variable blood pressure readings

[jillianleigh]

Please help!
What would cause a significant shift in blood pressure readings that can occur spontaneously?  I do not seem
effected by "white coat" syndrome....As an example yesterday my BP, as taken by a doctor in her office was
112/74.  I asked her if she would repeat taking my blood pressure, as it fluctuates wildly, even if I take it at home
at the same time each day (I measure it while seated with my arm resting at heart level).  From one day to the
next the readings can vary from 160/92 to 115/75.  Today, at a different doctor's office I felt relaxed, and the conditions
paralleled the previous day.  My reading in THIS doctor's office was 156/94.
I am taking 5mg of prinival each night, as my family physician is concerned about the high readings.  These readings
can and still do occur even if taking prinival...as do the lower readings.  I am a female, 60 years in age, active, over-weight, not anxious.  The jump in blood pressure began about three years ago, but has never been consistent from
day to day.  I have been taking prinival for 6 months.  I also take synthroid for an underactive thyroid.  Lastly, I may
develop facial flushing 4 or 5 times a year....the flushing is not related to fear, exercize etc.  It is as surprizing as the
leaps in BP.  The flushing began in 2005....was absent for most of 2006, and now appears four -five times a year.
My face becomes hot, bright red, and slowly returns to normal color.  This can occur if I am seated, have not eaten
any food or consumed any liquids.  The high BP readings are not occuring with the facial flushing, although I do not
know what my BP reading is on those occasions when the facial flushing occurs.  What does this possible sound
like to you?  

[SwanSong]

How long have you been treated for hypothyroidism? Are your thyroid tests stable?

Are your TSH and FT4 (thyroid tests) within the correction ranges?

Ideally your TSH should be around 1.0 and your FT4 in the upper third of its range.

If your thyroid tests are not where they should be, either too high or too low, that could cause hypertension.

[mrwjd]

Do you have a bp monitor?  I got one, plus oximeter and pedometer, after surgery, and they have been very helpful in connecting symptoms to changes in numbers, variations, checking against norms, etc.  Also in reassuring me that I'm actually getting air when I feel like I can't breathe; very stressful if you can't test your O2 percent and know you aren't actually suffocating!

Apparently doctors now accept, many recommend  bp monitors at home.  You do get a more complete record.  Especially with you, you are going to have to take it a lot of times to find out where average is, since yours jumps so far up and down.

My issue now is that, three months after surgery, lingering symptoms remaining are increased bp, increased HR, and now I find my choloesterol is 'way up.  I guess some of this is normal--other measures like glucose were up and like hematocrit were down, but those measures have settled back to normal.  If you learn anything about that, will you post back?   Thanks.