Hello, I couldn’t find a Hypertension group, so I am hoping this group will be knowledgeable about hypertension.
I was diagnosed with hypertension several weeks ago following two readings at my GP surgery, second of which was 150, first slightly higher. I was put on 5 mg Amlodipine, which gave me unpleasant side effects, and I stopped it after five days. I asked to be allowed to try propranolol, which I’d taken before for anxiety and which I had no bad side effects with. GP said it wasn’t usually prescribed for high BP but I could try it.
After about six weeks, my BP is pretty normal in the morning, but later in afternoon it goes up to 150-160. I can bring it down with half an hour’s exercise. I’m totally confused about whether the high reading is the important things, or whether it’s the daily average that’s more important (in which case I’m not doing too badly). However the GP diagnosed me after two readings at the same visit, which makes me think it is the individual number that is more important??
Additionally, I have read online about different methods of taking BP. Some people seem to take two readings and go by the second; some take an average; some take three, etc. I am confused as to how you ever really know your correct BP. Even a 24 monitor could presumably catch you on a stressful day?
Many thanks for any advice/clarification!