Blood Pressure Poll

[HopeSprings]

I assumed most of us were low, until recently noticed several people are high - just wanted to see what's most typical with us. Please answer based on where your BP would be without medication.

[juliegee]

I didn't vote because I couldn't find a category for me. I generally run low (90/60), but swing high (160/110- highest caught) during periods of extreme stress. When I'm mildly nervous, in a doctor's office for instance, I run normal (120/80) even though I'm not usually. Also, when I stand, my pulse pressure is really narrow, (95/87.) It's frustrating to look normal when I am so hypotensive and have such wild swings and issues with simply standing Anyone else like me?

[DoozlyGirl]

Hi,

My BP swings from low (80/60)to normal (120/80) while lying, then high while sitting (150/100 and as high as 200/110), then significantly drops on standing (down 40-50 systolic-top number and 10-30 diastolic-bottom number). I will often have a narrow pulse pressure at this point. Didn't tolerate beta blocker.

Interestingly, I have been going through my medical records from the beginning of my symptoms, and I have had periods of high BP 150/100 alternating with normal BP over the past 15 years, which would resolve spontaneously. I have tried different BP meds (Beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, diuretics) and have not tolerated any of them, so had to stop them within a few weeks. My past experiences are starting to make sense. Now I have to figure out what to do about it.

Lyn

[toddm1960]

Do you mean supine or standing? I think there was a poll awhile ago asking if you had orthostatic hypotension or orthostatic hypertsion, I'm sure how to search on that one. Maybe someone could find that poll and bump it back up.

[Yolaclover]

Cardio got 80/50 last time I was there without meds. This was sitting. Before that I was 120/70 sitting and 90/60 standing (taken by GP).

these numbers lead me to believe m,y home monitor is defective, Dr's numbers are always lower than mine!

[enko]

Mack's Mom,

I have similar problems - I'm usually low (90/60) but when I'm under stress I go to 120/80 or more.. I was saying to my cardio that I have low BP, then he checked it (while I was sitting) and said "It's 130 over.." and I didn't hear the rest of it, I was shocked

[MomtoGiuliana]

My situation is too variable to answer. When I am really unwell/in flare up my bp tends to run high. But I am not always that sick. Generally I run SLIGHTLY on low side if I am feeling"normal" (my normal )

[Sarah4444]

I am identical to Julie. Without meds my supine bp is about 90/60 and when I would stand it would sometimes go up to about 110/70, other times fall. When I was really sick it would basically collapse every time I tried to stand, not registering on the monitor the first few times and then coming in low (60/45). On meds it's now higher and more stable - I have caught a couple of 150/110s, but it's usually close to normal or lowish. I still have the 30 bpm heart rate increase on standing.

[Noreen]

Mine runs just like Julie's (Mack Mom)

[Sallysblooms]

Mine has been really high. I have been taking Benicar. It has gone to normal most of the time so I have been able to cut down on it by 2/3! I try not to take prescriptions so that is good. That is the only prescription I take.

[icesktr189]

Mine is very low. Just got a reading in the doctors office yesterday and it was 80/42. BUT its a lot better than what it was a month ago! So hopefully these new meds work.

[ramakentesh]

Some patient have elevated orthostatic absolute blood pressure, some have slightly reduced. Some researchers have used this to differentiate patients, but others think its irrelevant.

[Magnesiumgirl]

I voted too high to too low, but I am the same as Mack's mom. THe nurses always tell me that my blood pressure is a "perfect 110/80 ( or whatever it is)". However, when I take my blood pressure at home it can be any where from 80/50 to 160/120.

[RockiesGirl]

I generally run low (90/60), but swing high (160/110- highest caught) during periods of extreme stress. When I'm mildly nervous, in a doctor's office for instance, I run normal (120/80) even though I'm not usually. Also, when I stand, my pulse pressure is really narrow, (95/87.) It's frustrating to look normal when I am so hypotensive and have such wild swings and issues with simply standing Anyone else like me?

I am almost exactly like you. Highest ever recorded 158/136. But I recently went to the Grocery the other day to pick up my prescriptions and almost passed-out while waiting in line Decided to wait & take my vitals at the industrial BP machine. It kept erroring out and would not show my pulse, but my BP was 84/79. Then the Crazy thing wouldn't release my Arm....The Pharmacist had to come over. He had me retake my BP 3 times and all of the readings were really narrow and it never read my pulse?? He gave the 'look' and recommended I stop at the emergency room on the way home. LOL! When I was able to get my prescription I explained what I have and he was so very kind, but still insisting I should stop by the ER.

[blueroses79]

Thanks for posting this poll! I came here wanting to ask the same question!

My own BP is high-normal, usually. Systolic is around 140, diastolic usually around 110-120. When I go in for gynecological appts. it goes even higher. They refuse to prescribe me any estrogen containing birth control for this reason, and usually freak out. With my home monitor I can't discern any lowered BP effects of feeling dizzy.

It consistently drops around 30 points when I stand, but does not get dangerously low unless I've actually passed out. Then it's usually around 70/50.

This makes me super confused about what treatment I should be pursuing.

Oh, and I voted "swings too high and too low," though "higher than avg" is probably a better description. My BP when I've actually fainted probably shouldn't count as a 'swing.'

[cmtaylor5]

Mine is identical to Mack's Mom.

[Allene]

Normal BP for me is about 115/70. When I really started getting symptoms, it has dropped as low as 50/40. Lately it's been up to 140/80 while seated. It tends to drop to my "normal" when I stand, and when I've been up for a while it gets even lower.

I selected "swings too high and too low"

[ramakentesh]

Low flow forms of POTS tend to have elevated orthostatic blood pressure, other forms tend to have normal standing blood pressure.

[targs66]

Mine is consistently pretty low, but the weird thing is that it depends on what time of day it is! In the mornings, it's usually about 88/60, but by early evening, it's as high as 96/64. Needless to say, I've always been a "night owl" but it only became apparent to me why that was when I realized I had BP issues. I don't have POTS, but have neurally mediated hypotension.

[starby]

Hmm I voted average but then I see some of the posts and perhaps I'm lower than average after all. Mine is usually around 95/60 but can go to 120/70 at highest and to 80/45 lowest. So I suppose in relation to everyone else I'm probably lower than average, but only just. I find mine is a bit higher when my tachycardia is bad, funnily enough. I thought it was normally the other way around.

[sisblostg]

I vote mine swings high and low. I do take my blood pressure daily on an accurate machine at the same time of day while sitting down and it averages 128/80. I have had readings as low as 60/40 and as high as the 200's. I have found the lows are when I have to sit and wait for hours at the dr's office my pressure is high. It is also high during surges. I have found it get very low when I am standing and talking(or as I would say just trying to be a normal mom in the school parking lot).

[cordellia]

labile: my bp ordinarily runs low-- with a narrowed pulse pressure

it is labile and can vary dramatically in the span of just a few minutes

90-85 /60-55 being the average; 70's/ 40's (when i am very unwell); 130's/ 80's with

normal activity, spikes with stress or for no reason whatsoever: 170/90

(this is rare--thankfully). thank you for the survey-- interesting...

[mwise]

I run on the low side, but have been normal on occasion. I run around as high as 90-100/70s to 60/40 & lower when I am ready drop to the floor especially when I stand even less than a minute. Standing for 3 minutes 70/50.

[pulp]

I run low. 90/50-90/65 supine. 70/40-70/30 are measurements I have had done when standing. Symtomic both standing and lying down, I dont have a diagnosis yet. Doctors and nurses insist on my bp being normal, but I believe thats out of pure ignorance and being feed too much about how good low bp is.

[snuffthroostr]

I am new here, but had to post to this. My bp will go as low as 65/38 (even though I have been told if it went that low there was no way I could be walking around!). On "normal" feeling occasions it is 100/50. Anyone know how low is TOO low?