Blood Pressure.

I hope you get excellent nonscary advice on getting your bp down.

Don't let them frighten you. 185/105 is high very high and can be because of the Doctor syndrom, but a really dangerous case is up over 200 and you'll still not pop your clogs with that.

Of course you will have to get little device and start measuring yourself. You don't need to be going to the surgery. If its always high then take half tablet more until you have found the ideal dose.

Controlling your own BP is not rocket science.

Mine was 185/90 last week, not surprising as I am off my meds at present. When I take my BP at home it is usually abou135/70. I do not have the slightest fear of Doctors or nurses but I still get white coat syndrome.

I'm not consciously aware of being afraid of the dr, but I was there to have blood taken which is a process I do dread. So that might have had something to do with it.

Mine was very high at the hospital a few weeks ago, lower at the GP surgery (but still rather high) so GP advised me to buy one of the home blood pressure devices (£30+ from Boots) and keep a record.
I get 'white coat syndrome' too it would appear which is ridiculous as it is generally taken by a healthcare assistant wearing green.

ps I was incubating a virus when the BP reading was highest.

I was told by the community pharmacist bp machines can be £10-£100 and that the simpler cheaper ones were fine. Small local pharmacy turned out to stock a single model, a £10 one, and had had no complaints. I bought it and find it completely satisfactory

About 15 years ago when I was slim, fit and active I had mine taken and it was 210/108 !! Needless to say I have been on medication every since and it is fine now.

I remember one of my colleagues telling me she'd been to her doc and had high BP, and now had a bit of a headache. I duly took her BP (I was a nurse) and it was something like 240/150!!! Needless to say I had one of the docs look her over, she was admitted overnight and actually never worked again although she was generally ok!

katyK I'm with you I got to 220/ 180 at age 25 so on meds since then but not diagnosed with SLE (Lupus) until my late 40s and lo and behold that's what was causing it (and the miscarriages) - all controlled now on meds thank fully.

Went back to the Dr's yesterday and they took my BP again. Best of three readings was 175/90 so they have prescribed Amlodipine. Frankly the Dr was more concerned with the result of one of the blood tests they took which showed me to be borderline diabetic.

So now I have to go back again in another two weeks for another blood test - I have until then to get my blood sugar level down!

Teetime It's a bit worrying at the time isn't it? Mine has been fine since thankfully.
I'm glad your is sorted.

What advice were you given to lower your blood glucose levels lefthanded ?

My blood pressure is usually OK ish but when I had a virus and had just been upset by my dil it soared to 190 over 90. The nurse took 3 reading and the middle one was 157 over 80 but the third one soared again.

I have to buy a bp monitor and I'm dreading it because they always make me nervous. Any tips for using them and not getting all panicky.

I measure my own at home and just take the readings into the surgery when I go. Usually, when I go to the doctor, it is because I am worried about something and trying to remember what to say, so my bp goes up.

I have recently celebrated my 70th birthday over several weeks consuming gallons of wine and champagne. I thought I had better take my bp and it was 116/69. I did it again next day and it was 120/71.

So now you know, ditch the pills and take champagne.

I have been monitoring my own BP for about six months. Because my BP had come down so much (and I was getting dizzy spells) my doctor allowed me to halve the dosage and then come off the medication completely in January, since when my BP has remained steady around 110/70.
I take it at different times of the day, but I always get the monitor, then sit and relax for 5 minutes. I keep my feet on the floor, make sure the monitor is at the right height, set it off and then think about waves rippling on a sunny beach. It is lowest first thing in the morning, goes up a bit later in the day and is always a bit higher in my right arm than my left.

I can't fathom blood pressure. The normal range marked on some hospital obs charts goes as low as 100, but when mine gets to 104/74 I'm on the verge of passing out.

I have had BP mess for 25 years and have taken my own pressure at home for most of that time too. I like to keep mine to less than 135 /100 I take most of the meds in the morning but also one at night - it is not prescribed in UK - or certainly under the same name - Rilmenidine. When you take your pressure in the morning it is to see if th meds are working correctly and still protecting you 24 hours - mine was a bit high in the morning so that is why I take the night one.
If you are on Amlodopine watch your ankles - one of the most common side effects in swollen ankles - if you still have them after a month it is unsuitableok for you. Ramipril can give you a funny cough at the back of the throat. I now no longer take either of those.
I keep a good eye on my blood pressure particularly since it spiked almost two years ago - 'only ' to 200 and it induced an epileptic fit (only one I have ever had) while I was out and I spent the weekend in hospital. I had all the scans and wires in my head etc and nothing was amiss and the neurologist gave me a medication to take - but it seems I only take half the normal dose.

I have been actively trying to get my BP down so I don't have to increase my tabs. If I can get it just under 140/80 I am happy. However I have checked it this week
when it was 115/71 which is the lowest I have ever recorded. I suspect the BP machine in the Doc's surgery wasn't working properly, as when the cuff finished crushing my arm it wasn't as painful as usual. I better go back this week and try it again - drat !

If you are on Amlodopine watch your ankles
Oh, thanks for that tip Welshwife
DH has just been prescribed those tablets, and I must say that, for a man, he has a nifty pair of ankles, I will watch them carefully!

I had the 'swollen ankles' problem with Amlodipine , then developed the cough with Ramipril , now I take Losartan and Imdapamide for BP, its been pretty stable for a while thank goodness.. when I first went back with the swollen ankles my GP said oh that's ok its just a side affect I said there is no way I'm going to put up with these 'cankles' for the rest of my life give me something else.

I am on Amlodopine and only suffer with swollen ankles when on a flight.

I was taken off Amlodipine as from the ankles down, even in the summer, my feet were frozen.

My feet were like water balloons. I went on felodipine and no more problems.