Taking Blood Pressure

[celestw]

so i had an Echocardiogram a week ago and they told me everything came back normal, my urine and blood tests cane back normal but my blood pressure is still elevated when i take it(around 134/70) and i’m on medication (amlodipine) i get so so nervous before i take me blood pressure and i get even MORE nervous going to the doctors, does anyone have any tips on not being nervous before taking blood pressure or how to not be afraid to take it.

[springcross]

Hi celest. I'm really glad to hear that your echo went well and no problems were found - you must feel quite relieved about that. If you're concerned about taking your BP, you could try some nice relaxing meditation prior to taking it (or going to your GP), if you check out meditation tracks on You Tube, you should find several there and they also do guided meditation for people who have never done it before - Yoga Nidra is one of them. You could also try just sitting quietly and relaxing for a while before doing your reading, taking nice steady breaths, closing your eyes and trying to unwind. Hope this helps. xx

[celestw in reply to springcross]

thank you for the advice!

[Happyrosie]

I’m glad, celestw, that your cardio investigation went well. Springcross has given you useful information, and I’d just like to add something about blood pressure.

Your pressure naturally goes up when you do a physical activity. For example, if you run up two flights of stairs your BP will go up. Why? Because you would not have got up those stairs at all there unless your blood pressure had risen, to allow your muscles to get all the oxygen they need to perform their tasks. Blood pressure goes up and down all the time, depending on what you are doing.

When you are anxious or stressed, it goes up because it’s expecting you to have to run or hide away from danger.

So you need to learn how to control it yourself - it’s a learning process just like learning to ride a bike, or to type fast. And to control it yourself you need to learn meditation and breathing exercises. Along with eating and exercising well.