Blood pressure monitor

[dizzy864]

Hi,

I bought a validated home use arm cuff blood pressure monitor as I have been concerned recently about my blood pressure, It always used to be on the low side and now it's gone up.

I actually blame Covid rather than thyroid or my meds but I may be wrong! It was always absolutely fine until I had Covid for the first time five years ago. It's been rising steadily since.

However, my problem is that my new blood pressure monitor keeps giving me wildly different results. I follow the instructions carefully - empty bladder, sit quietly, wait at least ten minutes after a hot drink. I support my arm at heart height. I then take three or four readings a minute or two apart. The systolic reading is wildly different each time - varying by as much as thirty points. This means some readings are ok and others are high. I contacted the supplier and got the device exchanged under the warranty. On Thursday the systolic varied between 145 and 161, the systolic between 62 and 119! Saturday the systolic was between 150 and 155, the diastolic between 61 and 75. But then this morning systolic was 139 and 154 and diastolic 64 to 68. Every time my heart rate readings are pretty similar. I have had systolic readings as low as 117.

I chose a monitor that has been validated rather than opting for a cheaper one. ( Braun ExactFit ).

My blood pressure is higher than I would like, so any advice on how to reduce it would be greatly appreciated. I have been vegetarian for over fifty years, eat healthily with lots of fruit and veg. I don't eat much sweet stuff and I cut down on salt a few years ago. I weigh ten stone and am 5! 7" tall so weight is not an issue. I also do long walks regularly now I am feeling a lot better. I have never smoked and drink very little. Is there anything else I can do?

My main question though is, Is my new blood pressure monitor working correctly? I find it difficult to believe I could have two faulty monitors. Is it normal for there to be so much difference with readings taken a couple of minutes apart? I am going to go to my gp hub on Monday to see what their machine says, but it's not possible to rest for ten minutes befor using it.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Capan24]

It does sound like you are doing everything right taking the blood pressure correctly. Even if the blood pressure cuff is up a little bit off, they are still very high readings. Are you experiencing any symptoms along with your blood pressure like headache, dizziness, heart palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain? If so you should seek medical immediately. Contact your doctor's office and let them know about your home blood pressure readings. Maybe you can make an appointment with the nurse to go in for a blood pressure check and bring your machine to compare the readings. That way the nurse can take one and then you could take one on your machine to see how accurate it is. I am a retired nurse and we used to have many patients come in with their blood pressure machine from home to compare it to our readings to check for accuracy. Another thing you could check is to make sure you have the appropriate cuff size for your arm. If the cuff size is too small or too large for your arm, you will get inaccurate readings. Too small of a cuff could give you high readings because it has to squeeze more to compress the artery and two large of a cuff would give you lower readings because it doesn't apply enough pressure evenly. If you haven't had recent Labs with your doctor, that might be a good idea too, checking your electrolytes. High Sodium can increase blood pressure by retaining fluid, low potassium affects heart function/blood pressure control, and high calcium could indicate hyperparathyroidism. Hope all this helps and you get some answers.

[dizzy864 in reply to Capan24]

Thanks for your reply. No, I am not experiencing any symptoms. My monitor came with two sizes of cuff. I ve been using the small one but I tried the large one in case that was the problem. The results were just as varied. I m going to take my monitor with me to the GP hub in the morning so I can compare the readings.My main concern though is with my monitor. How do I know if the high reading or the lowest is correct? I read one should take the average of them but when the readings are so far apart I can't see how that helps.

[Capan24 in reply to dizzy864]

Glad you're taking your monitor to get your readings compared. Let us know how everything goes.

[dizzy864 in reply to Capan24]

Hi, I went to the gp hub and checked my blood pressure along side my monitor on Monday morning.

To be honest, I was shocked at the results. The gp one showed my blood pressure even higher - I expected a bit of an increase but not so large a one!. It was even more varied - a difference of more than 30 points on the systolic reading over four tests. I have been feeling very unwell over the last several days - a cold that doesn't develop into anything. I suspect Covid although the test was negative. My daughter who lives with us has also been unwell - much worse than me and she also thought Covid but test was always negative. I've been resting and trying to relax. Yesterday afternoon I began to feel much better and this morning the readings were lower although still higher than I would like. I have read that Covid can interfere with blood pressure and thyroid meds so I'm hoping it's that and it will settle down.

With regards to my initial concern about my monitor, I am more confused than ever as the gp result confirms that my systolic pressure is continually changing. I did not know that was possible.

Unfortunately, it is not possible for me to get anyone at the surgery to check my readings. Appointments even with the nurses are like gold dust and have to be booked three weeks or more ahead.

I have just read that a banana a day can lower blood pressure due to it's high potassium content. I'm going to try that. Everything else I am already doing. I did stop my regular walks a couple of weeks ago due to the exceptionally cold weather in this area. Covid five years ago upset my chest and it's now uncomfortable for me to go out in very cold weather. I was tested for asthma four years ago and found I did not have it as an inhaler did not help at all. As the weather is going to be alot more mild from today, I will resume my regular walks.

Thanks to every one who replied.

[Capan24 in reply to dizzy864]

COVID-19 can potentially interfere with blood pressure. I have read that some people experience elevated blood pressure during or after an infection, possibly due to the body's inflammatory response, stress. If you are starting to feel better and getting better readings, just continue to monitor. But if they continue to creep up again and you have cardiac symptoms I would seek emergency Care. Hope you feel better soon.

[dizzy864 in reply to Capan24]

Hi thanks for that. I LL bare that in mind.

[Fruitandnutcase]

Good advice from Capan24 Some years ago I was taking part in a study into prediabetes. Blood pressure was oneof the many things that were tested.

For the test I was hooked to to a blood pressure machine via a cuff. I was told to sit still and not to talk, once the reading had been taken I carried on with the questionnaire then a buzzer in the machine went off and the cuff pumped up and same ‘no talking rule, three times in all.

Altogether I had three readings taken at five minute intervals and I was amazed to discover my readings were the lowest I have ever known. I have white coat syndrome. My surgery had a diy BP machine in a corridor - that was useless for me, I tried asking the GP not to speak while I was having it taken - and I just got stressed knowing that I was wasting his time expecting him not to speak to me.

Now I do my BP the same way as I did for the study at home, I prepare more or less the same way you do, I relax for five minutes then take the reading, sit and read a book for five minutes (I set a timer) then repeat until I have three readings, I take an average of all three and my BP is always good.

The only thing you have said that is different is that you only seem to be leaving a minute or two between readings. Also, is your arm completely straight at the elbow?

I keep a list of my readings and drop them off at the surgery every now and again. My BP meter is made by Omron though.

Definitely be worth seeing if you can get someone at the surgery to check your readings against their meters and see what is happening. I suppose you can expect variations but I wouldn’t have thought such massive variations as s9me of the ones you have

[dizzy864 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thanks for replying. I m surprised by your saying my arm should be straight at the elbow. The first home monitor I had - I can't remember the make said to bend my arm across my chest to hold it at heart height. This one says to support my arm on a table at heart height. They both said to relax for ten minutes before testing. I did read on line that it should be half an hour.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to dizzy864]

I support my arm on a cushion on top of a little table next to where I sit and that holds it at the right height - well it’s at heart heart height and I keep it straighter rather than having it on a pillow on my lap and bent at the elbow.

I think you need to speak to someone and see how your monitor relates to the one your nurse uses - good luck with it all, the stress of it probably won’t be doing much for your blood pressure either.

[dizzy864 in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thank you for sharing that.Life has been a little stressful recently. I self medicated a change from levo and lio to lio only. I m certain it is the right thing to do. I feel better than I have in many years. I m sleeping at night instead of laying awake for hours. But it has been worrying making the change. I have settled down with it now so am hopeful my blood pressure will go down a bit.

[GlowCoach Administrator]

There is such a thing as labile hypertension: healthline.com/health/labil...

Best to discuss this with your GP as the only way to reduce blood pressure is medication.

GP might want to do an 24hr ambulatory blood pressure monitor.

[dizzy864]

Thanks for your reply. I did speak to a GP about a year ago. It was a locum at the surgery. She started me on tablets - they made me very unwell. When I googled them, it stated must not be taken with levo as it stops absorption. I spoke to my regular GP and she told me to stop them and not take anything!