Wildly fluctuating high and low blood pressure

[Jongemini]

Recently my blood pressure has literally been all over the place. Last week I had bp readings of 192/111 whereas yesterday for much of the morning and afternoon it was 87/47. I am taking 250mg Diatazem each evening before bed and 10mg Rampiril each morning. Whenever my cardiologist asks me to wear a 24 hour BP monitor the readings are normal. Yet I am sure my readings are correct because the high BP is accompanied by an ache in my left arm which spreads across my chest whereas the low BP manifests itself with dizziness and a nauseous feeling.

I’m not sure why there are such significant ranges in my BP in spite of being on the calcium channel blocker and the Rampiril. My recent blood and urine tests were normal.

[Happyrosie]

Hello Jongemini. As you’re under a cardiologist it’s difficult for us non-medics to comment, but I’ve two thoughts for you.The first is whether you’re familiar with Blood Pressure Uk. Lots of stuff their about helping yourself to help your BP.

The second one is about when you take your pressures. What I would suggest is:

Sit down quietly with the cuff on ready to inflate, read a book for ten minutes.

Then with your eyes closed take three slow breaths and inflate the cuff. Take four readings, throw the first one away, write down the average of the other three. Plus your pulse rate. No talking at all while you do this,

Do this twice a day at the same time, say for a week.

You’ve then got some really consistent readings for your medics to look at.

If taking the readings makes you anxious then, if it’s possible, get someone else to write them down for you without you seeing the result.

Just the fact of talking will put the pressure up by five points.

Do let us know how you get on.

[Jongemini in reply to Happyrosie]

Thank you HappyRosie. That is good advice. I will do as you suggest.