Qustion on taking my own readings

[Alan7690]

I was diagnose with high blood pressure in January and put on 5mg amlodopine and the begin of last week the doctor said for me to get myself a meter to take check it myself. He did not give me much more info on taking the readings.A couple of questions

1 how often and when should it take it (AM, Midday, PM)?

2 do I take two readings (or more ) each time and average it?

Thanks for the info

Alan

[Eviedog12]

I've got a monitor but hardly use it now. It's there just in case. Three readings are recommended, about five minutes apart. I took mine whenever I felt the need but always sit quietly for a while before you take the readings.

[Brisk61]

Taking your B/P at home is much better than in the surgery( white coat syndrome). Obviously the GP wants to know how the medication is working. The British Heart Foundation have a great website explaining the best way to do this. Try not to overthink it and relax. The usual recommendation is , 3 reading and then average. B/P is a very manageable condition for most. Personally I have always felt very lucky to be medicated as I have lived a very active life. Once it is under control forget about it and enjoy your life. 🍀

[Madlegs1]

Peter's reply is an entirely personal one, and not reflective of the majority of posters here. He had a bad experience and, understandably, won't let us forget it!😝. As he is perfectly entitled to so do.

I have been on Amlodipine for months now,with no side effects, apart from a new lease of life.

The very first thing I did ,after my diagnosis, was to get a monitor.

Make sure you get a correct fitting cuff. Not a wrist one.

Take the readings anytime that suits you, but then keep to the same time when repeating.

I sit at the kitchen table for 5 mins, take the first reading. Disregard that one and then take three more, consecutively.

The average of those three is your reading.

I took them 3 times a day at first. (New toy syndrome 😝). But now just once a month, if I remember!

You'll be grand 👍💚

[Sleepyholllow]

hello alan,

i understand peters reply from his experience, i also have a monitor which i too used way too often at the start, relax for st least 10 mins beforehand, take 3 or 4 readings as the other people have said, then take average

i was diagnosed 5 years ago and have been on two or 3 meds, i am on Lercanidipine 10mg and sometimes 20mg for 2/3 years now, don't like the side effects but put up with them, i am trying diet and exercise and between all that i fint bother to use the monitor much as i feel there isn't much more u can do, as i found monitoring just stressed me out constantly,

you will find your own balance as you go, but i find it better not to use monitor too often, keep us posted on progress

good luck.

[Alan7690 in reply to Sleepyholllow]

Thanks all for the info and help. I'll follow your advice and not use it every day and take 3 or 4 reading and take the average. Looking at what I've take (only 2 readings after ignoring the first one) I'm averaging 135/81 down from 162/92 when they diagnosed me.

[peter999999999 in reply to Alan7690]

when i was 60 my bp was 161/90 that was ok, how times have changed, now they want u down to some low numbers,do u feel better trying to get there with pill taking etc, will you live longer who knows, for myself at 75 now how have i lived this long when doc tried to scare me high bp,high colestral ,told me i would have a heart atack/stroke anytime,he was wrong, just had a blood test everything ok but i wont have a bp test,i feel fine

[Sleepyholllow in reply to peter999999999]

yes it is a minefield to me!!! i think i stress way too much, and gp doesn't help, he was like a cross teacher when my cholesterol was recently high !!

[Alan7690 in reply to Sleepyholllow]

I’m the same feeling stressed as the GP is little help just keeps saying my BP is too high but not saying what it ok, so I need to chill and let it sort it’s self out which is not easy.

[peter999999999]

yearsago well about 15 i think it was 100 plus age and under 100 as you age up it pops ,need blood to the brain , 120 /80 doc told me to try, id fall over at that, do you think they try to push bp pills a bit on older folk,nearly everyone on them over 60 i no,most got side effects or other problems.