Blood pressure monitoring

[dancestomyowntune]

I am currently in hospital having regular (about four hourly) blood pressure checks after it rocketed on Friday night. Yesterday they switched from taking it manually to taking it with the electronic cuff thing. However in the night the nurse used the manual cuff again. My concern is that when they use the electronic machine it appears much lower than I am expecting. I was brought in with bp 160/106, Friday night they pumped me full of a cocktail of anti hypertensive drugs and with the electronic cuff yesterday my bp was reading 130/70 - 135/74 pretty much all day. At 3am (with manual and after NO anti hypertensives all day) it was 145/88 (much more what I was expecting) but again at 7, with the electronic it was 135/74. I am not convinced the electronic cuff is accurate. I don't really want to be sent home only to be returned here on Tuesday (my next midwife app) as I have other children at home and it is upsetting for them.

I am currently 29/40 weeks and my booking bp was 150/90. I suffer with essential hypertension and have been taking labetalol and methyldopa throughout. Just seems odd to me that it appears so low on the electronic device!

Sorry to hear your blood pressure's misbehaving. It's not fun having to be monitered all the time, but better to be safe than sorry. I don't know much about this, but having had high bp in previous pregnancy, it's something my mw is keeping a close eye on, and she definitely said that she tends to get a more accurate reading manually. So i think all you can do is mention your concerns to whoever is looking after you and ask if they would do a manual reading too. All the best!

What strength methyldopa are you on? I was admitted just before Christmas with the same sort of bp readings at 31 weeks and am now on 500mg three times a day which is doing a great job for me (apart from the dopeyness and snoring!). I hope your readings are now accurate and you get let home asap.
Feel for you

The manual readings are more accurate. In fact most hospitals have a policy that you do it manually for women with high BP or if you use a manual cuff every few readings to check that the machine is in the right ball park. Certainly where I have worked anyway. Also make sure you give them the same arm as there is a slight difference between your arms.

Just ask if they would mind doing it manually please. (some people doing it may be health care assistants in which case they may not be trained in manual BP just to warn you.) They will be reporting back the machine readings to the midwife in charge of you. Discuss also with the Dr when they come to review as they could make an order to do it manually.

I am now on 750 mg methyldopa three times a day, 200 mg labetalol three times a day, 75mg aspirin once a day. I have been let out this morning but have a community midwife app this afternoon and I am under no illusions that if it starts to play up again I will be back in there. Just glad to be home at the moment!

I feel so bad for you and I am absolutely dreading the same thing!

I have found when my GP checks on the electronic monitor (especially on the left arm) it is much lower than when the midwife checks manually!

I am on 250mg methyldopa 3 times a day and 75mg Aspirin.

I am 15+2 and before pregnancy was on permanent 2.5mg bisoprolol (which is a beta blocker)
I found bisoprolol much better at controlling my palpitations and BP but it is not safe in pregnancy. With DD I was taking labetalol and methyldopa but am not at that stage yet (and hopefully will avoid it!)

My BP was 160/102 when I found out I was pregnant (that's how I knew, as it rockets in pregnancy) it is now a nice calm and relaxed i'm breathing as I say this 134/72 as of last week.

My midwife said I should buy a monitor (had one in my last pregnancy) but I am sure the constant testing just makes me worse.

The highest it has been was 220/110 which resulted in seizures. That was f*cking awful, so please take care of yourself ladies.

Blimey! I was relatively lucky then, mine was 150/120 very early Monday morning. I had visual disturbances and a headache but no seizures!

Hi Op the readings can change based on a few factors , if you talk while having it taken , which side they take it , if your hydrated , if your laying down or sitting up but to name a few . They will be looking for a baseline and a trend . Your care wouldnt be just based upon 1 reading but a few . Hope this helps x

Mw always told me electronic monitor not recommended in pregnancy. Can't remember why. My experience was in and out of hospital and at day centre clinic daily for last few weeks. Steroids at 34 weeks in case he came early then they did bring him early at 37 weeks.

Methyldopa made me a zombie but without it would've been scarey.

Do not let them stop meds immediately on giving birth though. They did this causing big spike and ended up on higher dose post birth! Should be gradual

Thanks for all your replies. One other question for those of you who were induced before 37 weeks, what we're the deciding factors when they decided to deliver? And how high was your bp at that point?

I was 38 weeks and had a planned c-section - my BP was 150/90 but I had protein in the urine.

I think decision to induce was partly because the Methyldopa wasn't really working that well or at least it was still climbing and not under control. I didn't have protein in urine.

My last consultant appointment.. Well don't know what's reading was but they called for paramedics and I went in with lights and sirens! I'm weird though cos bp dropped in ambulance! Think I was relieved a decision wad made.

You rest as much as you can. Don't take chances. Not nice this bp business x

High Bp you are worrying about stroke, throw in some protein in the urine and you are worrying about pre eclampsia and all that entails (although it is not always a given it is pre eclsmpsia). Eclampsia is where you get your fitting. So they don't mess around with high Bp.

Gaaa hit post too soon

...so that is why they keep such a close eye on high bp ladies.