I have a question. IDK if I should call my doctor, or just wait until I go back next week.
I've had some chest pain, but I have mitral valve prolapse so it's kind of normal for me. But I've had some feelings of pressure in my chest lately also. I normally have lower blood pressure. I used the BP cuff at Kroger and my BP was around 85/60 (don't remember exactly) and my pulse rate was 85. Is this within normal?
I realize I should know this, especially since I used to work in a Dr's office but I don't want to be an alarmist if this is no big deal, KWIM??
Re: A question... and I know you aren't doctors.
85 is on the higher end of normal. Call the doc. You should probably have your BP checked.
*Edit: 85 is the high end of normal for HR. I wouldn't trust that blood pressure reading. That seems REALLY wrong. Either way, I still think you should call the doc.
I don't trust those cuffs... the one at the Rite-Aid I would go to always told me I had major heart problems- doc always said I had low blood pressure.
When in doubt, call the doctor.
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Ummm... no. This is actually low. Check it out https://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/medicine/blood-pressure.htm
I wasn't very clear. I was referring to the HR, not her blood pressure.
Since I have nothing else to do, I will walk thru a step by step of what your doc/nurses will look for when assessing you. This is what goes thru their head to help them make a diagnosis for what's going on.... maybe it will help but def. go see your doc!
Did you do any unusual activity this morning or last night? Work out, clean the house, anything? That'd be my first question. Second, your BP is most likely slightly higher than the cuff reading- they are very large cuffs to accomodate most individuals therefore for your size it is probably reading a little low. (and vice versa, if you're a larger individual it is probably reading a bit high) and these things aren't really that reliable anyway.
Your BP would be a major concern without your diagnosis of mitral valve prolapse, but given this condition it doesn't sound too off to me.
Next 85 pulse is well within normal (60-100 BPM is normal) and this would depend on your baseline whether I would find it concerning. In general 85 would not concern me, 50 or 110 would concern me.
The combo of your BP and pulse is also not initially concering b/c of your medical history of low blood pressure. It is common for Mitral valve issues to cause extreme low blood pressure and also rebounding pulse issues. (When your body's BP is low your heart will try to compensate by beating faster because it thinks that more blood needs to be pumping out, hence the pulse going up)
The pressure in your chest is concerning but I'd need more specific descriptions of it and I'd want to listen to your lung sounds to be sure that no fluid is building in your lungs (which would be a bad bad thing). Do you have any wheezing? Does it get better if you lay down or sit? Are you coughing?
Those will be the main things your doc will run through, then depending on the findings they will move to testing. Probably a UA to see if you have any protein in your urine which can be an indication of pre-eclampsia, or any other abnormalities. At the ER they will most likely run some heart diagnostic testing, EKG's and such.
Depending on the outcome of the testing, you either get a diagnosis and treatment or you get more testing.... and it goes from there.

Without knowing all of this info personally I couldn't really make a guess at a diagnosis, it is possible that it is the beginning of pre-eclampsia but that typically shows up a little later in pregnancy. It's possible that your heart isn't handling the stress of pregnancy too well and is acting up in which case bed rest would probably be the outcome. It's possible that nothing is wrong and you're just experiencing one of the many vascular changes that comes with pregnancy. Lots of possibilities...
So anyway, hope that you go see your doc! And there you have it, the bones of a "chief complaint physical assessment" and my running commentary ha
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