High blood pressure

[Peterloveslois]

I went to get my blood sugar checked at pharmacy (all fine), while there they did my BP a few times, average is 147/126.(I am 42).

They recommend I see a dr, obviously. They even called my nhs GP for me - not a
chance, they said just go to A&E.

Pharmacist warned me that local A&E, I’d be there forever, which I know, been there and done that recently with a relative, 24 hours.

I usually see a private GP, so I got an appointment with them for late afternoon.

Whats the procedure with BP like that?

The joke is, I’ve lost 6 stone this year (although I am still overweight, 16 stone, BMI 37).

I’ve stopped drinking. I got diagnosed with celiac disease last year so I overhauled my diet and now eat v healthily, no processed foods, I cook everything from scratch. My only vices are rice and potatoes.

Last time my BP was taken was 18 months ago when I was diagnosed with celiac by the consultant and was totally normal. All through my pregnancy with my 2 year old, normal.

I will say though, the last 18 months, I’ve been under enormous stress. I mean, I have been for the last 6 years or so, but the last 18 months especially have just been a world of shit that only I can sort out (a six month argument with insurance to fix a ceiling that has fallen down, my dad has developed dementia at an alarming rate and ended up in a care home. I’ve had to sort out everything and it’s been horrific).

Fucks sake!

Anyway, I am wondering if the private GP will just want me to go to hospital anyway? Or would they talk about medication?

If I need to be referred on, I have insurance. Just wondering if anyone can shed any light on what to do.

I would go. Those readings are really high. You need meds to bring it down. It's great you're doing the right things but my bp is stress and hormone related and I've had problems for twenty years but worse during pregnancy and since.

I would not leave it with readings like that.

Also, but yourself a monitor so you can keep an eye on it at home.

It's the lower number that's worrying. I am 34 and had a BP of over 180/120. (200/130 at one point) the paramedic at the GP surgery did an ECG and immediately sent to to hospital due to an irregular heartbeat. The surgery had called ahead so I could skip A&E.
I was hospitalised for 7 days so they could get it under control and investigate a cause and assess any damage the high BP might have done.

I hadn't been seen for 18months and had raised blood pressure at that appointment too (only marginally so). The
high BP left untreated, due to covid, had caused me cardiac complications. Luckily no damage to my kidneys, which is usually the concern.

Get seen ASAP OP

That's high but not too high. I was told 180 (over something, can't remember) was A&E initially didn't come down from the 195 it was when I was getting my BP checked. It went to 154 and I could go home but an appointment was made and now on meds. Can you see the nurse at your local surgery? Other than my medication, all my blood samples and BP monitoring were then by a nurse.

Do try not to worry. That just makes your BP higher, but you are just over the high end of normal and it could have been white coat syndrome but deffo get an appointment to get it checked out. I'm not sure a and e if the best place right now for non emergencies

Oh sorry yes - I’ve got an appointment with the private GP at 4pm today.

Just didn’t know if they would go right to medication with that? NHS GP wouldn’t see me urgently, the pharmacist to tell me to go to A&E instead.

So I just wondering the route private GP will go down.

I had all bloods done a month ago as part of yearly coeliac screening, all fine.

Ah, just reread and see the 2nd figure is high. Best ti get checked out. Do try not to panic, though easier said than done x

I would expect your GP to prescribe hypertensives straight away; and to ensure that you to have some blood tests to check out you kidney and liver functions, to see if you have accrued any damage, and to refer you for tests that look for possible causes eg a scan of your adrenal glands. This is what I had. Seemed a pretty standard 'body MOT' for the NHS, although I daresay things have changed now.

It's a bummer, I'm afraid. But loads of people have idiopathic (unexplained) hypertension and live to tell the tale - indeed they live long and prosper. It can be well controlled with the right medication.

Your weight loss is brilliant, by the way

"I had all bloods done a month ago as part of yearly coeliac screening, all fine."

Did those tests include liver function, U&Es, OP?

Yeah, if they want to refer me on it’s fine, my insurance will cover it (I would get a private referal even if I was seeing the NHS
GP.

I can’t pay for any bloods with the private GP today though, can’t afford it.

But they will write to NHS GP to see me asap, they did that with DH when he couldn’t get an appointment with them.

I’ve never actually seen my nhs gp, i’ve used this private one for donkeys years but not for anything like this.

Liver function yes, the consultant asked for them.

Not the others. Private GP could do them obviously, but I’m out of cash this month, unless i was refered on to a consultant to carry them out, then insurance would cover.

Private GP could always write to my nhs GP to ask for the blood tests to be done there though.

It’s good you getting it checked by GP. I would recommend you get your own bp monitor and follow the British heart foundation guidelines on how to do a blood pressure do it twice a day for a week and you will get a more accurate average.
ideally you need to be sitting for about 10 minutes both feet on the floor no talking and taking steady breaths to get a correct reading

Your GP should do a 24 hr test to check for average rather than spikes.

I successfully brought down my blood pressure naturally through a combination of losing weight, eating healthily, intermittent fasting, and a cup of fresh hot lemon zest and juice every morning.

My brother died from the side effects of his blood pressure medication so I wanted to avoid them.

When it was discovered I had high bp the nurse attached me to a 24hr bp machine, once that was done and the numbers looked at I had to have bloods taken/urine sample tested. I was also sent for a ecg at the hospital and told to book a health eye exam.

Started on medication straight away but it took about 6 weeks before we found a combination that worked, during that time every visit I had I had a blood test to make sure the medication was effecting me.

Mine was high a few years ago. Felt breathless and lost my voice, used to get terrible headaches. Got tested, now on 2 different types of medication and it’s gone right down. I get blood tests done yearly to check my kidney function etc. Anyway since then I very rarely get a headache. Might also be the dreaded white coat syndrome !

Yup, intermittent fasting here for the last year! I’ve not eaten a single processed thing in all that time. 6 stone gone.

And now my bloody blood pressure is high!

I will have to get to an nhs gp for that.

They flatly refused the pharmacist - told her they couldn’t see me and to go to A&E instead.

So I don’t know if I am wasting my time (well, money) seeing my private one. At least try can contact the nhs one.

And I am so sorry for the loss of your brother @Worldgonecrazy

It may well be inaccurate because the pulse pressure is so low. Were they using an appropriate sized BP cuff? A cuff that’s too small will over-read (and with the weight/BMI you describe you probably need a large cuff rather than a standard adult size).

Not sure what you mean by "pulse pressure is so low" - by any standards 147/126 is pretty high. Have I missed something?

It's a very odd blood pressure which makes me suspicious its not accurate.

You need to be seen but don't panic and definitely don't go to A&E who will do nothing.

Yes. The pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic and 20 is pretty low. It’s not impossible, but in the context of someone who’s not unwell it’s unlikely.

She measured my arm to make sure as they only had standard cuff.

It was within the recommended cms for the cuff.

I would go to A&E as advised by a trained pharmacist rather than deciding not to on the advice of randoms on the internet. That lower blood pressure reading indicates a hypertensive crisis and means you're at risk of stroke, etc. You need to be seen by a doctor asap.

That's what I thought, systolic is just a bit raised but diastolic is dangerously high...I'm not a HCP but I've never seen a BP like that.

I’d also follow the advice of the pharmacist.

Was your GP saying A&E because they couldn’t see you today or because a medically trained person had actually listened and was worried about your BP?

I was sent straight to A&E recently with blood pressure of 230/120, but I had a banging headache and visual changes.

Just buy a machine and check your blood pressure at home. If you feel ok it’s still elevated contact gp a&e will not do much for a one off BP

That’s what our GP tend to say for everything.

Which is why we usually pay to see this private GP.