A 'fun' blood pressure test at mother-in-law's at Xmas (we do it every time we there, she likes it!) showed my traditional low blood pressure to have risen to 140s/70s-80s with enormous fluctuations.
These past 10 days I have been monitoring with a home blood pressure monitor. It is all over the place. I understand ideal is around 120/80. There are some low systolic (upper) readings of 115, 120 etc, and some low diastolic of 70s. However, most fall in the systolic 130s and 140s, and the diastolics are frequently in the 90s. However, the fluctuations are enormous and this can occur over less than an hour. There are good clusters in the 150s and 160s systolic, and in the low 100s diastolic. My highest systolic is 183 and highest diastolic 124 on the same day as a diastolic of 67 (with one of 149 which I am disregarding as wrong). Such seesawing is really worrying me, but mostly as I now have to discuss this with the doctor on Friday who I have only 'notified for their information' that I have been on Armour for some 20 months now. I understand that seesawing readings are a high risk and that doctors must not just average these out.
My December thyroid results that I have done privately in Cyprus are: TSH 0.005 (ref range 0.27-4.2), FT4 16.03 (ref range 12-22), FT3 6.2 (ref range 3.1-6.8). The doctor has asked me to let them know any test results, and I am anxious that the TSH result might be linked with the blood pressure. Could it be? I have reduced my armour to one grain a day from two on alternate days. Am monitoring any impact on BP.
Edit: Could adrenal exhaustion be relevant? My last Genova test 20 months ago showed: Total daily cortisol 6.5 (ref range 21-41), DHEA Mean 0.06 (ref range 0.30-1.00). Was treated at Sutton CFS clinic for around 6 months.
Or could menopause start be important? I'm 48.
Any advice on all this appreciated
Angela