Blood Pressure Question

Wonder if anyone can help me out. Last time I was at the doctor's
office my blood pressure was 144/90. I usually stress out when I go
to the doctor, and he didn't say anything, plus my blood pressure has
always been in the 120/80 range, so I didn't think much of it.

Today though, I was at the grocery store and saw one of those
machines, tried it out and had some odd results. Tested it twice more
today and it got even weirder. Let me give you a rundown of my day
with any possible factor before I ask my question...

6:00 Woke up
6:15 Got and drank a small coffee from McDonalds and a glass of water
6:30 - 7:30 went to gym, did 30 mins cardio and 30 mins heavy lifting
8:30 Drank Venti Triple Breve from Starbucks
10:15 Was in grocery store. Checked BP Was 159/93. Freaked out.
Drove to another grocery store.
10:30 Checked at another grocery store.. Was 154/94. Went back to
work
Just now: Went to grocery store to pick up a coffee, tested again,
122/84.

Ok so during the course of the day, I had a 40/10 BP fluctuation, from
high to normal. Since I know historically that high BP has not been a
problem for me, what do you think is the likely culprit in such
elevated morning readings? There are 3 factors based on my day that I
can think of. Caffeine, Exercise, and Dehydration, since I didnt
drink much water this morning, only coffee.

Does anyone know which if any of these factors can give very elevated
BP measurements? I thought that exercise LOWERED BP, and I had never
heard of caffeine being a problem, usually they say avoid salt. If I
was dehydrated it was only slightly, so I wonder if that could be a
cause? Any experts here?

Ill continue to monitor this and make sure it wasnt a one time thing.
If this is happening to me every morning though, is having a BP like
that for a few hours per day particularly dangerous, or is high BP
only a problem if it is constant?

I won't give up working out, but I would consider switching to decaf
coffee if it is affecting my health in an adverse way. I wouldnt even
ask, as I see my doctor in a few weeks, but I get concerned about
these things as I do have high cholesterol and am overweight and get
worried about any additional risk factors that could cause me to keel
over one day

"Mekrath" wrote in message
om...
| Wonder if anyone can help me out. Last time I was at the doctor's
| office my blood pressure was 144/90. I usually stress out when I go
| to the doctor, and he didn't say anything, plus my blood pressure has
| always been in the 120/80 range, so I didn't think much of it.
|
| Today though, I was at the grocery store and saw one of those
| machines, tried it out and had some odd results. Tested it twice more
| today and it got even weirder. Let me give you a rundown of my day
| with any possible factor before I ask my question...
|
| 6:00 Woke up
| 6:15 Got and drank a small coffee from McDonalds and a glass of water
| 6:30 - 7:30 went to gym, did 30 mins cardio and 30 mins heavy lifting
| 8:30 Drank Venti Triple Breve from Starbucks
| 10:15 Was in grocery store. Checked BP Was 159/93. Freaked out.
| Drove to another grocery store.
| 10:30 Checked at another grocery store.. Was 154/94. Went back to
| work
| Just now: Went to grocery store to pick up a coffee, tested again,
| 122/84.
|
| Ok so during the course of the day, I had a 40/10 BP fluctuation, from
| high to normal. Since I know historically that high BP has not been a
| problem for me, what do you think is the likely culprit in such
| elevated morning readings? There are 3 factors based on my day that I
| can think of. Caffeine, Exercise, and Dehydration, since I didnt
| drink much water this morning, only coffee.
|
| Does anyone know which if any of these factors can give very elevated
| BP measurements? I thought that exercise LOWERED BP, and I had never
| heard of caffeine being a problem, usually they say avoid salt. If I
| was dehydrated it was only slightly, so I wonder if that could be a
| cause? Any experts here?
|
| Ill continue to monitor this and make sure it wasnt a one time thing.
| If this is happening to me every morning though, is having a BP like
| that for a few hours per day particularly dangerous, or is high BP
| only a problem if it is constant?
|
| I won't give up working out, but I would consider switching to decaf
| coffee if it is affecting my health in an adverse way. I wouldnt even
| ask, as I see my doctor in a few weeks, but I get concerned about
| these things as I do have high cholesterol and am overweight and get
| worried about any additional risk factors that could cause me to keel
| over one day

Mekrath,
Dehydration will generally cause your pulse to go up and b/p to come down.
Caffeine is a stimulant and can cause falsely elevated readings if the b/p
is taken to close to consumption. From your commentary, I would guess that
your drink of choice throughout the day is coffee. If so, consider cutting
back. Weight is the greatest factor and your biggest enemy. Are you
diabetic? Diabetes can be a precursor to an enormous amount of different
health problems, the majority of which include elevated b/p as one of their
symptoms. An occasional elevated b/p in and of itself is generally nothing
to be concerned about, especially if you can relate it to an event i.e.:
just finished exercising, induction of stimulants (coffee), anxiety.
Exercise has great potential in lowering your normal b/p over the long haul;
during exercise and for a short time afterwards, the b/p and pulse increase
to supply the increased demand of oxygen from your vital organs, this
generally settles down fairly soon and should not be a factor for b/p
testing later in the day. Chronic high b/p is a big problem and OVERTIME,
can/will lead to pulmonary problems, heart problems, kidney problems, and
stroke.

Definitely get a consultation from your doctor. Here is my two bits of
advice until you see your doctor in a few weeks:
1) Cut way back on your caffeine intake. Pick a stop time in the morning
and don't drink caffeine after that. (I know, I'm a coffee lover too.
2) Get a small spiral notepad, and an inexpensive b/p cuff set. They
usually sell these at most drug stores.
3) Pick a convenient time for you to sit down and document (morning &
evening) your: b/p, time of reading, meds taken with the last hour, activity
within the last hour.
4) Take this information to your doctor on your next appointment. He will
then have something to look at and see if there is any kind of pattern that
needs to be further investigated.

Hope this helps,
Chris B.
(kidney dialysis, registered nurse)

Did you sit down and rest for a couple of minutes before taking the blood
pressure at the store? Your BP will be elevated some when you are active.

"Mekrath" wrote in message
om...
Wonder if anyone can help me out. Last time I was at the doctor's
office my blood pressure was 144/90. I usually stress out when I go
to the doctor, and he didn't say anything, plus my blood pressure has
always been in the 120/80 range, so I didn't think much of it.

Today though, I was at the grocery store and saw one of those
machines, tried it out and had some odd results. Tested it twice more
today and it got even weirder. Let me give you a rundown of my day
with any possible factor before I ask my question...

6:00 Woke up
6:15 Got and drank a small coffee from McDonalds and a glass of water
6:30 - 7:30 went to gym, did 30 mins cardio and 30 mins heavy lifting
8:30 Drank Venti Triple Breve from Starbucks
10:15 Was in grocery store. Checked BP Was 159/93. Freaked out.
Drove to another grocery store.
10:30 Checked at another grocery store.. Was 154/94. Went back to
work
Just now: Went to grocery store to pick up a coffee, tested again,
122/84.

Ok so during the course of the day, I had a 40/10 BP fluctuation, from
high to normal. Since I know historically that high BP has not been a
problem for me, what do you think is the likely culprit in such
elevated morning readings? There are 3 factors based on my day that I
can think of. Caffeine, Exercise, and Dehydration, since I didnt
drink much water this morning, only coffee.

Does anyone know which if any of these factors can give very elevated
BP measurements? I thought that exercise LOWERED BP, and I had never
heard of caffeine being a problem, usually they say avoid salt. If I
was dehydrated it was only slightly, so I wonder if that could be a
cause? Any experts here?

Ill continue to monitor this and make sure it wasnt a one time thing.
If this is happening to me every morning though, is having a BP like
that for a few hours per day particularly dangerous, or is high BP
only a problem if it is constant?

I won't give up working out, but I would consider switching to decaf
coffee if it is affecting my health in an adverse way. I wouldnt even
ask, as I see my doctor in a few weeks, but I get concerned about
these things as I do have high cholesterol and am overweight and get
worried about any additional risk factors that could cause me to keel
over one day

The in-store machines may not be accurate. You can get different readings
from them depending on how you put your arm into the thing. They also might
have a cuff size which is wrong for your arm.

Also, your BP can vary enormously through the day for a variety of reasons.
There is no reason to expect it to be a constant.

Duffy

"Chris B" wrote in message
...

"Mekrath" wrote in message
om...
| Wonder if anyone can help me out. Last time I was at the doctor's
| office my blood pressure was 144/90. I usually stress out when I go
| to the doctor, and he didn't say anything, plus my blood pressure has
| always been in the 120/80 range, so I didn't think much of it.
|
| Today though, I was at the grocery store and saw one of those
| machines, tried it out and had some odd results. Tested it twice more
| today and it got even weirder. Let me give you a rundown of my day
| with any possible factor before I ask my question...
|
| 6:00 Woke up
| 6:15 Got and drank a small coffee from McDonalds and a glass of water
| 6:30 - 7:30 went to gym, did 30 mins cardio and 30 mins heavy lifting
| 8:30 Drank Venti Triple Breve from Starbucks
| 10:15 Was in grocery store. Checked BP Was 159/93. Freaked out.
| Drove to another grocery store.
| 10:30 Checked at another grocery store.. Was 154/94. Went back to
| work
| Just now: Went to grocery store to pick up a coffee, tested again,
| 122/84.
|
| Ok so during the course of the day, I had a 40/10 BP fluctuation, from
| high to normal. Since I know historically that high BP has not been a
| problem for me, what do you think is the likely culprit in such
| elevated morning readings? There are 3 factors based on my day that I
| can think of. Caffeine, Exercise, and Dehydration, since I didnt
| drink much water this morning, only coffee.
|
| Does anyone know which if any of these factors can give very elevated
| BP measurements? I thought that exercise LOWERED BP, and I had never
| heard of caffeine being a problem, usually they say avoid salt. If I
| was dehydrated it was only slightly, so I wonder if that could be a
| cause? Any experts here?
|
| Ill continue to monitor this and make sure it wasnt a one time thing.
| If this is happening to me every morning though, is having a BP like
| that for a few hours per day particularly dangerous, or is high BP
| only a problem if it is constant?
|
| I won't give up working out, but I would consider switching to decaf
| coffee if it is affecting my health in an adverse way. I wouldnt even
| ask, as I see my doctor in a few weeks, but I get concerned about
| these things as I do have high cholesterol and am overweight and get
| worried about any additional risk factors that could cause me to keel
| over one day

Mekrath,
Dehydration will generally cause your pulse to go up and b/p to come down.
Caffeine is a stimulant and can cause falsely elevated readings if the b/p
is taken to close to consumption. From your commentary, I would guess
that
your drink of choice throughout the day is coffee. If so, consider
cutting
back. Weight is the greatest factor and your biggest enemy. Are you
diabetic? Diabetes can be a precursor to an enormous amount of different
health problems, the majority of which include elevated b/p as one of
their
symptoms. An occasional elevated b/p in and of itself is generally
nothing
to be concerned about, especially if you can relate it to an event i.e.:
just finished exercising, induction of stimulants (coffee), anxiety.
Exercise has great potential in lowering your normal b/p over the long
haul;
during exercise and for a short time afterwards, the b/p and pulse
increase
to supply the increased demand of oxygen from your vital organs, this
generally settles down fairly soon and should not be a factor for b/p
testing later in the day. Chronic high b/p is a big problem and OVERTIME,
can/will lead to pulmonary problems, heart problems, kidney problems, and
stroke.

Definitely get a consultation from your doctor. Here is my two bits of
advice until you see your doctor in a few weeks:
1) Cut way back on your caffeine intake. Pick a stop time in the morning
and don't drink caffeine after that. (I know, I'm a coffee lover too.
2) Get a small spiral notepad, and an inexpensive b/p cuff set. They
usually sell these at most drug stores.
3) Pick a convenient time for you to sit down and document (morning &
evening) your: b/p, time of reading, meds taken with the last hour,
activity
within the last hour.
4) Take this information to your doctor on your next appointment. He
will
then have something to look at and see if there is any kind of pattern
that
needs to be further investigated.

Hope this helps,
Chris B.
(kidney dialysis, registered nurse)

I had similar experiences to yours years ago and took advice like what you
see here to talk myself out of worrying about a high blood pressure problem.
Eventually my blood pressure soared to 180/110 and I had to take it
seriously.

Blood pressure rises when you exercise. The idea that exercise lowers blood
pressure comes from the fact that pursuing an exercise program, over time,
may cause your average resting blood pressure to go down. During exercise
sessions it does go up. However, it's worth mentioning that many of the
things that supposedly lower blood pressure only lower it by a very small
amount--less than 10 units (from 150/90 to 140/90 say.)

Untreated high blood pressure leads to heart disease, kidney failure and
stroke. If you are having transient readings in the 150s it is time to see
a doctor.

Also, my experience with the store machines is that they are a lot more
accurate than people would like to believe. I bought a home machine and
check it against the store machines. It is true that your blood pressure
will be higher when you are running around shopping, but now that I'm on
medication that controls my high blood pressure, I never see a reading over
125/80 when I measure my blood pressure at the grocery store either.

Finally, though many people see their blood pressure normalize while they
are low carbing some of us, particularly those of us over 50, do not.

-- Jenny

168.5/137

Low Carb 9/1998 - 8/2001 and 11/10/02 - Now

http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean
How to calculate your need for protein * How much people really lose each
month * Water Weight Gain & Loss * The "Two Gram Cure" for Hunger Cravings
* Characteristics of Successful Dieters * Indispensible Low Carb Treats *
Should You Count that Low Impact Carb? * Curing Ketobreath * Exercise
Starting from Zero * NEW! Do Starch Blockers Work?


"Mekrath" wrote in message
om...
Wonder if anyone can help me out. Last time I was at the doctor's
office my blood pressure was 144/90. I usually stress out when I go
to the doctor, and he didn't say anything, plus my blood pressure has
always been in the 120/80 range, so I didn't think much of it.

Today though, I was at the grocery store and saw one of those
machines, tried it out and had some odd results. Tested it twice more
today and it got even weirder. Let me give you a rundown of my day
with any possible factor before I ask my question...

6:00 Woke up
6:15 Got and drank a small coffee from McDonalds and a glass of water
6:30 - 7:30 went to gym, did 30 mins cardio and 30 mins heavy lifting
8:30 Drank Venti Triple Breve from Starbucks
10:15 Was in grocery store. Checked BP Was 159/93. Freaked out.
Drove to another grocery store.
10:30 Checked at another grocery store.. Was 154/94. Went back to
work
Just now: Went to grocery store to pick up a coffee, tested again,
122/84.

Ok so during the course of the day, I had a 40/10 BP fluctuation, from
high to normal. Since I know historically that high BP has not been a
problem for me, what do you think is the likely culprit in such
elevated morning readings? There are 3 factors based on my day that I
can think of. Caffeine, Exercise, and Dehydration, since I didnt
drink much water this morning, only coffee.

Does anyone know which if any of these factors can give very elevated
BP measurements? I thought that exercise LOWERED BP, and I had never
heard of caffeine being a problem, usually they say avoid salt. If I
was dehydrated it was only slightly, so I wonder if that could be a
cause? Any experts here?

Ill continue to monitor this and make sure it wasnt a one time thing.
If this is happening to me every morning though, is having a BP like
that for a few hours per day particularly dangerous, or is high BP
only a problem if it is constant?

I won't give up working out, but I would consider switching to decaf
coffee if it is affecting my health in an adverse way. I wouldnt even
ask, as I see my doctor in a few weeks, but I get concerned about
these things as I do have high cholesterol and am overweight and get
worried about any additional risk factors that could cause me to keel
over one day

I've also found the free machines to be pretty close and consistent
with actual cuff readings. But I think it helps to have a machine or
two that you know is consistent with your other readings.

If you're concerned about high blood pressure, I'd get a traditional
cuff unit. They are inexpensive and generally accurate when used
correctly.

I've found my readings are lower a few hours after excercise.






"Jenny" wrote in message ...
I had similar experiences to yours years ago and took advice like what you
see here to talk myself out of worrying about a high blood pressure problem.
Eventually my blood pressure soared to 180/110 and I had to take it
seriously.

Blood pressure rises when you exercise. The idea that exercise lowers blood
pressure comes from the fact that pursuing an exercise program, over time,
may cause your average resting blood pressure to go down. During exercise
sessions it does go up. However, it's worth mentioning that many of the
things that supposedly lower blood pressure only lower it by a very small
amount--less than 10 units (from 150/90 to 140/90 say.)

Untreated high blood pressure leads to heart disease, kidney failure and
stroke. If you are having transient readings in the 150s it is time to see
a doctor.

Also, my experience with the store machines is that they are a lot more
accurate than people would like to believe. I bought a home machine and
check it against the store machines. It is true that your blood pressure
will be higher when you are running around shopping, but now that I'm on
medication that controls my high blood pressure, I never see a reading over
125/80 when I measure my blood pressure at the grocery store either.

Finally, though many people see their blood pressure normalize while they
are low carbing some of us, particularly those of us over 50, do not.

-- Jenny

168.5/137

Low Carb 9/1998 - 8/2001 and 11/10/02 - Now

http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean
How to calculate your need for protein * How much people really lose each
month * Water Weight Gain & Loss * The "Two Gram Cure" for Hunger Cravings
* Characteristics of Successful Dieters * Indispensible Low Carb Treats *
Should You Count that Low Impact Carb? * Curing Ketobreath * Exercise
Starting from Zero * NEW! Do Starch Blockers Work?


"Mekrath" wrote in message
om...
Wonder if anyone can help me out. Last time I was at the doctor's
office my blood pressure was 144/90. I usually stress out when I go
to the doctor, and he didn't say anything, plus my blood pressure has
always been in the 120/80 range, so I didn't think much of it.

Today though, I was at the grocery store and saw one of those
machines, tried it out and had some odd results. Tested it twice more
today and it got even weirder. Let me give you a rundown of my day
with any possible factor before I ask my question...

6:00 Woke up
6:15 Got and drank a small coffee from McDonalds and a glass of water
6:30 - 7:30 went to gym, did 30 mins cardio and 30 mins heavy lifting
8:30 Drank Venti Triple Breve from Starbucks
10:15 Was in grocery store. Checked BP Was 159/93. Freaked out.
Drove to another grocery store.
10:30 Checked at another grocery store.. Was 154/94. Went back to
work
Just now: Went to grocery store to pick up a coffee, tested again,
122/84.

Ok so during the course of the day, I had a 40/10 BP fluctuation, from
high to normal. Since I know historically that high BP has not been a
problem for me, what do you think is the likely culprit in such
elevated morning readings? There are 3 factors based on my day that I
can think of. Caffeine, Exercise, and Dehydration, since I didnt
drink much water this morning, only coffee.

Does anyone know which if any of these factors can give very elevated
BP measurements? I thought that exercise LOWERED BP, and I had never
heard of caffeine being a problem, usually they say avoid salt. If I
was dehydrated it was only slightly, so I wonder if that could be a
cause? Any experts here?

Ill continue to monitor this and make sure it wasnt a one time thing.
If this is happening to me every morning though, is having a BP like
that for a few hours per day particularly dangerous, or is high BP
only a problem if it is constant?

I won't give up working out, but I would consider switching to decaf
coffee if it is affecting my health in an adverse way. I wouldnt even
ask, as I see my doctor in a few weeks, but I get concerned about
these things as I do have high cholesterol and am overweight and get
worried about any additional risk factors that could cause me to keel
over one day