higher blood pressure numbers

[Anette]

HI all,
I have never had high blood pressure and also have been monitoring my BP with a quick BP check at the local pharmacy. Normal numbers have been 120/75 or so. When I checked it the last time I was unpleasantly surprised as it was 141/81. i was like :eek:. ever since then i have been almost obsessed with checking it every time i go to the grocery store. sometimes i take the test 3 times with greatly varying numbers from 121 to 148. so of course, here goes my mind.. "so i have lost 20 some pounds on PP and maybe I have been eating too much fat, and why when I lost weight is my BP going up.. and when i see the doc she is going to ask my how i lost the weight and when i tell her, she is going to tell me to go on low fat/whole grain weight loss (she is old school). bla bla bla...
so first of all, i am concerned about the higher BP numbers. I have also read over and over that most PP folks had BETTER BP numbers once starting PP. SO why in the heck are mine going up? I know stress is a big factor and i have been experiencing more stress at work over the last few weeks. My main concern is that my menue has too much fat and in some way my mind is still OLD SCHOOL when it comes to fat. I have to admit that i eat cheese and salami almost every day and use cream/half and half in my coffee and i also make cream sauces. My main protein source is chicken, pork tenderloin, fish abt once a week, but also various sausages. Cheese is mainly string cheese. of course eggs are also a staple of my PP plan. ANY FEEDBACK is greatly appreciated. I am honestly scared of going to my Doc.....:( because i know she is going to tell me how bad PP is for the body. Thanks for listening

[Gaelen]

a couple of things, Anette...

stress is a major culprit in rising BP, and you could be making it worse by worrying about it
supermarket BP machines are notoriously unreliable--if you want to monitor your BP, spend $25 at Walmart or Walgreens or Target and get an automatic home BP monitor which you can calibrate
salt and processed foods (i.e. salami, sausages) can also affect your bp. Eat less of those things, and stuff might improve.
Fat is NOT the issue on BP levels
BP numbers do tend to improve after you've been on PP for awhile, but sometimes that isn't an instant thing. Give it some time.

[gitfiddle]

Hi, Pat!

Anette, I second the remark about the grocery store machines. It's so much better to take readings at home when you're quiet in your chair. I have this nice little machine that works automatically at the touch of a button and gives me bp and pulse.

[Gaelen]

I agree, Carol...
also, taking your own BP at home is most useful as a way to establish trends. If you take your BP first thing in the a.m. before you get out of bed, and it's 100/70, and then you get up--walk dogs--take a shower--eat breakfast and then your bp is 150/100 with that kind of limited exercise, and that happens every day, then you have an issue.

But BP typically rises during the day, at least a few points.
My own BP is around 100/70 first thing in the a.m., around 125/80 in the middle of the day, and drops back to 100/70 by evening. And if I'm having a stressful day at work, that will flag as a midday BP of say, 140/88.

The important thing is to establish baselines, take your pressure at the same time and place every day (before exercise, caffeine, etc.), and then you will know what is 'normal' for you and what is out of line.

Hope this helps.

[Anette]

thanks so much.