High blood pressure reading??

[Jules1980]

Hey there,
I am just a little concerned about my bp reading that I had today at work.
I work in health care and they were holding bp clinic for the geriatrics. So i figured I would get myself tested, thinking it would be amazing....i got a reading of 121/101
This is not good! I've never had a reading like this before, and thought atkins was supposed to help cholesterol and bp levels along with bld sugars.
Does anyone else have a higher than normal bp reading?

[atkinsgal08]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

Are you able to retest?

It's never good to rely on a single reading ...

[JaxMama]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

re test a few minutes later. make sure someone else is administering the test, sit with your legs uncrossed and shake off the "white coat" syndrome

did you eat a lot of salt yesterday? did you drink enough water?

just fyi i am planning on getting my bp and blood work done soon just to be safe.

[Jules1980]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

Yes I took it 20 mins after they asked me to sit and relax. So its pretty high. My bld sugar levels have come down, so why the rise in bp?
This is very concerning. I will make an apt with doc. My diastolic number is ridiculously high. I was taking the stairs all morning and running my buns off, but thats nothing out of the ordinary for me.
Weird, very weird!

[Jules1980]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

Yes I cut out salts and have been drinking like a fish lately...its just strange!

[JaxMama]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

jules, are you a mom? did you have hbp with your pregnancy (ies)?

if not, yes i would make an appointment with your dr if the bp does not go back down.

are you having any lightheadedness or faint feelings?
do you feel like your heart is pounding more?
is there any possibility you are pregnant?

watch your salt in take until you can get re tested.

let us know.

[Jules1980]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

No bp was good in pregnancy,
don't feel any signs thats your asking. And no pregnancy is not a concern.
I will cut out salt even more so now....and see what I can do!
When I look at the packaging for foods they are low to no carb but high in sodium, aka shrimp, bacon, pork rinds, cheese....etc I could go on and on! Lol What in the world can I eat!
I will cut out bacon in the mornings? boy this is truly confusing!

[Kntrylady]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

I absolutely agree on the "retest" after taking a deep breath. I went to donate blood the other day, and the first test was 131/101.... Now before starting this WOE that reading wouldn't have surprised me. But after 5 months... a couple of minutes later they retested for me, and I was 117/71. Much happier.

[JaxMama]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

usually sodium is the culprit in younger folks like you.

if you are using fitday go back and see what the sodium content was over the last week or so.

cut the bacon or get low sodium bacon
cut out the additional salt

but if you weren't having any hbp symptoms, what made you want to get tested?

[Jules1980]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

I was just curious! Lol the whole reason I am on atkins is to lower my blood sugar readings! I was tested 3 weeks ago and my DR and it was a shocking 8.8 (diabetes runs in my family)
I since tested my sugar levels on my dads reader and they were down to 4.7 AMAZING!!! So I was curious to see what my bp was! Ahhhhh
well I did have a hysterectomy when I was 27 and I am not on any hormones...maybe this is part of my problem...maybe I need to go and get one gigantic physical! Lol

I will cut out my sodium and retest in a weeks time or so.

THanks mama! Lol

[JaxMama]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

i'm sorry i didnt mean to pull out your hysterectomy on this public forum, i am sorry.

watch your sodium and please watch out for dizziness, lightheadedness or a racing heart beat.

i am not a dr but just dealt with hbp at the end of my pregnancy.

again, let me know how you are when you re test

[Jules1980]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

No im quite comfortable with it or I would not of mentioned it! Don't be sorry. I wrote without thinking! Lol
I will keep an eye on it! Thanks again for your response!

Jules

[not2late]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

What did they take it with? Was it a real manomometer and the doc or nurse used a stethescope or was it one of those machine things where they press a button? The real manomometer is more accurate than the machine. Also someone mentioned how you were positioned when the reading was taken: you should be seated in a hard back chair with both feet firmly touching the ground and the blood pressure cuff should be appropriate for your size.

What kind of exercise are you doing? Exercise may improve your blood pressure (not overnight, but over a period of time.)

[Carbonator]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

Was the bp test done on one of those automatic pressure reading machines?

What size was the arm cuff?

My blood pressure reads higher than it should if it is done on those nifty machines that takes bp and temperatures at the same time. If I have a nurse take it the good old fashion manual way, it reads normal.

Also, if you have larger arms than the typical person (I am 5'11 250 lbs), regular cuff sizes will read a higher bp. I have to use the "extra large" cuffs for a normal reading.

Just a thought.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: High blood pressure reading??

I would buy a home blood pressure monitor for use at home.

Also ... some stores have machines in the pharmacy area that you can use.