I really do get sick and tired of taking my BP all of the time. I mean I'm here at work and I had been down at Medical and I have to walk 5 min. to get there. I had it checked then just to see what it was and it read 180/90 (WHAT) I sat there 5 more minutes and it went down 30pts. Now remember my readings at home are normal!!!! (120-125/68-75) So here is a question? If you take your bP and its normal, now you have to go upstairs and pick up your crying child and settle her down and if you checked it again its now thru the roof...Right? So what is really normal and not normal??? How can we base a bad reading at the doctors office or work or anywhere else, depending on millions of factors in our everyday lives..HMMMMMMMMM

Rich

Rich,
Whenever I would see my MD the nurse would rush me down the hall into an exam room, slap the cuff on my arm get the reading and say, “oh my, your blood pressure is very high.” Then my doctor would come in the room, look at my chart, and tell me to sit in a chair, feet flat on the floor, hands resting on knees and relax. He would come back 5 minutes later and check my BP and it was normal for my age. I check my BP three times a day using that method and then average the three readings, and using this procedure my BP is almost the same on all three readings. However, if I am aggrevated or excited my readings are elevated.

Rich,

Here's my chant (I seem to be doing a lot of chanting today:D):
AVERAGE, SUPINE, RELAXED.
THAT will give you the condition that will yield meaningful blood pressure results and really the only state in which you should bother to take it.

There is a medical term for someone with a constant blood pressure: CADAVER!

Donsabi,

I would never have been on bp meds this long if my experience at the doctor always was like that. I have to drive 25 minutes. Wait 30 minutes past my appointment time. They rush you to take your weight. They immediately take your BP standing up. They say well it's 150/80. It's a little bit high. I wonder why..... The doctor takes it and it will be 127/74 or so. I take it on my own and it has been averaging 108-110 over 62-65. My weaning process off of the Atenolol has begun and I feel much much better.

Hey Donsabi Lenin and Lillians Axe, I know its amazing how they are at the Doc's office. I mean I think taking your pressure is the last thing they should do not the first...Anyway I started to take my pressure at night after I get home from work. My reading are averaging 122/69 so as long as I keep the weight off and eat better and keep exercising. I should be fine.

Lillians Axe , I was on Atenolol and my doc has taken me off and I have to tell you. I feel AWSOME. I felt kinda lethargic when I was on it. So I'm really committed to staying off the BP meds for as long as I can.

Lenin. Good point on the states of BP readings. And ya I guess your only constant BP read would be if you were 6 feet under.

Take care
Rich

I have learned to completely ignore the nurses BP readings when I arrive. I always shrug them off now. The doctor always relaxes me and gives me time to take an appropriate reading. It's always 20 points lower or so when he does it. At home my readings are very good and even lower. You usually need to relax for 30 minutes or so before you take a reading if you have done anything strenuous. Your bloodpressure reading will not be normal usually.

This nurse/doctor blood pressure variation racket is kind of bad cop/good cop thing.
The nurse is blamed for hurrying etc., and then doctor gets the lower and more caring result, while at the same time allowing you to worry about the first reading. In deciding whether to take bp medicine, only go with the at rest and relatively un-anxious reading. The same with deciding whether the med is actually working.

think that in the 2+ years that I have been on B/P meds. & I am only 34 that docs readings are not a true indicator of where one's BP normally is. My B/P could be 150/80 at the doc and 122/70 30 minutes later. I have white-coat. I take a dose of xanax before the doc. & it was 135/75 when the nurse prac. took it & it was 120/70 when the doc. took it. I was put on meds. at 1st, because I was having a panic attack when I went to the doc. I cut my drinking back from a 6 pack a night to 2 glasses of wine on the weekend & I have only had 2 glasses of wine in the past 3 weeks. My B/P on Atenolol 100 MGS & 5/20 Lotrel is 108/62 most of the time. My doc. won't wean me off.... he wants to play cya, so I am weaning off of Atenolol on my own. I have no heart problems, so why am I on this med. that causes me GI Problems a couple of times a week, makes me feel lethargic and spacey and etc. I want to get off of the Lotrel as well by the end of the year. I have anxiety, which caused the HBP. The anxiety meds. work

RJ Worell Posted....Lillians Axe , I was on Atenolol and my doc has taken me off and I have to tell you. I feel AWSOME. I felt kinda lethargic when I was on it. So I'm really committed to staying off the BP meds for as long as I can.

So do I.... my doc. won't wean me off & some visits he says to wean off of the xanax. I have anxiety, so why would you take away what is working & keep what is giving the side-effects with little help in terms of B/P. I took 1/2 of what I normally take in Atenolol & the side-effects are much less, I feel much more alert and my hunger is back. My B/P was 108/63 today. What did the Atenolol do???? Give me side-effects???? Niiiiiice. I have been to 3 docs. in 2 years and I am tired of switching. He also wouldn't recommend me going to a specialist. I am taking things into my own hands.