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

@TangoTarantella the NHS menopause prepayment certificate. You can buy it online.

Also if your patches come off that easily have you considering switching to the gel?

Tbf they're handy to have in and they don't cost a lot.

🙄

not really, if you need to get constant readings done, then it is so much more efficient for everyobody if you simply do them yourself at home

Yes get one!

The oxymeter was lifesaving for us at one point. Helped us get urgent medical help when all other symptoms "appeared normal"

The NhS is not a magical unicorn that can provide everything to everyone. You have an easy solution. We have one at home which has proved handy. Take some personal responsibility for your health

Exactly, help yourself a bit. It's useful to have one at home too.

Oh and we had a load of blood pressure monitors but patients just wouldn’t bring them back 🤷‍♀️

Well in the olden days you couldn’t do your own blood pressure easily as it was done with a mercury sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope. No HCP would have expected you to do your own.

Not the case now it’s all electronic! Crikey some people can even check their pulse and oxygen sats vi their watch.

Times change…

A one off reading does not tell us enough. To get a clear idea of what your blood pressure is doing we need at least 4 days of am and pm readings.
If you are in HRT then this increases your really risk of hypertension plus you are at an age when hypertension can start to be an issue for people.
Untreated hypertension is one of leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the UK and world in fact.
You are moaning about the NHS yet it is doing exactly what it should be doing to help you prevent strokes, cardiac arrests, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and reduce your risk of dementia.
But hey you moan that they aren’t going to do those twice a readings for you for the sake of 15-20 quid 🤷‍♀️

Every six months I was on HRT I needed at least one reading. I had something else wrong with me and needed a week of readings.

Given pandemic, it wasnt viable for me to see a nurse for the at least one reading, so I had to buy my monitor then.
Also used for partners high blood pressure. Has needed new batteries each year we have had it, so not a bad idea to have one.

I'm thinking about buying an oxymeter <<<spelling?
Because if you get a terrible cold or the flu or even a high temperature, your often asked about oxygen levels. They too are cheap.

There has certainly been a change in the NHS. In previous years, they wouldn't have had nearly as many of us on hrt. They wouldn't have been able to collect four consecutive day's blood pressure readings because that was unfeasible. Now we have inexpensive machines that can take the readings in our homes. It keeps us safer. I consider it progress. Hrt has also become a good deal cheaper. I pay £19 A YEAR!
If course there are huge problems facing the NHS. Not least it being sold off bit by bit. But the population changes, technology changes and the way we monitor our health changes.

I can read perfectly well. Were you so droolingly eager to get your snark in that you couldn't properly read my post where I suggested another solution could be that surgeries could have portable BP machines to lend patients under these circumstances, as happened for my Mum recently? So that the patient can take their own readings twice a day, using a machine that should be a reliable brand, without the need for appointments, buying a machine or visiting a pharmacy.

That seems an unnecessary amount of BP readings. We ask for 3 home readings taken at different times for reviews.

Lots of people now own BP monitors. If you don’t have one you can use the ones in most pharmacies, or you might know someone who has one. We also have one in our waiting room for people to use but it’s sometimes out of action as people break it, or let their kids play on it 🙄

Its not unreasonable to ask people to check their own blood pressure IMO.

I think it's fair enough as some people may already own one or prefer to buy a more advanced machine. As PPs mentioned it is possible to get BP taken for free just more hassle.

Though £20 is still a lot for some on limited budgets to find quickly and may need to pay for transport to get to free options, so perhaps the NHS could provide a lower cost option given their buying power.

I was sent a free BP monitor by the specialist as have to provide BP prior to prescriptions as the side effects are increased BP/pulse. I thought it was a shame they didn't check if I needed one before posting it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Pressure-Monitors-Machine-Certified/dp/B0CZ43S5GM/ref=asc_df_B0CZ43S5GM/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=691899886767&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6856040360075604200&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046342&hvtargid=pla-2297974683494&psc=1&mcid=a092b68c394230158ad0c1fddeaf5ce7&gad_source=1

Also i just googled and theres one on Ebay for 8quid.

You could argue it is a better service to base their decision making on 4 days of readings rather than one. It is also more accurate to take BP at home as many peoples BP goes up when they are at the doctors.

A couple of my relatives were advised to buy BP monitors (10 - 15 years ago) and take readings at home for this reason. It isn’t a new thing.

I have had one a few years now. I think I bought it in 2020 because of covid and on a few occasions I have been asked for a recent reading during telephone apportionments. For example I can get my pill prescription with a telephone appointment now which is much more efficient (for them and me).

That said if you don’t have one and don’t want to buy (or borrow) one then there should be an alternative.

I agree with you op. My gp has often asked if I take my own bp as if that’s perfectly normal. I’ve grown up with qualified people doing it. It wouldn’t even occur to me to buy my own machine! YANBU.

It's a right!

It's called white coat syndrome 😂

Just what exactly does this "proper service" entail in your eyes?

Do you want your blood pressure to be checked in centre by a professional?
Do you want to be given the meds without the blood pressure checks?
Do you want someone to come and check your blood pressure?
Do you want the NHS to supply you a machine?

Just what is it that you expect here that would give you "proper service"?

If you want someone to take your BP then ask the practice to arrange it - either by practice nurse or other fashion.

If you expect the NHS to supply you a machine then i think you have outlandish expectations of a free service that supplies millions of people for the price of the NI contributions.

Personally i'd spend the £10 and get myself the machine so i didn't have to go out the house to get the readings twice a day.

I got my own because I detest going to the GP and my blood pressure was always through the roof whenever they took it. At home where I’m relaxed and comfortable, it’s absolutely fine.

How long have you been in HRT? I’ve not heard of this BP reading requirement?

A one off reading at the surgery isn’t a good review of general health, or an accurate measure of normal blood pressure.