from where you are now (which is what mine did without change in meds), or you'll operate just fine where you are. As for early Alz onset from taking BP meds: I hope not!!;-D
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My husband had high blood pressure, which also runs in his family. He was overweight too. His doctor put him on the Protein Power diet and told him if he didn't lower his BP in 6 weeks, he would have to go on meds. DH was very good on the diet (we are doing it together) and in 6 weeks, he had lost over 20 pounds and his BP was well within normal range. Also his cholesterol profile improved quite a bit (wasn't horrible before, but much better now). As of right now, DH doesn't do any exercise at all. But I am going to sign us both up for some sort of martial arts class, which he said he would do. I was pretty much set against him using BP meds due to all the side effects, plus he really needed to lose weight, so I was very pleased with the results of this diet. BTW- I have lost almost 20 pounds and gone down from a size 14 to a size 8 on the same diet. I have a very active job, which helps me stay in shape (I'm a vet tech). I also don't mind the heat and humidity so I walk the dogs much more often than DH does. I don't have high BP (just the opposite in fact) but the diet sure did jump-start my weight loss- 13 pounds in the first 2 weeks encouraged me to stay on the diet. I go in for a physical soon, so I'll report my BP and other health indicators.
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Thank you for taking your time to respond catherinet, agnespuff, and goldy. I am 65 years old female. Yes, I use my own equipment 'OMRON' to check my bp. When doctor checked my bp about week ago, my bp was 130 and he told me it is normal. I was relieved but now my bp is between 160-180 but today, I took for 1 hour walk and few second ago I checked my bp. My bp is 129. I cannot believe it. My pulse is 82, DIA is 79, SYS is 129. I hope I continue to have low bp but I think I start having much higher bp at evening and night. Only thing I needed to lower bp is one hour walking? I am not sure if this much simple or not. If I continue to see bp of over 150,160,170 I am going to see doctor quickly. I am concerned about connection between memory lose and high bp. I know what do you mean goldy. Worry doesn't help us at all and elevate our bp. I just cannot understand why suddenly I forgot how to turn wiper because I was using wiper thousand of times when I was driving in rainy day. Strange part is my dream became reality. I dreamed about my confusion about turning in pool and next day, I experienced exactly what I saw in my dream. I joked with old lady in swimming pool and I said "I am going to drown if I suddenly forget how to swim". When I think about it, it is no laughing matter! I start learning how to swim when I was over 60 years old and I am swimming over 3 years now. I am sorry for my poor English. English is my second language.
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berk
Original Author
16 years ago
We do have our own BP machine at home. Mine runs around 117/80 and my husbands runs around 138/82. we both have high blood pressure and take different medicines for it. He has just started taking medicine a week or so ago.
It is so hard finding foods we both can eat! I also have high cholestrol and can't take any of the medicine and then he has , maybe diabetes, they are watching him on that one now and he will have to go take a Glucose Tolerance test real soon.
So it is hard finding foods for both of us!
oilpainter
16 years ago
I was visiting the doctor. I had an almost healed broken hip and my husband was bugging about not using my cane right. When I got into the doctor and she took my blood pressure and it was 185/85. She was concerned but I explained what was going on. She asked if I could take it at home. For 3 weeks I took my blood pressure 4 times a day always at the same times.

My blood pressure was always low in the morning and it varied throughout the day. In those 3 weeks it never went above 135/85 and was mostly lower than that. It never went out of the normal range. Your blood pressure does not stay the same all the time. It goes up or down depending on what you are doing and how you are feeling.

Any stress or argument can raise your blood pressure, but that does not mean you have high blood pressure. I had a friend who's doctor put her on blood pressure medication and she felt horrible. She went back to her doctor. They monitored her and found out the only time she had high blood pressure was on doctor's visits.

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