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blood pressure
Old 01-26-2018, 09:25 AM   #1
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blood pressure

I'm sure this thread has been around but I am pretty much in the white coat syndrome when it comes to having my blood pressure tested at a doctors office. What I find interesting is that I have read that blood pressure in the morning when one wakes up is usually higher and then lower in the evening when tested before one goes to bed. For me my readings in the morning are lower and in range but when I take it at night it is sky high. I don't know what gives. Anybody else fit this dilemna.
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Old 01-26-2018, 09:44 AM   #2
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I measure my BP everyday at home but am not too good at doing it the same time every day, however I do record the time and results on a spreadsheet. I can see no correlation between the time of day and the bp results. The high number is usually between 130 and 150 while the low number is usually between 70 and 90 but rarely >90. It has been like that for years and I’ve discussed it with my doctor in the US and here in England. Their view is to keep monitoring and maintain a healthy lifestyle which is fine by me, I don’t want to be on drugs if I don’t have to be.

Just taken it now for the for the first time today at 16:45 and it is 133/73 after recently coming in from a 3 mile walk.
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Old 01-26-2018, 09:57 AM   #3
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I also do aerobics and find my bp to be excellent afterward. And generally pretty good in the morning overall but for some reason it is like 175/95 sometimes right before bed. It's pretty frustrating. I think I may have some kind of mental block that I am doomed to a highter reading at night.
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Old 01-26-2018, 10:00 AM   #4
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What does sky high mean?
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Old 01-26-2018, 10:24 AM   #5
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Mine is always high in the morning (~135/85) and lower in the evening (~120/75). I take my blood pressure medication in the morning. And yes, it's always high in the doctor's office. I always bring him a printout of my spreadsheet. He's happy with that data and is unconcerned about the day-vs-night range.
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Old 01-26-2018, 10:38 AM   #6
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What does sky high mean?
For me for some odd reason it is in the low 130/80's in morning and then can go as high as 175/95 at night. Doesn't make sense to me but it must be something mental...not sure.
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Old 01-26-2018, 11:23 AM   #7
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Around 140/90 in the morning and 120/75 in the afternoon on, I googled why and it has something to do with sleep patterns
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Old 01-26-2018, 01:18 PM   #8
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My average in the morning with no workout prior is ~135/85.
My average in the morning 30 minutes after a moderate workout ~126/78.
Not sure if that means working out makes me healthier, but there is a definite short term correlation to lower bp after exercise.
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Old 01-26-2018, 01:32 PM   #9
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I've noticed my BP is lower when I haven't eaten. Like last week when I had a doctor appointment in the morning, and didn't have breakfast first (but did drink coffee), it was 90/62 at the doctor's office. I usually measure it in the evening, and typically it's in the 10X to 11X/6X range.
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Old 01-26-2018, 02:38 PM   #10
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My BP is low in the morning before I've eaten anything. This morning: 96/56. Whenever I get up, I sit up first, then I make sure to hold onto the wardrobe as I stand up.

It is also low after bike riding and I've sweated alot. During exercise, it is higher because my heart is pumping hard which I think stretches out my arteries, so when I've relaxed about 30 minutes after exercise like right now, BP is 111/67.

Other times of the day, BP is about about 120/70.
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Old 01-26-2018, 02:50 PM   #11
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I would visit a doctor and tell him. I think you need B/P meds. Those last numbers are too high. Cheers
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Old 01-26-2018, 04:18 PM   #12
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I would visit a doctor and tell him. I think you need B/P meds. Those last numbers are too high. Cheers
If you are saying 120/70 is too high? I don't think so.
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Old 01-26-2018, 04:20 PM   #13
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For me for some odd reason it is in the low 130/80's in morning and then can go as high as 175/95 at night. Doesn't make sense to me but it must be something mental...not sure.
I think the "high" refers to 175/95. I don't think this is mental. Get it checked out by a physician.

It is well known that people try to come up with one-time low numbers and then rationalize that they are OK, when they are not.
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Old 01-26-2018, 04:25 PM   #14
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The recommendation I have read is that you should have been awake for an hour and wait 1/2 hour after you eat. Sit quietly for 10 minutes. Also make sure your arm is at heart level. Sit in chair with back support and both feet flat on floor. Do not speak or move.

The Doc said to check at various times during the day. They want your BP to be reasonable all day. So take maybe one reading at different times each day.

I've been checking this out recently. What I find for myself:

1) BP is elevated when dressed but before breakfast.
2) BP is more normal after breakfast (taken 1 hour after breakfast)
3) BP is elevated if I drink 2 cup measures of strong coffee with breakfast
4) BP is OK with 1 to 1.5 cup measures of strong coffee with breakfast

I used to drink up to 3 cup measures of coffee.
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Old 01-27-2018, 07:30 AM   #15
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Sometimes my blood pressure spikes up to 170 / 95 ish, which is alarming. I take my bp readings at the drug store test machines, and I think they are accurate. Usually, though, the bp is around 128 / 85. A good thing ( I guess) is that whenever I take my bp after having anywhere from one to four beers, the bp is nice and low, as in 117 / 75 and sometimes even lower than that. I haven't nailed down any particular cause for the high bp incidents. My bp is almost always a bit high at the doctor's office, like 140 / 90. White coat syndrome, perhaps. I don't want to go an any meds. The term for my 'condition' is 'episodic hypertension'. My doctor isn't suggesting any meds (but then I haven't told him about the high occasional bp readings).
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Old 01-28-2018, 05:24 AM   #16
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I will tell everyone what I went though on this issue. I had the same type reading when I was in my 50's. I ignored it and told myself it was not a problem.

I argued with doctors telling them it was only high when I would come in. That was not the case I found out later.

The high reading I had did damage to my Kidneys and probably caused the peripheral arterial disease I now have.

With medication for the last 10 years my B/P is now under control. No side effects which I know many wonder about, especially men

I will be 71 this year and my blood pressure is always normal.
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Old 01-28-2018, 05:34 AM   #17
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If you are saying 120/70 is too high? I don't think so.
I was replying to the ripper1. He never said his B/P was 120/70 so what did I miss here.
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Old 01-28-2018, 06:56 AM   #18
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ripper, perhaps you are watching too much evening news What beverages/foods/snacks do you consume during the day and early evening. Possibly too much caffein or salt?

My pressure is always pretty good < 120/80, but it does hit its lowest numbers at night.
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Old 01-28-2018, 07:02 AM   #19
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I was replying to the ripper1. He never said his B/P was 120/70 so what did I miss here.
Yes, sorry about that. Your reply appeared right after LOL's post so I thought it was referring to that one.

And I agree with your advice to ripper1.
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Old 01-28-2018, 07:04 AM   #20
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I have read a lot on Blood Pressure and I am not happy with many who give advice on this one. Yes, when I weighed a whole lot more and was not exercising, my BP was 140/90. Now that I am improving, my average reading on my $69 Omron is 120/80. This is over about 100 readings in 1 - 2 years.

Seems like every medical provider has a BP test machine and wants to use it. Example: Went to have a root canal. My BP was 160/95. They did their "OMG" routine. I said "You didn't expect it to be this high right before a root canal?"

One time some idiot took my BP and it was 120/80. She gave me a sad look about my high BP. I commented that 120/80 was normal. She said the new standards were to be below 120/80 and I needed to lower that. It took much will power for me to keep my mouth shut.

I believe there are people with untreated hypertension. They need to do something about that. But, I believe that we are going towards putting everyone on BP meds, just in case, regardless of BP. I am not in favor of this.

Thank you for allowing me to rant.
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