Sudden high Blood Pressure

[Margo]

I went to my G.P. yesterday and was surprised and glad that she took my B.P. The reading was 191/80 90. I was very shocked at the result, as she appeared. She took another test on my right arm and the reading dropped to 146. She sent me away and told me to take my reading morning and evening for a fortnight.

Today I feel ill, tired, unable to sleep and an achey feeling in my chest (which I put down to yoga a few days before). A friend of mine who had very high reading like mine was immediately shipped off to A&E in an ambulance. I am flying to Tenerife next Friday, and now worried that I shouldn't be going anywhere.

Has this happened to anyone else, and what did you do?

(I eat a healthy diet all the time, but on Sunday had 3 glasses of red wine at a celebration, which left me pretty sloshed....)

Thank you.

[Buddy195 Administrator]

When I have a flare of anxiety my BP can rise dramatically. I also appear to have ‘white coat’ syndrome(!) as my BP shoots up when I’m in the GPs surgery. I now only take my BP at home & have found this gives much lower consistent readings, as I’m more relaxed.

I recommend buying your own BP machine & taking your own readings. I was recommended to take 3 readings (morning/ night) & write down the lowest one. I’ve found tiredness, alcohol, stress etc. can all make readings elevated, so do take your BP when you are relaxed.

Someone posted recently about natural products to lower BP, so I will have a look (I know beetroot and beetroot juice is one).

express.co.uk/life-style/he...

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Buddy195]

Certainly white coat syndrome is a real issue 😅

We were discussing hawthorn extract and rosehip syrup, I think it's a lot to do with Vit C?

[Margo in reply to TiggerMe]

Yes I would agree about white coat syndrome, but the issue I went to see her about was minor and not threatening, and I wasn't in the least bit worried.

I take quite high doses of Vitamin C every day.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Margo]

As Buddy says I really wouldn't worry until you have done some tests in your natural environment as BP can go up and down like a fiddlers elbow 🤗 it dropped by 45 points just switching arms!

[Margo in reply to TiggerMe]

Thank you, point taken.

[Hidden in reply to TiggerMe]

That’s a medical issue. (Higher BP in one arm than the other)

[Margo in reply to Hidden]

Crumbs, didn’t know that. Thank you

[helvella in reply to Margo]

I absolutely confirm that you can feel your reason for being there was minor, and think you are calm, but so-called white coat syndrome can still cut in.

Yes - do both arms. They should be similar and, if not, that is something that should be looked into.

Make sure your arm is at the right height. You are sitting properly.

Do not have any music or voices when doing it.

Repeat - maybe three times - each occasion.

Position the cuff properly - and make sure it is the right size for your arms.

[Margo in reply to helvella]

Thank you, there was a big difference with each arm. I hear what you say about white coat syndrome….

Due to all the great responses here I feel less panicked and will continue to check my B.P as advised by the doctor and hopefully it will come down soon. Thanks again.

[nightingale-56 in reply to TiggerMe]

While mentioning Vit C, then Welch's Grape Juice is high in Vit C, and makes a change from yet another pill.

[Margo in reply to nightingale-56]

Thank you.

[Margo in reply to Buddy195]

In my case I don't think it was white coat syndrome, but that said I believe it exists for some. Last week was a bad one, lots of worries, and a couple of glasses of wine, and the 3 glasses at the weekend, but nothing excessive. Maybe I have been eating too many toasted bacon sandwiches (comfort food when things are miserable). When normally I have an excellent organic diet.

I have my own BP machine, this morning it was 160+ I didn't have a pen to record it accurately, but will continue to take it during the day.

As I tick all the boxes for stress, alcohol and tiredness, hoping this was the cause.

Thank you for your reassurance.

(Last night I had a glass of beetroot juice, as I know it is good for lowering B.P. About 10 years ago on a visit to Holland & Barrett a lady stood by the till and announced to anybody listening if they have high B.P. the tea she was holding works. She herself had high B.P. and had been on medication until she started on the Nettle & Beetroot tea, and her problem was solved.........I always remembered that lady!

[nightingale-56 in reply to Margo]

I have just been told I need BP tablets, but GP can't seem to find one that has neither Acacia Powder or Cellulose in them. Will certainly look into the Nettle& Beetroot Tea. I posted about this yesterday and have had a few useful answers. Sorry, but don't know how to point you in the direction of this post.

[Hidden in reply to nightingale-56]

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

nightingale-56

Here are the posts you’re referring to

[radd in reply to Margo]

Margo,

Sorry to say this but alcohol raises my BP.

I got heavily onto BP readings after a TIA in 2021 and am on BP meds. I have managed to reduce meds to stopping or the lowest dose by drinking beetroot juice every morning or the cherry juice by ActiveCherry. I have also curbed my drinking habits to a small amount at the weekend only or just drink soda water with fruit or a drop of essential oils in.

I had to stop wine anyway as contains mould and I'm detoxing that atm 🙄. Its a never ending journey Margo 😁

[Margo in reply to radd]

Thank you. Yes good old beetroot juice, amazing isn't it, maybe will alternate with Cherry juice. I am not a big drinker, can't really tolerate it much, so having 3 modest glasses at the weekend because of feeling upset, probably did me no favours at all, as it also messed up my sleep, then add the bacon butties..... I am off the amber nectar till I fly next week to see my brother, and will enjoy a drink or two there in the sunshine with a nice fish supper.....

Brilliant you sorted yourself after your TIA, that must have been a worry too.

Oh the joys of getting older....!!

[Hidden in reply to Margo]

L Theanine is an excellent supplement for stress. When I took it Ii felt its calming effects within about 40 minutes.

I didn’t take it to lower my BP but was amazed to find that just one or two doses lowered my BP dramatically. It’s known to lower Cortisol and increase Dopamine

[Margo in reply to Hidden]

Wow! Sounds great. A few days later my B.P. returned to it’s low of 105/90. All quite bizarre! Thank you for info.

[mintgreenish in reply to Hidden]

Hi Maggie. How much do you take daily of L theanine to lower bp. Thankyou

[Hidden in reply to mintgreenish]

Just 200 mg after tea time. My BP was very high at 180/90.

Went down very quickly. My high BP was definitely caused by high cortisol.

[Margo in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the info'

[mintgreenish in reply to Margo]

Hi Margo. Have you tried the L theanine ? If so did it lower your bp? Thanks in advance

[Margo in reply to mintgreenish]

No I haven't tried it yet, as my B.P. went down just as fast as it had gone up. But as a precaution I bought some pomegranate juice and am drinking that now and then.

[DoeStewart in reply to Buddy195]

This happened to me, I only found out when I visited a dental surgery for a pre-op assessment. My BP was 206/100. I visited the GP and was sent straight away to the acute medical unit at the local hospital for tests.

[Margo in reply to DoeStewart]

Goodness me! What happened next, are you on meds’? Are you ok now?

[DoeStewart in reply to Margo]

ECG and Bloods all ok. Yes was put straight on BP medication to bring it down. The dental surgery did say they find lots of folk whose blood pressure is very high and they have no idea - worrying isn't it. I'm ok thank you. Had to come off the medication given by hospital(amlodopine) as caused too many side effects. Now on Losarten, no side effects at all I'm pleased to say. It's fitying it in round Levo that's the problem as it is morning and bedtime dose

[Margo in reply to DoeStewart]

Interesting! It seems there is a lot of high B.P. about....

Let's hope the new meds' do their stuff with out side affects.

[DoeStewart in reply to Margo]

Thank you, yes these are much better.

[Margo in reply to DoeStewart]

Great!

[Hidden in reply to Margo]

Losartan seems to be without side effects. Tried some of the others and they didn’t suit me at all.

[Hidden in reply to DoeStewart]

I take mine with Thyroid meds with no ill effects.

[Margo in reply to Hidden]

Must try to remember this in case it happens again. Thank you

[DoeStewart in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply, yes quite a few people are doing the same without any problems. It can be a nightmare fitting all the meds in at the right times ?

[Hidden in reply to DoeStewart]

Amlodipine is really bad for causing swelling in legs and cramps

[Margo in reply to Hidden]

I would never take any pharma’meds to bring down high B.P. when there are so many natural products with no side affects to take instead.

[DoeStewart in reply to Hidden]

Yes I'm off that one now and currently taking Losartan.

[Margo]

Yes give the tea a go, nothing to lose….Will try and find the post.

[nightingale-56 in reply to Margo]

Don't know whether it has worked, but I have drawn your attention to it (I think).

[Margo]

Thank you, found your post and just reading it.

[serenfach]

Sit up straight, legs bent but not crossed. No talking.. Take three readings within 5 minutes. You can do it at different times in the day. Write them all down and then over the week stuff them in a spreadsheet and find the average.

I was not sent to hospital when BP was 200/100. I am still here!

Just a thought - all the bacon butties are high in salt, which will raise the blood pressure. I want a bacon butty now!

[Margo in reply to serenfach]

Thank you for the tips. I cut out the bacon sandwiches, started drinking beetroot juice and eating salads….B.P. starting to go down and nearly normal.

Interesting, what caused your frightening high B.P.?

[mintgreenish in reply to Margo]

hi margo. which beetroot juice , from bottle ready to drink or powder you have to mix? Thankyou.

[serenfach in reply to Margo]

The whole of my life my BP was fine, including having three children and a divorce. 10 days after a certain injection, I popped a vein in my wrist, and was found to have very high BP. I have tried 5 different BP meds, all had bad side effects, and beetroot juice (hate beetroot!) and hawthorn. No change. I am now off to find the tea...

[Margo in reply to serenfach]

What you have said about a certain medical intervention has caused a lot of people to have high B.P. and a whole lot more. Good luck with the tea, hope it works for you.

[Hidden in reply to Margo]

Indeed. Will ever be shrouded in mystery.

[Bearo in reply to Margo]

Hmmm….i always had low blood pressure but last time it was taken it was up at 130. Didn’t think about those jabs.

[Margo in reply to Bearo]

Yes it seems it is very very common, along with seizures and heart attacks......Which was why I was so surprised not having had the medical intervention.

[Margo]

I bought the beetroot juice in a carton from Waitrose, I believe other supermarkets sell the same. I also bought organic fresh beetroot and steamed in the steamer, and may juice that.

[humanbean]

One thing that helps reduce my BP is a potassium supplement. I take potassium bicarbonate in a powder/granule form, and put it in orange juice to disguise the taste, because every potassium supplement I've tried tastes vile.

This is worth reading, along with the comments :

drmalcolmkendrick.org/2013/...

One of the potassium supplements I've tried was potassium bitartrate, found in many kitchens under the name "cream of tartar". I have never managed to work out what the exact potassium content is in the potassium supplements I've tried because my chemistry and measuring equipment aren't up to the job, so I stay conservative. Tablets sold for the purpose, are very big and I struggle to swallow them, and are also very low dose. I dose the various powders I've tried with a level quarter teaspoon in orange juice.