Latest Rheumy Nurse Appointment

[Theziggy]

Saw my lovely Rheumy Nurse on Monday. She was happy that I am now down to 4 mg of prednisilone, but not so happy with my blood pressure! So she is doubling my blood pressure meds. All in all a good appointment!

Stay safe

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Have you not had BP problems before? If she has doubled the meds do keep an eye out that it wasn't white coat syndrome!! Have you got your own BP cuff?

[123-go in reply to PMRpro]

White coat syndrome. My thoughts exactly.

[Longtimer in reply to PMRpro]

It always amazed just how high my bp was at surgery and hospital....totally different when taking it at home....

[Theziggy in reply to Longtimer]

It is known as 'white coat syndrome'

[Theziggy in reply to PMRpro]

I am on ramipril for some years, she just wants to double the dose. I gave my BP cuff to my MIL

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Theziggy]

"she just wants to double the dose" - but the question is what will that do to your BP? Too much can be worse than too low a dose if your BP plummets and you end up falling as a result. Both I and my friend are living with the results of husbands who fell - mine fractured a vertebra which has left him somewhat disabled and frail and hers fell on the stairs and is now paraplegic. Both of them are extreme events but I fell in the bathroom with a cardiac-related dizzy spell - and hit my head. It could have been far far worse.

[MrsNails]

Hi Ziggy - l was going to say the same as Pro - have you got your own BP Machine as l’d check it for a couple of days before doubling the Meds

I have ‘perfect’ BP now but they keep me on the Meds & it’s a fairly low dose but l’d be inclined to check myself first.

Good News on the Pred! 🍀

[Theziggy in reply to MrsNails]

I gave my BP machine to my MIL.

I do have an mp3 of breathing exercises which DO lower the BP.

[Koalajane]

I have high blood pressure when it is being taken by a nurse or doctor. I bought my own Omron kit and at home it is good so when I have my review with the nurse I record it 3 times a day for 5 days and take it to her. At the doctors it was 180/80 but at home 120/70, sometimes lower

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Koalajane]

They also just take it immediately you get there - not even time to sit down hardly!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

I do mine at various times of the day for about a week (and work out average) before I go for annual check…used to be 6 monthly! and check with surgery’s reading.

Now because the 6-monthly appointments have disappeared - I send readings to surgery via eConsult…talk about DIY!

[Theziggy in reply to PMRpro]

It is recommended that the person being tested should rest their arm on a table fir 15 minutes before being tested. Clearly impossible in current NHS.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Theziggy]

Used to be the whole person should rest quietly before taking it. I suspect WCS was less common then ...

[piglette]

I don’t know what blood pressure meds she doubled, but if you have any problems I would check immediately. Out if interest what was your blood pressure if you don’t mind me asking?

[Theziggy in reply to piglette]

185/122

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Theziggy]

And taken after resting quietly???? Or at night?

[Theziggy in reply to PMRpro]

Taken before appointment with Rheumy Nurse and also after the appointment because she was concerned about the first reading. Both readings were practically the same.

Ideally to have a fair reading you should rest the arm on a table or chair and relax for fifteen minutes before the test. Doesn't work for busy hospitals!

Stay safe everyone!

[piglette in reply to Theziggy]

That is quite high. While in hospital recently I did manage 212/ I did not notice the diastolic. The machine lit up like an American police car. The following day after fainting it was 55/40, so either my blood pressure is rather variable or the machine was not working properly!

[Theziggy in reply to piglette]

Wow - that is high!

[piglette in reply to Theziggy]

I am very competitive!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Matches your CRP ...

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

As my brother says, I am on the wrong planet!