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Blood Pressure readings?

14 years ago

Yesterday my husband went to the doctor and the nurse checked his BP and it was 122/80. Then 15 min. later the doctor came in and checked it and it was 140/89. How could that be? I said it was maybe because he was stressed over waiting for the doctor to come in next. He didn't think so and thinks maybe his blood pressure isn't high after all. Any ideas on this one?

Thanks

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Comments (4)

catherinet
14 years ago
There can be minute-to-minute variations in blood pressure.
Also, unfortunately people take BPs differently and that could factor in. Maybe the nurse did it over his clothes and the doc didn't; maybe it was a different machine, etc.
Tons of people have "whitecoat syndrome", and its quite normal to have your BP go up when seeing the doc.
I don't think 140/89 is that horrible in a stressful situation.
If you're concerned, purchase a BP cuff/stethoscope and have a medical person show you the correct way to take a BP. That way, you'll know what your husband's pressure is at home throughout the day.
mboston_gw
14 years ago
My BP is always higher when I go to the doctor, its a stressful situation as you get older! However, it has shown an increase in the last couple of years from around 115/60'ish to the low 120/60's ish. I take mine at the places where they have the machines like our grocery store pharmacy and my rec center. I don't compare the results between the two places but over a period of time at the same places. Plus it does vary during the time of day. I would be more concerned if it stayed in the 140's on average than just that one time. It doesn't hurt to check it routinely.
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Oh, my, can I relate to this! My BP was creeping up into the 160's/90s and with trial and error and modifications I finally got it down to the 120s/80s and felt SO faint that I couldn't function!! I honestly couldn't even go to the grocery store without nearly fainting from exhaustion! After about a year of keeping it in MY preferred range of mid 130s/whatever (which my doc said was just fine for me), it's now dipped to those 120s and I don't feel dizzy and weak this time! I imagine, after operating in hyper-mode, that huge drop nearly dropped me! However, having eased it along, I now feel fine in that lower range. Perhaps that's what happened to you? A sudden change could have you on the floor like I nearly was! Hopefully you'll either have it lower itself naturally from where you are now (which is what mine did without change in meds), or you'll operate just fine where you are. As for early Alz onset from taking BP meds: I hope not!!;-D
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Hi. As someone who's been on BP meds for years, I agree with you that yours didn't sound high (to me)...could have been "white coat nerves"...a wee nervous about a dental procedure, but I'm ON meds and can't get mine that low! ;-) Naturally it's a good idea to be checked....did she have a base reading for you that this was a high comparison? Honey...those numbers would be a treat for me! What's normal for one, isn't for another....by all means, get checked...hope it's all good news! ;-D
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I just saw these posts! I am so scatterbrained, it's often embarrassing. jerzee, there's GOOD news, actually, and it's held for two days now so I guess I can post it: I've gotten 119/79ish (yesterday was something like 119/83, so same area) in the am!! PM it goes to 145/93, but there's definitely a change in the mornings. I called my doc yesterday to deliver the news and of course she never got back to me. I think I could die of something she should have noticed and she'd shrug and laugh. NOT a good feeling about a doctor. Off to a better practice, even if it costs more. The atenolol is slowing down my heartbeat too, but not as slow as yours! Mine is now in the 70s, whereas it used to be in the 80s/90s. I'm getting the *slightest* feeling of what life must be like for my DH, who has a heartbeat in the 50s, usually. VERY different, in a good way, yes? :) sjerin, I'm glad your mom's heart surgery went well--I was thinking about her the other day when I read an article about how older folks are having surgery more often now. I hope she recovers fast and uneventfully and goes back to marathoning :) (we live in hope :)) May I ask how much atenolol your family members took? I'm on 50 now, at bedtime, but am wondering if 100 at bedtime might be better to keep the bp down all day. I sure do get good sleep at night, though. I might be tired like your family during the day if I up the dose. I read something interesting--that walking on cobblestones was found to be better for lowering blood pressure than prescription medications! It's been confirmed and published, even...and you can buy cobblestone mats to walk on!
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Hi Randi, I'm sorry I forgot about this post! Try not to get too compulsive about checking your BP several times a day. I would do it at the same time for several days, then change to a different time of day for awhile.....just to see if its pretty consistent. If your Inderal isn't working, you might try a different one. I was really happy with Toprol. It got rid of 99% of my headaches. It was heaven! The worst thing about it was that at a slightly higher dose, I couldn't think straight at all. Also, even at a lower dose, my appetite went crazy. I don't get all the headaches I used to, but I still get them occasionally. If they got worse, I'd definitely go back on the Toprol. Does someone go with you to the doctor's? If I took xanax before I doctor's appointment, I think would fall asleep in the car on the way! Our blood pressure fluctuates all day long, so don't think something's wrong, just because it goes up a little. I hate that Whitecoat syndrome!! Now that I'm off my Toprol, it really goes up at the doctor's. I was at the doctor's yesterday, and my diastolic was 100! At home, its in the 70's. I've discovered Christmas holidays I had too much to eat, and too much salt, and my BP really spiked. So try to cut back on your salt. I think a little exercise is also important.......just walking at a good pace is good. One thing about "Whitecoat syndrome". One doctor told me once "if you get this worked up coming here, then you probably also get worked up over other things during the day"......which is probably true. If you consistently feel that your BP is too high, I would encourage you to talk to your doc about trying a different beta blocker. I really loved the Toprol. It worked on my heartrate, my BP, my anxiety, and my migraines. Again, sorry I forgot about this post! I hope things are going well for you.
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berk
Original Author
14 years ago
We do have our own BP machine at home. Mine runs around 117/80 and my husbands runs around 138/82. we both have high blood pressure and take different medicines for it. He has just started taking medicine a week or so ago.
It is so hard finding foods we both can eat! I also have high cholestrol and can't take any of the medicine and then he has , maybe diabetes, they are watching him on that one now and he will have to go take a Glucose Tolerance test real soon.
So it is hard finding foods for both of us!
oilpainter
14 years ago
I was visiting the doctor. I had an almost healed broken hip and my husband was bugging about not using my cane right. When I got into the doctor and she took my blood pressure and it was 185/85. She was concerned but I explained what was going on. She asked if I could take it at home. For 3 weeks I took my blood pressure 4 times a day always at the same times.

My blood pressure was always low in the morning and it varied throughout the day. In those 3 weeks it never went above 135/85 and was mostly lower than that. It never went out of the normal range. Your blood pressure does not stay the same all the time. It goes up or down depending on what you are doing and how you are feeling.

Any stress or argument can raise your blood pressure, but that does not mean you have high blood pressure. I had a friend who's doctor put her on blood pressure medication and she felt horrible. She went back to her doctor. They monitored her and found out the only time she had high blood pressure was on doctor's visits.

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