Blood pressure

Thanks dragonfly.

Whiff

My old GP diagnosed me with LVH in 2017 and said to pop in twice a week to take my BP on the public machine. Decided to buy my own machine so brought a Braun one. Take my BP as instructed in the booklet before having cup of tea or breakfast. It stayed roughly the same. I moved in 2019 and BT showed heart failure. Long story short I was born with a hole in my heart and have PAF not LVH. Still take my BP every morning but at least on heart medication and blood thinner. My old GP never gave me either. Moving over 100 miles to the north west has given me excellent health care . Finally found out what my Neurological condition is thanks to my new neurologist who had genetic blood tested and I was born with it . I'm 64.

It seems where you live what level of healthcare you get.

Definitely..... we have the amazing neurological centre of excellence...The Walton Centre on our doorsteps in the NW

My old GP diagnosed me with LVH in 2017 and said to pop in twice a week to take my BP on the public machine. Decided to buy my own machine so brought a Braun one. Take my BP as instructed in the booklet before having cup of tea or breakfast. It stayed roughly the same. I moved in 2019 and BT showed heart failure. Long story short I was born with a hole in my heart and have PAF not LVH. Still take my BP every morning but at least on heart medication and blood thinner. My old GP never gave me either. Moving over 100 miles to the north west has given me excellent health care . Finally found out what my Neurological condition is thanks to my new neurologist who had genetic blood tested and I was born with it . I'm 64.

It seems where you live what level of healthcare you get.

This should be easier. www.bloodpressureuk.org/your-blood-pressure/how-to-lower-your-blood-pressure/monitoring-your-blood-pressure-at-home/how-to-measure-your-blood-pressure-at-home/

Thank you Kittylester for the help for taking BP however. . . it was too small and blurred when spread 😞

The lower figure is the most important and if that is 90 or over it is too high. That is the figure in the arteries when the heart is at rest. The higher figure is when it is beating and can go up and down if you are anxious, running, going to doctors etc. If that figure is over 140 again that is too high. A health care assistant is does not have the same knowledge as a trained nurse or doctor so if your readings are high then make an appointment with the GP or Practice Nurse.

I bought a Boots bp machine. I take bp reading twice daily for a week then hand in readings to surgery. Our local chemist also offers bp reading plus the gp surgery has a separate area for any patient to make use of.

I have to take my BP readings on a daily basis, as it fluctuates between 120 to 200. I record the readings and then show my GP. I have to do it for two weeks each time.
It's been like that for years.

I'm on my third BP machine. Every time I replace it, it has to be calibrated at the GP surgery, to ensure the readings are the same as the surgery's.

The latest advice for taking your bp.

Our local chemist-Cornwells-offer a (free!) 24 hour BP monitor.

Ask your local pharmacist if they do BP readings- and if they do, do several in a row over a few days.

Just to add to instructions from Welbeck and Tanith. Do remember to take these readings at least half an hour after you have eaten anything. Be as relaxed as possible and have arm that your are using resting comfortably more or less level with heart.

When my surgery was concerned about my BP I was told to take it morning and evening (three times as stated, recording best reading). To do this for a fortnight. writing down readings each time.

Ellie Anne you need take it 3 times then write the best average down, do this for a week or so then if its averaging over 140 I'd call the surgery and tell them you are concerned and have kept a diary to show the doctor.

buy a BP machine from a reputable supplier, eg boots, superdrug, john lewis, lidl, aldi.
take readings every day, at different times.
record readings for each day and time it was taken.
collate findings and forward to GP.
you can email, snail mail, whatever suits you.
request appt with doc to discuss. on separate sheet.
good luck.