Can a stressful moment cause......

[Blessed]

Very stressful at work today, went to bathroom to take blood pressure I should have waited it was 132/107 so I freaked as usual. Is it normal to spike this high when you are anxious or stressed? It went down but that can't be good should I worry or call doctor?

[onebreathatatime]

Very stressful at work today, went to bathroom to take blood pressure I should have waited it was 132/107 so I freaked as usual. Is it normal to spike this high when you are anxious or stressed? It went down but that can't be good should I worry or call doctor?

I would say don't check your blood pressure at all during stressful times.... It's bound to be high given the circumstances. Only check when you are calm that way the reading will be more accurate. If you can stop checking altogether and leave it for when you see your dr. Take deep breaths and relax!!! I have the same fears as you and sound fairly similar in the posts I have read but I realized I have to let it go and start living and you can too!

[Cobra]

Blessed, our heart rate and blood pressure constantly change throughout the day to compensate for activity, body functions, emotional reactions, stress. A momentary spike is not going to harm you. A firm hug can spike your blood pressure. Sitting down and standing up will cause bp fluctuations. Even going to the bathroom. Our bodies are much more resilient than we believe.

[Dahila]

The bp changes constantly, I am on beta blockers, and usually I am pretty good, except when I get upset, it spikes up immediately. Then I take usually ativan and check it one hour after taking. It is lower. However I had never high the second number. Before I check it. I sit down, try to calm down with some breathing, then measure it ,

[Blessed]

Thank you all for your input, this help a lot :)... Now I'm just waiting on a big truck :)

[Blessed]

So one more question and ill hush.. ... I guess I'm concerned that I want to make sure we are all on the same page, so are you all in aggreememt pretty much that its normal or acceptable or common for your blood pressure to spike to let's say 140/105 while your in a tense moment or are stressed from a meeting or someone just cut you off or ur exercising? I was always under the impression that regardless of the situation, if your bp
Rose above 120/80 it was considered high bp, no matter what you were doing? That was my concern. Thanks for your input

[Dahila]

I agree, it does spike up, but in my situation is also the age. For young, even stressed people it is too high, BP fluctuates through the day but should not stay that high. You are right BP over 120/80 is high. I am usually around 110/65 in the morning and 130/70 evening and in my age it is considered to be good. There is also things like weight, and not enough exercise to be considered, I believe the alcohol highers the bp too. 140/105 is much to high especially the second number, that high is simply dangerous.

[Blessed]

I agree, it does spike up, but in my situation is also the age. For young, even stressed people it is too high, BP fluctuates through the day but should not stay that high. You are right BP over 120/80 is high. I am usually around 110/65 in the morning and 130/70 evening and in my age it is considered to be good. There is also things like weight, and not enough exercise to be considered, I believe the alcohol highers the bp too. 140/105 is much to high especially the second number, that high is simply dangerous.

Even for a temporary spike lasting maybe 30 -60 minutes?

[sharacel91]

I think you need to ban yourself from a BP monitor because this can make your anxiety worse and feed it. Maybe try to use it less and less each day. Why don't you keep a chart of how often you use it rate your anxiety 1-10 then use it less and less but keep rating your anxiety ad well you may notice the less you use it after a while your anxiety will lower x

[Blessed]

Hmm way too calm a persons fears .

High blood pressure is consider to be over 140 on the first one . But.

Now there are many many things that are taken into account when this is read . The first would be anxiety and what is often referred to as white coat syndrome . Something that you have blessed without a doubt .

You are so convinced that your BP is a problem that the minute you think about it, let alone take it it would rise .

Think of it like this . Someone jumps out behind a door and scares you . Your BP would raise . Now what do you think that you are doing to yourself all day worrying about your BP.

You know how you know its anxiety ? Because you are worried about it . If it was not anxiety then you would simply address it and fix it . Its the worry thats anxiety .

There is also many many factors that play into high BP such as weight , stress levels , activate . The first thing a good doctor would do would look at these and tell you what you must do to fix them and get your BP down . Lose weight , destress , start walking , change diet etc etc .

BP changes often and fast . Throughout the day for many different reasons it will change . A person that is 20kg over weight could lose 10 kgs and their level would lower . Just as a person under stress could address that stress and theirs would lower . I am guessing that pregnancy is another that plays into it . I know my wife was put in hospital with high BP in the last few weeks of our second daughters birth bu has never had a problem with high BP.

Is you BP high ? Well yes it is but is it simply dangerous, no . It is simply a indication that something is effecting that blood pressure and needs address . Just as a huge person would be told to go lose weight i am sure that your doctor would be looking at it and telling you that you must do something about your anxiety and stress levels . I would be shocked if your BP was not up with your anxiety . In fact considering just how anxious this makes you i think it pretty good to be on the high side of normal .

You know the problem with anxiety and many medical problems is they are seen as problem . They are often not so much problems but indications that something is a miss and needs addressing . When these things are address then the body returns to a better level. If they cant be address then there is plenty of drugs that can help .

I am guessing your doctor has not addressed this simply because she sees it as not a problem but the anxiety as the problem which is feeding it and it is this that needs addressing . Lets face it if a doctor was to give you a pill for every anxiety symptoms we would all rattle when we walked . :)

Thank you, this has calmed me down and helped me understand. Yes as you can tell , I take stuff way to literally which is not good when ur jacked up on anxiety all the time.

[Dahila]

I check it only when I get headache and I feel that is going up. Otherwise it is in the drawer. Blessed I do not know for sure, but my psychiatrist told me that panic attack will higher BP but for a short time, then it goes down. I put a lot of attention on BP to be sure that the heaviness in my chest is bp not panic attack, it feels the same to me. I think saracell you should check it with doc. I think you are like 23 years old and the spiking is not normal:)

[Stephj526]

When my anxiety is high, so is my blood pressure. I'm only 28, and typically have 105/65 blood pressure (and take beta blockers). When I freak out though, I've seen numbers like 140/100. It scared the shit out of me, but then it went back down and I relaxed.
I agree though, stop taking it all the time. I used to check it all day, and freak out about little changes. But it's normal for changes, otherwise we wouldn't be able to function and move when we need to.

[Dahila]

When my anxiety is high, so is my blood pressure. I'm only 28, and typically have 105/65 blood pressure (and take beta blockers). When I freak out though, I've seen numbers like 140/100. It scared the shit out of me, but then it went back down and I relaxed.
I agree though, stop taking it all the time. I used to check it all day, and freak out about little changes. But it's normal for changes, otherwise we wouldn't be able to function and move when we need to.
I would probably go to ER with the number 140/100 , it scares me too. It is like a whole you got into and as soon as you think you out, you are in it again. I hope you understand what I am trying to say. Sometimes it is difficult to express myself in English, however beautiful it is:)

[Bam77]

Mine goes way higher than that during high anxiety and panic. Im still here and kicking. I do agree that you need to toss that bp monitor. Its feeding your anxiety. I threw mine away and have felt a ton better.

[Blessed]

Mine goes way higher than that during high anxiety and panic. Im still here and kicking. I do agree that you need to toss that bp monitor. Its feeding your anxiety. I threw mine away and have felt a ton better.

I do good for a few days not checking it, then I think oh I'm calm lets see how good im doing.... WRONG!!! I checked it today (and I should leave well enough alone) , it was 135/85, I thought that's to high to be calm....then I freak. Check it again its 141/94, geeee I wonder why? Then again 135/94, finally 129/85. You would think me getting made fun of at work for being a hypochondriac would help me to stop this nonsense. My machine has been taken away, this is a coworkers machine. I WANT TO STOP THIS INSANITY IMMEDIATELY. I'm just worried that if I don't get a good reading or if I don't check it at all I may miss something important. So for the love of all mankind PLEASE TELL ME THE STEPS I NEED TO TAKE TO STOP CHECKING MY BP ALL THE TIME THIS IS NUTS.

[antcee72]

Give the bp machine back to your co-worker. You are fine :)

[Ritch]

I agree with the advice everyone has given, stay away from the BP machines.

I understand the worrying thought of needing to check it all the time, but it is just feeding the cycle. Your worrying thoughts about your BP are just that... thoughts. They will come and go they are transient. I honestly think that if you can manage to keep away from the BP machines you will slowly be able to confidently tell yourself you have not missed anything important because you are fine :)

[Blessed]

Thanks to everyone for their advise , I'm making it a goal to stop with the BP machine. I have to!!!!