To be shit scared by this diagnosis

[WhatFreshHeII]

I've just been to the GP for a very minor thing and while I was there she took my BP because I hadn't had it checked for a while. Immediately she said 'Oh that's worryingly high' and checked the other arm too, which was higher again. I think it was 170/122? But I was reading it upside down.

She showed me the NICE guidance which said that I needed to be checked for organ damage (she took some bloods). She also prescribed medication (candesartan 8mg) which I have to start taking today. I have to go back after Christmas for an ECG and on Friday to have my BP checked again.

She said that I mustn't get stressed, upset, or overexcited because my BP is so high I'm at very high, immediate risk of heart attack or stroke. And not to overindulge over Christmas for the same reason. Which of course has sent my stress levels sky high.

She was absolutely lovely and so kind but I'm absolutely terrified. My mother, grandmother and two aunts died of strokes - when I told the GP this she said that makes it even more worrying. I'm 50 and overweight but haven't always been (I've had EDs since I was teenager so my weight has fluctuated a lot, I'm currently a size 20). I also have rheumatoid arthritis and I know that heart problems can be a feature of RA.

I've had no symptoms so this has come as a complete surprise and a total shock. I don't know what happens next, other than I'll be on this medication for the long term apparently.

I know loads of people have hypertension but the GP seemed so concerned that she's got me really, really worried. I keep thinking I'm going to drop dead any second.

Can someone please calm me down and/or tell me their own experience of this? I'm at my wit's end with worry, I have health anxiety anyway and this has shaken me really badly.

TIA 💐

sorry 118 not 188

Do ask your consultant about interactions with the medications you've got. In the meantime, there don't appear to be any interactions listed between candesartan and methotraxate (Source). Most of the interactions with candesartan look like they're with other medications that also lower blood pressure.

This is very reassuring, thank you.

DH was astounded she said something so worrying to someone with HA, before a Christmas break, and told them that basically getting stressed could kill them so don't get stressed. I tend to agree. No further investigations can happen until early January - she said I needed to be seen again within a week but thanks to Christmas that couldn't happen. The urgency (and her concern that I couldn't have an ECG etc sooner) also worried me.

I echo what @Harrysmummy246 said. It is very rare that a doctor will prescribe meds on a one off reading. In fact I would say that she seems to be a bit extreme about all of this.

In no order:

It is good to try to make lifestyle changes but they do not always have the desired effect. Make little changes and add to them. No need to go all out to start with. There is essential hypertension which my father had and which I have inherited. If you need the drugs then take them.

There are many types of drugs for hypertension and as my cardiologist said "It is easy to cure HBP but you have to be able to live" . By that he meant be active and not like a zombie on drugs sleeping all day. I am on a combo of 3 different ones which was worked out for me over 20 years ago. I know that in the NHS there are certain drugs they prefer because they are cheaper. Don't settle for drugs that are leaving you dopey.

Take your machine into the GP with you and use it alongside the GP's one to make sure that you are getting similar readings so that you know what you are doing at home is relevant. Keep a record and take averages of daily readings.

It is certainly true that breathing can bring your BP down. I was waiting for a surgical procedure once and they weren't happy as my BP was high. I did some simple breathing exercises and nurse could not believe it. I am guilty of shallow breathing as opposed to taking good chest breaths.

Certain meals as we know are laden with salt eg Chinese food or other takeaways. My cardiologist would know if I had eaten badly the night before! Try to lay off processed salty foods. Use a salt substitute. Drink lots of water.

Sorry I have gone on at length but been on this path for 27 years now.

Don't panic. It's common and can be easily managed with meds. Both myself and dh have received this diagnosis. Dh was diagnosed with high BP in early 20s and had a huge amount of testing at the time to make sure there was no underlying cause or organ damage. They concluded that his high BP is hereditary after ruling everything out. After starting meds his BP readings went back to normal. That was 20 years ago and his BP is perfectly managed with a single daily tablet. He has had zero issues since.
I had high BP postpartum. High enough to be hospitalised and stroke risk was mentioned. It took 3 days in hospital to find meds that worked well. As it was pregnancy related, I was able to come off meds in 3-4 months. I have had zero issues since.

I don't have time to RTFT but wanted to let you know my friend had a similar scare and it was down to taking over the counter sinus medication with pseudoephedrine hydrochloride in it. She was banned from taking it as she was told it increases blood pressure. I just mention it in case you had taken some that day and it might make a difference.

@WhatFreshHeII I am glad to see that she is planning more tests for you. An ECG should be easily available in the practice. They may do the Holter Monitor with you too.

My BP has come down loads and my self diagnosed ED/ bingeing is completely under control by starting slimming world. I lost a stone in 5 weeks and watched the BP readings go down. I'm eating really healthy and because I can fill up on whole foods I don't crave the sugar that I was before. I'm a bit evangelical about it as it's worked so quickly. I find it really good for someone like me who loves their grub 😉

My mum had a pre-op check and was sent straight to A&E with a BP of something like 220/180.
She was put on meds, and after some lifestyle changes (healthy diet, losing weight, walking lots), she is no longer on any BP medication.

In the past 24 hours I've taken 4 doses of penicillin, 30mg codeine, 2 ibuprofen and a snort of Sudafed.

The GP didn't ask about what medication I'd taken today. I did think it was strange as I know some meds can affect BP. But can they really make it that high?

Also I've had Strep Throat which is just clearing now after almost two weeks (hence ABs). And of course the RA which is fairly active right now as I've not been able to take my mtx for weeks.

I also had the cuff size issue. Dr was concerned while i was pregnant as each visit my blo0d pressure was going up and up, turned out my arm was just getting fatter and fatter as i gained weight and they didnt go up to the higher cuff size.

WeightWatchers and Slimming World were absolutely awful for my anorexia - all that documenting and counting and so on was like a red rag to a bull.

I think what I need is to do is seek help for it again - I did 20 years ago but as anyone with an ED knows, you're never cured.

I'm immunosuppressed and have a teacher DD. Recipe for disaster!

My GP wouldn't diagnosed me with high BP without a weeks worth of readings at home, despite a reading at A and E of 160/105

I had to do it with a home monitor, 1st thing in the morning, and then in the evening (best of 3 readings)

My levels were normal at home but when taken at GP or hospital were very high. My dad had the same thing.

White coat syndrome is a thing. It's real it's not made up.

I think your GP has jumped to conclusions far far too quickly.

Relax, enjoy Christmas and get yourself a home monitor.

I recommend taking the reading a few times without looking, and then do best of 3. The more times you take it (at first) the more it will come down.

My blood pressure is always ridiculously high in any medical setting (as in through the roof) and completely normal at home. I suggest you get a home kit just in case, as with me, doctors raise your stress levels - whether you’re aware of it or not!
Fingers crossed for you.

The meds will kick in quickly. Your bp was high at the drs but it doesn’t mean it is always high. My bp is low at home and always high at the drs. Certain things can affect bp readings. I think I read that having a full bladder makes them higher. The home monitors are useful.
I think magnesium can lower blood pressure too. Try not to worry. I know it’s easier said than done. I found out not long ago that I have something wrong with one of my heart valves. I was shocked and upset initially. I’ve accepted it now and I don’t think about it too often. I wish you well x

I did tell her that a) my bus had been cancelled and I had to practically run (well, hobble as fast as possible!) the mile to the GP to make it on time and b) DH and I had had a bit of an argument before I left so I was stressed about that (all fine now, just a daft disagreement, he's been fantastic since my appointment). She said none of these things would have affected the reading - is that true do you think? My heart rate was quite high too.

Plus, thanks to the HA, I've been stressing about the original reason I was at the GP for days. I'd basically convinced myself I had throat cancer - GP categorically told me I didn't and that it was definitely an infection which was was now clearing. But I've been absolutely terrified all week.

@WhatFreshHeII I had a similar experience. Nurse took my bp, sent me for a walk round the block, took it again when I came back and refused to let me leave until I had been seen by Dr and given a prescription to be staarted immediately. One of them called it 'catastrophically' high - which really wan't helpful!

It's good that you have medication, and your appointment on Friday will be to check that it has had started to take effect. My BIL didn't respond to medication and was hospitalised until they found something that worked.

The complete blood checks, ECG etc are standard for that kind of bp measurement, to check there are no other underlying issues or things that have happened as a consequence.

The good news is that if your high bp is part of a metabolic issue, then there are lots that you can do to make a difference (in addition to taking medication). If it's a hereditary / genetic issue then the medication will give you so much protection - be glad it was spotted early.

I now take the tiniest amount of prescribed medication. I have other familial / heritable issues which are likely to require medication as I get older so I want to be taking as little of the bp meds as possible to avoid complicated drug interaction further down the line. I did make some long-term lifestyle changes. One book I found really helpful was Rangan Chatterjee's The 4 Pillar Plan. Interestingly the FIRST pillar is not diet or exercise but instead is RELAX. There are lists of things that you migth choose to do (but not that you have to do) e.g. creating phone-free time by gardening, dancing, painting, sitting on a park bench, 15 minutes of yoga or meditation... There are also pillars on what you put into your body (eat/drink), how you move your body and how you sleep well.

Before you take your BP, you should try to be calm and relaxed. Running to your GP, and arguing beforehand, is the opposite. Of course it will affect your reading!

WW was like that for me but SeW seems to be ok. Hope you find something that works. Try taking your BP at home before taking your meds, mine was higher than yours and was still told to go home and monitor it over the weekend and then I had weekly appts for 6 weeks.

Hmmm sounds like the run up to the appointment was a recipe for disaster in the BP stakes, plus you having an infection and taking several meds, will also raise it. I would imagine if you took it now it would be nowhere near as high. I hope you’re feeling a bit more calm and reassured after the responses you’ve had on here OP.

@WhatFreshHeII can you call or email your rheumy nurse?

I have BED and worked with a great therapist who also understood the complexities of ED and RA. If you PM I can give you their details.

I'm on beta blockers plus statins since October for very raised hypertension and high cholesterol. I tolerate beta blockers better than ace inhibitor which made me feel I would pass out. It's still high but around 145/92 - it was higher , I think worst I saw it was in A&E at 178/118.

I'm suprised so many of you were symptomless- I was getting cracking back of head headaches daily several times , plus weird dizziness/lightheaded feelings and wobbly legs . Enough to think I was possibly having a stroke - A&E were lovely and the registrar said blood pressure at that level is often mistaken as just a migraine. . Bloods etc picked up the cholesterol and pre diabetes.

Only problem now is the statins I find give me pins and needles in my lower legs and feet in an evening-

@WhatFreshHeII I have HA too so I really do sympathise. My anxiety when it’s at it’s peak always makes my heart race, which in turn makes me worry more and I go around in a vicious circle like that (until I take a dose of propranolol and it goes back to normal)! 🤦🏻‍♀️ It’s exhausting. I had a planned surgery earlier in the year, which is the first one I’ve had since developing HA, so as you can imagine, I was really anxious. Waking up in recovery, my nurse was looking at me like I’d grown two heads and said ‘Your BP and HR are both high now… but you were fine when you were under?!‘ 😮 I was like, ‘Yeah that’s my anxiety’ 😣 It was awful, sometimes I just can’t control it and even if I’m not even feeling particularly anxious, my body will betray me 😫 Anyway, it was fine, they kept monitoring me and by the time I was discharged a few hours later it was all normal.

My Dad was suffering with some symptoms he went to see his GP with and was promptly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At the time, his cholesterol and BP were so elevated that they told him if he hadn’t have seen his GP when he did, he’d have been dead from a heart attack within 3 months! 😮 He’s been on a statin for his cholesterol and a pill for his BP since he was diagnosed (20 years ago now) and he is still going strong aged 75, with not a whiff of a heart attack or stroke! He has his bloods done regularly and both the cholesterol and BP have been normal since he started taking his medication.

I also have a friend who suffers with high BP. Her top reading was over 200 when it was initially diagnosed and at one point she was on high doses of two different medications for high BP! 😮 She is morbidly obese and has been told to lose weight (she hasn’t) but as far as her BP goes she is fine and just takes the one tablet for it now.

I just wanted to reassure you that other people have been in similar situations to you and they are just fine 💐