To think we shouldn’t have to buy our own blood pressure machines

So your issue is with the medical advice that your BP needs to be confirmed as stable. Your gripe isn’t that you have to buy a machine.

Are you a doctor or a nurse? Are you trained in the use of the form of HRT you take? Why are you better qualified to know whether your BP needs to be read than your GP?

Or are you just bone idle lazy, seeing as you can’t even be bothered to google “£10 blood pressure”?

Exactly!

It's fine until it isn't.

Menopause puts us at high risks of heart disease/diabetes/strokes/ osteoporosis.

Monitoring helps to to stay as safe as possible and seek help at the earliest possible chance instead of being under a false sense of security of "I've always been fine" which means by the time the issue has been picked up there's a lot more damage and it's harder to manage.

Mine was a bit high, in the surgery so I was advised to get one to test at home, was still a bit high but it’s settled nicely. I also have a mini sats monitor and urinalysis sticks and a thermometer. I’m not sure what is wrong with taking some responsibility for your own health and care, getting as much information as you can do you can make choices about your own health, the nhs doesn’t have the resources to chase people about their bp or make them take responsibility, huffing about it isn’t going to change that.

This is the one I have! Works perfectly fine but the usb charging cable is a little short. I just swapped it for a longer one I already had

I can see why the change is frustrating to you, have you asked why the change in requirements from before?

This. My Mum’s was always low until it suddenly wasn’t, so I’m keeping a close eye on mine (which is still irritatingly low).

https://www.bloodpressureuk.org/your-blood-pressure/how-to-lower-your-blood-pressure/monitoring-your-blood-pressure-at-home/how-to-measure-your-blood-pressure-at-home/

edited because someone linked the same thing in a much better/shorter format!

Blood Pressure Monitors,Blood Pressure Machine - CE Certified Approved UK, Standard Blood Pressure Monitor Upper Arm Blood Pressure Machine for Home Use (No Cable & Battery) https://amzn.eu/d/eaSUzJ6

Well given that GPs get about 164 quid per patient per year ... yep you are being unreasonable ! They don't get paid enough to give you a standard machine like thermometer or BP machine

I am in Ireland I needed to have monitoring for a short while I just hired one from local pharmacy it wasn't expensive and the data automatically went to my GP, is there something like that near you?

It’s pretty grim borrowing a BP monitor that may have been used by several hundred people. You can’t wash the cuffs so probably only wiped with a cloth.
In all probability the GP surgery had a number of loan units but over the pandemic were unable to loan them, or like many NHS loan items ( crutches, wheelchairs) they are just not returned.
If you are menopausal then checking your BP regularly is a good idea. Many very healthy looking people develop hypertension in their 50s and 60s, it is generally silent in this group of people until their first heart attack or stroke.

The first time I had to do a week of readings the surgery loaned me a monitor for a £20 deposit which I got back when I returned it. The alternative of going into the surgery daily to use the monitor in the waiting room was also available.

When they needed me to do it again a few months later I bought a monitor for £18 on amazon.

Whilst it's good that loan ones are available the fact that they obviously need a deposit of the replacement value including admin costs means it's really more sensible for people who need them to buy them. I am sure there are discretionary charitable funds that will give small grants to someone who needs something like this but would have to stop eating for 4 days to afford it.

We're expected to buy our own thermometers too!

Our Patients Participation Group funded one in the entrance of the GP surgery.

Check it once at the surgery then make up the other readings? (Joking…!)

They r really cheap, so cant see what the issue is.

Can you afford to buy one @TangoTarantella ? Do you ever spend money on other things that make you feel good? Eating out, travel etc?

If you can afford it I don’t see why you wouldn’t spend a small amount of money on a piece of equipment that will benefit your health- the most important thing. if you can’t afford it then see if they will lend you on or try the pharmacy.

My blood pressure was absolutely fine for fifty years, through 3 pregnancies, until it suddenly wasn't. Everyone over 40 should check their blood pressure regularly.

I absolutely see it as comparable to basic equipment like a thermometer, nail clippers, basic first aid kit etc particularly if you are 40+

It's about taking basic responsibility for your health - the problem with the NHS is that many people fail to do so always expecting the state to provide.

The NHS is an amazing concept but definitely abused in places and definitely not there to absorb all health related costs.

If you want your HRT then one of the requirements is that your blood pressure needs to be monitored. It will be again in the future so it sounds like it might be worth the small outlay (I got one last year for about £10).

The NHS is providing a proper service by prescribing HRT to you responsibly. I assume you don’t expect a district nurse to pop in twice a day to take your BP reading, so buy a £15 machine and take some responsibility.

So you do the readings at a time that fits in with your schedule.