I am puzzled. Can anyone tell me please what is the latest NHS guide line on home blood pressure monitoring? What do others do I wonder?

Initially I was told by my doctor to take the BP 2 or 3 times a day, 2 or 3 readings each time and just record the lowest number. The average to be less than 135/85. Now she says new guidelines state I must use 15 readings, taken twice a day and to take 2 readings each time, a minute apart. Disregard the first day and make an average out of all the numbers. This is to remove the white coat syndrome I imagine. However EVERY time I take my BP the first reading is about 20 points higher than the subsequent ones, so I feel I am getting white coat every time and should disregard that number. When I visit the surgery it shoots off the page, yesterday it was 200/100+, whereas home readings gave me an average of 125/78, over a week.

[Vaughchris]

My doctor told me to take my blood pressure twice a day for 3 weeks, just note it down and then we would see where I was at. This had to be at different times of the day, the idea is to get an overall idea of what my bop was doing. It was high on most occasions so was placed on pills, I am now fine and used to taking the pills and feel better for it.

I think you are taking your blood pressure stressed out even though it's at home, there are loads of us with high bp so don't worry about it, as long as it is being looked after everything should be fine.

Thoughts on how to manage various health problems change like the wind, just use common sense and make sure you are sorted out ASAP if it is continually high.

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Thank you Vaughchris and Bigleg for the replies. It is very helpful knowing how other people manage this. I wouldn't say I was stressed, maybe apprehensive though. When I was told to use just the lowest number [always the second or third reading] I didn't fret that the first number was always so much higher. Now I have to include that first no each time it obviously puts the overall average higher. Seems it was within bounds this time at 132/80, but my average of the same using just the lowest nos. was 125/78. Then she does it in the surgery and it shoots up to 180 or 200. I take Losartan 50mg and have been on these for 6/7weeks. Before that it was Ramipril started last May but the cough was awful. My own feeling is that it is sorted and she certainly didn't increase the dose or add another pill thank goodness. You are so right Bigleg about making patients out of healthy people; all this talk of 'Silent Killer' and 'Medication for life' makes me feel so trapped and in the sights of the wretched nanny state. But what you say about taking it at random times of the day would probably be best will give it a whirl. Before breakfast it is always high, seems to drop afterwards.