AIBU to ask for regular blood pressure checks at my GP surgery

[mabelinthegable]

I've suspected my blood pressure was high for over a year now.

I bought a home monitor (because it's ALWAYS "sorry, emergency appointments only" when I ring my GP surgery). Checking my BP seems to give me wildly varying results, some very high and some normal despite me following the same procedure every time. I've tried to get an appointment to discuss this but to no avail, just told by receptionists to keep monitoring it at home.

I finally managed to book an appointment as I was deemed to need blood tests for something else and whilst I was there a nurse took my blood pressure several times and informed me that the average readings were 195/115 which I was told is dangerous as far as risk of stroke etc is concerned. She insisted that I see a GP there and then (which somewhat makes a mockery of the "sorry, we can ony see emergencies" parroted by the receptionists)

I've been prescribed medication to try and lower it and told to monitor it myself at home. Back at home though I continue to get wildly varying readings and really can't afford to buy another monitor, especially as now I have to pay for medication too.

Is it asking too much to ask to be able to get it checked by a HCP at the GP surgery once a week ? The nurse was concerned enough to refer me to see a GP immediately but then they're not concerned enough to keep checking me as regularly as they say I need it checking.

@Pixnix 195/115 is a medical emergency

Unless you’re pregnant or having red flag symptoms with it, then it’s not a medical emergency. Great way to put the OP’s blood pressure up though.

Yes, quite🙄

I am 60 My nurse wanted to send me straight to a&e when my BP was approaching that. Persuaded her I was stressed but I had to go straight on medication and promise to see her as soon as I came back from holiday. Also told if dystolic was higher than 100 to ring them

Also spent 7 weeks in hospital when I was pregnant because my systolic wouldn't go under 90

180/120 would be the level around which you can suffer a hypertensive crisis and a reading like OP’s in a surgery would definitely warrant a Dr being consulted immediately.

Theres a difference between emergency for a GP and an emergency for A&E isn’t there? You might not be blue lighted somewhere but the Dr would want to assess you quickly with those readings.

Quincythequince · Yesterday 08:02
Are you sitting I know a room, calm, destressed at the same time of day, and taking the readings.

Multiple readings, at least three.

You will see that the first one is usually higher (white coat syndrome, even when measured by yourself) so wait until you have at least two broadly similar ones, then take a third.“

absolutely this ^ white coat syndrome used to get me every time I saw the GP. She doesn’t take bp anymore because of it. There’s a machine in reception and patients are free to come in at any time, use it and hand to receptionist. We’re advised to sit quietly reading for 10 minutes before use.

GP appointments are like gold dust atm and can’t really be taken up with this.

YABU. I am 37 and just got the combined pill perscribed on the premise of a home blood pressure reading - it's fine, and accurate, if you use a decent machine and take multiple readings. People are struggling to get appointments, so this is crazy.

yup blood pressure does vary. The Dr trick of two or three measures before believing the machine is due to white coat syndrome (anxiety at Dr) but if you sit yourself down at a table where you rest the arm pre cuffed, give yourself a few minutes to breathe evenly and destress a bit then set the machine off - continue to breath evenly and not get stressed if it goes too tight and you should get a good reading. Practice makes perfect and also adjusts any anxiety you have about it due to familiarity.

Regular exercise significantly impacts BP as does not being overweight. I have high BP (and a home monitor) but have dropped 20pts by doing 30 minutes exercise 5 x a week.

the meds take a while to kick in so measure regularly over next few weeks, take the meds and try and get a bit of walking in somewhere as that is enough to help control it

Re GP appt you were asking for a check not telling them it was really high so not suprised they didn't pick up on it being an urgent appt. FOr future ref most pharmacy's wld do a BP check and my surgery has a machine you can go in and use yourself - no GP appt needed. Then if its still an issue tell them the reults and ask for an appt. Hopefully if you are on new meds they will check in 4 weeks

I repeat, I have no need/desire to see a GP weekly just someone more skilled in getting a reliable BP reading than I am

Sorry but as the level of HCP who would be the one expected to do this I think YABVU. I don’t have enough appointments for the suture removals, the urgently needed blood tests and the over due B12 injections as it is. I regularly do without a toilet break/tea break because someone ‘needs squeezing in’.

please watch how to accurately take your own BP, you don’t need skill, there is a video on here. It takes a good couple of weeks on medication for results to really lower .
www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/support/manage-your-blood-pressure-at-home#measure

The thing is they dint like it being taken in healthcare settings due to 'white coat syndrome" I have chronic high BP and it does fluctuate. Your meant to take home readings over a week 3/4 times throughout the day then calculate the average

Go to the pharmacy. They do it there.

Next time you get your blood pressure checked at the surgery, bring your machine with you and test it there and then.

It sounds like you're either doing it wrong or you've got a dodgy machine.

I feel your pain. My readings are wildly different from one minute to the next with a decent accredited monitor. They usually have one in the surgery you can use though. Otherwise take it same time of day in the correct conditions and average out the last three readings

If the government sorts out

Funding for primary care I agree it would be good to have someone do drop in clinics either in GP surgeries or like the HV ones in community venues

Many gp surgeries have this kind of thing turn up and do it yourself , ask them
www.pmsinstruments.co.uk/acatalog/TM-2657P-551.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-fmZBhDtARIsAH6H8qh9wcsQKhqMF2T3yRfLMMruzw9FxBUirVTD2of3ROKZBWGhLBvelSoaAjFYEALw_wcB#SID=71

@bruffin I am 60 My nurse wanted to send me straight to a&e when my BP was approaching that.

I am an A&E doctor and unless you were having symptoms of hypertensive crisis requiring intravenous medication to lower your blood pressure then you would have been sent straight back to your GP for them to treat you.

For the avoidance of doubt here is the NICE guidance for hypertension, section 1.5 covers the criteria for same day admission: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng136/chapter/Recommendations#diagnosing-hypertension

OP, the above guideline may be helpful to you in understanding how best to monitor your blood pressure at home and when to seek further advice.

Pharmacies do free blood pressure checks.

It may be worth checking to see if you are entitled to free prescriptions or buying a prepayment card for a year or quarterly.
Blood pressures do vary. Tea with your feet flat on the floor and when you don't need to go to the loo. Kinetik monitors are £20

I have a pre payment annual card, works out really cheaply for me as I have other meds too.

There's a blood pressure machine in our surgery's waiting room. I've been prescribed things over the phone for the last two years and have been asked to go check my blood pressure just so it's ok. But of course I haven't (they're open during working hours and I work... 😆)