Just wondering...

[snowy owl]

Just wondering for those of you who take your blood pressure at home, how often you check it.

[Machaon]

I've taken my blood pressure over 20,000 times over the past eight years, or an average of seven times per day.

[Lenin]

beerzoids,

How many cuffs have you burned through?

I guess I'm not far from that number at about 1000/year for a pretty long time.

[Machaon]

Actually, I haven't burned through any.

The previous digital, manual pumping, BP machine's velcro wore out, but the machine still works.

This one, a Reli-On, which I think is the same as an Omron®, pumps itself up and has lasted for years, although the velcro is starting to give me problems. I am amazed that I haven't burned out the pump. I guess that means that tomorrow morning, I'll try it and the pump won't work!

My manual BP Sphygmomanometer still works, although I have some duct tape holding the stethoscope together.

[Machaon]

Originally Posted by Lenin

I guess I'm not far from that number at about 1000/year for a pretty long time.

Many would ask why we take so many readings. For me, I am constantly making changes, or constantly exposed to changes that can effect my blood pressure and heart failure.

For instance, about a month ago, I increased the amount of fruit in my diet, a diet that targets Insulin Resistance. During the next few days, my blood pressure was significantly lower. So, with my blood pressure seemingly, finally, under control, I decided to reduce the number of times I took my blood pressure each day.

I added more fruit to my diet. My blood pressure headed back up and my symptoms got worse, so I increased the number of times I took my blood pressure in order to get more information. I already knew that, if I consume too many calories it raises my blood pressure, so I wanted to more fully track the effects of the increase in fruit calories on my blood pressure.

The trend seems to be that, a little extra fruit significantly lowers my blood pressure, but a little too much fruit raises my blood pressure and causes chest pain, labored breathing and heart palpitations. This reaction is probaby caused by too much insulin in my system. My blood sugar levels are always normal.

I want to more fully study my blood pressure patterns in order to factor in any other possibilities, other than the extra calories from the extra fruit. It's probably going to take quite a while to find the best times to eat the extra fruit, the maximum that I can eat, and which fruit(s) to eat. So......... onward with the many BP readings per day!

You are more into exercise than I am, although I am trying to do more exercise. Have you been able to correlate your blood pressure readings to your level of exercise?