Arm BP vs. lower leg BP

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cinnamonsmile
cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
I have been refusing any type of bp on either arm lately. I go to the pain clinic every week now, and have noticed that my bp is sky high. I know I have some anxiety about going there period, some anxiety about what kind of nurse I am going to have (I have had a different nurse every time which mentally, is very very difficult for me cuz I am afraid of what I will get.) But, my top number has always been above 176 (and I was totally relaxed, I thought, cuz I'd taken a xanax before that appt!!)when they take it on my lower leg when I am sitting. When the treaments are over, it goes back down, but is taken when I am laying sitting up. This last time, the top number was 199!!! I don't know what it was at the end of my nerve block treatment. I
Is it normal for leg bps to be higher than arm bps, and does it make a difference whether you are sitting or laying down. Hopefully I will remember to write this down as a question for the dr. But as we all know, waiting sucks and we want answers now lol, so I thought I would put this out here.
Thank you....

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  • mamolady
    mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
    #2
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    The leg bp is higher. I was
    The leg bp is higher. I was told to get the leg as close to level with the heart as possible. I don't know what the difference is. Lying down your blood pressure is lower. I am not sure how that effects the leg though.
    Cindy
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #3
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    I do legs BP too...my PCP
    I do legs BP too...my PCP said the further you get from the heart the higher the BP and the less reliable the reading is. But 176 and 199 are VERY high, high enough that I think you should call/email your doc and have a conversation about it.

    I was also told to use the left leg (closer to the heart) and it should be elevated. So if you're sitting, your leg/foot should be resting on something so the leg is even with the hip.

    I hope this helps, and I hope you get some relief from the nasty pain.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • cinnamonsmile
    cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
    #4
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    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    I do legs BP too...my PCP
    I do legs BP too...my PCP said the further you get from the heart the higher the BP and the less reliable the reading is. But 176 and 199 are VERY high, high enough that I think you should call/email your doc and have a conversation about it.

    I was also told to use the left leg (closer to the heart) and it should be elevated. So if you're sitting, your leg/foot should be resting on something so the leg is even with the hip.

    I hope this helps, and I hope you get some relief from the nasty pain.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    Each time I see my family
    Each time I see my family doctor I am given a chart of my weight and bp over the appts I have had at that clinic system and my bp is always fine when I see her. You can see where my bp has shot up at appts in the past when I was dealing with incompetent doctors and medical staff. I was just wondering if leg bps could read different than arm bps. I will talk to my family dr. about it. My pain doctor, I am sure would talk to me about it, but I like to just deal with pain with him. I know I am always nervous when I go there because I am afraind of getting a bad nurse and knowing the painful neck shot and cortisone shots I will get. After my shots at the pain dr. when I am laying down, my bp is usually around 136 when I am getting ready to be discharged.
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #5
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    mamolady said:

    The leg bp is higher. I was
    The leg bp is higher. I was told to get the leg as close to level with the heart as possible. I don't know what the difference is. Lying down your blood pressure is lower. I am not sure how that effects the leg though.
    Cindy

    I have always heard like
    I have always heard like Cindy said, that leg blood pressure is higher.


    Sue :)

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