Blood Pressure Monitors

[dizzylemon]

Few questions:

a) is getting one a good idea or is it likely to just become a tool of anxiety? My reasons for getting one is random dizzy/fuzzy-headedness and headaches upon standing up. So far, my BP has erred more on the low side, but guess I would like to know? I have a GP appointment about the above, and in some ways think that it's a bit pointless without a professional to interpret it, but I'm also a bit of a data/stat fiend (nerd)
b) If you had one, did you find it useful and which one did you get?

(20wks btw)

Also worth pointing out that I eat/drink just fine, get plenty of sleep, take it slowly and easy with my movements and been fine with all tests checkups to date (except borderline-low Ferratin, but normal iron, which i am taking vits for and anomoly scan is next week)

I think they have to be approved to be used in pregnancy, so the regular ones yesterday for sale in chemist shops might not be suitable. I'm the opposite with issues with high blood pressure.
I just checked and I think the word used is validated for use in pregnancy.

I have a boots one - which is old but used to be made by omron they have come down in price a lot! It has to be clinically validated. I took mine into the MW to see what readings were and if similar to hers.

Check the cuff size you need as well. Mine is on the higher side

Xxx

I have a kinetik one that was in the region of £20. I have it because I got pre-eclampsia in my last pregnancy so it was really important that I kept an eye on it, and now I'm pregnant again (and still have borderline high blood pressure) so I'm having to take readings twice a day.

I've never heard of a monitor having to be validated for use in use pregnancy.

I wouldn't worry about getting one until you've seen the gp - if they raise an issue with you having low bp then by all means get one, but I think it's just something else to worry about if they think your readings are normal.

I had high bp in my pregnancy and was advised by several hcps not to measure/let anyone measure my bp with an electronic monitor as they can give inaccurate readings in pregnancy... I don't know why but not one person used an electronic monitor on me even though there was one available