Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with pressure

Acing this test!

lundman — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:47:30 -0800

Me = fat guy, annual health checks = "A" grade. What gives? Actual data inside, BP, LDL, HDL, Cholesterol etc, inside... So, without a doubt I am obese, about 135kg/200lbs. (BMI at 40 this year). I have always struggled with weight, and pretty much spent 23 years fighting it. There is a lot of kanji in here I can't read.

The data is as follows, sorry it is so hard to read, couldn't find how to make tables in meta.

_____2-years-ago_____1-year-ago_____this-year
BP: 108/70_____128/86_____118/80
Kanji: 84_____84_____81
HbA1c: 4.7_____4.6_____X

Cholstr: 119_____122_____133
Kanji: 54_____79_____60
HDL-C: 50_____45_____42
LDL-C: 91_____87_____X

UricAcid: 6.9_____6.7_____6.5

Kanji: x_____x_____6.7
GOT(AST): 25_____25_____26
GPT(ALT): 23_____24_____34
y-GTP: 13_____13_____15
AL-P: 209_____195_____213

LDH: X_____X_____204
T-Bil x_____x_____0.6

I'm a bit unsure what I am doing "wrong" I guess. My diet is not fantastic, but sure better then it has been before. (In terms of carbs anyway). I cycle to/from work, but maybe i need more exercise (don't we always).

I recently threw in the towel on trying to get smaller, clearly I am not going to win. I have decided to go the other way, if I am to be big, I want to be big, meaning muscle, so I have started that instead. I feel really good about that though.

The only "*" I got was on Cholesterol, I guess they feel it is getting high. (Although, their guide says 150-219). Perhaps it is 'too low'. How can a fat guy have too low cholesterol?

Although I am aware that these checks are more for the health insurance to know what to charge the company, than they are about my health. But it feel peculiar to get "A" grade, when you get droned about how bad it is to be fat.

Amusingly, I seem to fit the profile for AD-37, but I get the feeling that's more fringe-science..

And yes, you are not my doctor. :)

Have you taken Adderall and blood pressure meds?

keener_sounds — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:22:04 -0800

I have Adult ADD -- and about 5 years ago, I briefly got a huge benefit from taking Adderall. But that was before I had high blood pressure. For the past 2 years I've had high blood pressure that is pretty well controlled by meds-- when it was diagnosed it was *really* high (195/110!) I'm not really overweight nor do I have other risk factors for high blood pressure; just seems to be the way I handle stress. Anyway, I have just been given a beautiful bottle of blue pills with my name on it by a respected psychiatrist who says it's OK to take this Adderall as long as I continue take my blood pressure meds and monitor myself at home with a cuff. The regular doc also says it's OK. Only 5 mg of Adderall twice a day; I could take it once a day. But I'm terrified. You are not my doctor. But have you taken Adderall with controlled high blood pressure? The website says: Do not take with high blood pressure. Canada says: Adderall is banned due to sudden deaths and strokes. Docs say: Go ahead. My work says: Take the damn -- what? Was that a squirrel out the window? Oh yeah.
Please let me know if you have experienced this -- seems like it should be all over the web, but all I can find are warnings about high blood pressure, not controlled high blood pressure. Thanks hive mind.

Help normalize my spiking blood pressure!

rachaelfaith — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 13:54:25 -0800

Can you help me not freak out about my suddenly spiking blood pressure? This is related to birth control and anxiety. Also looking for methods to calm myself down in anticipation of a reading. Some history: Have not had any indication of high blood pressure since I started taking birth control 5 years ago- I typically register in at 120/80. I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for 3 years and switched to Yaz 2 years ago after some ovarian cysts showed up.

I used to be overweight but lost 45 pounds and am now at what I believe to be a relatively healthy weight [about 5'3", 137 lbs]. I do not smoke and I don't consume caffeine. I don't have a stellar diet, but I try to keep an eye on my sodium intake. I work out around 3 times a week, though college classes are taking a toll on my consistency.

I have had a history of anxiety for just about forever. Panic attacks, avoidance, social anxiety, health anxiety, and so on.

Went to my OB-GYN yesterday for a regular pap and pelvic, they were about to renew my birth control scrip when they mentioned my blood pressure was too high- about 130/89. They waited about 10 minutes and took it again- even higher, because I was nervous. Now I'm told I have to get it retaken elsewhere before I am given the scrip to prove it's not prehypertension or higher.

Of course, I'm now freaking out [over the possibility of HBP, over possibly not being able to obtain my birth control] and my heart's been racing ever since. I took one measure at home of my blood pressure and it was really quite high- something ridiculous like 144/89.

Now I fear that I will not be able to calm myself down enough to get back to normal, much less when I go for an official reading.

Is there any reason my BP would jump so high in a one-month period since my last normal reading? Besides deep breathing, how else can I calm myself down in order to obtain a neutral reading?

Yaaargh. Help!

Is tire pressure different if you measure with tire off the car (as compared to when it is on the car and holding the weight of the car)?

chefscotticus — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:34:50 -0800

Is tire pressure different if you measure with wheel off the car (as compared to when it is on the car and holding the weight of the car)?

Saddling Him With My Baggage

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:27:44 -0800

Parenting techniques, insight, and maturity needed before I completely ruin my kid's life. I have a nine-year-old son that causes me great anxiety at times. I know it is not rational to feel this way. He is a healthy, intelligent, nice kid. He does very well academically. He is self-motivated. He can be very shy at times. He has a competitive streak. He enjoys getting good grades and doing well. Sometimes he believes he can't do things when I'm confident he can. His confidence suffers at times. He has friends and functions fine socially. I have been told numerous times that he is "goodhearted", "strong", "athletic", "fair", "calm", and "kind" by teachers and friends. His second-grade teacher called him "my absentminded professor". He is fairly athletic and participates in sports and other extra-curricular activities. He can do almost anything you ask him to do.

At times he has behaviors that annoy me and cause me great anxiety. Not your everyday kid things like leaving the refrigerator open or peeing on the toilet seat. The anxiety happens when he runs a certain way, or talks like a baby, or throws a certain way, or sits on my lap when we have company, or does anything that I deem "strange", "feminine", "babyish", or "annoying".

Even though he is very smart he is an airhead. I hate to label him this way and I would never call him an airhead to his face. It seems he is always daydreaming, spacey, and forgetful. I was the same way as a kid and I don't want to hold it against him but it still drives me crazy. An example: Sometimes I lash out when he is spacing out in the bathtub or shower and doing nothing but playing with himself and staring at the ceiling. I'll raise my voice and yell his name a few times and shout, "Get to work!" Sometimes I'll begin washing him and shampooing his hair and pull him out of the tub, throw the towel around him and bark more orders. I lose my patience quickly with him when he is acting spacey. It leaves me feeling like a terrible parent and does nothing to build our relationship, instill confidence, or bring harmony. Sometimes I have great anxiety when he is on the field playing various team sports. Sometimes when he is playing with friends I'll eavesdrop. There is one neighborhood boy that is always touching, hugging, and hanging on my kid and it causes me anxiety.

I have another younger son that does not annoy me. He can space out in the bathtub or throw the ball poorly but I don't seem to get that anxious feeling. He does do better when prompted and seems more "with it". He is also more "masculine" than the bigger kid. I hate myself for thinking this way and scrutinizing masculine vs. feminine behaviors. I know it is wrong, childish, and even hateful on so many levels. My spouse thinks I'm crazy when I brooch the subject and always says, "He's fine. Leave him alone. Give him a chance to succeed."

I compare him to other boys his age and always seem to think other boys his age are more "boyish" or "masculine".

I don't want to sound like I am constantly berating my kid. Mostly, I have the thoughts and fears and refrain from acting out on them. There are times when I do act on the anxiety and I know I am crushing his confidence and causing a lot of heartache on both ends. I wish I were one of those very confident parents that accept their children for who they are. I do accept him most of the time and I do love him dearly but I still have these fears that he is not behaving the way a nine-year-old should and I freak out.

I should note that I can go for weeks, even months, feeling fine and anxiety-free. I only seem to have anxiety about my kids. I have a pretty awesome, low-stress life, and if you want to call this a problem, this is the only one I have. The anxiety comes and goes (the beginning of a new sports season for instance) and I begin focusing on his behavior. When he was younger I had no such thoughts or problems with him. I have been in therapy in the past and I do constructive things to control my anxiety levels (exercise, yoga, meditation, friends, hobbies, etc.) I know my behavior and thoughts are wrong and destructive.

This is deeply embarrassing for me to ask. I feel like I should be more evolved and wise. I am not a monster. I desperately want to calm down and accept him for who he is, be proud of him (I am proud of him), and help build his confidence instead of crushing it.

Why am I acting like this? Why am I so frustrated? Am I afraid that my child might be gay? Do I feel like his behavior is a reflection on my parenting? Maybe. How can I stop or channel this anxiety in a more productive way and let him be and accept him for who he is? Any advice, anecdotes, or wisdom appreciated.

Can I have the career I want and my family too?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:43:20 -0800

How do I deal with enormous pressure from my parents? I apologize for the length, and thanks in advance for your advice. My parents want me to get an MBA. I want to be a musician. 80-90% of my conversations with my parents are about this. They tell me horror stories about their friends' kids who tried to make it in the arts and failed. They tell me that if I'm really serious about a career as a singer, I'll get an MBA. They tell me that if I don't get an MBA, I will not find a good husband, and/or the men whom I'd want to marry won't respect me because I won't be earning enough. They tell me that they know better than I do what is right for me, and I will understand when I have children of my own.

I am 25, have been living on my own and supporting myself since graduating from college, and currently hold a decent job that I am not too excited about but that pays the bills (including the bills for my voice lessons). I perform a fair amount and have been writing and arranging songs, which I am getting ready to record. But I feel torn between what I love and find meaningful - making music - and what my parents think I should do. I worry that they're right and I will be miserable and alone if I don't go to business school. I also worry very seriously that if I completely dedicate myself to music and commit to it, I will destroy my family. My parents tell me how miserable they are because they worry about me and the choices I am making. When I make choices that they disagree with (e.g. I had a boyfriend that they disliked) they get very emotional and will call me and email me many times a day in tears and express at great length how deeply hurt and upset and worried they are and what it is that they want me to do instead. They also talk to my sister (who is also my roommate) about how upset they are, so I hear about it from her too (if she mentions that they called and were upset).

I want to have a positive relationship with my parents. Family is very important to me. But I am unhappy with things as they are. I wish that my parents would support me and want me to be happy, instead of putting so much stock in a diploma. I “know” that, but at the same time I fear that they’re actually right to push me in this direction. I feel indecisive, pulled in different directions. Lately I have been unable to commit to applying to business school and unable to really pursue my music either, which feels terrible. I feel like my parents are forcing me to choose between the music I love and the family I love.

My questions are:

1. Broadly speaking, what do I do about all of this?

2. I discussed this with a friend, and she strongly urged me to set a boundary with my parents. She told me to write them an email explaining that I love them and want them to be part of my life, but that I will not discuss the subject of my career with them in any form for the next x amount of time. Then, talk to them about everything else, but if they start to bring up business school, say “I’m sorry, I do not do this to hurt you, but as I explained, I will not talk about this subject, so I am hanging up now.” I am not sure if this would work or how to make it work, and I am afraid of hurting or upsetting my parents, so I welcome all and any advice pro or con this plan and any insights you may have as to how to establish and maintain healthy parent-child boundaries.

Seriously, thank you very much for your time and your advice. I will read and consider all of it carefully.

under pressure

freddymetz — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:53:49 -0800

im looking for a new fangled device designed to measure tyre pressure for cars. you drive onto a ramp and somehow it reads the pressure. apparantly this is much more efficient than measuring the pressure of each tyre manually. how much do these devices cost and where could i buy them? any useful websites to the topic?

Tire Pressure?

furiousxgeorge — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 02:14:34 -0800

What is the recommended tire pressure for a '98 Buick Regal?

Looks like I picked a bad day to quit sniffing glue

Lokheed — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:27:50 -0800

How can I learn to be cool under pressure? So, yesterday at work was a very bad day. The project I had been working on for months went live on the web, and melted down under the load within three minutes. The weight of the entire company seemed to be resting on my shoulders, and while I didn't exactly curl up in a corner and cry for my mommy I definitely did lose my cool as the pressure mounted. How do I learn to remain calm, cool and collected in stressful, chaotic situations. Tips? Tricks? Interesting books on the subject?

ear-pop edification

lockestockbarrel — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:35:50 -0800

Airplane ear-popping. Why? The cabin is pressurized, right? So why do your ears pop when you're taking off and landing?

Cut while skydiving will a person bleed faster?

Sully — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:11:47 -0800

So my buddy and I watched that old Keanu Reeves film Point Break the other night, and we got to talking. We're thinking that more air pressure causes you to bleed at a more furious pace. So if someone's in a knife fight in a plane, is cut, say across the arm, then jumps out of the airplane to parachute to the ground - will they bleed to death before they hit the ground because the air pressure is causing them to bleed so quickly? It doesn't have to be skydiving, it could be on like, Everest. Will you bleed crazy fast higher up? I know that there are a lot of variables here, but I'm just curious if the thinking is sound.

Would a tire that is losing pressure rapidly be safer on the front or back of the car?

Malice — Sun, 17 May 2009 03:10:33 -0800

I have a tire that keeps losing pressure rapidly. In a car with front wheel drive, would it be safer to have the tire on the front, or the back? At least until the tire can be replaced. How would this effect (or not effect) the car?

I'm stressed! I need sex NOW!

Anonymous — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:50:54 -0800

Why do I feel like I'm craving sex when I get anxious or stressed out? I've felt this way for a couple of decades at least. When I get anxious about a deadline or something that I need to get done in highly stressful circumstances, I feel an intense need to have sex or masturbate or achieve orgasm somehow. It is distracting and seems a little, well, strange.

I don't feel this way in anxious social situations or stressful situations involving interaction with others. It happens when I feel the stress and responsibility is "all upon me". Almost always around a deadline connected with work or school.

If it helps, I'm a woman in her early 40's. I am treated with an anti-depressant that otherwise kills my sex drive, but felt this way before being treated with AD's. What wacky wiring or biochemical reaction or psychological oddity is putting me in this position? Any ideas?

Sudden drop in water pressure on second floor

maudlin — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 08:27:36 -0800

What can I do to investigate a sudden drop in water pressure (or flow) in the second floor only of my house before I call a plumber this Monday? I've already seen this question, but I bought this new two storey townhouse three years ago and all has been fine up until yesterday.

Basement and first floor pressure are fine in all sinks and the powder room toilet. But the second floor water sources have been weak since yesterday. The flow from the bathtub tap is markedly decreased, the sink is a little softer, too, and the toilet flush is definitely weak.

Given the sudden onset and localization, could this be a leak? (Oh, I really don't want to call a plumber out on a holiday weekend if I can help it, although I know that if this could be a leak, I should move fast). Or could a slowly building blockage show no signs until it just reached a critical point yesterday?

pressure in eyeballs - eyeballs in planes

harperpitt — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:14:16 -0800

Some people's ears pop in an airplane. My coworker bursts blood vessels. Why? My coworker Andrew came into work this morning with a gross bloody eye. He'd been on a flight and the pressure change was so intense that he burst a blood vessel in his eye. He says that this always happens to him - he avoids flying for this reason - and claims that it has something to do with his ears not popping. The burst blood vessels also come with intense head pain.

Andrew is a healthy dude, mid-twenties, with no afflictions that I know of. What could be causing him this problem? Is there anything he can do to prevent it happening in future?

Thanks, hive mind!

How to not be stupid?

drea — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:01:03 -0800

How do I deal with getting conned, smooth talkers, and pressure cookers? I feel like I get sweet-talked into everything and that my family has to stop me, and that I buy into the hype and pressure that would have me bending over backwards for people. I accept everything at face value and find it hard to remind myself to take a step back and understand not everything or everyone are what they seem. I need to have a poker face and not seem too eager or excited about anything.

Teach me to be cautious, and not assume every opportunity being thrown at me is OMG I NEED TO DO THIS NOW, because it seems I'm finding it hard to learn my lesson.

Under Pressure

philosophistry — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:39:26 -0800

How do stop feeling like I'm under pressure all the time? Ever since, let's say 1996 (when I entered High School), I've felt an enormous pressure to get things done. From trying to do well in school, to getting into college, to getting good jobs, etc. Anything I set my mind to, I can't help but feel like I should be doing a billion things to get there.

At one point, it got so bad that I burned out from working too hard. Since then, I've managed to keep my work-level reasonable. But I still find myself frothing with an angst to keep pushing myself. It makes it really hard for me to relax and just read a novel, or something.

I have relaxation techniques, but it's a constant struggle. After a relaxation stretch, I feel hungry again. I think it feels the worst when I'm driving or walking somewhere, because then all the thoughts of "do this, do this, you have to do this, you can't let this go" come creeping in.

Help me with pressure and busting cells?

Kickstart70 — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:11:26 -0800

Nerdy-science-geek question: What kind of pressure am I looking for if I want to bust algae cell walls by sending a algae-concentrated liquid through a small aperture? I mean, behind the aperture, size of aperture, etc....knowing that the sudden reduction in pressure *should* bust things up. Any thoughts? Of course, I am wondering about doing this in terms of what I've read, and may experiment with in future, but don't have firsthand knowledge of. Thanks in advance!

how is RMS sound level calculated

edtut — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 22:55:10 -0800

how is the calculation of RMS noise level done, from a data set of noise level vs frequency? i thought it could be done by working back to the set of pressure data, but now i think that is wrong. sorry it's not an exciting question:
the data set contains SPL vs frequency.
if i have a data set of n samples between 20 Hz to 20kHz,
how can i approximate the overall SPL (dB).
i have software that is automatically generating values,
and at the moment i cannot dig into the software deep enough to calibrate the accuracy of these outputs.

i have found a method to do it for octave spaced data (7 samples),
which is based on a natural log ratio.
hoewver my application typically has evenly spaced data at 50 or 25Hz bandwidth.
i wish my maths was stronger to work it out from first principles!

Birthday girl not into binge drinking

rachaelfaith — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:50:12 -0800

How do I politely decline 21st birthday drinks? I am having a gathering of friends and some family tomorrow evening at a local restaurant with a bar/lounge. It is my 21st birthday, but I do not plan on getting anything beyond tipsy.

I may have 1-2 drinks, but I am not down with the "you're 21 so you MUST have 21 drinks" theory. Reason: Low tolerance, anxiety when I'm not in control, body generally doesn't enjoy it.

How do I deal with the people who insist in buying me drinks, and then call me no fun for not partaking? I'm assuming most, if not all of them will be drinking.

Why does it have to take five minutes for the toilet to refill for another flush!?

phunniemee — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:44:42 -0800

What can I do about the low water pressure in my apartment? What should I ask/tell my landlord, and what can I expect to happen? I just moved into a new place and the water pressure sucks. It was sort of OK for a couple of days, but last night it slowed down to a really weak stream, and not much more than a trickle in the shower. We thought someone else in the (small) building was using laundry or washing dishes or something, but it's been just as bad all night (says my nocturnal roommate).

I'm going to call my landlady in a few hours and--complain? How exactly should I approach this? What kind of hope is there for something like this getting fixed? How do you fix water pressure? The building was gut-rehabbed 3, maybe 4 years ago, so they're probably not going to re-lay pipes or anything.

Stats on the apartment:
-in Chicago (Pilsen)
-house converted into four units w/2 attic lofts
-each of the four units has laundry and a dishwasher (we've found that if we use just one of the things, water pressure decreases significantly in the rest of the apartment--really only one thing can be used at a time--but in the last 24 or so hours, it's been that bad without us running anything)
-I don't know where the hot water heater or any of the other stuff that makes an apartment work is kept, so I can't go poking around myself to diagnose any problems
-landlady/owner owns only this building and has one handyman guy come and do repair work--but he's more a dude with a truck and a tool box than and actual repairman

So, yeah, what could possibly be wrong, and how realistic is it to solve?

Thanks.

my blood pressure lowers when i breath through my nose, why? and what can i do?

learninguntilidie — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:16:23 -0800

28 yr old male borderline hypertensive. a question about breathing. - so my bp numbers border on hypertensive. and i routinely check my blood pressure. the numbers are consistently int he systolic 130s range EXCEPT when i do this one thing: - breath through my nose then my bp systolic lowers by about 10 pts. here's the thing. my nose ALWASY gets clogged and it makes breathing regularly through my nose difficult - anyone else heard how breathing thorugh the nose, and then taking less breaths lowers blood pressure? i could see how they are connectd

How to measure the volume of gas produced?

pigelb — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:48:40 -0800

I would like to find out how much gas I can produce by electrolysis using homemade stuff. Is there any cost efficient/accurate way to measure the quantity of gas produced? I was thinking of simply using a balloon but I believe that it won't be that accurate.

Basically what I have is a closed system (a small reservoir) which will produce gas. I would like to quantify gas production quite accuratly in order to do some analysis of what can be done with it.

Pressure canning help?

peeedro — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:16:42 -0800

Pressure canning recipes and technique? I have more beans and cucumbers than I know what to do with, and I'll have an avalanche of tomatoes shortly. Can anyone point to recipes and techniques to preserve these veggies with a pressure canner.

I have the canner, jars and lids but not much of a clue beyond that. I'm looking for advice on the web or in print.

As a bonus, I will make kool-aid pickles for whoever can help me turn cucumbers into pickles.

Never talk to the angry without earplugs

StrikeTheViol — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:58:05 -0800

EarPressureFilter: I had an argument with someone a couple hours ago, and they yelled in my left ear for a few seconds. My ear isn't ringing. but it feels pressurized, like I'm underwater, on and off. I've taken a full dose of magnesium-based antacid...anything else I can do? Will a doctor be able to help, or do I just need to move somewhere with a vow of silence for a month?