Why are they saying my blood pressure is OK?

[Astressie]

Just had my blood pressure taken for my HRT review they say. It's 140/84. They say it's absolutely fine although online NHS website says it's high. Last year it was slightly higher and agin they said it was fine. They say it could be a slightly higher reading due anxiety over the check itself, but it's fine. What am I missing? Know I could ring the doctor to discuss but I would like to believe it is OK and dread the thought of going on tablets. I am pretty healthy yoga and dog walks everyday and eat healthily. I get very anxious about doctor's etc , can anyone reassure me? AIBU to just take the nurses' word for it that my blood pressure is OK.

[quote Didiusfalco]@RufustheSniggeringReindeer. I've been on blood pressure medication for a couple of years due to an underlying kidney problem. I've had absolutely no side affects at all. I imagine it very much depends on how the individual reacts, so please don't worry.[/quote]
Thank you didius 😀

Mine was in the 180+ Range so im not sure i have a choice but i do like to be forewarned

Very reassuring that you’ve had no adverse side effects

@Astressie

the reason i don't want to monitor at home is that it all seems a bit arbitrary and faffing about whether it's corrector not. This will also affect my blood pressure.

Well, that's why I suggested bringing it to your next appointment, so you can compare numbers and then be reasonably sure it's accurate.

Obviously it's up to you. You sounded worried so it was just a potential solution.

can you see a different GP? that is high. not sure why everyone says it's fine. It's not freakishly high but high still.

It is at the high end of normal, you won't go on meds at 140 - it just needs to be monitored. Mine is usually somewhere between 135 and 140 though last time it was in the 120s. Goodness knows why with all the exercise I do, but my very slim mother has marginally high blood pressure too (enough to need a low dose of meds) so it must be genetic.

I thought that if it measures 140 at a GP but 135 at home they'll say that is ok.

Thank you all. I do need to bite the bullet and measure it at home. I will be prepared for it to be really high to start and monitor over time. But, will need partner's help and he will stress me out more.

Why do you need your partner's help to check your BP?

@redsquirrelfan same as you , exercise a lot, 8st and am vegetarian . Mother (a little overweight) has high blood pressure.

@LunaHeather because I'm a bit of an idiot!

I don't understand how your partner will stress you out, what will he do ?

Ideally blood pressure would be 140/90 or less.
If it is over 140/90 consistently then treatment would be advised (lots of caveats to this massive oversimplification).
So your blood pressure is ok on this reading. Likely they will have previous readings also.

patient.info/heart-health/home-and-ambulatory-blood-pressure-recording

If you still are finding you are at the top end of normal, consider looking up "DASH" diet/ salt and alcohol intake.

[quote Astressie]@LunaHeather because I'm a bit of an idiot![/quote]
It’s literally pressing a button. That’s it

I have white coat syndrome, to the degree that my systolic pressure reading can be up to 25-30 points higher in a clinical environment. I took my home monitor in to the GPs and checked, and it did read the same there as their kit so is calibrated OK.

You can now get wrist BP monitors (I use one now) where it's literally a case of put the cuff on your wrist just above the bones and press "go" on the monitor. I was able to manage this fine on my own when I had my prime arm in a sling & couldn't use that hand, so one handed with my "off" hand.

One thing to bear in mind is that they'll also have been reassured that your bp isn't rising compared with last check.

I've just been asked to measure my bp at home for a week. The systolic was 143 and I have to measure it x2 in the morning , same evening. Like you , anything over 125 seems def not ok to me. Anyway, what's actually happened is that my bp measures no more than 126/70 and ranges between that and 111. The doctors surgery is def not the place to have bp taken. And don't let your husband watch you

As others have said, the bottom number is the one they look at for HRT reviews. Mine is around 104 and I had to go on meds :-(

@Astressie

What happens if I haven't got a white coat syndrome. It seems to have been just assumed by them and me. I really don't want to go on blood pressure meds. and don''t really want to think about it anymore had a couple of gynae health scares the last couple of years (absolutely nothing to worry about!!) and want to just switch off from medical stuff.

Why do you think that you don’t?

They say it could be a slightly higher reading due anxiety over the check itself, but it's fine

dread the thought of going on tablets

I get very anxious about the doctor’s etc

Those three statements are in your OP. Clearly your BP was elevated even slightly by the check, further evidenced by you even posting!