sudden spike in blood pressure??

Sounds like you have been on B/P meds for quite some time.  And you know about extra salt.  But do you know about the fact that anything in a can usually contains added salt?  It's how they preserve a lot of foods.  Also, ice cream can really raise your blood pressure.  Most people don't know that.

When I was a visiting home health nurse, I remember this one patient that I came to.  She was 95 pounds soaking wet and her B/P was 200?/ 100 something.  Anyway, she hadn't even gotten out of bed yet.  I went over her diet with her husband and he knew all about the cans and salt, but when I asked him about ice cream, he said he used to be in the ice cream business and gave her a spoonful several times a day.

When I came back the next week, after he had stopped giving her the ice cream,  her pressure was normal.  I never forgot that lady and her husband.  And I always remind people about the ice cream.

Hope your pressure returns to normal.

God's blessing over you and your family.

Lindaloo

Hi Barb,  I don't think we have spoken before, so I will take this chance to say 'Welcome'.

I'm not sure if I'm reading this right, so let me ask, do you take your own bp readings at home? The reading you mentioned in your post was AT the dentist's office, right? If you don't have a bp machine at home, I would suggest you get one.

For many yrs, my bp was always very good. When I was being tested for Fibro and going to one dr after another, I had 1 cardio dr get very snide w/ me and when he took my bp, it was up a bit. He snapped, 'All you need is bp med!!' I couldn't understand why all of a sudden I needed this med when my bp was always very good. A few yrs later, my new pcp did the bp test and couldn't get over how I wasn't on bp med and insisted I take the med. I was on 2 meds for it for several yrs.

I had terrible headaches and so lightheaded, my mouth would tingle, couldn't figure out why. Each time I had a dr visit, my bp was up. My DH has HBP so we were checking him to make sure he stayed level. I decided to check my bp on the machine. It was low! I would mention it to my pcp and she would test me and I was high. No, I had to stay on the meds! Two visits ago my bp was sky high, in stroke territory. Her words! I had been taking my readings 2x a day to show her what I was dealing w/ when I wasn't around her. I had stopped the meds - told her before that cardio told me to stop if my readings were low - and they were.

At the last pcp vist I was again very high, yet I took my bp just before we left the house and I was low. I still check my bp and I'm low.

I have been to the dentist's office a lot lately, no needles or drillin' either, and yet I find there is that 'quiet' stress of going. Just a thought.

The bp machines aren't too expensive, if you don't have one already. It might give you a different idea of how you are when there aren't any drs around.

Have a good day.

God bless.  Alice.

My blood pressure is being controlled by a beta blocker,Bystolic and a calcium channel blocker, Diltiazem.

I find it helpful to monitor my blood pressure on a regular basis...even with meds my blood pressusure is still in the pre-hypertensive state. Doing what I can by watching my sodium intake and walking has helped. Keeping my stress level down by doing meditation and deep breathing can bring the pressure down several points.

Do what you can to help get your blood pressure under control...It's so important. Wishing you well!

hugs, Robin :)