When I was first diagnosed I was told to take the readings twice a day,morning and evening; take 2 readings and record just the lower one, which is usually but not always the second one. The the same dr changed tactics some months later and said to still take the 2 readings but do an average of both sets of numbers.
I have read here that different peoples' drs have different methods and I just wondered what others thought was the best method? Should be most interested to know.
Hi Jane,
What you say is very interesting as my doctor did the same. The average method os the best. Take three readings and average the three to get the final score. Over a week you will soon get an idea of the average of the averages. Take this back to the doctor and see what he says.
Ah, this is 'can of worms' territory! So much conflicting information. Personally I take the lowest of 2 readings. My GP has never given me any guidance on this matter tho. The other factor is meter accuracy. I often wonder how accurate the cheaper meters are.....my kind of meter! I see that Boots the chemist sell bp meters for up to £100! Mine was £12.99 from Tesco! Does that mean mine is less accurate? My readings are creeping up at the moment. Still nowhere near as bad as in the past but this mornings was 134/84. I wonder if my low readings of a few weeks ago were due to 'body shock' effect when I lost nearly a stone very quickly and changed diet dramatically? Maybe my body is getting used to different regime? Is that even possible?
Fisherman, interesting to read what you say about wondering if your lower readings of a few weeks ago were due to 'body shock'. I have been wondering exactly the same following my BP reducing to the low 130's systolic for a couple of weeks just recently. Sadly, It now seems to be increasing again. At the time of the good readings, I had just experienced a few days with an upset tum which meant a dry toast and chicken and rice diet for almost a week - body shock too perhaps! Certainly, the GP gym referral sessions don't seem to be working so far (my BP shoots up following the sessions)....perhaps I'm just being impatient, plus I'd really prefer walking to going to the gym!
As for BP readings, my consultant says take 3 times with 2 minute rests between each one, then take an average of the 2nd and 3rd readings and record those averages for him. Breathing deeply and relaxing between each of the three readings usually results in each one being lower than the previous.
Presumably the breathing brings it down when checking it but it will revert to the higer level after.
Hav.nt had garlic since Monday and mine is higher again, hows everybody else.s readings mine has gone up today is it the cold weather? what do you all think ???
Mine is high and going up, I must stop taking it, the more I take the higher it is going, this bp thing is abit of a puzzler
Helen, are you saying your BP has increased SINCE you stopped eating the garlic on Monday? Still trying to have mine but reduced back down to one clove because of the nosebleeds.
BP can change in different temperatures - it's lower in warm temperatures as the blood thins, but then thickens again when cold. I'm feeling we haven't had any real cold weather here in the South East yet. Certainly my blood pressure was improving following the hotter days of this summer especially following a short cruise where we were out in the sunshine most of the time.
As for what I think? I agree it's just a puzzle - am now wondering whether it was the Benecol for my raised cholesterol that I took for a few weeks recently that reduced my blood pressure to normal over a couple of weeks. However, I stopped the Benecol when I got diarrhoea in case that was the culprit. Just wondering whether the Benecol in reducing fat in the arteries allowed the blood to flow through more freely thus reducing my BP.
Unlike you, I'm refusing to keep taking my blood pressure (sort of in denial I suppose) as I know that the stress of just doing that can increase the readings. It was taken at the gym yesterday and was high, I will perhaps take it later today though. What a nightmare!
Surely the more you take the more relaxed about taking it you become.
Consultant told me that you can never take it to often!
It sure is a nightmare Mrs O, and yes Derek I think you can take it too much and it depends on your reaction if its higher, sends it higher no doubt about that, hope your reading is good later Mrs O
Just to add the garlic must make the blood thinner in the winter, I think its cooler today here in the south east, roll on the summer then!
My machine was £15. I checked against the hospital machine and it was surprisingly accurate. I have white coat shock - just see a white coat in Tesco's and my heartbeat increases, or is that the amount the food bill comes too!
So are we saying that Garlic increases blood pressure? I love Garlic.
138/84 is my normal now after being on medication for 6 months. Used to be 170 / 98 ish. Your rate is good. Nothing to worry about.
Have you seen the latest Met Office predictions for next week. First they said the we will have the wetttest winter for 30 years. Now four months of snow!
No the members of this forum think it lowers bp 2 cloves a day.. raw garlic
Yes Mrs O I think it has gone up since stopped the garlic on Monday, sorry to hear about your nose bleeds, do you think the garlic thins the blood too much causing the bleeds, and I know all about the taking bp thing, mind games, if you are in the wrong mind set I think it is more like an anxiery meter than a bp monitor
No I hav.nt seen the weather predictions where did you hear that good news
flybywire, there was a TV programme on about hypertension a couple of weeks ago, and the researchers have discovered that two cloves of fresh garlic a day, celery and beetroot reduces blood pressure.
I've got an Omron M6 comfort bp meter. I got it off amazon and it cost about £45.00. I was shocked to see the self same meter on sale in Boots for £100 !!! I've no way of knowing how accurate it is but as it's the only one I use I can't see it matters too much. It worksout all the averages too.