Inexplicable hypertension - loose skin to blame?

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MaggotPig
MaggotPig Posts: 89 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm largely just thinking out loud as I have no one to bounce ideas off right now (and the dog couldn't care less...)

For the last 6 months or so, I've been having the typical symptoms of low blood pressure. It's so bad now that I can't even stretch without feeling light headed, never mind stand up or bend over quickly. I mentioned it to my GP last time I was there and they measured my blood pressure - which came out (several times!) at 155/100 - massively high for my age (I'm 26). GP can't explain it. She actually said that I was a model patient - I don't drink, I don't smoke, I eat a healthy balanced diet, exercise regularly. Apparentlh even genetic predisposition shouldn't be an issue at my age.

It's something I've been giving a lot of thought, and I have a potential theory - I've lost 10st (140lbs/63kg). Naturally, I have a reasonable amount of loose skin. I have a particularly large amount of loose skin on my upper arm. Could this be responsible for increased pressure required to occlude the brachial artery and therefore giving an artificially high BP reading? I did notice that this time, my upper arm did come out with a bruise the following day so the cuff must have been pretty tight. I've never had that before.

They'd going to re-check it next time I'm in (in a couple of weeks to review some X-rays)

Has anyone else heard or experienced this before? Is it even a physically possible reason?

Replies

  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    Did they use a machine, or do it manually? If they used a machine, make them take it manually. The machine and I don't get along. My BP would always be at least 20 pts higher with the machine. When I'd ask the Dr to do it manually, it was perfect.
  • wrenak
    wrenak Posts: 144 Member
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    I had hypertension as an active 135-pound 18yo that required medication to treat. As I've gotten older & larger I've required stronger doses to keep it under control, but regardless of how much weight I lose I will always need meds. It is genetic and is of the type where there is no known cause. Eating or restricting salt does absolutely nothing to it. So don't let them tell you that you're too young for genetic hypertension. If you are consistently reading high they need to find you a med to control it. Hopefully the safest and lowest dose will do you.
  • MaggotPig
    MaggotPig Posts: 89 Member
    edited November 2015
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    omma_to_3 wrote: »
    Did they use a machine, or do it manually? If they used a machine, make them take it manually. The machine and I don't get along. My BP would always be at least 20 pts higher with the machine. When I'd ask the Dr to do it manually, it was perfect.

    They did both and it was similar on both gadgets.

    I've got a wrist BP monitor arriving tomorrow to test my theory (it's the scientist in me!)
  • MaggotPig
    MaggotPig Posts: 89 Member
    edited November 2015
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    chillaxin69 wrote: »
    what is your hematocrit level?

    Not sure but I had some pretty comprehensive blood tests a short while ago (3 or 4 months ago) and everything was nicely within the normal range. Ferritin is usually low end of normal but it's monitored regularly and I take iron supplements.
  • MaggotPig
    MaggotPig Posts: 89 Member
    edited November 2015
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    wrenak wrote: »
    I had hypertension as an active 135-pound 18yo that required medication to treat. As I've gotten older & larger I've required stronger doses to keep it under control, but regardless of how much weight I lose I will always need meds. It is genetic and is of the type where there is no known cause. Eating or restricting salt does absolutely nothing to it. So don't let them tell you that you're too young for genetic hypertension. If you are consistently reading high they need to find you a med to control it. Hopefully the safest and lowest dose will do you.

    They're not ignoring it which is good. It's a different doctor I saw this time compared to usual as I just booked in with anyone as it was something completely new. I just mentioned having my BP checked while I was there.

    What makes no sense to me is that I feel like it's really low, rather than really high...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    being light headed and dizzy is also a symptom of hypertension. in my experience hereditary factors can absolutely be a factor regardless of age.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited November 2015
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    Maybe you were nervous or had been rushing around to get there? Maybe the person taking it did it wrong. Maybe many things. Try not to think about it too much. They'll take it again next time. Don't sweat it.

    It's unlikely that your skin is messing it up. Whoever takes your BP should be taking it right. If they do,my he skin thing won't mess it up.

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Try a different machine, like at the pharmacy, to see if you get consistent high readings there too. There's a reason high blood pressure is called the silent killer. You may not even know you have it. I have a friend whose father and brothers all died young, all from massive heart attacks. He was in his twenties when his blood pressure shot up. He's been on medication since and he has outlived all the men in his family.

    I have very floppy arms but I get consistently normal-low blood pressure readings now.
  • MaggotPig
    MaggotPig Posts: 89 Member
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    I was there for a completely unrelated appointment this morning and got them to check my BP - 120/58. So who knows what's going on!
  • xX_PhoenixRising_Xx
    xX_PhoenixRising_Xx Posts: 622 Member
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    That is really random. I can tell you that I have consistently low BP readings. I've lost 71kg and have a lot of loose skin on my upper arms. A cardiologist took my BP at 94/60, high for me would be 110/70 these days. I've had plenty of different people take it too, skin has never been an issue. At least you're monitoring it, hopefully it's nothing!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    edited November 2015
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    Dizziness or light-headedness vagus response may be due to a lot of factors outside of low blood pressure. These vary a lot - from serotonin levels to nerve damage to blood sugar levels to drugs to peripheral circulatory issue. If you've eliminated the possible cause of hypotension (low pressure) then continue to work with your doctor to find what is triggering this. It is quite possible that what you are experiencing is in no way related to low blood pressure.

    Only your doctors can help with the clinical diagnosis probably requiring a variety of exam techniques.

  • MaggotPig
    MaggotPig Posts: 89 Member
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    So I've been playing around with my BP monitor and its textbook normal when I'm sitting down, when I stand up and take it, the systolic pressure drops 20-30mmHg and I've been getting readings around 90/70
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    I hope your bracial artery never occludes but this could very well be your issue. I think a doctor would be a great resource for this question but you might find some very knowledgable people on this forum that might support your theory. Either way, let us know if you find out anything from a source outside of these forums. It's a fascinating question.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Drop in blood pressure when you stand up.
    http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/orthostatic-hypotension/basics/symptoms/con-20031255

    The temporary treatment is to get up slowly, and if you feel dizzy, sit down again.

    To get to the bottom of widely ranging readings, some of my friends have worn a monitor for a day that randomly tests BP. Bit inconvenient but at least you get a broader set of data. I'm a data girl so I like this stuff.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    It happened to me a few years ago honestly... Went to a doctor appointment before Thanksgiving and I guess I was stressed because my tension was pretty high. Never happened again since.
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
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    Did you have a lot more water than normal right before measurement? Do you have white coat syndrome (stressed about the doctor appointment which artificially inflates the measurement at the doctor's office)? Did you have too much salt the day before or that day (shouldn't be that short term normally though)? Did you rush or run into the office? Were you under any undue stress at the time or around the time of the measurement?

    These are the only things that I can think of to inflate your BP prior to measurement.

    The low BP definitely makes sense. You would get headaches and not dizzy from high BP.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
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    omma_to_3 wrote: »
    Did they use a machine, or do it manually? If they used a machine, make them take it manually. The machine and I don't get along. My BP would always be at least 20 pts higher with the machine. When I'd ask the Dr to do it manually, it was perfect.

    OMG, thank you for posting! Everyone, including my doctor, looks at me like I am a kook when I say that the machines read me high.

    OP, did you ask your doctor about the skin? It's odd that your BP drops when you stand. Back when i was in college, my bp was typically low, too low to donate plasma, so they'd have me stand and walk. I hope you get it all sorted out.

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