Blood Pressure

[smithn]

Feelbad is right, those pressure machines at stores are not as accurate as having your pressure read in a doctor's office. You can stop by your local health department and a nurse will take your pressure for you. The fire department is a good idea also. Make them some cookies in exchange
145/79 is not worrisome, by the way.

[rubindj]

I'm actually more concerned to be honest about the disparity between the diastolic and systolic numbers. Keep a log, get the BP checked at an accurate place (Dr Office will usually do a BP check free, or Fire/EMS, Health Dept, etc). I would make sure you tell your doctor about your BP issues AND your fainting spell. The combination could indicate more than either one by itself.

[Miromc]

I'm 19 years old. And I'm underweight as well (only 115 lbs) so I don't really know what can be causing the it to be like that. I think weight is supposed to play a big part, but being as thin as I am it culdn't be causing anything. I'm actually going to see my doctor tomorrow (well I probably won't see him, just speak to his secretary) and I'll see if I can get my blood pressure acuratly checked. Living out in the country we don't have nurses etc... at our local doctors office. Just 4 doctors, their secretaries, and the pharmacy/pharmacist. So I think in order to get my blood pressure checked I will have to make an appointment.

I checked again today, 141/75.

And another thing. I'm still getting these dizzy spells. Today I had a moderate one. It passed after a minute, but it was bad enough to make me feel like I was going to be sick.

[Kari7171]

It's hard to say what could be causing it. I have always been underweight until recently and my blood pressure was 139/80 when I would go to the doctor. They said it was normal at the time but now that is considered high. I even had that blood pressure reading when I was 105 lbs. So weight is not always the cause. I now just happen to take migraine headache medication that is also a medication for high blood pressure called Inderal and it's in a more normal range so I feel better about it. I bought a high rated blood pressure monitor for home use and it matches what those drug store machines say. One thing I notice though is if I take it and then wait 10 or 15 minutes and take it again while sitting the entire time it goes down quite a bit. Today I took it and it was 122/85 and then 10 minutes later it was 105/83. So just the thought of taking your blood pressure and being worried about it can make the top number go up. It would be worth your while to get a home one. The one I have is called "Reli On" digital blood pressure monitor. I bought it at Walmart. It was not cheep I think I paid about $50 for it. Can't remember for sure though. It is the top rated one for home. Whenever I do the ones in the drug store my top number is always higher. If I actually take the time to relax for 5 minutes and do the drug store one again it goes down dramatically. Stress or nervousness make the top number go up. The bottom number is not effected by stress.

[Miromc]

I visited my doctor today, he is away on vacation, so instead I visited my pharmacist. She says that with my age I don't have to worry about my bloos pressure unless it hits 160 or more. And since my lower number (once again, I forget which it is) is low that I don't have anything to worry about.