Do you take your blood pressure?
I am on a low dose of BP medicine. I checked mine a couple weeks ago and it was 150 something over 90 something. I started checking it every day and it was always about the same.
I have been concerned about it. Today I had my yearly wellness check and the nurse got 110/74. I was relieved but perturbed about the false readings.
I you take your own BP and get abnormal readings, it might be a good idea to verify by another means.
-
I'm always the opposite. Checks good at home and then raises the nurses's eyebrows. I bring a list of my last 25 or so readings in with me. Doc says that's a good idea. They call it "White Coat Syndrome." I'm more of a wordsmith so I call it Sphygmophobia. (The device they use to measure your BP is a sphygmomanometer.)
Don't be misled by the idea that 120/80 is "normal" for everyone. That's BS. Everything else changes as we age, and so does the "normal" BP range. If you're a senior, a reading of 135/85 is closer to what you should think of as acceptable.
There are several YouTube vids about the right way t take your BP at home. Doing it even a bit wrong can change the numbers quite a bit. It's too detailed to spell out here.
6 -
I've been monitoring mine for about ten years. Coming from a bloodline with a horrible history of heart disease, it's a precautionary measure.
Twice a year I take my machine to an office visit for comparison. I had to replace it last fall due to inconsistent readings.
0 -
How the reading is taken wildy changes the readings. In what environment the reading is taken also matters,
I told the last person that tried, to take my blood pressure, to go back to school and learn how to take B/P correctly.
0 -
It’s best to check your blood pressure with an arm cup BPM rather than a wrist cup BPM that isn’t as accurate. The boarder line normal use to be 140 over 90, now they have lowered it to 130 or 80 which put 16 million more people on blood pressure medicine. The reason your BP comes up at the doctors office is what I’ve heard them call white coat syndrome. The time to really be concerned is if, your vision starts to change, headaches when it’s up, pain in your chest arm or jaw, or if you are starting to become confused or loosing your balance. Diet and exercise helps to keep your BP down. It also seems your BP is higher in the winter than summer for some reason.
0 -
Rocky Raab: 29950871724571/comments/29950817835931
I'm always the opposite. Checks good at home and then raises the nurses's eyebrows. I bring a list of my last 25 or so readings in with me. Doc says that's a good idea. They call it "White Coat Syndrome." I'm more of a wordsmith so I call it Sphygmophobia. (The device they use to measure your BP is a sphygmomanometer.)
Don't be misled by the idea that 120/80 is "normal" for everyone. That's BS. Everything else changes as we age, and so does the "normal" BP range. If you're a senior, a reading of 135/85 is closer to what you should think of as acceptable.
There are several YouTube vids about the right way t take your BP at home. Doing it even a bit wrong can change the numbers quite a bit. It's too detailed to spell out here.
I have the same issues with White Coat syndrome..... It usually comes down when they check me a little later in the appointment...
3 -
William81: 29950871724571/comments/29950832712091
https://forums.gunbroker.com/discussion/comment/11432107#Comment_11432107
I have the same issues with White Coat syndrome..... It usually comes down when they check me a little later in the appointment...
I try and stare at the floor and take a few big breaths of air before the cuff tightens on my arm and breath slow and easy during. usually it can drop mine 10 points or more in the doctors office...........
now I just wish I could drop my A1C by the same methods...
9 -
Its hard to avoid higher readings when it takes time to park at the local VA facility and try to make it inside on time for the appt. White coat syndrome or not.........huffing and puffing when you get to the check in desk doesnt help
6 -
mohawk600: 29950871724571/comments/29950847941531
Its hard to avoid higher readings when it takes time to park at the local VA facility and try to make it inside on time for the appt. White coat syndrome or not.........huffing and puffing when you get to the check in desk doesnt help
leave a few minutes earlier..........
0 -
The nurse took mine yesterday with the BP cuff and the stethoscope. 132/75
Last 3 times I had it taken at the clinic they used the electric machine, no stethoscope, and it was significantly higher. I mentioned this to the nurse and she said the stethoscope is more accurate than the electric device.
3 -
having had experiance with a multitude of electronic machines over the years ,I have found none that are always 100% accurate . Nothing beats an old fashioned blowup cuff and a stethoscope .And yes with practice one can learn to use this on your own self .
0 -
Omron units are rated pretty good for home use. You can get one at Walmart for $50 or less. Mine is model BP710N.
Mine always reads high the first time I check - I seem to make myself anxious about it without a white coat nearby! If I ignore that one and try again in a few minutes, it's almost always better.
0 -
I can take it or leave it.😉
6 -
I've been seeing a cardiologist for about 5 years. My BP is pretty good but he has tried 2-3 different pills and wants to see the result of the changes. I created an Excel and print it to take to his office. I agree with BP going up at his office. I don't think it has anything to do with the white coats but rather his young nurses.
12 -
cbxjeff: 29950871724571/comments/-1
I've been seeing a cardiologist for about 5 years. My BP is pretty good but he has tried 2-3 different pills and wants to see the result of the changes. I created an Excel and print it to take to his office. I agree with BP going up at his office. I don't think it has anything to do with the white coats but rather his young nurses.
Back when I was a student at Arkansas Tech, a scientific instrument company donated a very expensive auto analyzer that would test for just about anything to our biology department. Our professor was demonstrating this new toy and had one of the guys from our class hooked up to it. Out of curiosity, he had a pretty blond student sit in the guy's lap and run her fingers through his hair. The machine showed his BP going through the roof! There would be a lawsuit if that happened today.
3 -
Another good TIP for those going to the doctors office for a blood pressure check.
Refrain yourself at least 24 hours from watching any news media before your appointment.
That is all
18 -
Brookwood: 29950871724571/comments/-1
Another good TIP for those going to the doctors office for a blood pressure check.
Refrain yourself at least 24 hours from watching any news media before your appointment.
That is all
Brook........
That would work pretty well..........if the doctor didn't make me wait one to two hours, in their lobby area, past my scheduled appointment time!!😖😖
9 -
62vld2042: 29950871724571/comments/29950872296475
https://forums.gunbroker.com/discussion/comment/11432323#Comment_11432323
Brook........
That would work pretty well..........if the doctor didn't make me wait one to two hours, in their lobby area, past my scheduled appointment time!!😖😖
Awhile back I went with my wife for her Dr's appointment and she was still waiting about hour late and every once in awhile a nurse would open the door and call a name and when she called a name several in the waiting room started looking around at each other. I spoke up in a loud voice, they died yesterday waiting on you to call their name, can my wife have their place? The nurse said Oh my I hope not. I said yes they died yesterday, I just now drug them out in the hall, call another name. I started a riot, people speaking up and that nurse left and that nurse never did come back. Sometime later another nurse started calling names.
I sometimes ask if they are going to serve supper, if so bring me a menu, if not bring me a pillow.
9 -
I take my patients BP every 4 hours. I haven’t taken my BP since nursing school. I always run about one hundred teens over mid seventies
0 -
I was waiting with my wife for an appointment a while back (I had to drive here there) and more than an hour after her scheduled time, she finally got called in. Later she told me that the doctor had a patient experience a heart attack in the office, and that made him kinda busy.
You never really know what goes on behind the doors.
0 -
I’m usually around 110 over 80.
Had it taken at a dr visit a few years ago and it was 135 over 95. Doctor immediately wanted to put me on BP meds.
Dropped him that day.
12 -
Don McManus: 29950871724571/comments/29950833145627
I’m usually around 110 over 80.
Had it taken at a dr visit a few years ago and it was 135 over 95. Doctor immediately wanted to put me on BP meds.
Dropped him that day.
Sounds like a typical pill pusher. Let's not try a little diet and exercise, go straight to the pharm. Good call dropping him.
0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
21 comments