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Original poster

Advice needed - testing blood pressure

18 replies

HassledAndHarassed · 07/02/2024 08:32

2 weeks ago I went for a medical. They said my blood pressure was fine. This was after they said it was a bit high, calm down love, then did it again. My medical results were really good, except for being a bit overweight.

Last week I had to go to the GP for something else, and whilst there the nurse took my blood pressure. Again, I got...oh it's a bit high, calm down love, but it repeated itself. I was sent home with a blood pressure monitor to monitor morning and night. I have to hand it back on Friday.

So, initially I got readings of;

138/88
134/90
126/86
136/88
127/83
139/87

But then I came to Sunday and my BP started to go up as I was getting stressed out about going back to work on Monday (loads of issues there), and I had a really stressful Mon/Tues at work so didn't test as I was running out the door at 0720 with kids to drop off and then I got back late on Mon at 9pm.

I know I am stressed out, and I'm also menopausal (50) and jittery.

So, basically I am at the stage where I only have to look at this f*cking box with the BP monitor in it and my heart starts pounding out my chest. I don't really want to hand back a sheet of results in this state.

I was thinking of handing back the machine and saying this is what I have got so far, I am going to buy my own monitor and monitor it over the next few weeks.

I know this is really pathetic, and I have tried to calm myself down, but seriously this pathetic incident has made me more stressed out than I have been in a while.

Any advice on what to do?

OP posts:
Cranberriesandtea · 07/02/2024 08:34

Those readings are fine

Coldupnorth7 · 07/02/2024 08:37

Those are similar to my results after I calm down. My GP was very calm about them. Told me to put the machine away & start breathing exercises.

I am now on low dose bp meds after repeated measurements but also doing meditation, etc.

Carry on, give in the readings. Buy your own machine.

Coldupnorth7 · 07/02/2024 08:38

Menopause is not helping here. It definitely makes for more anxiety.

Interested in this thread?

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Heart disease
Netcam · 07/02/2024 08:41

I bought a monitor just before Xmas following advice from the GP after a high reading when I had my flu jab. It is an Omicron one with a phone app which works well. I noticed a pattern of high readings when I was stressed and hovering between normal and high normal, a bit like yours, when I wasn't. Sometimes the first reading I took was high, so I did several others afterwards. I discussed this with the nurse at the surgery at an appointment last week and she thought my experience was quite typical. She suggested once every 3 months I do readings for a week twice a day, with multiple readings each time if the first one is high, and submit them to the surgery. Then forget about it the rest of the time, because she said if you keep taking readings every day and worry about a high one, it is not helpful. The whole experience inspired me to lose half a stone though, now want to try for another half stone!

Netcam · 07/02/2024 08:42

Omron, not Omicron, that was autocorrect!

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 07/02/2024 08:45

So, basically I am at the stage where I only have to look at this fcking box with the BP monitor in it and my heart starts pounding out my chest. I don't really want to hand back a sheet of results in this state

This is actually very usual when you first start taking your BP at home - I had the same. I handed over a sheet of readings with one that was higher than yours and the GP said that BP changes all the time and not to worry about it.

coloursquare · 07/02/2024 09:21

Mine were sent to a cardiologist- very similar to yours with some lower and some much higher when panicky - he was unconcerned.

Hoglet70 · 07/02/2024 09:24

You're supposed to do 3 readings and submit the last one each time. You might find you calm down by the third.

mrandmrsrobinson · 07/02/2024 10:28

There's a BP graph on the NHS website that you can put your numbers into and it tells you whether high or low.

Tel12 · 07/02/2024 10:31

Slow deep breathing before you test for a few minutes. Although I think that the readings look good. GP can supply a 24 hour monitor if necessary.

SabbatWheel · 07/02/2024 10:37

Try going caffeine free. Covid left me with high blood pressure that needed medication but having decaff tea is what actually made the biggest difference.

whydoesitalwayshappentome · 07/02/2024 10:41

I used to take blood pressure readings as a HCA and they are not that bad really. Try and get some walking in to your day it might help with the stress feeling as well. Honestly though they are not sky high.

Coldupnorth7 · 07/02/2024 12:36

There's a bloke who does a YouTube channel called York Cardiology and he's a very soothing watch about blood pressure.

I've been told to give up caffeine slowly due to bladder issues, sigh...might help with this tho.

UpUpUpU · 07/02/2024 12:41

Pop the cuff in and then chill and watch TV. The. Just randomly press the button whilst continuing to watch the tv.

Original poster
HassledAndHarassed · 08/02/2024 20:12

Thx UpUp
I’ve chilled watching TV and got much lower BP results 😄

OP posts:
Coldupnorth7 · 08/02/2024 20:48

I might give that a go too!

UpUpUpU · 08/02/2024 21:23

I’m glad it worked for you. I know it’s a bit of a hassle but you’ll get a much more accurate reading of your Bp in a non stressed state 😊

coloursquare · 08/02/2024 21:45

What did you get, out of interest OP? I might try this.

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