High Blood Pressure, Worried, What should I do?

[15514784]

Let me start out by telling you about myself, I'm a 19 year old male, diagnosed and medicated for ADHD (adderall IR 10mg x2/day), and diagnosed with Panic Disorder (unmedicated, diagnosed about 2 years ago).

My whole life I have had panic attacks here and there. Until recently, over the past few weeks, what I thought to be panic attacks have become a fairly nightly occurrence, and occasionally in the day. The attacks last about 2-3 hours. The reason I take no medication is because my doctor doesn't allow use of anti-anxiety medications with amphetamines, so I haven't brought up my recent anxiety history.

The effects of the attacks are always the same:

Sweating
Constantly changing heart rate
Heartbeat changes between soft and hard
Muscle Pains in Back/Neck
Crushing chest pain/Stabbing pain over left side
Difficulty Breathing/Feel like I'm not breathing enough
Strange sensation where I feel like I forget how to breathe (I jump up in panic)


So tonight I checked my blood pressure after my alleged anxiety attack was over and it was at 136/94 (old average: 115-130/70-85) I say old because it's been awhile.

So my question is: Can this high of a BP be anxiety related, or could these attacks and my BP be a sign of Heart Problems?

[JimmyJazz41]

Hi. Firstly, 136/94 isn't particularly high. In fact as far as the first number is concerned anything less than 140 isn't classified as being high by doctors at all. Considering you had just had an anxiety attack (which in all likelihood WOULD push up your blood pressure) I really wouldn't worry about your blood pressure.Also, Your BP would have to be consistently high for it to have any effect on your heart. Your BP isn't too bad anyway. In the past my BP has been as high as 156/94 when I've been very anxious but the last time it was checked it was 126/70. Everybody's blood pressure changes all the time depending on the time of day, how stressed we are,what we've been doing etc etc.
Whatever you do don't start obsessing about you blood pressure or you heart rate. Too many anxiety sufferers do this. I've been there myself. It's just our panicky anxious minds finding something else to attach themselves too.
You don't have a heart problem. If you're still convinced you do go to the doctor to get confirmation if it will make you feel better. Your list of anxiety symptoms are quite typical. Remind yourself that they are just symptoms of anxiety. They can be very unpleasant but that's "all" they are.

[15514784]

Checked back on my BP this morning right after waking and it was 115/68, do you think that these spikes during the anxiety attacks could potentially cause a problem?

I'm reluctant to going to the doctor since being on my parents health insurance means they get the bill, I don't want to add unnecessary expenses.

[sweetypie]

There's no way the spikes during anxiety are going to hurt you. They're very small spikes.

My Mom has to take blood pressure medication, but that's because her blood pressure high is in the 200's when she's off the medicine.

Also, when I get kidney stones, I am in a whole lot of pain, so my blood pressure spikes up really high. I remember looking at the monitor once and it being 240/160, but I didn't have a heart attack or stroke because those numbers went away when the pain went away.