# I'm really concerned about my blood pressure.



## Sanandreas818 (Nov 30, 2012)

I went to a Pharmacy today and they checked my blood pressure on my right arm and it was 150/110. He checked it on my left arm next to see if it would be any lower but it was about 20 points higher! 

I thought I was doing ever thing right. I lost nearly 50 pounds and my blood pressure is even higher than before when it should be the opposite. What am I doing wrong? This shouldn't be a normal blood pressure for an 18 years old


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## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

Check your blood pressure at noon.

Alcohol rebound can cause severely high blood pressure.

Smoking and Caffeine can acutely raise blood pressure. 

Sit for a minute or 5 and don't move or talk well taking it.

Calcium can raise blood pressure.

Also food allergies can raise blood pressure.

High blood sugar can. Low blood sugar can.

Too much salt or not enough potassium.

Too much fat in a single meal can.

Being overweight can.

Losing 20lb can lower blood pressure by 10/5 points.

Glutin and Dairy free diet lowered mine.


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## Flace (Oct 7, 2013)

if u lost enough weight.

there is only 1 thing.

sodium. aka salt.

otherwise its ur gene.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Sanandreas818 said:


> I lost nearly 50 pounds and my blood pressure is even higher than before when it should be the opposite. What am I doing wrong?


You have me stumped. I saw an estimate that 3 out of 4 cases of high blood pressure are the result of excess weight, which sounds right to me. I have high blood pressure, but it goes back to normal if I lose enough weight. Like you, I'd certainly expect a major weight loss -- like 50# -- to substantially lower blood pressure. I don't know how someone so young who's lost so much could possibly have blood pressure that high. Caffeine and salt were listed above as possible culprits, but I can't imagine how they could raise it as high as what you got.


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## Zack (Apr 20, 2013)

I heard anxiety can cause high blood pressure. Has anyone considered that?


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## Flace (Oct 7, 2013)

Not just possible culprites. Sodium or salt, is the direct link to hypertension.

Same with caffeine and smoking... but caffeine and smoking is more short term. It settles down in a few hours after you stop the coffee or cigarette. Salt in another case, does serious damage.

I remember once i was schedule for my bloodpressure check up in the morning. Before going, say 3 hours before, i ate alot of salty stuff and smoked many sticks of cigarette + no sleep for the whole day. During the check up my bloodpressure shot so much my doctor was stunned.

And physically my heart hurts. The kind where you feel your heart is pumping so hard it's beating the walls around it. Head throbbing + headache... 

I never did such a combo again.


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## Flace (Oct 7, 2013)

Steve-300 said:


> I heard anxiety can cause high blood pressure. Has anyone considered that?


or rather white robe syndrome. its when people get nervous with doctors around.


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## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

If salt the problem. Going to a sauna everyday can help get rid of it. Plus try reducing salt intake of course. Upping potassium intake can help to. Lots of potatos.

Sauna may be bad for you if your bloodpressure is super high when you go in.

I was getting readings of 125/65 115/75 after sauna for 40 mins was tired out after that.


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## LoungeFly (Jun 25, 2011)

Steve-300 said:


> I heard anxiety can cause high blood pressure. Has anyone considered that?


absolutely. When I was about to have a wisdom tooth removed it was 180's over.....forgot the bottom number.


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## Sanandreas818 (Nov 30, 2012)

UltraShy said:


> You have me stumped. I saw an estimate that 3 out of 4 cases of high blood pressure are the result of excess weight, which sounds right to me. I have high blood pressure, but it goes back to normal if I lose enough weight. Like you, I'd certainly expect a major weight loss -- like 50# -- to substantially lower blood pressure. I don't know how someone so young who's lost so much could possibly have blood pressure that high. Caffeine and salt were listed above as possible culprits, but I can't imagine how they could raise it as high as what you got.


Quick update. I went to the doctor and they checked it and it was around 147/90. The doctor said it wasn't really a cause for concern. Oh, and if it helps any I'm 6'1 and about 278 pounds. A couple of months ago I was over 300 pounds.


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## Sanandreas818 (Nov 30, 2012)

Flace said:


> Not just possible culprites. Sodium or salt, is the direct link to hypertension.
> 
> Same with caffeine and smoking... but caffeine and smoking is more short term. It settles down in a few hours after you stop the coffee or cigarette. Salt in another case, does serious damage.
> 
> ...


Quick update. I went to the doctor and they checked it and it was around 147/90. The doctor said it wasn't really a cause for concern. Oh, and if it helps any I'm 6'1 and about 278 pounds. A couple of months ago I was over 300 pounds.


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## GotAnxiety (Oct 14, 2011)

Sanandreas818 said:


> Quick update. I went to the doctor and they checked it and it was around 147/90. The doctor said it wasn't really a cause for concern. Oh, and if it helps any I'm 6'1 and about 278 pounds. A couple of months ago I was over 300 pounds.


That not to bad.


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## Zack (Apr 20, 2013)

LoungeFly said:


> absolutely. When I was about to have a wisdom tooth removed it was 180's over.....forgot the bottom number.


I had many (a dozen?) _healthy_ teeth removed as a youth and I never had any cool painkillers, just the local anaesthetic. I even had a McDonald's as a 'treat' afterwards.


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

Sanandreas818 said:


> Quick update. I went to the doctor and they checked it and it was around 147/90. The doctor said it wasn't really a cause for concern. Oh, and if it helps any I'm 6'1 and about 278 pounds. A couple of months ago I was over 300 pounds.


147/90 is something that is concerning, but keep in mind that there the well documented "white coat" phenomena that makes people's blood pressure rise when they're at the docs office, because they're nervous. If you weren't given enough time to sit completely still, that could make you have a higher blood pressure as well, or if you had caffeine, or if you smoked a cig, or if whoever took your blood pressure let your arm hang too low. A single high blood pressure doesn't mean you have high blood pressure, you'd need to check yourself a few times to see if it consistent.

You might want to consider buying a blood pressure monitor to check it yourself - they have little electronic ones which aren't crazy reliable, but which should give you an accurate enough picture - just make sure you give yourself 5 minutes of rest before you check, and that you keep the cuff at the same height as your heart. If its still high, you do need to have it taken care of.


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## Sanandreas818 (Nov 30, 2012)

lonelyjew said:


> 147/90 is something that is concerning, but keep in mind that there the well documented "white coat" phenomena that makes people's blood pressure rise when they're at the docs office, because they're nervous. If you weren't given enough time to sit completely still, that could make you have a higher blood pressure as well, or if you had caffeine, or if you smoked a cig, or if whoever took your blood pressure let your arm hang too low. A single high blood pressure doesn't mean you have high blood pressure, you'd need to check yourself a few times to see if it consistent.
> 
> You might want to consider buying a blood pressure monitor to check it yourself - they have little electronic ones which aren't crazy reliable, but which should give you an accurate enough picture - just make sure you give yourself 5 minutes of rest before you check, and that you keep the cuff at the same height as your heart. If its still high, you do need to have it taken care of.


I bought a blood pressure machine and checked my arm and it was around 117, 114, 115. I'm not even sure that I took it correctly because I don't think my blood pressure could be THAT low. Even if in my comfort zone.

I really don't want to take blood pressure medication at my age. I'm only 18 years old. How bad is 147 blood pressure anyway?


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