Blood pressure readings all over the place
Discussion
I had a bike accident when I was 26. I was in a collar with broken neck bones for a year. 14 years later, after some blackouts and temporary blindness in my right eye, which went initially undiagnosed at the time, despite the best efforts of multiple health care specialists, it became apparent after a couple of ultrasounds that the right hand carotid artery had become blocked, and was subsequently attributed to trauma from the bike accident.
I take readings for my BP every day using a vital signs monitor. I've recently suffered from dizzyness, and it appears my meds are now reducing my BP to the point where it can be low enough to cause this. I've no idea why this should suddenly happen when all other things are equal. I've started to take readings from alternate arms, and they readings can differ alarmingly. There doesn't seem to be a pattern to this, my right arm gave an initial reading. of 149 over 101 this morning, 2 mins later, the left arm gives a reading of 125 over 79, but it's just as likely to be the other way around.
Is anyone else experiencing discrepancies like this? I'm gradually learning to err on the side of caution if the readings are near the normal bracket, and not take some of my meds to avoid dizzyness, but it feels like I'm winging it a bit as things stand.
I take readings for my BP every day using a vital signs monitor. I've recently suffered from dizzyness, and it appears my meds are now reducing my BP to the point where it can be low enough to cause this. I've no idea why this should suddenly happen when all other things are equal. I've started to take readings from alternate arms, and they readings can differ alarmingly. There doesn't seem to be a pattern to this, my right arm gave an initial reading. of 149 over 101 this morning, 2 mins later, the left arm gives a reading of 125 over 79, but it's just as likely to be the other way around.
Is anyone else experiencing discrepancies like this? I'm gradually learning to err on the side of caution if the readings are near the normal bracket, and not take some of my meds to avoid dizzyness, but it feels like I'm winging it a bit as things stand.
I suffer from “ white coat hypertension “ and each year for my mot I take home readings.
My GP has always said use the same arm for consistency , take 3 readings am and 3 in the pm and record the 2 best each time over 7 days ie 28 sets of numbers.
I use the Omron M3 comfort machine which is virtually impossible to not get the correct reading from each time.
My GP has always said use the same arm for consistency , take 3 readings am and 3 in the pm and record the 2 best each time over 7 days ie 28 sets of numbers.
I use the Omron M3 comfort machine which is virtually impossible to not get the correct reading from each time.
leyorkie said:
The advice is to sit feet on floor not with legs crossed, that should reduce the variations
Hi, thanks, yeah, I do everything you're supposed to, so I'm happy it's being done correctly. I'm wondering if I should expect the readings to be higher on the side that has the blocked artery or whether it just evens itself out across the body.My blood pressure readings vary considerably. Just a small movement, can make a 10+ point difference to the reading, even when i have sat in the prescribed position for 5 mins. One of the key things to get an accurate resting reading is to have the cuff at the level of your heart and be comfortable and relaxed at the same time - not easy in practice.
My GP says that many people immediately tense when the cuff inflates, giving a higher reading than would have been achieved just a few seconds before - white coat syndrome, and then some.
My GP says that many people immediately tense when the cuff inflates, giving a higher reading than would have been achieved just a few seconds before - white coat syndrome, and then some.
I was getting readings ranging from 170/95 to 208/118, reading in the 180s at the doctor's....
I'm on BP meds now, and invested in one of the wrist band monitors that take multiple readings and hour using blood flow calibrated regularly (every week.or two).against a cuff. The band just gets on with it in the background and I get on with my day.
It's helped that my BP seems to have settled over the past few months but the hassle of BP readings is a thing of the past.
I'm on BP meds now, and invested in one of the wrist band monitors that take multiple readings and hour using blood flow calibrated regularly (every week.or two).against a cuff. The band just gets on with it in the background and I get on with my day.
It's helped that my BP seems to have settled over the past few months but the hassle of BP readings is a thing of the past.
Mrs FP has had loads and loads of issues with this. She's had 3 visits to A&E in the last 18 months from having high BP in the doctors and they have insisted she goes once in an ambulance due to very high BP and abnormal heart rhythm. She's had every test going and they can't pinpoint anything. She can do a 160/100 in the morning and be 120/80 in the afternoon.
She felt unwell on Friday and had a 160/101 BP reading but went to the docs and it was back down to 145/85 so she's doing the monitoring thing again now. She gets tingling/ heavy limbs and dizziness / chest pain so it's a bit scary.
She felt unwell on Friday and had a 160/101 BP reading but went to the docs and it was back down to 145/85 so she's doing the monitoring thing again now. She gets tingling/ heavy limbs and dizziness / chest pain so it's a bit scary.
fridaypassion said:
Mrs FP has had loads and loads of issues with this. She's had 3 visits to A&E in the last 18 months from having high BP in the doctors and they have insisted she goes once in an ambulance due to very high BP and abnormal heart rhythm. She's had every test going and they can't pinpoint anything. She can do a 160/100 in the morning and be 120/80 in the afternoon.
She felt unwell on Friday and had a 160/101 BP reading but went to the docs and it was back down to 145/85 so she's doing the monitoring thing again now. She gets tingling/ heavy limbs and dizziness / chest pain so it's a bit scary.
Bloody hell, that must be a worry. Puts it into perspective for me. I’m only noticeably affected when the meds bring it down to a point where I experience dizziness.She felt unwell on Friday and had a 160/101 BP reading but went to the docs and it was back down to 145/85 so she's doing the monitoring thing again now. She gets tingling/ heavy limbs and dizziness / chest pain so it's a bit scary.
I suffer from Low Blood Pressure. I recently had a severe episode at Manchester Airport where it dropped to 70/58 
Needless to say my holiday did not go ahead and I was rushed to Hospital by ambulance. They thought I was having a stroke!
after several weeks of tests It appears I have issues with my pituitary gland (in the brain) which is affecting my hormone levels which causes LBP, Fatigue and Dizziness as the main symptoms.
This obviously is very inconvenient in day to day life and has contributed to me retiring early.
Whilst not the same as OP I will be watching this thread with interest..
Needless to say my holiday did not go ahead and I was rushed to Hospital by ambulance. They thought I was having a stroke!
after several weeks of tests It appears I have issues with my pituitary gland (in the brain) which is affecting my hormone levels which causes LBP, Fatigue and Dizziness as the main symptoms.
This obviously is very inconvenient in day to day life and has contributed to me retiring early.
Whilst not the same as OP I will be watching this thread with interest..
fridaypassion said:
She felt unwell on Friday and had a 160/101 BP reading but went to the docs and it was back down to 145/85 so she's doing the monitoring thing again now. She gets tingling/ heavy limbs and dizziness / chest pain so it's a bit scary.
Here are some of my "normal" readings. I find it difficult to understand how it all works. 150/87 pulse 50
119/72 pulse 69
104/66 pulse 66
In the past it's been said to me, "so long as you're not falling over, that's fine". So I can well understand that dizziness would be an issue.
Panamax said:
Here are some of my "normal" readings. I find it difficult to understand how it all works.
150/87 pulse 50
119/72 pulse 69
104/66 pulse 66
In the past it's been said to me, "so long as you're not falling over, that's fine". So I can well understand that dizziness would be an issue.
An average of just those 3 readings in isolation gives you 124/75 which sounds pretty good !150/87 pulse 50
119/72 pulse 69
104/66 pulse 66
In the past it's been said to me, "so long as you're not falling over, that's fine". So I can well understand that dizziness would be an issue.
My readings over the course of the day.
159/101
141/91
134/72
125/79
131/81
When the lower number is anywhere near 90 or lower, I daren't take any meds, as it generally results in dizzyness. The first reading in the above list was the very first reading of the day this morning, the next 3 were taken in the same sitting just after the first, one after the other with a few minutes of stillness in between. The last reading was mid afternoon.
159/101
141/91
134/72
125/79
131/81
When the lower number is anywhere near 90 or lower, I daren't take any meds, as it generally results in dizzyness. The first reading in the above list was the very first reading of the day this morning, the next 3 were taken in the same sitting just after the first, one after the other with a few minutes of stillness in between. The last reading was mid afternoon.
Huzzah said:
Mine are fairly static but always low.
Beta blockers etc
This morning 95/59 heart rate 59
Rarely goes any higher, occasionally I get a systolic of over 100.
Holy sBeta blockers etc
This morning 95/59 heart rate 59
Rarely goes any higher, occasionally I get a systolic of over 100.
t, how do you stay upright?I've just had a telephone appointment with a Dr who has suggested I give one of my other meds a miss for a week, as it's possible it's contributing to the readings I'm now seeing. It makes sense, the timing of me starting to take it correlates with the time I started to have this happen. I did google this exact possibility without anything conclusive coming from it.
Funny, I was thinking of starting a thread about my BP varying a lot. I'm pleased to see it's normal to do so!
I had a strange dizzy episode a couple of weeks ago when I fell to the floor and passed out briefly (no, I hadn't been drinking!). First time this had ever happened and I was worried enough to spend a night in the waiting room at A&E to be checked out. The doctor said the symptoms suggested I had briefly had low BP, but when it was measured at the hospital that night it was high for me at 150/95. A day later at home I got 117/68, which is about where it usually is. I was surprised it could vary so much.
I had a strange dizzy episode a couple of weeks ago when I fell to the floor and passed out briefly (no, I hadn't been drinking!). First time this had ever happened and I was worried enough to spend a night in the waiting room at A&E to be checked out. The doctor said the symptoms suggested I had briefly had low BP, but when it was measured at the hospital that night it was high for me at 150/95. A day later at home I got 117/68, which is about where it usually is. I was surprised it could vary so much.
Make sure you are placing the cuff in the correct position.
The left arm is used by convention as it's closer to the heart. So the cuff is designed in that the tube leading from the air bladder runs down over the cubital fossae. This places the main part of the bladder over the brachial artery. So if you use the right arm , you have to locate the air bladder over that artery.
Breathing in or out can vary the BP reading by +/- 5 mmHg.
The supplied cuff is suitable for the majority of adult arms. If you use this with a skinny arm (or child) it is too big and will cause inaccurate low readings. A cuff that is too small (obese) will give artificial high readings.
The left arm is used by convention as it's closer to the heart. So the cuff is designed in that the tube leading from the air bladder runs down over the cubital fossae. This places the main part of the bladder over the brachial artery. So if you use the right arm , you have to locate the air bladder over that artery.
Breathing in or out can vary the BP reading by +/- 5 mmHg.
The supplied cuff is suitable for the majority of adult arms. If you use this with a skinny arm (or child) it is too big and will cause inaccurate low readings. A cuff that is too small (obese) will give artificial high readings.
I have to use a home monitor due to high BP.
What makes me laugh is that the advice for prior to taking the measurements would literally have you in a Zen like state only attainable by Buddhist Monks living in the highest parts of Nepal who exist on only water and some fresh roots.
That's not real life.
The fact that I couldn't get out of work in time and missed my train thus had to run to the surgery to still be late for my appointment....... now that's real life and why my BP is sky high when read by a doctor
What makes me laugh is that the advice for prior to taking the measurements would literally have you in a Zen like state only attainable by Buddhist Monks living in the highest parts of Nepal who exist on only water and some fresh roots.
That's not real life.
The fact that I couldn't get out of work in time and missed my train thus had to run to the surgery to still be late for my appointment....... now that's real life and why my BP is sky high when read by a doctor
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