General Chat

Mr Owl used to have high blood pressure which came down when he stopped working night shift. The result of this though is that we have a blood pressure monitor at home. I haven’t taken my blood pressure in a while but tonight I thought I would test it as before the doctor issues my annual prescription over the phone on Friday they’ll ask for it.

It was 175 over 152 which as most of you will know is sky high not just high for me but seriously high.

I waited 30 minutes and took it again and this time it was 126 over 86. Still high but at least heading in the right direction. I’ll try again tomorrow as my normal is between 102 and 112 over between 58 and 62.

Fingers crossed it’s normal tomorrow.

Tawny are you on blood pressure meds be very careful as the top no read very high .I would dial 24 hrs 111 help line if you talk to someone they will give medical advise don't wait overnight up to you but I would be ringing them myself Take care Barbara

I’m not on tablets as a reading of 102 over 58 is not unusual for me. I will need to keep an eye on it though and make sure I don’t constantly get high readings. My second reading was 126 over 86 which is still high but not high enough for them to do anything.

Hello would get your bp checked needs monitoring as seems to fluctuate. My advise but just look after yourself

I am on medication for my BP. It still goes sky high sometimes. When this happens I have to take my BP twice a day for a week and give it in at the doctors surgery. Hope yours settles soon

Thank you Ann. I’ll keep an eye on it for now Barbara but if it’s still not settled by Friday or keeps going sky high I’ll call 111.

I check mine quite often and normally 135/80 which is fine.If ive rested it maybe a bit lower 125/75.

It does depend of what you are doing when you check it though.

Nurse always does 3 and then takes the average.

If you are worried, give the surgery a ring and have a chat but the 2 readings you had are fine.Maybe the first one was not accurate.Also make sure the batteries are changed as this can change the result too.

Fllorence in the hebrides

I'm on meds for high BP and monitor mine at home.

Unfortunately, I also suffer from 'white coat hypertension' and despite the meds when the Dr or Nurse take my bp in the surgery it regularly reads 165 over 90 :-S

I'm like Allan ...... I have white coat syndrome, and it is always much higher at the doctor's surgery or in hospital.

and that is even though our doctors and nurses no longer wear white and haven't done for something like 30 or 40 years. :-D

Tawny .........

......... did you take your bp immediately you sat down or immediately you had got the armband in place?

......... had you been rushing around before hand?

......... did you need to go and pee?

......... did you have your legs crossed or feet flat on the ground?

......... had you drunk coffee within the hour before taking your blood pressure?

........ had you altered the monitor to show your normal range?


All of those can give false readings as I've found to my cost over the years! So ...............

Sit down in a comfortable place, monitor on a table at about the level of your heart, arm resting comfortably on the arm of a chair. Wait 5 or 10 minutes

Make sure your legs are not crossed and feet are flat on the ground.

Wait at least 1 hour after drinking coffee

Make sure you have changed the setting of the monitor to register for your bp not Mr Owl's

Go and pee ;-)

122/50 this morning so definitely worth keeping an eye on for a few days. Less scary than yesterday though.

The problem with BP is that it does fluctuate so much that sometimes its difficult to be certain whether to worry - or not!! I've been on medication for many years now and at times it's been fine at other times, not so fine! If you are worried, perhaps your GP could fit you with a 24 hour moniter which will give a more balanced read out for your GP to calculate? I too have problems with heart rate!! Sometimes too high, but again depending what you've been doing or are anxious about!! I tend to keep a record now and again if I'm worried and then chat to my GP. Have to try not to be paranoid though as that sends both sky high!! It can be a difficult balance! :-(

50 for the bottom figure is actually quite low.usually around 65 to 70. Sometimes when my pressure drops, i suddenly go quite dizzy and then if sit down and take my pressure its lower than normal.

However we are all different and really shouldnt compare one to the other but as an average 130/75 is a good reading.

As Sylvia says, there are many things which can affect your blood pressure and it does change throughout the day depending on what you are doing.

Florence in the hebrides

An average reading for me is what the doctor referred to as low normal. 102/58 is not unheard of and if I drink red wine it drops to a truly scary 90/45. They won’t do anything unless I start getting side effects. This does mean though that it goes up and I worry particularly when it’s as high as last nights reading. The doctor will ask for it before I get my annual prescription though and if they’re worried I won’t get it.