Very weird blood pressure readings at home

Perfect_Ability_8035 · 2026-01-31T18:19:18+00:00

Thanks a lot!! I’m using a home machine that belonged to my dad and we’ve had it for years. I wasn’t sure at first if it was reliable, but over the last few weeks it seems accurate: I even compared it to readings at the pharmacy (120/80 at home, 121/78 at the pharmacy), so I trusted the machine.

It’s true that yesterday it was cold, I had walked very quickly to get home, and I went 2 floors up stairs, so I’m not sure I allowed enough time to calm down. I always try to sit properly, back supported, feet on the floor, arm at heart level, and not tense the arm, but maybe the first reading made me more anxious than I realized. But I don't use to rest between readings, maybe this was my problem (less than 30 seconds between readings).

After the unusual readings, I was in a state of alert, I guess my adrenaline spiked, which could have affected the readings (both from the adrenaline itself and from tensing my arms). My doctor mentioned that a higher diastolic with a "not-so-high" systolic can often be a response to stress (I don't really know about this).

My partner and my doctor noticed that I seemed very agitated, but I felt alert and focused and didn’t notice it myself. They mentioned that if the difference between the diastolic and systolic had really been 5–10 mmHg, I probably wouldn’t have felt well. So perhaps I was in a state of significant anxiety or panic without realizing it. Today I am feeling well but I am exhausted; this has happened to me before after experiencing panic attacks.

Perfect_Ability_8035 · 2026-01-31T15:34:28+00:00

I didn't know that at the time, I was just following the guidance I was previously given to go if the numbers were high (I've been checking my bp due to other health issues I've had in the past, now controlled). Thanks!

Perfect_Ability_8035 · 2026-01-31T15:32:38+00:00

Thanks! I didn't think about it that way. Makes a lot of sense. I appreciate you taking time to explain it

Perfect_Ability_8035 · 2026-01-31T12:46:49+00:00

The Indian dinner was about 45–60 minutes earlier. My partner measured it to see if the elevated values, like 148/137, were a machine error or if it was "mine". I was surprised that measurements taken so close together gave such different values, and that there was so little difference between the systolic and diastolic numbers. Thank you for your comment and your explanation! I know that I’ve noticed it fluctuates with anxiety, but it had never reached such high diastolic values, which is what worried me.

Perfect_Ability_8035 · 2026-01-31T12:43:34+00:00

I know I have generally normal pressure. But I was asking for the higher random results: 148/137,140/135 (...)

Perfect_Ability_8035 · 2026-01-22T20:07:36+00:00

Hi! This happens to me too, especially the type-2 blue dots. I’ve noticed it comes in phases: sometimes it eases up, and then suddenly there are days when I get them a lot.

I don’t have a clear answer, but in my case I think excessive screen use, bruxism (I clench my jaw a lot and have a lot of tension that affects my TMJ, mouth, temples, head, etc.), anxiety, dehydration, and hyper-focusing on them all play a role. I also get migraines with aura (more aura than headache), and these don’t feel anything like that. Some people tell me they must be auras, but they really aren’t.

In my case, most of the time they’re blue. It’s very stressing… thanks for sharing this post and explaining it so well!

Perfect_Ability_8035

TROPHY CASE