High Blood Pressure Q's

[Ngala]

Hi everyone

Well as some of you may or may not know I have had a stressful week (rash, high BP, being admitted to hosp etc). The highest my BP went up to was 160/100 and I was admitted in to hospital straight away. I think that my BP was due to stress tho because no one knew what my rash was and I was treated like I had the plague or something. In the hospital for 24 hrs, BP was fine and within an OK range (around 130/80).

Since coming out of hospital I have borrowed my dad's BP monitor and my BP at home is within the OK range for me. Today I went to the ANC, and I was a little nervous so my BP was 150/78. I went in to see a dr and she pretty much explained what the risks are of having a high BP and if it keeps going higher, bub's will need to come early. I think she also thinks that I am borderline PE except I got no protien in urine (atleast I hope I dont, next appt might get them to check), no headaches or any of the usual symptoms of PE. She said that if I dont feel well to go to hospital straight away. She also said that I have odema and wants me to rest as much as possible. I thought sitting in front of the computer was rest enough, but she wants me to lay down!!

So just got a few questions from my appt this morning...

~ Can a higher BP be caused by the extra weight I am carrying around?? I have gained 20+kg so far!!
~ Does having odema cause your BP to be higher? If the swelling was to go down would my BP go down too? What can I do to get rid of some swelling?
~ Obviously emotions effect your BP, what can I do before each visit to stay calm and not make my own BP rise?
~ I like to exercise. I have a preggie bellies dvd that I like to do a couple of times a week, I would say that my heartrate increases, the most for 20 mins. Can I still do my exercise or is it better not to? I check BP after exercising yesterday and it was at 134/81.. alot lower than I thought it would be.

Ummm thats all the questions I have at the moment, there were more this morning but I have forgotten!!

Thanks in advance