Blood pressure and HRT

[SixQuidGames]

I’ve been on HRT for a year and it’s really helped me. A few months ago during a visit for something else, the GP took my blood pressure and decided it was slightly on the high side of normal. I was prescribed Rampiril but had to stop taking it after a few weeks because it made me cough constantly.

When I got the last repeat prescription of HRT, I also got a text from the GP saying I have to have a blood pressure check before they will prescribe it again. I’m pretty pissed off, tbh.

My blood pressure is not high, it’s on the high side of normal. I am afraid they are going to use it to stop giving me HRT. I am overweight but I’ve lost a stone since I last went and I’m still losing weight and going to the gym every day.

Has anyone else had this?

Yes. My doctor wants to keep an eye on me. But she said taking it once at the doctors isn't accurate enough. I've bought a BP machine (approx £30) and before requesting my next prescription, I take my BP several times over several days at different times of the day and send all the readings in.

Interestingly my readings vary enormously depending on day and time.

They also told me to get a machine. The thing that annoys me is that my blood pressure is not excessively high but they initially prescribed me medication which caused me to cough literally all the time. I didn’t know that was a side effect and I only called the GP after three months when I became desperate about the coughing and got a locum who immediately told me to stop taking the Rampiril. I have a long history of respiratory issues, yet they prescribed me something with coughing as a well known side effect.

Yes that's not good. My doctor said they would only think about medication if the readings at home were consistently high. (Which they're not).

My blood pressure is also on the high side of normal. I have a blood pressure machine and take readings at home and take a photo on my phone for several days before seeing GP. I also take a blood pressure supplement called Bioglan high blood pressure.