Accident Waiting To Happen?

Posted By Sheryl on August 01, 1998 at 12:14:46:







Dear CC Doctor.  I saw Gregory's post asking a similar thing on Meds.  Mine is on BP medication. " sometimes" in the doctor's office I will have an elevated BP. 154/94 or so. (usually they have to pump it several times to get this number)  other times it will be 130/80 or less.  Recently I had a thallium stress test because my ankles swell at times. The test was normal except for BP reaching 240/60 at 85% peak with heart rate of 139.  I started out pre-test with BP at 127/78 with an 82 pulse and ended post test at 130/66. I have had these elevations of BP off and on that I am aware of for over 10 years.  Why I am so scard in different doctor's office's I do not know.(not aware that i am stressed out)  The doc who ordered this thallium wants me on BP meds. I asked him if I could buy the "best" BP monitor machine and test my BP daily under different stress levels.  He did not like this.  I bought the machine, (over 100.00 and had a neighbor cardio researcher come and show me how to take this).  He took it and I registered 126/85...he took his own and that of my hubby's who is always low. They both were in the range of what their BP is usually.  I have sinced continued doing this.  They have all been good except twice now over the past month.  Once when I was in pain  it went to 155/89 with a pulse of 98 and another time when I had to call this doctor's office and got all keyed up with them and I took my BP and it was 157/88 with a pulse of 100.  A half hour later it registered 136/80 with a pulse rate of 97...My question: What can i do to help myself to get this even lower than the normal range to give me lee-way when i either see a doctor or talk to his office on the phone other than meds.  Perhaps if I can get it to always be in the 100/60 range than i have some lee-way.  I do not want to take uneccessary meds for something I can do myself.  More exercise?  I need your expertise advice here. Is BP Meds warranted for these type of readings?.  I do not want to Stroke Out  talking to a doctor via phone or in his office.  I am 52 years old.  Why does this happen to me?  Maybe I am a nervous wreck and do not know it.  P.S. Garlic?  Estrogen?  Need HELP!   Thanks Very Much.  Sheryl    P.S.  I see you have two catagories listed.  Hypertension and High Blood Pressure.  What is the difference?l