Blood Pressure Freak Out

[Aquila]

I give blood pretty regularly, and usually when I go, my blood pressure is between 110-120 over 60-70, in there.

Today it was 140/94.

I'm sort of freaked out, because that seems really high.

I thought about calling to make an appointment with my doctor, but...

I feel like a total failure. I ride 80+ miles most weeks, but yes, I'm overweight, and not having any success losing. And I eat too many sweets, but I don't smoke. And I rarely drink and not much when I do. But I'm feeling like a total failure. And scared.

What say you? Should I make an appointment, or take it as an anomoly (sp?) and wait 8 weeks or so until the next time I'm eligible to give blood?

Thanks. I'm really way too upset about this to make good sense of it.

[channlluv]

I fought long and hard to manage my blood pressure with diet and exercise, to no avail. I just didn't want to be depending on pharmaceuticals for anything, but I was having trouble with sudden headaches when I'd climb hills and things like that. Any exertion would lead to a quick headache that would abate almost immediately when I stopped whatever I was doing.

I ended up in Urgent Care with the worst headache of my life. I thought I was having a stroke or something, but they put me on meds for blood pressure, and within a couple of days, it was back under control, and my activity level has improved immensely.

Call your doctor. It may just be a blip. Maybe you ate something really salty the day before or something as simple as that, but blood pressure is nothing you want to ignore.

Good luck.

Roxy

[Jolt]

It's a good idea to call your doctor just to be on the safe side. It certainly could just be a "blip" so try not to freak out too much. Did you drink a lot of coffee before that reading? That can definitely send your BP up if you're not used to it (at least it does mine, as I discovered at a visit to the doctor after a morning where I had two cups).

[ny biker]

The consequences of untreated high blood pressure are extremely serious. I would definitely have it checked out, just to make sure everything is okay. But if you consistently see lower numbers then it probably is just an anomaly.

[katluvr]

I recently had a "blip" at my last visit. And I never have had it elevated. Yes, I drink caffiene and before the visit.
Second visit it was still above my norm, but not bad --yet--
But I have since then done a BP in a more relaxed environment (luckily I work at a hospital)...but you can also do it at the local drug store. Do it when you are relaxed and see if that makes a diff. (Not that I am saying don't go to your doc, but maybe check it out to see if it truly is a blip)

[Tuckervill]

I had a few weeks of high BP last year, and I successfully brought it down with diet and exercise. It was during an intense stress phase of the baseball season (I run a league) and I believe that is more the cause than anything. I monitored it regularly, and that helped me feel better than anything--knowing I could control it just by relaxing and relieving stress helps me keep it down, too.

Now my husband is on BP meds. They told him not to monitor it, but I think he should at least MANAGE it, which I would think would mean checking it periodically. He does go in for a BP check at the doctor's office regularly.

I'll be working on my BP for the rest of my life. Get it checked.

Karen

[tulip]

Why in the world wouldn't you get it checked? Sticking your head in the sand doesn't help anything. Not to mention that being proactive and taking action is very empowering