Does your blood pressure fluctuate dramatically?

Mine is pretty steady, but it does go up in a doc office or hospital, sometimes quite a bit. Sounds like yours may have been high because you disliked having to go to her.

But if you don’t already know, BP changes throughout the day.

Yes, I have observed since I was a teen that my BP swung depending largely on my mental/stress state, where the main contributor was doctors and me worrying about my BP.

My mom is the same way with hers.

Some BP drugs can limit the amount that happens, though.

@Zaku The more I worry the higher it goes, for sure. I think its my red hair & Irish temper haha!

@smudges I just didnt realize how much stress can raise it so fast. Pain I kbew but it’s like I psych myself out about it. Just glad to see its not just me.

@KNOWITALL We have some Irish blood too – maybe that’s it. :-)

And yeah, it can be fast. I’ve noticed that just being aware I was about to test my own BP could raise it, depending on stress I couldn’t entirely control. If I “surprised” myself by suddenly just putting the cuff on and doing it, that was usually when I’d get my lowest readings.

And yeah, it could vary from 120/80 to 180/120 or something.

@Zaku I just googled and it says Irish ancestry does have one of the highest rates of high blood pressure!
Interesting.

Oh wow, I hadn’t heard that before. Yes, interesting!

I check my BP first thing every morning. It can fluctuate 20 points based on what I ate the night before (Chinese food with soy sauce makes it jump), how well I slept, and if I am hydrated.

Yesterday my systolic was 95; today it was 105. Monday it was 120.

And, @KNOWITALL, you may also react to what is called “white coat syndrome”, where your BP jumps every time a nurse or doctor checks it. And, the new place where you were getting checked may not be doing it properly, after having you sit quietly for more than five minutes and having your arm at rest at heart level.

“White coat syndrome” is definitely a thing for me. It’s always sky-high the first time they take it because I’m so nervous. Once I’ve relaxed more and they take it a second time, it’s in the normal range. I’ve never seen any alarming numbers taking it at home, though I haven’t checked it in a while.

@zenvelo @Demosthenes Mine just gets higher and higher if they ask to re-check.
The last check at the doc I didnt like was 169/92. Ugh!

I ran into something like that, but I blame the one doing the BP. I went to my doctor and, as always, my BP was something like 118/70. Always like that…every time I checked for the previous 5 years or more. Then they had some people come in to do spot checks. If you were healthy (according to them) you could get a discount on medical insurance. So I went ahead and did it. My BP for them was something like 150/100. I’ve never had BP that high in my life. I went to my regular doctor a few days later and my BP was back down to 118/70. There was a monetary incentive for the company to have my BP high which is the only explanation I could come up with.

@seawulf575 That’s crazy!

Another fun fact is that theyd prefer high bp over low, because its easier to lower and harder to raise.

I have great blood pressure and I take no medication for it (or for anything except slow thyroid).

When I go to the doctor or anywhere that checks it, I force myself to totally relax. I don’t even hold my arm up. I let the doctor or nurse support my arm. I close my eyes and do a quick little meditation. It seems to help.

@jca2 Smart! I wonder if part of it was because I had a pap that day, and she was a new doc.

And don’t cross your legs at all when they are taking the reading.

Yep. All day long.

Your 169 should be checked out.

@Forever_Free Yeah i was fine as soon as I left. I have my own cuff at home.

@KNOWITALL Try exhaling (at the doctor’s when they take it), and just totally relaxing your body. I think of a garden, with my eyes closed. I try not to think of anything stressful and I make sure that my body is totally relaxed.

I was telling a friend once and she said “but you’re fooling the doctor.” I told the doctor that she said that, because I wanted his take on it. He said “any time that you can lower your blood pressure during the day is not a bad thing.” In other wordsd, if that’s what it takes, then do it as often as possible.

Yes, it was all over the place for years, but mostly high. I don’t have white coat syndrome, it’s not much higher at the doctor.

I finally have my BP under much better control. I’m taking a mini dose of Amlodipine and it has helped a lot. I wish I had tried it two years ago.

@KNOWITALL I get that way as well. Long drive and the increased pressure of having it monitored. I monitor most days at home and well under 120. Go get it checked at Dr and it is 140

I’m glad to hear its more common than I thought. I always feel like a doctor visit is like an SAT for some reason, at least thats how my anxiety feels. :)

Doctor’s visit too often feel like being married to a cheating husband. Not listening, doesn’t care, condescending, telling me I’m crazy in not those words, and I shouldn’t believe my own eyes.

I anticipate not getting help and wasting my money.

Once in a while I get surprised and have a good experience.

My BP was high for years. Now it’s well managed, even though it is presumed to be a side effect of herbicide exposure almost 60 years ago.

@Srrauss Glad its managed! I got mine from my Irish grandfather, we just run a little hotter ha! Im on a low dose just in case.

When they first discovered my HPT it was something like 166/133. I was only in my 20s. I have a lot of Irish in my background and a little German.

@seawulf575 In addition to not crossing your legs, you’re not supposed to talk while it’s being taken, but some stupid nurses take that time to ask questions. :O

@smudges I also am German, Irish and English.
1 in 3 Germans has high blood pressure so you and I are likely in the same dna situation. :(