talking BP

[Lu22a]

Hi! Has anyone get any tips on how to relax when having one’s blood pressure taken? Thank you.

[Happyrosie]

yes!

You sit quietly reading or listening to music or whatever calms you, with the cuff on, for ten minutes. Then, close your eyes and take three slow breaths and start the machine. Keep your eyes closed and breathing slowly and gently until the machine is ready to give you the readout. No talking!

Write down the result.

Wait a minute or so and do the same again.

If the second reading is lower than the first, discard the first and take another reading. And maybe another.

Do this at roughly the same time each day for a week (unless you’ve been told otherwise).

[Madlegs1 in reply to Happyrosie]

Spot on.

I always disregard the first one, then take 3 in quick succession and average those three.

[Deccy]

Even thinking about putting the cuff on I feel panicked and worried. Hearts thumping and the palms of my hands are sweaty. Can't even seem to breathe properly. A ridiculous reaction I know but I really can't seem to relax when it comes to my BP monitor.

[Regist in reply to Deccy]

This is not a ridiculous reaction. I have had this problem for years. I wonder if it isn't a medical PTSD sort of reaction?

[Happyrosie]

what might help? Ask someone to sit with you and “instruct” you. He or she could say “now three slow breaths with your hands on your abdomen” or” keep your eyes closed” or whatever is needed at that moment. But you mustn’t talk!

And that person could write down the result so that you don’t see it and panic that it’s too high.

And make sure you are well hydrated too. If your blood is a bit think because you haven’t drunk water, the pressure goes up.

[Lu22a]

Thank you to everyone for your very helpful advice, but I was wondering how to manage while my BP is being taken at the doctor’s surgery. I don’t want to have the tablet dosage increased unnecessarily.

[Dormat27]

My BP is always elevated at GPs, and much lower at home. Not unusual for hypertensive patients and BP is by nature a dynamic system so fluctuates a lot. Your GP can send you a link to record your BP at home and then they record that as official. Alternatively record at home prior to going to GPs and tell them the home result. I have to wait 10mins after putting the cuff on and do slow rhythmic breathing of "in through the nose, out through the mouth". Another method I sometimes use is watch a comedy programme during those 10mins or whatever tv/ radio relaxes you then record a reading. Then wait 2 mins record again, repeat x2 and ignore first reading. Works for me as I hate recording BP. Currently avg 130/78 but can be 120/69 on good days or 145/90 if measured immediately on putting on the cuff or at the GP.