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Blood pressure...

L

Lainie71

Well-Known Member
Well last time I checked it was normal but I am supposed to do 3 random tests at home and I find I cannot for the life of me relax enough! I have white coat syndrome wherever its taken gps or at home. I am fed up with it as I cannot stay calm for a "normal" reading. Apart from squigging a Jack Ds can anyone give me any suggestions as this is just getting ridiculous. I have anxiety issues as it is which is clearly not helping the situation:arghh:
 
Lainie71 said:
Well last time I checked it was normal but I am supposed to do 3 random tests at home and I find I cannot for the life of me relax enough! I have white coat syndrome wherever its taken gps or at home. I am fed up with it as I cannot stay calm for a "normal" reading. Apart from squigging a Jack Ds can anyone give me any suggestions as this is just getting ridiculous. I have anxiety issues as it is which is clearly not helping the situation:arghh:
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Mine always hits high in the surgery. I also get increased heart rate. Probably because I hate the feeling of that band tightening around my arm. It hurts like heck.
So I have my own BP monitor. Take my time. Sit with back firmly in back of chair. Then concentrate on breathing gentle breaths , take my mind to places I have enjoyed visiting, and don’t think about that tight band. It does make a difference. Then I reward myself with a nice cuppa after.

If it is so important perhaps your doctor could send you for the 24 hour home monitoring? I had that once, showed everything was ok.
 
A home monitor is the way to go. You might find a wrist monitor pleasanter to use. Medics claim it isn't so accurate - I don't know about that, but whether in hospital or GP surgery, I have very seldom had my BP taken in the correct manner, and of course we don't know how often the machines are calibrated. So there is always a bit of wriggle room. The home monitor, whatever type you use, will show trends, which is why it's helpful to test in different situations. Results differ for different people, of course, but for me, my BP is higher in the morning, when it is cold, when I am hungry, just after I have taken exercise (my only exercise is walking) and of course if I am stressed. It is at its lowest about half an hour after my evening meal, which is my main meal of the 2 a day I have, so that's the figure I take as reasonable. I have appalling white coat syndrome, so I don't take any notice of it. Hospital staff are used to this and never bat an eyelid - GP surgery less so, but they also have an agenda to fulfil re: prescribing meds/earning money for the practice.

I used to earn my living in jobs that required hairtrigger reactions, also had hobbies that needed the same, and though I am retired and too old for extreme sports, the fast reactivity has never left me. I suspect it has always been part of my biological makeup, hence our mantra "we are all different", though medics long to shove us all in the same box.

All the best with your progress.
 
Pipp said:
Mine always hits high in the surgery. I also get increased heart rate. Probably because I hate the feeling of that band tightening around my arm. It hurts like heck.
So I have my own BP monitor. Take my time. Sit with back firmly in back of chair. Then concentrate on breathing gentle breaths , take my mind to places I have enjoyed visiting, and don’t think about that tight band. It does make a difference. Then I reward myself with a nice cuppa after.

If it is so important perhaps your doctor could send you for the 24 hour home monitoring? I had that once, showed everything was ok.
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I am the same. As I am in a lot of pain doesn't make it easy. If I sit and calm down numbers are good. if taken too soon numbers go up. Dreading going into hospital as the electronic cuffs are hell and all my readings will be up!
 
I have home bP monitor also my cheapie health tracker smart watch measures bp as well a couple of weeks ago had BP taken in surgery I told the doctor what my watch was measuring he sniggered but when he took the reading it was almost precisely the same.
 
Pipp said:
Mine always hits high in the surgery. I also get increased heart rate. Probably because I hate the feeling of that band tightening around my arm. It hurts like heck.
So I have my own BP monitor. Take my time. Sit with back firmly in back of chair. Then concentrate on breathing gentle breaths , take my mind to places I have enjoyed visiting, and don’t think about that tight band. It does make a difference. Then I reward myself with a nice cuppa after.

If it is so important perhaps your doctor could send you for the 24 hour home monitoring? I had that once, showed everything was ok.
Click to expand...
Thanks but I have tried the 24 hr home monitoring one and the readings were 200 plus as I was stressing so much. I was absolutely exhausted by the whole process! I have had normal readings of 127 /72 and last one 119/66 which surgery were happy with. Just need to de stress lol
 
Outlier said:
A home monitor is the way to go. You might find a wrist monitor pleasanter to use. Medics claim it isn't so accurate - I don't know about that, but whether in hospital or GP surgery, I have very seldom had my BP taken in the correct manner, and of course we don't know how often the machines are calibrated. So there is always a bit of wriggle room. The home monitor, whatever type you use, will show trends, which is why it's helpful to test in different situations. Results differ for different people, of course, but for me, my BP is higher in the morning, when it is cold, when I am hungry, just after I have taken exercise (my only exercise is walking) and of course if I am stressed. It is at its lowest about half an hour after my evening meal, which is my main meal of the 2 a day I have, so that's the figure I take as reasonable. I have appalling white coat syndrome, so I don't take any notice of it. Hospital staff are used to this and never bat an eyelid - GP surgery less so, but they also have an agenda to fulfil re: prescribing meds/earning money for the practice.

I used to earn my living in jobs that required hairtrigger reactions, also had hobbies that needed the same, and though I am retired and too old for extreme sports, the fast reactivity has never left me. I suspect it has always been part of my biological makeup, hence our mantra "we are all different", though medics long to shove us all in the same box.

All the best with your progress.
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I am digging the wrist bp monitor out of the loft as we speak , well hubby is ;)
 
Lainie71 said:
Thanks but I have tried the 24 hr home monitoring one and the readings were 200 plus as I was stressing so much. I was absolutely exhausted by the whole process! I have had normal readings of 127 /72 and last one 119/66 which surgery were happy with. Just need to de stress lol
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Your levels are normal so why are you even bothering to measure it?
 
Lainie71 said:
I was on bp meds before I lost weight and came off when I lost the weight. The surgery are the ones wanting to know not me. I'm quite happy to to leave it to be honest. Think they have there quotas :banghead:
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You could just say no thanks when they ask next time.. they haven't taken mine at the surgery for ages..
 
Brekkie said:
My teen sons just got one of those new fangled watches amazefit fitness tracker and decided to measure my stress levels. I’m mildly stressed! And I thought I was well fed watered and relaxed....

@Lainie71 that’s very interesting that you mention being on bp meds before weight loss and now normal. Because just today I told my sister to go low carb and lose weight and aim to get off the bp meds. She’s not diabetic but is on Losartan and amlodipine. Weight seems to be increasing increasing and I feel sad for her. She mentioned that bp seems to be low after eating but high when stressed. She also has home bp monitor. I’m encouraging her to go low carb and hopefully it will help her. I will tell her about your weight loss and bp.
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I weighed just over 14.7 stone and dreaded being on bp meds. I was on Ramipril to start with then Amilodipine, they made me really sick together so I was kept on just Amilodipine. Was on them for 3 years and had severe hair loss with them and weight gain (was skinny before taking them). GP said if I lost weight I could come off them and when I was diagnosed type 2 I took charge of my health, lost the weight and told the gp I was coming off them and gp agreed it would be okay. I have remained either just under or bang on 10.7 stone no matter what exercise I do so I must be doing something right. Your sister has nothing to loose and everything to gain :happy:
 
Lainie71 said:
Yer I think I need to start saying no to them.
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That's always a good thing to practice. Just because it is easy to measure and they have meds they can use to manage it, doesn't mean it is a useful thing for you if it is actually causing hypertension!
Alternatively if you have a sleeping partner/house mate who doesn't miind helping, get them too measure you first thing whilst you are still flat out post sleep or drowsy. This is going to be your lowest reading.
If that doesn't work keep a check on hba1c, waist circumference and your trig/hdl ration which are the other proxies for insulin resistance and also cvd risk.
 
Lainie71 said:
Yer I think I need to start saying no to them.
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If you're checking yourself occasionally that is fine but my husband wouldn't have his BP checked (He didn't do ill!) But he ended up in hospital with heart problems due to high Blood pressure and now has to take a load of pills ,Take care
Carol
 
carty said:
If you're checking yourself occasionally that is fine but my husband wouldn't have his BP checked (He didn't do ill!) But he ended up in hospital with heart problems due to high Blood pressure and now has to take a load of pills ,Take care
Carol
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I am checking but I have a history of severe white coat. The surgery are aware and I have previously taken my readings and they have been within normal range. Surgery just like to keep tabs on it and I struggle calming down enough to take it. Sorry to hear about your husband, I know hypertension does not always flag up with symptoms.
 
filly said:
I am the same. As I am in a lot of pain doesn't make it easy. If I sit and calm down numbers are good. if taken too soon numbers go up. Dreading going into hospital as the electronic cuffs are hell and all my readings will be up!
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You can always ask them to take it manually
 
I haven't been on BP medication for very long. Taken 1 tablet a.m
Then read that it was better to take p.m
Have been doing that for about 4 days and the readings have dropped right down .
 
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