Can anyone give me some reassurance/insight into blood pressure readings?

[Orlahoping]

I was admitted for a day last week because my BP shot up to 170/90 something. I was in MAU and very stressed because I had had some spotting and have been anxious the whole way through the pregnancy and am pregnant after loss.

I'm on labetalol now and monitoring at home morning and evening. I have this pattern which I think is related to my health anxiety/fear of the cuff but I don't know how to confirm this. My midwife doesn't seem concerned but I am. Even if the high readings are anxiety related I am anxious a lot, so surely that could still affect baby? I am under Perinatal MH, having therapy and seeing a consultant next week about this pregnancy and my MH.

But in the meantime, any words of wisdom and reassurance would be much appreciated.

You can see my morning readings below - from high to normal over a couple of minutes...

Keep monitoring your BP, as you know, it’s important to keep taking your labetalol and keeping an accurate log of BP. Manual BP is the most accurate but self-monitoring it obviously much more practical.

Without a full set of notes & history I can’t reassure you except to say keep medicating and keep going with therapy etc. you need to go into parenting with your MH as robust as possible (which I know you know). Make sure you take all your readings to your next review.

Keep going and congrats on your pregnancy.

So your later readings are normal? Looks fine to me. If your midwife is unconcerned I would trust her. Sometimes these home monitors can be a curse. If they were truly concerned re your bp they would give you a 24 or 48 hour monitor to wear.
Try to relax and step away from the monitor

Easy to say don’t worry but…try not to worry.

My BP was always over 140/90 which the number they start to say high BP.

If your BP stays high, you should be under a consultant for additional monitoring but it shouldn’t affect the baby at this point. You will be told about things to watch for - puffy hands and feet etc.

Try to enjoy your pregnancy and listen to your midwife.

Thanks all. I feel like I am constantly tickling the line between doing what is appropriate to monitor my health and full blown health anxiety obsessiveness.

I see the consultant on Wednesday, so will talk about it then. Going to try not to monitor my BP too much until I go back to see the midwife on Monday. It pretty much always starts high and is within normal ranges once I actively try to relax at home. Always a bit higher with the midwife, but still under the 140/90 they want eventually.

My blood pressure was 180/90 when I last saw my midwife. She said the machines are not very accurate, so measured me manually and it was 110/76. She said not to worry and made a note to always do my reading manually.

I've always had white coat syndrome where my blood pressure reads high on the machines, but fine of done manually. I'd try not to worry, and wouldn't take readings at home if your not be asked to.