24 Hour Bp Monitor

[Gill1941]

Anyone had one of these? I have one at the moment and last evening got a shock. My BP is normally 145/59 ish when I take it at home but higher in surgery so they wanted me to have a monitor. Yesterday evening just sitting reading or watching TV and it kept rising every half hour up to about 232. It worried me.

This morning back to 144/78. I do not understand how BP varies so.
Anyone similar experience?

[Sqad]

Gill....for some reason your machine was inaccurate last evening, ignore that reading.
BP does indeed vary due to normal physiological processes, but 232 mms of Hg is an anomaly.

No I have never had a 24hour BP monitor.

[Sqad]

I understand that you are worried............please try not to.

[Gill1941]

Thank you sqad.
I am taking the monitor back to the surgery at midday. I did wonder if it was the machine but, unfortunately, got the same reading on my own machine just afterwards.
Hope the surgery will sort it out. Am on 10 mg Lisinopril already perhaps they will increase or change meds.
Thanks for reassurance.

[choux]

Gill, when you hand back the monitor just quickly mention the high abnormality and they will be able to check the equipment. You will probably get the pleasure to have another one in the future. Don't worry about it - easier said than done, I know. Yes, I have had one on a couple of occasions and still here to answer ;) Keep calm and good luck.

[Gill1941]

Thanks choux. I don't generally panic but this did shock me.
Off to get ready to take it back now. I will tell them when I hand it in.
Don't know why I have high blood pressure. Don't drink, smoke, no salt or junk food. Not overweight. Do lots of gardening, etc. Mum had it so might be that.

[anneasquith]

232, is that even possible ?

[Old_Geezer]

Were you watching the news, or a political debate ? They raise my blood pressure. Turn the HiFi on and listen to something calming, peaceful.

[choux]

anne, believe me, it is. 20+ years ago I was hospitalised for 10 days with a higher reading than Gill's!

[anneasquith]

Really ?

[choux]

Absolutely.

[anneasquith]

Ooft, I bet you had a headache choux ? :-(

[choux]

I did, anne but had attributed that to a heavy workload in my job. I hadn't seen my GP in over 7 years. I then had a bad back and was recommended to consult a chiropractor which I did and after a nearly 3 hour medical my very high BP was confirmed and my fate was sealed! They actually saved my life, I am sure. That is why high BP is called a silent killer. Moral of my story is get your BP checked regularly - home kits are a great thing to have.

[anneasquith]

Bp, settled with medication and change of life style ?

[Gill1941]

Anne, are you doubting my ability to read it?
I know I'm 82 but not in my dotage.

Choux have returned monitor and seen results on Patient Access and it averages out 183/84 which is still high. I will hopefully hear from the surgery to see what, if anything, they are going to do.
Glad you got sorted with yours ok.
I won't be taking a reading at home for some time!

[choux]

I do believe that stress can play its part in BP readings, Gill and it sounds like you may have "white coat syndrome" - sometimes not agreed by doctors but I think that is probably why your surgery arranged the monitor for you. If we tend to get a bit uptight about readings it can elevate them somewhat. Best you relax and keep calm in the mean time. There are so many medications that can help lower BP, sometimes it is a bit like perfecting a cocktail, so I should wait for your GP to come back to you on it. Wish you well with it all :)

[Ellipsis]

I have an Omron device. I use it exactly like this - the suggestion being that, if you don't do it exactly like this, the results may be wrong:

[ladybirder]

I had to buy my own BP monitor. Is it usual to be lent one from your GP's surgery?

[Barsel]

LB, I was given a 24hr monitor from my surgery as their machines are set to go off at certain times and record the results.
The machine I have at home doesn't do that.
Anne if you are still around, my GP phoned an ambulance a few weeks ago to take me to A&E as my BP was 213/125 and she was worried I could have a stroke.
I would never have believed it could go so high until it happened to me.
Have to check it twice a day now and write down the results as GP has doubled the dose of my medicine.

[Gill1941]

I have my own Omron which I rarely use, lb.
It is normal to have a 24 hour monitor if you have white coat syndrome which they say I have as my BP is always higher in the surgery. I don't know why that happens as I am not consciously stressed in the surgery. I've had too many ops over the years to stress out.
Am now waiting to hear from GP but won't hold my breath!

[anneasquith]

I didn’t say that Gill. I thought it may have been a faulty machine that’s all .