Hba1c / BP

[Rog]

Hello All.

I am suffering from a severe case of mixed emotions right now . I had my hba1c yesterday and it's down from 109 in May last year when diagnosed to 37 , the Doc thought it was better than his . The Doc just called to tell me the good news but said he was concerned about my BP, I am sure I suffer from severe white coat syndrome as when I did the first one yesterday it was really high , I then managed to relax a bit and I think it was around 140/100 on the second time with the nurse , he suggested to do a 24 hour tag thing which I agreed he also asked me if I would reconsider statins which I more or less said no, my main concern is the BP and wondered if anyone has had similar and how they dealt with it?

 

[Mrs Vimes]

I have white coat syndrome. If it's worrying you get s blood pressure monitor from Boots and check in the peace and quiet of your own home. I take my readings with me and they are always lower than in the surgery or hospital.

 

[noblehead]

Like @Mrs Vimes I monitor my own bp levels at home and take them into my gp surgery or hospital clinic. White Coat syndrome is quite common and Dr's are well aware of the condition.

 

[Hiitsme]

Well done with your HbA1c reduction.
I bought my own blood pressure monitor and record mine each day. Mine was very high at the surgery but home readings are normal to low so I'm happy with that. I do write it all down to show my GP if he asks.

 

[Rog]

Like @Mrs Vimes I monitor my own bp levels at home and take them into my gp surgery or hospital clinic. White Coat syndrome is quite common and Dr's are well aware of the condition.

Is 140/100 considered high for us ? My weights ok , and I excercise , it's got to be the work?

 

[Rog]

Well done with your HbA1c reduction.
I bought my own blood pressure monitor and record mine each day. Mine was very high at the surgery but home readings are normal to low so I'm happy with that. I do write it all down to show my GP if he asks.

May I ask what your BP was and how you reduced it , did you avoid meds?

 

[noblehead]

@Rog, The lower figure of 100 is way to high, if someone has no complications then I think the recommended bp levels should be 140/80 or below, if someone has say diabetic retinopathy then it's said they should keep their bp below 130/70.

 

[Catlady19]

Mine is near perfect at around 120/60 (apparently! - glad something is right!). I agree with @noblehead, I think it is the lower figure you need to worry about.

My big brother has recently been diagnosed with T2D - he went in to his docs feeling unwell and his blood pressure was through the roof (over 200 at top end). They said he had to go into hospital but he refused (I think he has white coat syndrome too - he says his blood pressure always goes up in the docs). They made him lie down until his BP had come down somewhat before they would let him go home. They put him on blood pressure tablets (have no idea what though) and have since put him on 2 x 500g metformin and then added another type of blood pressure tablet as it was not coming down fast enough.

None of this really helps you though. But a blood pressure monitor sounds like a good idea.

 

[Sirmione]

As well as how relaxed you are time of day has a fairly big effect on BP essentially higher in the he mornings and lower at bedtime. Your lower number the diastolic at a 100 is high.
Buying a home blood pressure monitor is a good way to learn to relax when getting your BP checked by a white coat, if you do buy one look for one that the cuff fits round the upper arm as I have found the wrist ones don't give very reliable results.

http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Thebasics/Bloodpressurechart

The BBC website Trust Me I am Doctor website has some good articles and clips on foods that help lower BP

 

[Dark Horse]

The British Hypertension Society gives a list of accredited home monitors here:-
http://bhsoc.org//index.php?cID=246

 

[Rog]

Evening all and thanks for comments , I popped by boots and picked up a BP tester , home and out of work environment , wife happy etc done quite a few tests that seem to be improving all the time tbh , just had two almost identical 128/68 and the highes was 156/80 , thoughts would be appreciated

 

[Dougie22]

My (new) surgery has a little room off reception with a fully calibrated BP machine that you can use yourself. It prints the results on a little slip of paper and the receptionist will enter the figures into your records for the doctor to see. It usually takes me five to ten minutes to calm myself enough to get a reading close to that I get at home. I think this is a really good service as mine is always much higher with the nurse or doctor.

 

[Marjack]

I have had high blood pressure since I was 24 (quite a while ago now) and have been on medication ever since. To be considered to have high blood pressure you should really have three successive high readings. The 24 hour monitor is a good measure as they can work out your average throughout the day and night and it is taking readings every 1/2 hour.
These readings are taken during your normal activities so no white coat syndrome.
A meter at home is a good idea too, I have tested for years, as I have found that after a few years on a medication my pressure gradually starts to increase and I trot off to the doctors and they check my readings and then give me new medication.
I have a heart condition now as well that has been diagnosed in the last 2 years and the recent diagnosis of type 2 has also compounded the blood pressure issue.
Hopefully the 24 hour monitor results will give the right results, they did for me.

 

[Rog]

Back on this thread after getting the boots home tester the upper arm rap one so its got to be half decent , done loads of blood pressure tests at the same intervals over two days . Apart from a couple over 140 SYS and one when my wife suddenly disturbed me when testing which my DIA hit 100 , 95% have been between 130/90 SYS & 80/60 DIA . I have had one or two DIA under 60 , is their anything to be concerned with these figures ? I am on one 500 met a day ( reduced from 2) after getting a recent hba1c of 5.

 

[pleinster]

Rog...looking at all your posts and the kinds of readings across the board, I don't see anything unusual in your overall picture. I'm 53 now and have had high blood pressure since 17 due to a renal issue. I have been on and off different meds (currently amlodopine...and prior to a successful transplant - lisinopril) I am very, very used to having my blood pressure taken at regular clinics, and post transplant I measured my own at home twice a day for nearly a year. Actually perfect BP is around 120 over 80, which I now regularly hit. prior to meds balancing and pre-transplant it could be much higher (170/120). The point I would stress is that readings at clinics were almost always higher. I could be 160/105 at a clinic visit and 125/85 at home an hour earlier! Reasons - a] anticipation b] hospital car parks c] having BP checked instantly on arrival (where it was always lower if taken later) d] stress e] insufficient fluid f] the nurse using a machine that was pathetic (very,very common). I would say a doctor should never judge/prescribe based on one reading (I'd be surprised by that), drink plenty of fluid (2 litres a day) and..if the nurse gets a high reading, have it done again twenty mins later or (preferably) ask to have it done manually..much more accurate than machines which can need calibrated or have minor faults.. If my BP was anywhere between 120-135 over anywhere between 80-95..I would not bat an eye lid. Unless there are other health issues to consider...nothing crazy there at all.