different blood pressure at home & gp

[shrock]

is anyone else using a withings bp monitor? I've used one for years and it always seems to be consistent and I believe accurate, ie high normal or borderline grade 1, & if there's a blip I generally know why (travelling, big dinner, etc). it has a really good rating for accuracy but when I go to the GP their readings are significantly higher (grad 2 hypertension). obv the doctors is most accurate, or is it? this is not just white coat syndrome but I'm baffled.

[Happyrosie]

hmmm I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the fact that when you take yours at home you’ve been relaxing. When you go to the docs, even if you’ve been sitting in the waiting room for half an hour calmly, you get up, get to the doc’s room, sit down, talk for a minute…. All this is going to out the pressure up a bit, isn’t it. And then you’ve got poss white-coat syndrome on top. anyway that’s my view.

[shrock in reply to Happyrosie]

thanks yes it's quite possibly that but the real issue is that the doc will understandably prescribe against their readings (in this case doubling up my amlodopine after 3 years) while they might be a one off high and so I might be over medicated. not really sure what the answer is, thinking out lot

[SMITHYC in reply to shrock]

HiyaI have white coat syndrome and my GP lets me do my own readings a week before I am due bloodtest and BP check.

[Cardboardsniffer]

I'm exactly the same. Sounds like white coat syndrome to me.

[Pressured]

My BP is always a lot higher when taken at the GP.

Even at home getting totally relaxed can be difficult as I'm thinking too much about the readings.

Currently I'm taking readings every couple of weeks.

[Robbie1964]

Mine is always higher at the GPs than at home, sometimes considerably so. I once took my BP monitor to the GPs when I had an appointment and got the same reading as the one my GP used (both of which are the exact same model). As a result, my GP now uses my home readings when he wants to record my BP.

[Brisk61 in reply to Robbie1964]

I have done the same thing,my GP a few years ago asked me to take my monitor in to surgery. It was exactly the same reading as his…so high at surgery & normal at home when I take it relaxed. The GP from then on accepts my home readings, less stressful for me & happy all round. It’s worth a try shrock

[shrock in reply to Brisk61]

ah cool idea, thx

[Ukscorpio]

Trust your readings. My experience of the Doctors is an in and out 10 minute appointment. 1 reading off you go. Relax at home and take home readings as your honest baseline

[cornishgal23]

Mine are always higher at the surgery as well. As others have mentioned, at home we are more relaxed and have been sitting for a while (which is recommended). At the surgery, I am walked briskly in from the waiting room, cuff put on my arm immediately, and often arm left hanging instead of supported. Then you have to add being a bit nervous. So yes, generally trust your home measurements more, especially if you've had your home monitor calibrated with the one at the surgery!

[Gizmo6]

My gp calls it white coat syndrome. I can do my bp at home its pretty good. Go see gp it takes 3 measurements to get a lower reading.