High blood pressure? me? Why?

Question

Hey, i'm 15 years old, around 5'10/5'11, weigh 140 pounds, so I'm not overweight of course, i used to do cardio till i started to feel out of breathe/dizzy and hard beartbeat with a bit of pain alomost 2 months ago. Brain/Chest CT scans, blood work, and EKG were done in the ER about 4 weeks ago but they were all normal, i still went to the doctor and he decided to check my thyroids but they haven't called back for 2 weeks so i'm assuming nothing is wrong..But why was my blood pressure 150/86(it's also been at 124/70) at times in the doctor? I also notice that at times of day i hear a pulsing in my ear, or my heart pounds, and a wierd tension in my face. It's wierd, and i get scared . I dont wanna go back to school like this and there's only 2 more days! What should i do?

Answer 1

Some people are just more prone to it than others.  Usually, the cause is hereditary.  Does mom, dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles have high blood pressure?

There are MANY causes for high blood pressure.  Some are easy to fix (it could just be late stage of puberty -- you'll grow out of it), some are much more serious (undiagnosed heart diseasr)

The "weird sensation" on your face is called "flushing".  Its quite a bit like blushing, but its not caused by being embarrassed.  By itself it is harmless, but it could be the symptom of something else, so tell your doctor about this.

You are quite correct in being concered enough to see your doctor, but now you need to follow through.  Stay in touch with your doctor.  If he hasn't called you, then YOU call HIM.  You have a right to know and discuss the results of your tests.

But as to controlling this before school starts -- no way.  The doctor has just started to try things, and you're going to need more tests -- and a LOT more patience.

SO enjoy school, keep in CLOSE touch with the doctor, and do EXACTLY what he says.

Answer 2

You need to see a cardiologist to investigate secondary causes of high blood pressure especially given your age. You may need additional tests to look for heart problems, gland problems, kidney problems etc that might not show up in a standard set of tests.

Answer 3

Chris, blood pressure is very dynamic. That means it is constantly changing to adjust to meet some demand in your body. I have worked in pharmacies where they have the free machine. I found that when my pulse was high, my BP was low(er). I think you will find that most people will have BP as high as you some time during the day. That is why to diagnose hypertension, your doctor will have you come in weekly, at different times of day. He might even check it more than once per visit. My doctor quit having his good looking assistant check mine. High blood pressure is a long term health risk. Mild elevation for a few hours, days or even months, is not that big of a deal.