Blood pressue issues

[MightylittleD]

I was diagnoised with T2 just before Christmas last year, so the cakes and sweets had to be eaten by the kids much to their delight.
Problem I have is that my blood pressure is still very high (138 over 108) and thats after being on ramapril 2.5mg since mid december. They have upped the dosage to 5mg but I have to go back in a month for an update, i am not a over weight, I am 32 5ft 7" and just over 12 stone.

I lost weight when I was first diagnosed but I put that down to stress and cutting out on my sugar intake. I have since put the weight back on and a bit more due to having to eat more times in the day so I don't feel rough.
My sugar levels are around 4 - 7 most days so I don't know what to do or if it's a diabetes issue that most people have.

Answers on a postcard please....

 

[mobrien]

Just wondering when you get your BP taken are you in the doctors or hospital or anywhere the white coats lurke?
Reason I ask is when my DN takes my BP she end up doing it 3 times during the course of our 3 monthly meeting. She has told me a lot of people who may have a normal BP when they are put under the "white coat syndrome" stress the BP goes up. My normal routine with her is first BP will be around 155/110 :roll:

 

[MightylittleD]

I get it taken at the doctors surgery, i had the day of work so quite a relaxing morning.

Dave.

 

[mobrien]

Do they do it more than once or just once?

My keyborad locked up so as I was saying she usually leaves the monitor attached to my arm and chats a bit longer then tests again and it will drop to around 146/102 by time we finish the meeting she tests again and this is the one she uses again normally around 140/99. She tells me that although I may feel calm some people just react to white coats

Another thing they do is put you on a meter for 24hrs this gives a more acurate reading because you are in your own environment

 

[MightylittleD]

When they do the test it they just test it once and then they frown quite a lot, which doesn't help much !

 

[Hobs]

I suffer that 'white coat' syndrome so I use my own wrist monitor and keep a note for my ongoing half yearly appointments at cardiology.
Like you I was first tried with a mono therapy of an ACE inhibitor (that's your Ramipril) but they found that I also needed calcium channel blocker and I was put onto Amlodipine as well. The results where evident within days and I can usually clock up a very welcome 125/70 as an average (not bad for my over 65 age group) .
I still need regular check ups due to an arrhythmia, but the BP was soon put under good control by introducing a second line of defence, the Amlodipine.
If you do decide to invest in a home BP monitor, never run a check while you are digesting a meal, because you will always get a higher reading and then take the reading after you have sat and composed yourself. A high home reading at rest should be taken up again with your GP as you will probably need your meds reviewed. If GP cant help then ask to be referred to a cardiologist and your GP will be obliged to to do so.... good luck!

My heart meds are now:-
Candesartan
Amlodipine
Sotalol

 

[MightylittleD]

Thanks Hobs for the reply, just worried, as I am only 32 and I have four kids that I regularly run around after and I am not over weight and not that unfit, although I could be fitter.

 

[Hobs]

Thanks Hobs for the reply, just worried, as I am only 32 and I have four kids that I regularly run around after and I am not over weight and not that unfit, although I could be fitter.

It may well be all that running about and almost constantly being busy that is elevating your GP, and of course worry does not help either, which is why BP is best measured at rest.
Although the 138 (systolic pressure) is a tad high, it not dangerously high, but that 108 (diastolic pressure) is a cause for concern and that is probably what caused 'them' to frown.

There are plenty of lower cost self-test BP monitors around now (they used to be expensive) and at least with one of those you will be able see what your true resting BP is and can tell your GP. If it still reads high, and your GP is not prepared to change/add to your meds then push for a referral. He has a duty of care towards you and if that means referring you to a specialist, then so be it. You want and deserve the best our NHS can offer and so do your family.
My youngest daughter has recently got her self-test monitor from Amazon UK and is very pleased with the money she saved compared with Boots.
Good luck and don't give up.. :wink:

 

[MightylittleD]

The Doctors do seem concerned but it just seems to be such a long process to anything going. Thanks Again D

 

[Dobbs]

I would agree that it's best to have your own meter at home - I got one for about £35 from Boots (although it was on sale). Your BP varies throughout the day quite a bit, and mine is generally high-ish in the mornings. Also if I take a reading, switch the machine off, and then do it again a minute later, the second reading is ALWAYS lower than the first one.
Your numbers don't sound disasterous, so I'm sure you can get them down.

 

[candyfloss]

I get a very sneaky suspicion that these doctors blood pressure monitors are calibrated to give a reading 10-20% higher than they should be.
I first bought a cheapo wrist monitor and I often got normal or slightly above normal readings from that. In the doctors surgery it was always on the higher side so of course it was put down to 'white coat' syndrome although the only fear, if thats what you could call it, was having an incompetent doctor. One day I took my monitor into the surgery and it still gave a lower reading than the one the doctor used.
A few months ago I invested in a much better monitor by a reputable company that measures on the upper arm. It doesnt look too disimilar to the digital one my doctor uses. That too indicated I had very good control of my blood pressure but low and behold, as soon as I am in the surgery I get a higher than usual reading. Next time I will take that one to the surgery also to compare the readings.