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Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: Weaver on June 30, 2018, 01:26:56 AM

Title: Blood pressure
Post by: Weaver on June 30, 2018, 01:26:56 AM
The doctor is freaking out because my blood pressure was 200 and something over something else which Janet says is high. She says this could be part of the reason why I have been feeling horrible, because face pain and pain in my feet are associated with hypertension, she thinks.

The started me in some pills for it, which have made me feel a lot better. got rid of the pain in face and for the most part in my feet. When Janet forgot to give me the pills I did notice it in clearly, which I suppose I soundn’t be so surprised at really, but I did notice. I realised just from the way I was feeling that she had forgotten me.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: banger on June 30, 2018, 02:11:05 AM
200 and somthing over something is pretty high, I can imagine you aren't feeling too good. You can get a blood pressure meter which will help you keep an eye on BP from most pharmacists. Hope the BP comes down.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: Weaver on June 30, 2018, 02:20:33 AM
Janet has a blood pressure machine made by Omron. She measured me today now I have been in the pills for a while : 172/96 I don't know if that is any good or not, certainly lower number than before.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: banger on June 30, 2018, 03:14:24 AM
Google tells me that more than 120 over 80 and less than 140 over 90 is a healthy BP.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: Weaver on June 30, 2018, 09:53:48 AM
Janet said it used to be 230/175
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: broadstairs on June 30, 2018, 10:21:18 AM
I have had readings like that in surgeries/hospital when using the automatic blood pressure machines, when done the old fashioned way with a manual pump and stethoscope it was OK. Funnily it is usually my right arm which give silly readings and my left are are usually sensible!

I have always been led to believe that the upper one is around 100 plus your age, the lower one being the most important and should be 90 or below. Most consider 70-90 as OK for the lower one. If the lower one is regularly over 90 see a doctor.

Stuart

Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on June 30, 2018, 04:51:23 PM
Be aware that blood pressure acts a bit like water in a plumbing system, and so it is very much affected  by the relative elevation of the point it is measured.   Amazing how many GPs and nurses don’t seem to know this.

To illustrate, sit with upright back at a table and put the cuff on your arm.   Now, raise the cuffed arm aloft, hand resting on back of your head, and take a reading.   Chances are, both systollic and diadtollic will be very low.   Now do it again, but with other arm draped down to the floor, BP should be even lower.

Now go to the other extreme, drape your cuffed arm down to your ankles, your reading will be very high.   Raise the other arm to the ceiling and try again, it will be even higher.

In between these extremes, in more normal postures, lies a continuous variation of measurements.   I used to play a game, getting people to “request” that I demonstrate a given BP.   By subtly and almost unnoticeably rearranging my limbs whilst sitting in an armchair, whilst still maintain a broadly neutral posture, I was able to satisfy quite a wide range of requests. :)

I am no expert in medical significance of BP readings, just pointing out the limitations of measurement technique.  I do believe the important thing is the cuff should be at heart level for the correct reading, but how many of us actually know exactly where the heart is?    And even harder to judge, when lying down.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: johnson on June 30, 2018, 04:57:50 PM
Have to add that "white coat syndrome" is a thing. Have a relative that measures like they should be dead every time a doctor or nurse takes their BP. Home machine and its always within normal ranges. Sure this extends to more than just authority figures taking it, state of mind has a massive effect.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: Weaver on June 30, 2018, 05:27:53 PM
I cannot go to the doctors - to much pain, so a nurse came out and brought a data recorder. Recorded me at home using that for so many hours, but now since a janet has her own machine we are using that at home.

Shocking that nurses do not know basic physics like the height vs pressure thing. Where the cuff is on the upper part of the arm it will naturally be at the level of the heart, if that height is to be the reference datum, which is very sensible of course.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: roseway on June 30, 2018, 06:35:26 PM
Have to add that "white coat syndrome" is a thing...

Indeed it is. It happens to me, to the extent that my GP has stopped measuring my BP and just accepts my home readings which I supply on each visit.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on June 30, 2018, 06:47:11 PM
Where the cuff is on the upper part of the arm it will naturally be at the level of the heart, if that height is to be the reference datum, which is very sensible of course.

That does seem to be what GPs and nurses believe.  But even an inch or two either way, can make a big difference.

Typically they say they say patient should be seated in a straight backed chair with said arm lightly outstretched and rested on a table.   But even within bounds of pefectly normal tables and chairs, a high chair and low table, or vice versa, can make a big difference.  In my own experiments, more than the difference between “hypertensive” and “normal”.

And then there is position of the other limbs, which can compensate and  absorb or exaggerate BP, even if the cuff is at ideal heart level.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: Deathstar on June 30, 2018, 07:02:19 PM
Me too, my monitor I can link to the Mac and create a printout for them.
They like that too, as I average it out for them so save them the hassle.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: St3 on June 30, 2018, 09:43:33 PM
Take it easy .... put feet up and get the wife to bring you full english breakfast in bed ;)
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: Weaver on June 30, 2018, 09:48:26 PM
They have done me while I am lying in my bed. 152/87 today
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: g3uiss on June 30, 2018, 10:20:37 PM
Indeed it is. It happens to me, to the extent that my GP has stopped measuring my BP and just accepts my home readings which I supply on each visit.

I can support this having been on medication for40 years. It’s a fluctuating number never the same. The only way to be sure is to take a 24 hr test that GP,s can supply. You wear it all day / night and it takes measurements hourly at night and every 30 minutes during the day.

The accepted figure for non meds is 140 or below although the desired is 120. The 100 plus your age seems to have fallen from favour. Lots of good values can be taken from home readings taken twice a day for a week and averaged.

In fact the CAA accept that method for a pilots licence when taken by the Dr exceeds 100/90.

Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: Weaver on July 01, 2018, 12:10:17 AM
This is why the docs sent me a 24 hour data recorder. It hurt me so badly that the nurse just said “do a few hours and that will be enough”. It took a reading every fifteen mins or so, iirc. So I suffered it for five hours and then could not stand the pain any more. But it also makes you think about the effect that all that pain has.
Title: Re: Blood pressure
Post by: benji09 on July 01, 2018, 10:15:09 PM
I was put on blood pressure pills because my BP was 150/80. With the pills my blood pressure dropped to 140/75, I then started taking MAGNESIUM  for other reasons, and with the other medication, my blood pressure dropped to 120/70.................