High BP - how quick do I need to be seen

[highbp]

Hoping someone can help here. I have been monitoring my bp for the gp and it has now shot up to 186/113. I know that's high but my question is do I need to get it checked tonight or will it wait until I can try to see my gp tomorrow?

That's high. What have your other readings been ? I went into hospital at 230/130 but they were worried, I felt perfectly fine - like you I was taking it with a home machine after having a high-ish reading at a BUPA check (160/110). I have had 10 years of BP management, and have "unexplained high BP" peaks and troughs, can sometimes be completely normal. If BP is high it needs treating asap with drugs, many good ones out there.

Thank you for replying! I started off with readings of about 160/110 at the weekend but then yesterday it peaked to 174/106 so I was going to speak to the gp today but it has dropped all day to 143/107 and then when I did my night time reading it was sky high and it's not coming down, I tried a bath but that's not helped!

Thank you for the advice, I have had head aches and a cough but at the moment all I've got is a really sore throat but I don't think that would cause this would it?

Mine is really high similar to yours and I'm on meds which clearly aren't working very well. unless you have symptoms like chest pain blurred vision etc then don't go to a&e and speak to your GP asap.

Some people can bring it down through lowering salt, caffeine and increasing exercise weight loss etc. None of this is working for me so far but I'm doing my best so hopefully the GP will be able to help

Not yet but I suspect that's coming next.

I went for a routine healthcheck and my bp was found to be in the 190s by the nurse. I was immediately seen by a gp who referred me to hospital for an ecg. Left hospital later that day with bp meds. I think I was only sent to hospital because the gp couldnt do an ecg immediately.

Id had headaches but thought it was just tension. Also could hear or feel my blood pounding round my head in bed.

I was probably like that for years but the danger is you could have a stroke etc so it needs investigating quickly.

Hope you are being sorted now OP.

Mine was 230/130 at a routine work check up. I was told to see my GP same day. Amazingly I did.
She suggested I lose weight! My BMI was about 26.
The surgery monitored me for a short time and decided to leave well alone. No tests, no drugs. 7 years later I'm still OK. I also reduced caffeine etc. And lost some weight!

Thank you everyone, I saw the nurse today and she said I have a water infection so I've been given antibiotics for this and hopefully that is the cause! Bp came down this morning to 160 but is at 170 now, told me to go to A&E if it goes really high again. Not something I really want to do!
To be honest, I don't really have any symptoms of a water infection so was a bit surprised!

@ICouldHaveCheckedFirst Wow, that's high, did your bp reduce quite quickly when you lost weight?
My bmi is 33 so I really do need to lose weight but haven't felt well enough to exercise for some time now but I should just start with walking and build up

My high BP was picked up as I was having chronic headaches plus other neurological stuff and BP was 180/118 - bloods showed also very high cholesterol. I'm now on a low dose beta blocker plus statins. My cholesterol 4 months later is now only just above normal and my BP is usually around 128/ 72 - on a few occasions it's actually been on the low side at 106/53 - I've now reduced beta blocker dose by 1/2 to see if it stays low and will then try and wean off them as they give me pins and needles far too much and my legs feel far too weak and wobbly on them.

Hi, OP. I lost weight very slowly, ie about 1.5 stones in 5 years. That's because I decided I had to make a lifestyle change rather than any attempt at a quick fix / drastic change of diet. I reduced my intake of caffeine, salt, fat and alcohol, and increase my intake of veg (especially) and fruit, being very mindful of how much I was eating (but not actually calorie counting, just, for example, deciding to eat less of chocolate, cheese etc (no way can I give them up altogether!). For exercise, I starting taking walks, cycling a bit and doing Pilates, none of which makes the weight fall off quickly I can assure you, but if you can build them in to your daily routine and it becomes a habit then it does lead to a healthier lifestyle. I think part of the high BP was caused by work-related stress, so I got of work too (retired!). Though I never had headaches or other symptoms.

My BP was monitored more recently, over 2 weeks, and though it's still at the high end of normal, the practice nurse was unconcerned about that, given my history.
Good luck, and try not to worry - that raises your BP too!