BP home monitor readings [Archive]

Shelly80

30-07-09, 19:20

Hello,

Just aksing for some general thoughts. At the doctor the last few times I've been, my BP has been elevated. My doctor started suggesting that I start taking medication for it because he's concerned that even if its "white coat" syndrome, my BP gets that high whenever I'm stressed during the day. In the office it was 155/90 then 166/88.

Since then, I started taking some readings at the drug store and they were far lower. Yesterday I bought a home BP monitor and the readings have been great. The first couple readings were a little high, 140/78 because I just automatically get nervous. Now that I'm doing it more often, I am consistently at 120/77 or even lower.

Do you guys think the home BP monitors are accurate? I follow the instructions perfectly. I started telling myself that the nurse was doing it wrong in the office (not having my arm level, not telling me to stop talking). The readings started getting higher when she started, before her they were lower.

Sorry, I'm just obessed with BP now. Any thoughts on home BP readings and their accuracy?

:-) Shelly

nomorepanic

30-07-09, 19:24

Home monitors are fine if you don't get obsessed with taking readings all day every day!

The best way to check yours is do what I did and take it to docs and get him to do your blood pressure and then take it with your machine and you can see if they are comparable.

The ones on the wrist are not as accurate as the ones on the arm either.

Shelly80

30-07-09, 19:43

Thank you so much! I know, my father said the same thing. To put it away and not use it constantly. I figure it helps me the more often I do it though, to get used to it and not clam up and get nervous every time I do it.

I have a arm cuff monitor, not a wrist one :-)

Jaco45er

30-07-09, 19:58

Hi Shelley

I had high readings at the docs (160/95) and lower at home (133/85) and was suspicious that my home unit was inaccurate.

I took it to the GP, and we compared (GP thought I was mental) and they were the same, so white coat proven.

As for obsessed? err might be ;)

freudian nightmare

30-07-09, 20:20

Hello Shelley,
I was obsessed with my bp a few years ago because each time i went to docs it got higher and i'd fear having it done each time. The dr wanted to put me on meds as it was quite high at times but i didn't fancy it as i was only in my twenties at the time so i decided to buy a home monitor and see if it was just anxiety or white coat syndrome as jaco said. Anyway my bp was normal at home if a bit low at times-something else for me to worry about lol! I think taking it first thing in the morning is best before you've eaten or drank anything, just don't get too concerned though as bp fluctuates all the time. It did help me as that was a few years ago now and i've had no further problems and i don't stress about it, my moms got the arm one and i've done it on hers too and it's fine. I do think they work o.k cos if not i would be seriously ill now as a lot of my readings at docs were quite high. I hope that helps take care x

Shelly80

30-07-09, 20:33

Thanks guys :D

I have a feeling that the home test is accurate, I've looked up the machine online and it has one of the best reviews. Even if I placed the cuff a little too high or low, the margin of error is pretty small.

I know I get too worked up at the doctors office, but I would get just as worked up when I took it at the drug store (my friend was with me and couldn't believe how scared I got!!) and at home and the reading was less scary. I really do wonder if the nurse has been messing it up. I just don't want to get myself into a false sense of security thinking its fine.

Last night I took it about an hour after a work out and it was actually very very low. Goodness, 166/88 a month ago at the doctors to 112/77 last night Very strange indeed.

I need to work on this obsession I know :whistles:

nickieb

30-07-09, 23:41

Different cuff sizes & diff machines all make a difference with your BP readings!

PLEASE DON'T TAKE IT AT HOME ITS SILLY & YOU ARE LOOKING FOR TROUBLE!!!

Shelly80

31-07-09, 00:06

Thanks for the reply, but my doctor recommended that I get a home monitor because he wanted me to see what my BP is at various times of the day. After a month, I'm to bring the machine in so he can look at the memory of saved readings. He thinks I have "white coat" syndrome, but wants to make sure of this.

My main question was for people who have used these machines and about their accuracy.

Shelly :D

Cococj

31-07-09, 00:12

Different cuff sizes & diff machines all make a difference with your BP readings!

PLEASE DON'T TAKE IT AT HOME ITS SILLY & YOU ARE LOOKING FOR TROUBLE!!!

Well I'm surprised by this blanket ban from you, especially as you're a registered nurse.

In my case my GP recommended I take my BP readings three times a day for 2 weeks, with my home monitor, which he examined and made sure I was using properly. I'm not sure why it's "looking for trouble" especially as is borne out in this thread most people are getting lower, and one might say more accurate, results that they get at the doctors when they're nervous.

I hesitate to disagree with a nurse, but providing you're using the machine properly. it's a decent one and you don't become obsessed with the readings in most cases it's a good thing not a bad.

Shelly80

31-07-09, 00:19

Well I'm surprised by this blanket ban from you, especially as you're a registered nurse.

In my case my GP recommended I take my BP readings three times a day for 2 weeks, with my home monitor, which he examined and made sure I was using properly. I'm not sure why it's "looking for trouble" especially as is borne out in this thread most people are getting lower, and one might say more accurate, results that they get at the doctors when they're nervous.

I hesitate to disagree with a nurse, but providing you're using the machine properly. it's a decent one and you don't become obsessed with the readings in most cases it's a good thing not a bad.

Thank you Cocoj! I must say, I find that the doing it at home is making me LESS nervous during the act of taking it since I'm getting used to it and seeing lower readings so I'm not expecting the worst. If that makes sense. Maybe that will help with readings in the future at the doctors office

nickieb

31-07-09, 09:39

Does your GP know both of you suffer with anxiety & thus have a tendency to get hooked on taking your BP?? Because im 100% sure working with GP's day in & day out that if this was the case they would not recommend you having a home monitor.

Your blood pressure increases & decreases throughout different periods of the day which is completely normal. Your blood pressure responds to whatever is exerted on your heart so for example exercise, heat, mood etc!
I have worked on cardiology with many specialist consultants who recommend getting you BP taken with your practice nurse once a week at the same time to ensure accuracy & prevent too much focus by the patient on the reading. Yes white coat syndrome can occur & that can be accounted for !

So cococj this is not a 'blanket ban' merely my experience, knowledge & advice of taking thousands of blood pressures on many different people!

Jaco45er

31-07-09, 09:43

I like having a home BP monitor.

It has actually helped me to track my BP and bring it down, making me less anxious.

nickieb

31-07-09, 10:04

Yeah Jaco maybe, but in your last post you were getting stressed about the different readings, exactly the point i am making in this post!

The fact the people on NMP have a tendency to worry about things common sense would suggest we make less trouble for ourselves...

xx

Jaco45er

31-07-09, 10:36

ok ok you win, I will let you borrow it ;)

freudian nightmare

31-07-09, 11:42

I personally don't think that doctors take into account how real a problem white coat syndrome is. My doctor knew i suffered with anxiety and yet just kept telling me my bp was too high and would have to take meds instead of getting to the root cause of the problem. If mine had been so serious i would have suffered a stroke or something by now so i'm glad i got a monitor and did my own, yes i was a bit obssessed at first but it helped me a lot with my fears which the dr didn't alleviate even though i was obviously anxious. My dads had the same thing too so must be a family thing and more common than ones think-or are all bp monitors conspiring against us? Can i borrow yours too jaco just to check mate lol!

Shelly80

31-07-09, 16:17

So many great responses!!

nickieb: I understand that you are a nurse and appreciate the advice! My GP knows that I suffer from anxiety, but was also getting concerned that my BP was getting high when stressed and not lowering. He knows I can tend to get obsessed, but feels its better to get a general idea as to my average blood pressure throughout the day. As of right now, it seems to be lower at home than at the doctors. I would say its an average of about 123/75 at home, the highest spike being about 135/80 (about 40 mins after workout and dinner) to 115/75 when I'm really relaxed. I'm sure this information will help my GP gage whether I need medication. Given how low it can go, I hope he says NO to meds :-)

So I think the monitor is helping me not be afraid of the cuff as much. I just need to make sure that my anxious tendancies don't go into high gear when I get various readings and that after the month of use, I PUT IT AWAY!!!!

Cococj

31-07-09, 16:34

nickieb I can see what you're saying and I included the caveat that you don't get obsessed with taking it so we're in agreement there, but your warning was in big capitals clearly warning us not to take it at home. There was no real qualification of the statement or proper reason as to why other than we're asking for trouble.

Okay, some anxiety sufferers will get obsessed by the readings, but on the other hand the majority of them are going to get higher readings in a doctor's office and are thus going to worry about those higher readings.

You've been here a while so surely you've noticed on those posts that are about this very thing that while there are some who worry about their home readings there are far more who are reassured by the more normal readings they get at home. Surely that reassurance is a good thing?

Shelly80

31-07-09, 17:43