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Blood pressure readings anxiety

15 replies

rubyslipperss · 25/10/2024 19:45

I had to submit a weeks readings to my GP since I've been unwell this year I've noticed my diastolic has been often 90 . I requested the readings as worried .
Initially, I was fine and the first 5 days of the readings were more or less ok , actually a lot better than expected and I was very surprised. The first reading was probably my best . I had only one reading of diastolic of 90 during that time . Then , on the second to last day I got myself into a right state and had a high reading of 120/97 . Then I missed one as I took too much time to send it via the link . Then I was so worried about my last reading it was really high for me also 125 / 97 .
After that when I tried to take it immediately I could feel my heart rate go up and I was in such a state of panic I was happy I could input the 97 reading and it wasn't any higher ! I had to step away from the machine at that point .
My systolic was only once 130 .
I'm not sure what the point of this post was, but I'm just worried as I heard that they discount the first reading which was actually my best . Also will it matter I skipped one reading ?
I'm concerned my two ' anxious readings ' will mar an otherwise ok set of readings .

OP posts:
Ffion56 · 25/10/2024 19:57

Which machine have you got? I’ve got an omron and I had a similar issue, got myself into a total pickle and then my readings at the gp surgery were totally normal. It turns out my cuff is an extra small and that could be affecting my readings.

All that happened to me was that they invited me for a full review including bloods for liver/kidney function etc. Everything came back normal and they recorded it all in their system. I’ll have another review in a year.

They'll check you using their own equipment before prescribing you medication. I find it they don’t use the electronic machine and do it the old fashioned way, I panic less and have lower readings!

IVbumble · 25/10/2024 20:02

Ask your GP if you can have a 24hr BP monitor fitted as this will be more accurate - it's one of the recommendations in the NICE guidelines which is what your GP practice should be working towards.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng136

rubyslipperss · 25/10/2024 20:16

@Ffion56 yes omron - I haven't checked the cuff actually I think it's standard.

Thanks - I think if I had it done at the surgery it would have been much lower those two times as I was really starting to panic .
Reassuring that they would look a bit more into it .
@IVbumble I hadn't thought of that - I wonder how that would work with anxiety- I can see that that would be much more accurate.

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Puppupandaway · 25/10/2024 21:25

I saw my gp on Monday as I had been having lots of headaches and found that my BP (bottom number) was reading between 85 and 95 every time. After I was checked over the dr said it wasn't too concerning and I was borderline stage 1 hypertension. The advice was to improve diet, increase exercise and to go back in three months. He was reluctant to prescribe medication as I was borderline. So don't worry, you will be fine with your readings. You may just be given some health advice.

rubyslipperss · 25/10/2024 22:06

Puppupandaway · 25/10/2024 21:25

I saw my gp on Monday as I had been having lots of headaches and found that my BP (bottom number) was reading between 85 and 95 every time. After I was checked over the dr said it wasn't too concerning and I was borderline stage 1 hypertension. The advice was to improve diet, increase exercise and to go back in three months. He was reluctant to prescribe medication as I was borderline. So don't worry, you will be fine with your readings. You may just be given some health advice.

Did the GP think your headaches were due to the BP ?

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olderbutwiser · 25/10/2024 22:29

They ask for multiple readings over multiple days so they can see what’s normal for you and can discount the odd outliers like your 97. You know you were in a state when that one was done, and you know most of the time they are absolutely fine.

blueshoes · 25/10/2024 22:35

Your GP can also ask that you be fitted with an ambulatory blood pressure machine which will take your BP over 24 hours, even when you are asleep, and work out the average.

That way, you don't have to administer the readings yourself.

As I have borderline hypertension, it does not take much for my blood pressure to shoot up. Before I take my BP at home (with Omron wrist monitor), I make sure I am comfortably seated with with my arm resting on a table. Then I clear my mind of all thoughts and breathe out slowly. Take the best of 3. I am probably 'spiking' the results but generally, the pressure reading gets lower each time I take it. So I know it is variable.

blueshoes · 25/10/2024 22:37

Also, when you take the readings, make sure your bladder is empty and you have not just been doing rigorous movements. As I work at a desk, I usually try to be seated for 5 mins before I take the reading.

Puppupandaway · 26/10/2024 09:23

@rubyslipperss No he said my bp wasn't high enough to explain the headaches. He diagnosed me with probable tension headaches which I think is correct.

BlossomToLeaves · 26/10/2024 09:25

I'm in the middle of recording a month's worth of pressures for my GP, but like you have had a few randomly high ones (much higher, though, like 160 for systolic, and similar, 95 for the other). Most of mine are in the 130s over 80s though, which is borderline. I wonder why they always ask you to take the lowest value, though - surely they need to know if you are occasionally getting high ones, as that would be the time you'd have a problem? So it's probably good if they know about the high ones. they won't prescribe medicine unless you have a lot of them, though. Even the average seems a bit false to me - unless people are more consistent than me, because I can range from 110 to 140 in one session of measurements, and it usually averages out to low 130s, but if there are quite a few high 130s and 140s, the odd 110 pulling it down is just distorting what might be an otherwise beginning hypertension situation.

So I find it all a bit confusing as to what measurements they really look at for deciding on medication. Even a 24-hour one doesn't really help if you are up and down - either it captures all of that and averages it out to normal, or it misses some of it and then they don't know about the high ones?!

Same thing with the fact that they always tell you to sit quietly, rest, be calm, think calm thoughts etc, when if you are the sort of person where it likely goes up a lot when you move or get stressed or do stuff, then wouldn't they want to know what it's like during those movements? It seems like they are trying hard to get a really good reading, and once they have that, it's all OK, even though that must be as inaccurate compared to your normal life as the random high ones are.

anyway good luck. Yours don't sound all that high to me - mine were well into the 140s when they first noticed it. I didn't have headaches from it even at that level.

LoafofSellotape · 26/10/2024 12:18

Just take it 2x a day and record the lowest of 3 readings leaving 6 mins between each reading. Lots of deep breathes and while it's being taken think of a song or a poem in your head.

Do it for a couple of weeks and hand it to the doctor alongside the computer submitted ones.

rubyslipperss · 27/10/2024 09:39

Thanks for advice everyone, you've helped calm me down !
@BlossomToLeaves yes I don't fully understand it either .

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rubyslipperss · 27/10/2024 09:41

olderbutwiser · 25/10/2024 22:29

They ask for multiple readings over multiple days so they can see what’s normal for you and can discount the odd outliers like your 97. You know you were in a state when that one was done, and you know most of the time they are absolutely fine.

Yes, sensible comment . It was really that the fact I was having lots of anxiety when I was actually using the cuff that was bothering me.

OP posts:
rubyslipperss · 27/10/2024 09:41

Puppupandaway · 26/10/2024 09:23

@rubyslipperss No he said my bp wasn't high enough to explain the headaches. He diagnosed me with probable tension headaches which I think is correct.

I think I have this too

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IVbumble · 27/10/2024 09:52

My headaches reduced by 95% once I was on BP medication & it also made me feel a lot warmer which was a bonus for me as I'm usually freezing.

Usually when taking your own BP you might do it after 30 mins resting & then take it twice - record the lowest set of numbers & do this for 2 weeks morning & evening - to give your GP a full picture. They will count the number that are above normal range & make a decision as to whether medication is required.

Remember to ask for the 24hr monitor too.

Here's a lot more info:

https://www.bloodpressureuk.org/your-blood-pressure/understanding-your-blood-pressure/

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-blood-pressure

There are also apps that explain the outcome once you put your results in.

Blood Pressure UK

https://www.bloodpressureuk.org/your-blood-pressure/understanding-your-blood-pressure

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