Hi All:

Does anyone else's blood pressure go up right before their period? I usually check my BP once a week (Dr. told me just to keep an eye on it) So I do it every Monday. It has been really good all month (It can range from 106/73 to 124/77) Today when I took it, it was 146/82. I decided to take it an hour later and it was down to 129/80 so that was better. I thought I was getting my period last week but so far it hasn't come but I have major cramping and some PMS. I am not worried about my pressure at this point since it is usually lower but I am just curious if any one else's pressure goes up right before their period.

Thanks

Mopsy

Hi Mopsy,
I think my BP goes up around when my period is due too!! I'm about to borrow a monitor this week to keep an eye on it. Why is it alot of you are worried when your bp is 127/80 etc, when I've been told that is completely normal. Mine has been much higher than that at times, but I guess that's why I want to monitor it for a week or so! You see I have a thing we call in Australia as White Coat Syndrome, that is when you know you are having you bp taken it automatcally shoots up! Mine can be 165/95 at times but it doesn't stay there, if it were 120/80 I would be extremely happy. My doctor is keeping an eye on it but she is not convinced that it stays up at these readings, sooooo next time I go and it's up she wants me to wear an ambulatory monitor again. I did this about 2 years ago for the same reason and it all came back as being quite good. I can feel all the physical changes to my bod when I get this white coat thing.
Does anyone else identify with this?
Cheers
Down under

I think the medical terminology is Labile Hypertension (no known cause) though "white coat hypertension" definitely falls into that category. Mine ALWAYS goes up at the doctor's office. I even hear a B/P monitor and I think it will go up. My last visit produced 172/130. I layed down on my left side for five minutes and it went down to 146/88. She wasn't concerned. I am not concerned. I do take it intermittently and average 138/84. That's fine with me. I think they really start worrying when the lower number is consistently over 100. The upper number rises as we get older but I don't know the exact cut off with that one.

Hey thanks for the feed back everyone. I was never nervous about my bp before peri hit. My BP has always been low so the first time it hit 150/90 (at a doctor visit) I was surprised. Anyway, I was wondering if it isn't some of the doctors wanting one to go on medication so they tell us that this number is rather high. I heard one doctor (not mine-thank goodness) say that he likes all his patients to have readings of 115/70. Can you imagine. I bet he has all his patients on meds. My reg. doc. isn't worried at all at this point and told me just to monitor it but my OB doctor said something that they like to see 130/80 and below. It kind of made me wonder why as that reading would be decent. Now that I had some higher than normal readings at my doctors office, I get that white coat everytime I go in. At least at home the average is 124/74 so I am really happy with that.

Thanks again for all your impute.

Mopsy

As we get older, our veins and arteries naturally become less elastic thereby forcing the them to work harder to get the oxygen rich blood to go where it is supposed to be going. Perhaps that is why our blood pressure (top) gets higher as we age? If that be the case, then a medication induced lower number would slow this process down and say - the brain area (being the top most on our bodies - like climbing up hill) would suffer from "less" oxygenated blood and could this produce dementia, stroke or some other brain injury in later life? This entire scenario is also negatively impacted due to elevated LDL cholesterol sticking against the walls of our veins/arteries and the count of oxygen rich RBC's. Something to toy with - something I always do.

It's early morning and my mind's creativity is in full gear.

I definitely "white coat" whenever my PCP takes my blood pressure. The ironic thing is, she's a nice person, hardly intimidating! Doc figures that since she's the one who's ordered tests for heart issue [MVP, palp's], low thyroid, mammagrams and so on, that I have a negative reaction whenever she comes near w/ the blood pressure cuff! Can't argue - I know I worry when I'm heading to her office. It's a little embarassing for me, but not something I can control.

As for periods, mine are pretty sporadic - but I just finished one on Saturday and my pressure has been low, 99/67 and 104/74 yesterday and today! [Am on atenolol so normal for me is around 110/79.] Will try to check before and after next time. Interesting question.

new

Hey:

I have been monitoring mine for the last few periods and my bp is definately higher before my period starts and low after. I took it before it was 144/78 and then when I took it after my period I was 106/73. I did talk to my nurse and she said that can happen. Strange.

Hi everyone,
How are you all doing? I've been checking my bp each day for the last 4 weeks and have found the average reading has been about 130/84! I have to go to the doctor's in the next fortnight or so and see what she has to say about this meantime would you believe my wrist is giving me what for, if not one thing then another. I don't know if it carpel tunnel or what but it hurts when I doing anything repetitive like computer etc. soooooo here we go again?

I ALSO HAVE HBP BEFORE MY PERIOD AND A LIL AFTER, GUSHING IN EARS AND A SICK FEELING. SEEMS LIKE EXERCISE IS HELPING A BIT TOO. I ALSO HAVE ACHES IN MY LEFT ARM ANYONE OUT THERE HAVE ANY HERBAL REMEDIES?

Yes, my BP goes way up just before I start my period, sometimes to dangerously high levels. Some people call these 'panic attacks' or blood pressure surges or a hypertensive crisis if it goes to around 200+ For those women who experience huge surges in BP, can you tell me what you ate and drank the day before and the day of the surge? Thanks much!

Hi all:

I don't eat or drink anything different but I can tell when my period is coming as I feel all shakey and edgy. Know what I Mean? I call it my "Shake, Rattle and Roll" stage. Maybe our pressure goes up then as our bodies are trying so hard to start a period.


Mopsy

HI MOPSY, I AM NEW TO THE SITE AND HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND YOU GIRLS. I AM 52 AND DOCTORS SAY I MIGHT BE PERI OR STARTN MENOPAUSE EVEN THOUGH I STILL GET REGULAR PERIODS. I ALSO GET BH READINGS HIGHER BEFORE MY PERIOD AND DOCTORS JUST LOOK AT ME BLANK. I ALSO GET PRESSURE IN MY HEAD AND GUSHING IN MY EARS A BIT OF A MESS. I DID NOTICE THOUGH THAT WHEN I WALK TWICE A DAY IT HELPS THE READINGS. IT SEEMS NOW ALSO THAT THE BP LINGERS A LIL LONGER AFTER MY PERIOD IS DONE. I HAD GONE TO A CARDIOLIGIST AND MY HEART WAS FINE, HE SAID BEFORE HE GIVES ME MEDS. TO LOOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP WALKING SO THATS WHAT I WILL DO, PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW IT GOES WITH YOUR NURSE PRACTICIONER SEEMS LIKE YOU WERE BLESSED TO FIND SOMEONE WHO CARES AND KNOW, GOD BLESS YOU , TINKYBUG

Sorry-
I'm new to this site and didn't mean to re-post the above.

Ladies, try lowering your salt intake. Sodium is salt on the ingredients list. Try to keep it below 2000 mg a day. This really helps my BP.

actually I don't eat salt and I avoid as much salty foods as much as possible. I have been doing this for years. I have heard that salt can cause higher bp too. My bp is odd though as it is normal to low all month but not before my period.

Mopsy