Blood Pressure

I was thought to have high blood pressure for a while too. The reason I think it is though is because one time my blood pressure test wasn't working right and I got nervous so when the brought in a new machine I was nervous and tested high. After that every time I get my blood pressure checked I get really nervous because I know it will make it go up. I try not to get nervous but I can't. I know I'm a head case.

When you took your test were you relaxed?

I was diagnosed with high blood pressure recently as well. I'm in the same boat as you...23 years old, eat healthy, exercise way too much.

It was always super high at the doctor's office, and close to normal back at home when I monitored it myself. White coat syndrome?

Mine's a little high sometimes too. I'm not sure about this, but I think that having SLIGHTLY high blood pressure is simply an inevitable symptom of training at a volume and intensity.

Me too, but the nurse was giving me fellatio.

Riiiight!

mahogany wrote:

This is BS. I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure. I run everyday, I eat healthy, and I am only 20. Has anyone else had this happen?

Were you named after that beautiful Diana Ross song? I love that song.

How high?

its not BS...the damage high BP causes is cumulative. There are a number of things u can do to attempt to lower it - change of diet, more sleep, change of working environment etc.

It will not kill you (yet), but the effects will be felt later if left untreated. Age has nothing to do with it. From the age of 16 on I was told I had high BP and blew it off. Not a good decision....but it is under control now at the age of 41.

Medication at your age should be a last resort. But the most important thing to achieve is to get the # down.

Going through it right now and am just 23. Had low sodium levels, high HDL levels with low LDL, run 6x week. Had my kidneys tested and scanned and all is negative so I've been diagnosed as essentially hypertensive and am being medicated with Calcium channel blockers and diuretics...don't like taking medication even if I don't notice the side effects. Fortunately there is still hope for me as I was simultaneously diagnosed with sleep apnea (you don't need to be overweight or snore to have it) and this is a possible cause to hypertension. So I patiently wait using my CPAP for the swelling to go down in my throat so I can hopefully be operated on to cure the sleep apnea which will hopefully lower the blood pressure naturally.

Can be partly genetic and watch out for the salt/sodium intake.

Dr. S

Picture your cardiovascular system like the water pipes in your house. Now picture your blood pressure as the water pressure in your pipes.

There is a normal range of operation that your plumbing system is designed to handle, lets say 10psi. High blood pressure is similiar to having water at 20psi running in the pipes.

You can handle it for a while. But the extra strain starts to wear on your system. Faucets start springing leaks, water softeners don't work right, whatever.

Eventually damage accures.

There are several causes for high blood pressure. Genetics, bad diet (alcohol), bad habits (smoking), etc. There are no good symptoms for high blood pressure (technically known as hypertension). You can have it and not know it.

One high reading does not mean you have high blood pressure. There are many things that can cause a temporary spike in your blood pressure reading.

The blood pressure is a function of blood volume vs vascular area during the hearts contraction cycle. Barring traumatic injury, the blood volume is relatively constant and changes slowly over time.

But the vascular area can change relatively quickly and have a big influence on the readings.

If the vascular area shrinks the blood pressure readings will go up. Things that can cause this are exercise, eating food, hormones (sexual exitement, fear), and some drugs (nicotine).

And if the vascular area expands the blood pressure drops. A class of drugs known as vasodilators is a common culprit (ie: Viagra, nitroglycerin (used to treat chest pain in cardiac patients)).

I assume the doctor made the diagnosis after several blood pressure readings. If visiting a doctor made you nervous and you were in a state of high anxiety every time a blood pressure reading was taken, it is possible you do not have high blood pressure.

But do not assume this. Get a second opinion from another doctor. Buy your own blood pressure monitor and check yourself during times of calm.

If the numbers are still high, don't live in denial. You may feel fine. You may feel fine for years or even decades. But your system is wearing down under the increased strain. Something will give out sooner than it should. Heart attack at age 42, kidney failure at age 44, whatever.

When caught early, a lot of high blood pressure cases do not need to be treated with drugs. Changes in diet may be all that are needed (I assume you already exercise).

But you might be genetically disposed to high blood pressure and diet and exercise might not be enough. Then drugs might be called for. So be it. Do what needs to be done.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. Good luck.

Same boat. I was diagnosed at 19. Vegetarian, cholesterol at around 115, 80 MPW, very low body fat.

Lots of tests and no known cause. Not much I can change in my lifestyle so went on drugs (Lisnopril--ACE inhibitor and hydrochlorothiazide diuretic).

Before: 165/90. Now: 125/80.

Some people just get things and no one knows why or the pathology.

Some people need 9 hours of sleep. If you are one and you don't get it, you will have high BP.