blood pressure

[mtheulen]

113/59 this morning. Was ridiculously low last time I was at the Dr.’s office - 88/58. Nurse said she’d take it again with another cuff, but never did. Fortunately, I take my own daily, and am usually around what it was this morning.

Love to give you 20 of mine!

 

[Nightcap]

Love to give you 20 of mine!

Losing a hundred pounds helped.

 

[mtheulen]

Losing a hundred pounds helped.

Good Job!

 

[MRG]

Losing a hundred pounds helped.

Nice!

 

[audreyh1]

My BP at the doctors office is definitely related to concerns I may have like waiting for unknown test results.

 

[audreyh1]

Talking raises your BP too.

Yes, and they make me answer questions while they take my BP!

 

[LOL!]

How do they figure this stuff out? I never get the exact same BP reading even 5 minutes apart. How do they know if any of these activities actually raise/lower BP vs. just standard deviation? Or do they effect it so significantly that it's actually measurable? If so, they should say something like "talking will raise your BP 1-5 pts, meditation will lower your BP 5-8 pts, etc." Then if you can see that something is helpful/harmful in a significant degree you can do the right thing.

I am pretty sure they know that a difference of under 10 units is meaningless, so they are looking mostly for numbers that are too big. Unfortunately, for folks on the cusp or just over the cusp, they try game the measurement any way they can to get lower. I even wonder if the new guidelines are partly to get past that in that 140 is too high and not borderline anymore.

 

[Dtail]

113/59 this morning. Was ridiculously low last time I was at the Dr.’s office - 88/58. Nurse said she’d take it again with another cuff, but never did. Fortunately, I take my own daily, and am usually around what it was this morning.

Excellent numbers. At my best athletic weight, I was 110/70. Not there now.

 

[97guns]

Wouldn’t it be best to take your BP in a normal sitting position crossed legged or however you sit during the day, I’m not in a yoga pose in deep meditation and taking deep breathing 20 hours a day , seems like you would want to take your BP as you would be doing a daily activity to get a true reading, yoga pose would only be tricking the machine to be in line

 

[Lsbcal]

I don't know why some people here are worried about the Doc's office visit BP numbers. I've had some discussions with my Doc after some high readings in the office. I just show him the results from home screens. I think they know the office screens are just very rough numbers. But I have noticed their technique has improved over in the last few years.

 

[audreyh1]

That's essentially why I track it at home. My readings have improved the past couple of years. But I feel compelled to track it myself, because of the unpredictable and oddball readings at the doctor's office where their technique is usually godawful.

 

[LOL!]

Wouldn’t it be best to take your BP in a normal sitting position crossed legged or however you sit during the day, I’m not in a yoga pose in deep meditation and taking deep breathing 20 hours a day , seems like you would want to take your BP as you would be doing a daily activity to get a true reading, yoga pose would only be tricking the machine to be in line

I'm not sure what you mean by "a true reading" because during exercise (a daily activity) a reading would be very high, say around 200. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3041529

Generally, the standard is set: Sitting, without crossing legs, arm across chest as noted in the earlier link in this thread. And yes, a loose cuff will cause wrong measurements, too.

If I eat a bag of salty potato chips or popcorn, I know my bp will be measured about 10 to 20 higher than usual. You can try it yourself at home.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Last year, after a fainting incident, I was at the doctors and while he was taking my BP he told me to stop talking

I think my docs are much happier with the BP when I don’t talk—their BP, not mine

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I'm not sure what you mean by "a true reading" because during exercise (a daily activity) a reading would be very high, say around 200. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3041529

Generally, the standard is set: Sitting, without crossing legs, arm across chest as noted in the earlier link in this thread. And yes, a loose cuff will cause wrong measurements, too.

If I eat a bag of salty potato chips or popcorn, I know my bp will be measured about 10 to 20 higher than usual. You can try it yourself at home.

Correct. Since lots of things can effect your BP and heart rate (HR), the baseline is to try to eliminate as many of those things as possible and measure your resting BP and HR. Crossing your legs is kind of like squeezing one end of a balloon, it mechanically constricts circulation in your legs and gives the same blood volume less room to circulate, increasing pressure. (This is why even though I'm in good shape, I get dizzy when I squat and then stand up suddenly. It's not the change in elevation, it's the sudden release of pressure that causes a quick drop in overall blood pressure. Although if your pressure is already low, going from lying down to standing up suddenly makes the blood go "uphill", and can have the same effect on the brain.)

 

[Aerides]

I don't know why some people here are worried about the Doc's office visit BP numbers. I've had some discussions with my Doc after some high readings in the office. I just show him the results from home screens.

As long as you have home screens that are good, and reliable, and a doctor who knows you, and you don't have other conditions that high BP might be a warning for, sure.

But a good doctor shouldn't ignore office readings if other factors are in play (weight, illnesses, etc.)... just because you show him/her other data. That Doc, both legally and ethically, should allow for due diligence to rule out "white coat syndrome" but, cautiously. Trust but verify and all that.

 

[braumeister]

I don't know why some people here are worried about the Doc's office visit BP numbers. I've had some discussions with my Doc after some high readings in the office. I just show him the results from home screens. I think they know the office screens are just very rough numbers. But I have noticed their technique has improved over in the last few years.

About 5 or 6 years ago I got one of those high readings due to improper technique. Later,when I saw the doctor I commented on it and he just rolled his eyes and said “the nurses have their own protocols and they don’t listen to me.”

I don’t go there anymore.

 

[Carpediem]

I see Omron mentioned in this thread. Is this the one most folks are using?

Omron Blood Pressure Monitor

 

[audreyh1]

I see Omron mentioned in this thread. Is this the one most folks are using?

Omron Blood Pressure Monitor

That looks like the one I'm using now.

 

[Carpediem]

That looks like the one I'm using now.

Thank you. We've been needing one so I think I will go ahead and order that one.

 

[Alan]

I think my docs are much happier with the BP when I don’t talk—their BP, not mine

I see Omron mentioned in this thread. Is this the one most folks are using?

Omron Blood Pressure Monitor

Exactly the one I use. I really didn’t know what “Intellisense” meant until one day I saw a shaking heart symbol and had to look it up - irregular heartbeat, turned out to be AFib so I was very pleased at the early detection since AFib can be happening for years with no symptoms.

 

[eytonxav]

I have often found that nurses in the Dr's office sometimes do not use good technique when checking BP and will allow a patients arm to be hang down instead of being supported out in front. I believe that can effect the readings. Also, when you are sitting there getting checked, keep both feet flat on the floor.

 

[LOL!]

I have often found that nurses in the Dr's office sometimes do not use good technique when checking BP and will allow a patients arm to be hang down instead of being supported out in front. I believe that can effect the readings. Also, when you are sitting there getting checked, keep both feet flat on the floor.

If you have a home BP measurement device, then you can check if these ideas make a difference. For most people and their BP readings, they will make virtually no difference. You can see this yourself.

 

[Lsbcal]

I bought an Omron recommended on a similar thread here.



I used to drink a few cups of strong coffee in the AM. But after taking readings found that no more then 12 ounces is best for my BP. So taking readings at home may pay other dividends.

 

[6miths]

If you have a home BP measurement device, then you can check if these ideas make a difference. For most people and their BP readings, they will make virtually no difference. You can see this yourself.

+1

Except for using the wrong size cuff which is more of an issue these days as arms seem to be getting larger and larger. And if your BP is good after having to deal with drive to office and parking and reception and waiting room and nurse and doctor and talking and sitting in the wrong position - then it is good. If it is high then you get to rest and meditate for a few minutes in a quiet room and line you up just right and look for a lower and more representative pressure. Or check your home readings and check that your machine is correct.

 

[audreyh1]

If you have a home BP measurement device, then you can check if these ideas make a difference. For most people and their BP readings, they will make virtually no difference. You can see this yourself.

My experience is that drs office readings are erratic and mostly higher and sometimes quite a bit higher than my home readings. They use poor technique. If I had a chance to sit quietly for 5 mins after being rushed to the nurses station, it might be much closer to my home readings. It also depends on which doctor. Some of them stress me out more than others.