I'm ignoring the nurse's advice until I can see gp in 2 weeks. Aibu?

[TheDonald]

I went yesterday for a smear and flu jab. While I was there she did my blood pressure because the computer told her to.

It was 150/100. She told me that I have to stop taking my hrt immediately until I can discuss it with gp. I can't get an appt for 2 weeks.

I'm on loestrin (bcp) since I went through early menopause age 36. I'm now 43. I've had high blood pressure before and was on medication but it then went too low. I felt awful when I was on them.

If I come off them I know I will be back to full on menopause symptoms. I will gain weight, I won't sleep, and I'll feel miserable.

Obviously if I'm risking a stroke I will have to come off it. But can anyone answer the following questions:

Is it likely my bp was high because I'd just had 2 horrible procedures?

Is 150/100 even that high anyway?

Do bcp/ hrt hormones make that much difference to bp? If I come off it will it come down?

Could montelukast be raising it? Should I come off that instead?

Can anyone help me balance the risk between slightly elevated bp vs osteoporosis, depression and weight gain?

150/100 is high. Can you get a home BP machine and check it yourself? To be honest, I'd be stopping HRT if BP is that high consistently.

Did she do your BP before or after everything else ?

Are you able to test it yourself, machine in the waiting room/pharmacy?

My blood pressure is always sky high in the doctors or in hospital but I wore a monitor and it was actually fine. White coat syndrome is actually a thing, it seems.

I have ordered a machine but it's not here yet. It was after both other things and the smear was really painful.

My thoughts are to keep taking the pill until the machine arrives and see if it's any better when I'm at home.

I'll be gutted if I have to come off it. It's keeping me sane!

150/100 is high

Get some more accurate bp readings by measuring at home

Cut out salt immediately

Try and get a gp appointment before 2 weeks - go private? It’s about £50 for an appointment in London and you can usually get same day.

Rubbish advice, unless you have some amazingly rare pathology you haven't mentioned. Ask to speak to the practice manager tomorrow and make a formal complaint about the nurse.

Oh dear, two weeks to see a GP, crikey, we can see ours within the same day if we ring early morning, see if you can see the doctor sooner than that. 2 weeks off HRT is a while and the symptoms may return, maybe there is an alternative you can be prescribed. I wouldn't jump into making a formal complaint against a nurse who may well be very experienced and is offering you advice, what's that going to achieve. Yes, white coat syndrome definitely does exist but it's always best to check these things out, is there a bp machine in the surgery waiting room where you can just go along and do it yourself.

I'd be telling you to stop bcp at that level of BP although did she take it once or twice allowing it to settle. The bcp may need to be changed to hrt if your BP is up and needs treatment. Nurse will have guidelines to work to with the pill. I would, however have expected my nurse to tell me that day about the reading so I could act in a faster timescale

Well I just unpacked my new bp machine and on the first go I got 134/79.

I think I will assume a bit of white coat/ large instrument up fanjo syndrome!

I will keep checking each day but I'm staying on my pill for the 2 weeks.

Thanks everyone for the advice.

Haha, BP sounds fine. Take a few readings over the next couple of weeks

Make sure you record them so that your GP can see the trend.