PULSE PRESSURE ~ how they used to check for overmedication before blood tests.

[tattybogle]

I copied this from a reply i found somewhere on this forum a long while ago , i don't know who originally wrote it now, sorry , but it's a very useful bit of 'old school' knowledge and seems worth re-posting .

"an old internist told me pulse pressure was how they used to check for overmedication before blood tests.

Simply take blood pressure and subtract bottom number from top number;

eg. 120/80 ~ 120 -80 =40

Then multiply that answer x pulse rate;

eg. if pulse 60 ~ 60 x 40 = 2400

If the resulting number is around 3200 or higher they used to cut thyroid medication as it was too much. This has been 100% accurate for me.

Through the months i was cutting medication , my number was ranging between 3600-4200.

Now 4 months later, my number is routinely under 2800.

This method has helped me tremendously."

[Buddy195 Administrator]

Thanks tattybogle that’s very interesting!

My resting heart rate always increases when my thyroid medication is too high, so it’s definitely useful to keep an eye on our BP and pulse.

[DippyDame in reply to Buddy195]

I need a high dose of T3-only and monitor by weekly BP and daily resting heart rate...mine sits close to 65bpm.

Glad the "numbers" help.....sounds helpful.

Are you on levo, T4/T3 or T3 only?

[Buddy195 Administrator in reply to DippyDame]

I’m on combination T3/ T4 and am (currently) finding I need T3 high in range but T4 mid range).

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to DippyDame]

Dippy Dame - do you own a BP machine?

And if so, do you recommend having one?

[DippyDame in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

I do....I think everyone should keep an eye on their blood pressure and heart rate.I prefer the upper arm rather than the wrist cuff

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to DippyDame]

Thank you.

Are they all more or less the same? BP machines, I mean.

I had a surprisingly high reading earlier this week - for a middle aged person who imagines themselves to be fairly fit - and know I have to keep a closer eye on it now.

[helvella in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

They do vary. Generally the view is that wrist devices are less accurate/consistent.

On top of that, technique is important. Things like the right size cuff, positioned properly, inflated properly. Not talking, or being talked to while measuring. At least sometimes doing both arms. Arm at right height. And repeat the measurement several times, if needed.

If a doctor takes my BP, I can feel it increasing as they lean over to their machine, as they position the cuff! I’m not worried as such, but very aware, and that causes BP to rise. Doing it at home I always get lower measurements.

[DippyDame in reply to HowNowWhatNow]

We have an Omron BP advanced monitor,

Gives AFib alert.

GP accepts the readings...

Cost c £50+ ..there are more expensive ( and cheaper) versions

They can be sent away to be checked and calibrated....advised every 2 years

Hopefully the raised BP was just a blip!

[Noelnoel in reply to DippyDame]

Hello Dippy

Took a quick look and there are several Omrons but none of them say “advanced”. Do you have any more info

[DippyDame in reply to Noelnoel]

This one available from Boots is " advanced"

boots.com/boots-pharmaceuti...

Bought our existing Omron about 2 years ago...new versions out since then I imagine.

You could check those out and compare them with the above

Previously we had a Boots version made by Omron!!

Confusing!

You'll just need to do some comparisons I guess.

[Noelnoel in reply to DippyDame]

Thank you

I’ve got a manual one which is very accurate and I’m happy with but it very much depends on one’s hearing which because mine is no longer the best means my readings are always approximates. However, I don’t think I’m far out as it’s always roughly the same, including when having done by a nurse

Seeing this post the other day prompted me get it out and thinking that this new-found info might help in fine-tuning my glandulars but it’s no good at all if I’m not hearing when the pulse starts and ends(!) because according to the formula I’m over-medicated, which I questioned because I feel well

However, I tested positive today for covid and I now realise that my slightly higher (either that or I’m just hearing better!) than usual reading above corresponds with my raised pulse that started yesterday and slightly raised temperature, indicating that my chance BP reading picked up a slightly higher than normal reading before other covid symptoms made themselves known to me

Fascinating how the body reacts, going into different modes trying to maintain equilibrium. It will never cease to amaze me

[HowNowWhatNow in reply to DippyDame]

Thank you for all the helpful advice, you and helvella ! It was in the hypertension zone so yes, hopefully NBD but something to keep an Omron eye on.

[posthinking01]

Brilliant thanks for posting will give this a try ! The old ones are the best !

[SarahJane1471]

Thanks for this 👍why do I sense we are all sat with two fingers on a pulse point right now 😂

[Angel_of_the_North]

I have very low diastolic BP (55) so that makes my result sky high even though my pulse is not really high (67) and nor is my systolic (considering my age) 123. Before meds, my heart rate was very low (47) so I would just have scraped in, but I felt dreadful.

[Noelnoel]

According to this I’m quite over medicated and yet I feel well. Unless of course I’ve done something wrong

BP 135/75

Pulse 65

135 -75 = 60

60 x 65 = 3,900

I’ll be doing tests next week so it’ll be interesting to see what it shows

Other markers (for me at least) are temperature and mine has been consistently rising on my current dosage. It’s now 36.32 having in the past been stubbornly in the mid 35s. My pulse is now also consistently higher than its previous 58

Would be really interesting to hear what others on here find e cause it’s always good to have various ways of monitoring progress

Thanks for this

[Zadock]

That's really interesting tattybogle. I have been monitoring blood pressure since I began taking T3 but didn't know about this. My BP was always ok on levo only and went up when I started T3. I concluded I was under-medicated (thanks to this forum and contrary to the endo's advice), and when I increased T3 my BP went down. Yet when I work out my pulse pressure it hasn't increased and seems to vary mainly as heart rate varies.

But I'll keep an eye on this so thanks for sharing.

[nellie237]

Currently mine calculates to 5,000.......Eeek! I am slightly over-medicated, pulse is OK because I'm on beta-blockers, but bp is an on-going issue.🤷‍♀️

[Jazzw]

Was it from a reply in this thread Tatty? healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[tattybogle in reply to Jazzw]

good find ...but no it wasn't that one . i copied it verbatim from a reply , but didn't make a note of the name of who wrote it or which post it was on .

seem to remember it was someone who used to be a nurse ? or similar .

[SarahJane1471]

BP 99/59 pulse always low 50s. However since upping my Levo early May pulse has risen a bit to 60 ish 🤷‍♀️

[Evej13]

Doesn't work for me. If anything I'm a bit underdosed but here is my calculation:

130/80 blood pressure. 82 pulse rate.

130 - 80 = 50. 82 x 50 = 4100.

Most recent thyroid results. TSH: < 0.01. FT4: 12.6 (11.1 - 22). FT3: 6.05 (3.9 - 6.7).

I would guess this method would only work for people who have a lowish BP and pulse rate to begin with. I suspect a person with a higher baseline pulse rate and BP would never fit. I have numerous BP and pulse rates at various thyroid levels and I don't think any would fit, even when I was very clearly underdosed.

I wish it would work for me! It's a simple calculation that's easy to apply.

[silverbelle51]

God I wish I had known about that might just have prevented me from being over medicated for 4 3/4 years! Thank You, so much !

[tattybogle]

i did mine at the machine it the GP's lobby yesterday just for interest ( cycled/ walked there...)

sat for 10 mins

115/77 (pulse 90) which gives 3420 = overmedicated ( i'm pretty certain i'm not)

waited another 5 mins.

105/ 65 (pulse 84) which gives 3360 = overmedicated

waited another 10 mins:

110/75 (pulse 78) which gives 2730 = not overmedicated

lesson learned ...... sit still for a full half an hour at Docs before letting anyone check my pulse/ BP .... lol

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edit . added this later , explaining the differences in pulse pressure : my.clevelandclinic.org/heal...

related post : healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... thyroid-disease-effects-on-heart-and-cardiovascular-system.