Sudden high blood pressure...?

I went to the doctor today and I had a very high blood pressure reading. I have always been normal. I went to a new doctor for a tetnaus shot and blood test....something that sends me into fits of anxiety. Would the anxiety over the blood test affect the reading? I have never had high blood pressure before...I'm not exactly in the best shape of my life but I do exercise and try to eat healthy. I'm going back on Friday for another reading. But now I'm worried.

Zac C	Well have you been eating alot of salt lately? Salt can raise your blood pressure!

rlc_60504	A sign of getting older.... Things that can increase your blood pressure include stress, soldium, caffeine, bad diet or lack of exercise or a combination of all of the above. You can get a home blood pressure kit rather cheaply and monitor your pressure by yourself instead of always going in.

Stephanie F	Hello, Yes, anxiety can and will raise your blood pressure. I use to have good blood pressure until I started taking a cold and sinus medicine. The ingredients in it caused mine to climb really high. My doctor figured out what caused it. I didn't even know it was high at the time. I don't take it anymore and it has gone back down, just not to where it was before. When you get nervous or anxious try taking a really slow deep breath and letting it out slower than when you breathe in. It helps me and I can even lower my pulse that way. Try doing it before you go. I will pray you are fine and that you will have good health. Please don't worry. Have faith. I am sure you will be just fine. Hugs to you.

Babe	Yes ,anxiety can raise bp. Lots of things can raise it. sodium, heat , illness , stress, and visits to Drs.

richpill	Anxiety will definately increase your BP. So try to calm down before your next visit. Worrying about the shot and blood test could have contributed to the high BP Just being with a Dr can raise your BP. There is what people call "White Coat Syndrome" Where they see the doctor in their white coat and become very agitated and their anxiety increase that it will give you a false high BP reading. Ask your doctor about white coat syndrome.

MADMAN ll	It could be "White coat Syndrome" you might get high BP just by going to the doctor. It could be the way the person is taking your BP. There is a correct way. Sitting for at least 5 minutes. Do not move, Breath deep thru your mouth and nose. Cuff in Left are with arm supported at heart level. No talking or moving with feet flat on the floor , sitting straight.

RN/JM	One high blood pressure reading doesn't indicate anything abnormal or normal. A constant daily high reading does. Stop eating junk foods, salty canned foods and fast foods, exercise and get back into shape...you can do it! Yes your anxiety will elevate your BP high and cause unecessary anxiety. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly...close your eyes and concentrate on lowering your BP...it works!

Torrry	You could have what called "white coat hypertension" which some people get when they go to the doctor because they are anxious about the visit, but you also could have hypertension and it could be severe. I have always had a normal low blood pressure reading around 110/60, but that all changed one day when while waiting to fill a prescription for my daughter, I checked my blood pressure at one of those machines in the pharmacy. To my surprise it was 220/115. I thought the machine was broken, so I bought a wrist monitor and checked it again when I got home. It continued to rise. I went to the emergency room and it was 230/130. They immediately started me on an IV with anti-hypertensive medications and gave me a glycerine patch. I was later discharged with meds, but it took months to get my blood pressure down to a normal level and I will have to take these meds for the rest of my life. Hypertension is nothing to take lightly. It usually has no symptoms and I had no idea that I had it. So please, if your doc determines you have it, take it seriously and take your meds.

teresssasays	Stop worrying, it makes your blood pressure go up. You were probably just anxiety ridden due to the tetanus shoot. Now you mentioned blood tests, did you have those too? Make it real simple the bottom number is the number you have to worry about say, 158/90 . That could indicate the beginning of high blood pressure. Go back, and get checked regularly. Also, is there a history of high blood pressure in your family???There is a genetic link to high blood pressure. High blood pressure can be controlled. Don't worry, be happy...

bojeanfloyd	Hi there....don't now how old you are nor how much you weigh. As you grow older your tendency for high blood pressure increases depending on what you physical conditioning is and what your immediate ancestors had. High blood pressure tends to run in families, like high cholesterol and other things. We can sometimes stop the progression in that direction if we take the time to do all the right things and get in shape and stay in shape. Yes, anxiety of any kind can cause a temporary spike in BP. You didn't say what the BP was, but no MD should call you with high BP unless it can be proven on more than one or two occasions. He should ask you to monitor it at home. Most drug stores in USA carry a blood pressure kit that a person can use on themselves. Either one that goes around the arm or a wrist meter. The wrist meter is as good as the arm one and is easier to use. They will cost about $48-$60. Look around. Monitor your own BP twice daily, 10 minutes after you get up, make your coffee and sit down. First you must sit and relax for about 15 minutes. You can't fully appreciate how much difference there is in your BP from one minute to another. Just the act of sitting and standing will increase BP dramatically. Try it out a few times. If it comes out kinda high, wait about 5 minutes and take it again. Record the readings for a couple weeks. If you are consistently above 145/80, you would be borderline high. Over 150/90 you are definitely high. BP needs to be around 120s-130s / 60s-70s Please don't worry.....it will only raise your BP. Like I said, please monitor your own BP at home for a couple weeks before you go back to your MD and he puts you on some high powered drugs if you don't really need them. Many people have "white coat anxiety" as well. It's a term given to those people who get nervous just visiting the doctor's office and their BP skyrockets. If you are slightly overweight, over 60, do little for exercise and eat salt, you can correct all those things except your weight. Salt holds water in your bloodstream, which in turn raises your blood pressure. Cut back if necessary. Good luck I am an RN

Ella	Here are two pieces of information that might help you: 1. Yes, if you were visiting this particular doctor for something that makes you extremely anxious, it is absolutely possible, even probable, that it caused your blood pressure to rise. But having said that... 2. A relative of mine had once passed someone in the street giving free blood pressure readings. It came out very high. She came home and insisted that her blood pressure had always been fine, which it probably was. Someone told her that it was probably because it was a hot day and taken in the sun. I said nevertheless, she should get it checked by her doctor. Within a week, she was on medication for high blood pressure. So...while I personally believe that the anxiety caused your blood pressure to rise, it would be foolish of you to not check it out. Go to a doctor who does not make you nervous, or even go back to this one, knowing that he isn't going to give you any shots. It really is probably nothing, but you must check it out.

Marie	Hi, my mother never had high blood pressure, but when she went for her physical 2 years ago the doctor told her that she should take high blood pressure pills and he told her that one of the reasons is when you gain weight or eat poorly. She's been taking pills for 2 years now and she feels great.

WhizKid	It is normal for it to go very high sometimes. Once before a fight, Muhammed Ali's BP was very high. See page below for some things to help BP. High BP is not a disease. It can lead to problems if it stays high over a long time. Also you did not say how high is high. That could be 230/160 or 145/100. Say someone tries to shoot you or you get mad enough to kill someone. Your BP will be temporarily thru the roof. That is normal. If it stays high for years, then it can damage you.