Why am I spiking?

[redherring]

Here are my numbers for the last 3 weeks taken at random times. I thought I was doing sooo well

Top is the most recent taken 5 minutes ago. I have been obssessing about my spike in BP the day before yesterday, so maybe that's playing into my reading.

Thanks for letting me vent. This is so frustrating.

143 / 83
141 / 85
119 / 83
117 / 74
110 / 77
116 / 88
120 / 81
130 / 90
112 / 77
119 / 77

[Uff-Da!]

You are doing well. Relax. A few numbers over 140 are nothing to worry about. Breathe deeply. Go have an iced tea. Look out the window and watch the birds or the leaves rustle on the trees. Pet the cats or play with the kids. Read a book. Whatever. Forget the blood pressure for a while. It isn't a problem.

[mgraylorn]

Your obsessing is causing the rise you are getting. Your so called spikes barely make it in to the "hypertensive" category. There are many who visit this board who would LOVE to have the numbers you call spikes.

If you start having spikes up to 195/112, then worry. Otherwise, forget about your blood pressure.

[redherring]

Thanks for putting things into perspective for me. I just worry it's going to get worse. But I will take your word and relax...

[Mikenk]

It is amazing what anxiety will do to BP, and how little that fact is recognized by physicians. I am now 63 and have never had high blood pressure; a few years ago my FORMER doctor (at my first appointment) took a reading that was 140ish over 90 something. He went bonkers; put me on a a strict low fat diet to lose weight, and generally terrorized me mentally.

Luckily, I bought my own monitor and after high readings myself for awhile, I started realizing that my real numbers were in the 110 over 75 range. If I don't take my reading for awhile, my initial readings on my own will be about 140 over 90; I keep retaking every 30 minutes or so until I get a normal reading; from there on it will be fine until I reach the doctor's office where it will spike again. I always take my personal record to calm her down; however, I still think she believes her reading more than mine.

Like clockwork, if I think it might read high - it will be 140 over 90. If I think it will read low, it will be 110 over 75.