“Most overlooked mistake checking your Blood Pressure”

[@Luvlinedance]

My doc insists that my home blood pressure readings, which average 130/59, are probably inaccurate because my home machine isn't calibrated properly. He loves my White Coat Terror Syndrome. His office uses some strange looking contraption that they wheel in & out of the room. They do seem to use the proper cuff size but my arm is improperly supported, and I think the cuff is applied too loosely. Imitating my arm position at the doctor when at home (I'm seated but my upper arm might as well be hanging at my side), I get high readings. Add WCTS to improper procedure . . . well, you know what happens. If I followed my doctor's, um, 'suggestions', I would be on 3 drugs: bp, blood sugar, & statins. I quit the bp meds cold turkey & I am happy to report that I still have a blood pressure; I flat refused the blood sugar drug; & without asking or telling I have cut my statin dose in half. When these are gone, I'm done. Proper diet & exercise (already part of my lifestyle) will be my sole drugs of choice. For reference, I am closer to 80 than I am to 75.

[@sanchez4500]

Thanks Doc!!

[@southernladybrown5092]

I agree and if you are at a doctors office, the nurse should know that💡💡

[@souksmith4492]

Thank you Dr 🙏❤

[@AdamJStoryDC]

Most welcome!

[@stevenlengyel9701]

Exactly, in 1990 I was a young man in outstanding physical condition with very large arm from workouts and genetics. I was called up for active duty but the person taking my blood pressure said it was high, oh well they didn’t send me to the Middle East, no complaints hear but I was always wondering about my blood pressure.

[@derekjolly3680]

Those medico guys at MEPS were pretty sloppy from what I experienced. I have no misgivings about the Middle East garbage dump being after my time! I was four years out of my Marine Reserve unit in 1990.

[@derekjolly3680]

Wouldn't the nurses simply be able to gauge a person's arm size the same as height or weight, well enough/close enough to have the right cuff size? I guess when they ship those things out the assumption is middling arm size and person size.

[@louisd95714]

I take my blood pressure on a regular basis. At the time it was very high, like over 160/95. When I visited my cardiologist, the assistant took my BP and it was at a much lower reading, at the normal level. I insisted that it's not correct. When my cardiologist took it, however, he said I was correct that it was more in line with what I showed him in my BP recorded history. We have to be our own health advocates.

[@catcolb11]

That's high, but not "very high". When a rheumatologist put me on prednisone, she prescribed way too much (even tho I asked her to prescribe ther lowest dose possible). My blood pressure was 289/190! I fired her and started weaning off of prednisone. She could have killed me. It's very important to be your own advocate, and bring another person with you if the doctor is refusing to listen to you.

[@louisd95714]

@@catcolb11 Wow, that is very high. Mine was higher previously than what i wrote in the past, always at about 180/100, and then slowly bringing it down. But luckily for you that you caught this in time.

[@jovialjuju4921]

Is it bad that my systolic is higher than diastolic? (138/110) thanks