Trust manual or pharmacy BP?

[[da...]]

I had my BP taken at the doctors because lately I've been feeling really dizzy, burning all my up neck(tightness)and head, and major pounding heart. Yet he said it was 123/79. Normal.

Yesterday I did it at the drugstore, and it was 150/100. It basically felt the same way as it did today. Like the pounding heart, and dizziness. I would figure to trust the doctor's reading. I've also done it at home and it seems to be around that mark here, though lower. Usually whenever I feel my heart pounding like it is, it's usually up. I made my first cut of Klonopin almost two weeks ago now. I had heard elevated BP was a symptom of w/d from looking around here.

 

Just curious if I should worry about it or just truck through it.

[[Be...]]

My BP did inch up and stayed there so my doctor put me on a low dose of lisonopril.  Leading up to that, I took my BP at least 2x/day resting for about a month so I could show the doc my numbers. My BP is always higher than usual when it's measured at the doctors ("white coat syndrome") so that's the reason I kept the records.  Either way, I think it's a good thing to do.  If it stays high, you probably should get on some medication for a while.  If it's just sporadic, it will easy your mind that you are working up to a stroke. 

[[su...]]

I'm an R.N and this is my experience.  I am not a doctor.  Having said that.....there are several reasons why a reading could be incorrect, if, in fact, it was.

1.  The equipment needs to be calibrated correctly.  I would hope this is the case at your physician's office.

2.  The cuff needs to be the proper size according to the size of your arm...otherwise you could get a false high if the cuff was too small, or a false low if the cuff was too large.  Once at the doctor's office the tech took my pressure and said it was "high."  She had used the wrong size cuff for my arm.  I hated to say anything, but also didn't want it recorded in my chart.  I did speak up.  She then obtained the proper cuff size, took it again, and it was then a normal reading. 

3.  If you decide to buy your own equipment  it is a good idea to  take it with you to your doctor's office and take a reading  with your cuff and compare it to theirs.  Ideally, you would repeat both after 15 minutes.

4.  Were you using the same arm for both readings?  A B/P can vary from arm to arm.....

5.  You should be sitting in a chair, back supported, feet on floor, legs uncrossed.  Arm supported and resting, at heart level.

 

Obviously, there are other things that can affect a pressure, i.e. nicotine, salt, caffeine....

 

It's good that you are monitoring your BP.  I've been doing the same and have been watching my pressure going up since I cold-turkeyed.    Also with some pounding headaches.  Always better to err on the safe side!

[[da...]]

Well, he used a manual manometer as opposed to an automatic machine, which is what I've heard is more accurate. And I've taken my BP at other places and have it be normal as well. So I think maybe it might be a false high? I've had it done via another manometer in a different room(he has five little offices) and the BP came out the same way.(A month ago). I was just wondering if the doctors office is more trustworthy than a free BP check monitor. Usually youd think yes, no brainer. But I've heard different stories.

[[sm...]]

 

I've deliberately crossed my legs to see if the nurses are paying attention,,,,,, often they are not.