Hi All. I am a 28 yo male in very good shape. I am a bodybuilder (drug free) and I lift weights 4 to 5 days a week and also do cardio. I had a physical this past week and everything including cholesterol was great. I was very nervous there though because I had a few issues to discuss with him that turned out to be nothing. When the nurse took my BP it was 160/80. Then the DR. took it and it was 150/80 about 10 mins. later (still sweating and nervous). He did not seem concerned and said that the lower number was fine and the top number was likely elevated since I was nervous. I was fine but the next day I started reading on the internet and got paniky. I went out and bought an automatic BP monitor at the drug store. I went home and was anxious. I would get numbers in the 130's after maybe 15 times 1 to 2 mins. apart, but then maybe a few 150's in between. Most of the time it was low to mid 150's, and my pulse was high 90's to over 100. Normally 70 or so. I got to the point where I could not take the BP anywhere without really freaking out. I went back to the DR. and the nurse took it again and it was 148/80. I felt ok about this reading and when the DR. took it 10 mins. later it was 130/75. He said my BP was fine and to get rid of my home machine and not worry about my BP. He said to come back in 2 months if I wanted to check again. I actually feel more calm in his office than I do by myself at home.

I called my old DR. to see what past readings were. The past to times I went to him was for a lump somewhere (turned out to be nothing) but I was nervous. 3 years ago i was 144/70ish and 6 years ago 150/70ish. He did not seem to concerned either but said I should work on relaxation. A few questions?

1. Is this all due to anxiety?

2. If I do need meds. in the future can I still expected to live a long full life til 80 or 90 years old as long as the BP is controlled by the meds.

I'm such a mess right now. Thans for reading.

Don't worry,
Everything sounds perfectly fine.

Take a couple readings at home in the evening, nicely relaxed in a comfy chair with your arm supported on a soft arm cushion. Take three reading a couple of minutes apart alternating arms. Discard the first and average the last two...record the average for the day. Do this for thirty days. Your TRUE relaxed, average blood pressure will be the average of those thirty numbers.
If you want to get two numbers for each day, wait at least an hour or two before the second set of tests.

NEVER take a huge number of readings consecutively... the artery starts giving completely untrustworthy pressure results.

Both Lenin and your MD are right. Relax, you probably have nothing to worry about.
If Lenin's advice doesn't work and you can't get relaxed, follow your doctor's and just don't take it for a couple of months.

Hi bignatty~the answer is YES~anxiety will increase your blood pressure. You are young and healthy. Please take it from me~dont become a slave to your bp or to the home monitor. When we go to the doctor~it is almost always because we are having a problem of some kind. This induces anxiety and fear and often causes a white coat reading. At home we can over-take our bp and end up with more worry and a sore arm. I know because I did just this. When I was 28~I never gave my bp a second thought and I hope you will do the same. Because Im a woman in my late 40's~I HAVE to keep an eye on it. To answer your other question~if you have to take bp meds in the future~YES you can lead a full life~it wont affect your longevity~except in a positive way~because a lower pressure cuts down the risk for stroke and heart attack. Im sorry you are feeling a mess. Try to let go and forget those readings~they are NOT dangerous. In a month or so~if you are still not yourself~then maybe your doc could prescribe an anti anxiety med just for short term?
best of luck~RR

Thanks so much for the responses everyone. Any other comments or insights?

Hello. I am a bodybuilder as well. I suffer from high blood pressure, and being in shape wil never change that - for me, it's hereditary. The key is to control it - if you do that, you'll be in BETTER shape than everyone else (high blood pressure is very common).

So just keep a close watch on it, and if your readings consistently stay above 120/80 (especially 130/90), you probably need to get on a medication. If that happens, try an ARB like Benicar.

P.S. Watch your supplementation. Many bodybuilding supplements can increase blood pressure - that can be dangerous if your blood pressure already runs high. Without question, stay away from the aspirin/caffeine/ephedra stack. :nono:

My doctor isn't concerned. He says 130/80 is fine and well within normal. I am just concerned because at home or in his office I did get readings of 150 or so. I was never really relaxed I don't think. i've also heard that medically treating BP under 140-150 wouldn't be necessary. Thoughts?

Everyone has occasional spikes where the BP goes up higher than normal. This happens with heavy exercise, while under stress, etc. Even if you have just been walking around, you are likely to have higher BP than if you have been seated quietly for 15 minutes. Your BP will be higher if you are talking than when silent. Our BP goes up and down throughout the day. This is nothing to worry about! If you are under chronic stress, where the BP stays elevated for hours at a time day after day, that would be a concern, but otherwise, it is no big deal. Relax!

Try deep breathing exercises, meditation or prayer. All should help you calm down. Your normal BP is fine. It would be a good idea if you learned to take your BP without practically having a panic attack, though, so I'd keep doing it once a day or so. But ignore the numbers for the first month or so. Hopefully in that length of time you'd get used to the idea of taking your BP and not cause so much anxiety.