Blood pressure

[Elc1112]

Hi all, had my annual diabetes review today and was told that my blood pressure was a little high. I'm quite surprised by this as I go to the gym 4-5 times every week, I eat pretty well (like everyone I have the occasional day where the answer is almost definitely at the bottom of a large bag of kettle chips!). I'm generally healthy so I was really surprised to see how much the reading had risen since last year.

I know it could be "White coat" hypertension. I'm terrified of needles (still!) so this would perhaps make sense. Has anybody else experienced this? Does anybody know by how much blood pressure can rise as a result of White coat syndrome? Is it usual for people with diabetes to experience high blood pressure (I've been diabetic for over 20 years now and am in my late 20s).

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[noblehead]

Hi ELC,

It could well be 'white coat hypertension' but then again it may not, try buying a home bp monitor so you can record your own readings at home when relaxed, by recording them you can see if your bp is in fact raised and provide these readings to your gp.

As diabetics it is said we need to keep below 130/80 but getting the bottom figure lower would benefit you in the long-term. Many things can be done to lower bp, stopping smoking, losing weight, increasing exercise (which you already do) reducing alcohol intake, cutting back on salt, eating a healthier diet with ample fruit and veg to name a few.

High bp puts a strain on the body and can lead to heart attacks and strokes as well as damaging the kidneys, keep a close eye on it over the coming weeks and months and invest in a home monitor so you self-test at home.

Nigel

 

[Elc1112]

Thanks Nigel,

Actually bought one yesterday. I did a reading about 9pm last night and it was 118/70. Much the sane this morning. It has risen over the course of the day and peaked at 134/85. Could be rising with stress? I don't know. Will keep an eye on it over the next week and hope it stays down! I don't smoke, dobt add salt to my food, eat fresh food wherever possible to keep salt intake down, drink only occasionally and am vegetarian so practically live and fruit and veg. That's why I was surprised to see it so high. Maybe a few weeks off work would help. Reckon work would pay for a holiday for me?! Wishful thinking perhaps!

Have a good weekend

 

[Grazer]

BP does rise during the day when you're active, stress or not. I was able to comnpare my own meter reading with the doctors, taken a minute or so apart, and the difference was 156/85 (with doctor), 130/78 on my own! So I get white coat syndrome. I also calibrated my meter against the doctor's, so I know it's right.

 

[Elc1112]

Hi grazer, interesting to see how much your BP fluctuates. Mine is very much the same. Much higher than usual (using home and personal trainer readings as a comparison) when I go to the doctors. I know my pulse also rises when I go to get blood tests done (when I go to doctors in general, to be honest. I associate doctors surgerys with blood being taken!). Yesterday, for example, the DSN recorded my resting pulse as 89. My normal resting pulse is between 55 and 60. Going forwArds I'd much prefer they let me do the readings myself at home. Seem to be more accurate then!

 

[Fallenstar]

Hi Elc
Yes I get white coat hypertension...bad,sometimes. The last few MOT's have been good...128/75 ,118/70 last couple.....but I did have a few before that when I was battling for meds, so stressed...At 175/95 ,168/90ect, infact they wanted to put me on BP meds,but because I have a monitor at home on an evening I was getting some readings as low as 90/ 50 :shock: My blood pressure is normally on the low side most of the time, sometimes too low.
Usually my home readings are 110/68...So I would have been in a real mess on BP meds if I had not have put my foot down, this was just on a few isolated high readings :roll:

Keep testing to see your true picture, and stay away from them BP meds if you can...nasty stuff I ve heard. It does look like its the old white coat syndrome, stress does rise BP and if you have the readings at home you have above, I would not worry about it.

 

[steveinblackpool]

Glad this topic has come up as last week went to see specialist and BP was still high, ive been on some tablets for couple of years and have been testing at home and the majority of readings have been below 140/80.

What they did say that the wrist BP monitors were a waste of money as there are inaccurate so ive gone out this morning to buy a proper one (one that goes around the top of the arm). So after £70 ive got myself an Omron M7 the same that they use!!!

Tried it a few times today... its brilliant... stores BP measurements and very comfortable and quiet a joy to use so will keep a log (as asked) and will give it to hospital next time I go ;-)

 

[Elc1112]

Hi steve, do you mind me asking how long you have been diabetic?

I've been home monitoring for the past two days, more for my own curiosity at this stage. BP seems to fluctuate a lot! 96/75 this morning, 138/88 last night. I'm becoming quite addicted to checking it! I know the answer, I need to get out more

 

[steveinblackpool]

Hi Elc1112 (funny name ;-) )

Yes ive been diabetic nearly 38 years (since 9yrs old)
They do make you paranoid these BP monitors but its mine and and im going to get my moneys worth which i do check few times a day at the moment.
Hopefully the novelty will wear off soon ;-) But it does fluctuate alot and have decided to write down all the readings and let the doc sort it out (that what he gets paid for).

Just watching ATP tennis on tv and its really high 156/80 but its a great game (hope I last to end of it lol)

 

[nadin]

sorry to say but blood pressure has nothing to do with diabetic. I've been diabetic 25years. since 2years. and my bloodpressure is low, 10 / 4
I fall often faint when I'm stressed or if I am lying in the sun.
I know if you omit salt from your diet that makes a big difference

success

 

[duranie]

I'm told I'm rare in that my bp low - last time is was measured a week ago it was 100/52. I do have gastroparesis so it has been suggested that it may well be linked in to autonomic neuropathy symptoms.

 

[Elc1112]

Nadin, your blood pressure is 10/4?! I'd be very surprised if that were true.

I would really struggle to cut down on salt; I do not add it to food and, owning to food allergies, tend to eat fresh, homecooked food. Sure, I use some premade sauces and so on occasionally which will contain some salt, but 99% if the time I cook my food from scratch. Salt consumption is very low. I also follow a low fat diet and have a bmi of 21 (within the normal range). I exercise at least four times a week. By exercise I mean a 90 minute minimum workout. I do not smoke, drink only occasionally and very rarely have caffiene.

 

[nadin]

it is TRUE and there are many that have that. NOW usually it's between 10-5.

when I measured 10-4
I was tired but not fainted.
I was still alive


many people I talked to disagree with me but rather too high than low blood pressure.
You have dozens of medications to highblood pressure .
You can not fainted.
You have a choice.
take any medications for your blood pressure?

(I have made ​​a mistake with high blood pressure. apparently sometimes it has something to do with diabetic sorry)

 

[noblehead]

it is TRUE and there are many that have that. NOW usually it's between 10-5.

when I measured 10-4
I was tired but not fainted.
I was still alive


many people I talked to disagree with me but rather too high than low blood pressure.
You have dozens of medications to highblood pressure .
You can not fainted.
You have a choice.
take any medications for your blood pressure?

(I have made ​​a mistake with high blood pressure. apparently sometimes it has something to do with diabetic sorry)

:think:

 

[phoenix]

sorry to say but blood pressure has nothing to do with diabetic. I've been diabetic 25years. since 2years. and my bloodpressure is low, 10 / 4
I fall often faint when I'm stressed or if I am lying in the sun.
I know if you omit salt from your diet that makes a big difference

success

I'm told I'm rare in that my bp low - last time is was measured a week ago it was 100/52. I do have gastroparesis so it has been suggested that it may well be linked in to autonomic neuropathy symptoms.

Nadin, I assume that your BP has been 100/40 (they use the shortenened form here where I live too)
It is interesting that duranie also has a very low BP and he/she suggests their low BP might be because of autonomic neuropathy which causes gastroparesis: gastroparesis is what I was describing when I answered your last post about one reason for hypos after eating viewtopic.php?t=25362

(big warning here, it's just I remembered your last post. It is something to ask your doctor about but , it may be just coincidence and in your case no connection whatsoever )
.

 

[Elc1112]

Phoenix, that would make a lot more sense

Got my HBA1C results back this morning and had my BP re-checked. 116/76 today. I think it was artificially high last time as I was freaking out about the taking of blood!

All ok now, though. Thanks to everyone for the helpful advice.

 

[phoenix]

Phoenix, that would make a lot more sense

Got my HBA1C results back this morning and had my BP re-checked. 116/76 today. I think it was artificially high last time as I was freaking out about the taking of blood!

All ok now, though. Thanks to everyone for the helpful advice.

glad it was 'just' white coat and it's a very healthy level.

It makes absolute sense to use a contraction here.
135/92 would be 13/9, ie quatorze, neuf (they round the figure)
otherwise it would be quite a mouthful :cent-trente-cinq; quatre-vingt- douze