General Chat

Can anyone recommend an accurate monitor please. Doc has told OH to have one to check his BP as it is always high when faced with a white coat.
Many thanks
Phyll

I use a Lloyds monitor bought from Lloyds Pharmacy some years ago. I too find that my BP is always higher at the surgery than it appears to be at home! Eventually I took my monitor with me when I was having BP checked by the Practice Nurse, in order to check my monitor against hers, and they were both almost exactly the same!! Think, like me, your OH suffers from White Coat syndrome! The Nurse's expression not mine!! Hope this has been helpful.

I use one and my cardiologist said it is important to do it regularly on the same machine so you can see whether there is much fluctuation. He said it doesn't matter if it's different to his, just make sure it's always the same machine so if your blood pressure starts to go higher you are aware of it and get help if it stays high.

My BP is always higher when my doc does it, I always get a little stressed and don't sleep well the night before I see him. He asks what my BP was reading at home and has never altered my prescription drugs.

Mine has been totally under control for over 3 years now (except when I have my quarterly check ups lol)

I don't know whether you can get my make as it comes from Athens. We paid about £40 for it but they may well be cheaper in UK.

Did find this from the British Hypertension Society re moniters.

http://bhsoc.org/bp-monitors/bp-monitors/


:-)

I use a digital automatic blood pressure monitor OMRON Model Basic 2 bought from Amazon was recommended by practice nurse at the surgery. It is simple to use and gives lower reading at home than at the surgery as I also suffer white coat syndrome.

My daughter also has white coat syndrome.

As she no longer has a functioning thyroid and also has T1D , she has regular checkups, but her BP is always sky high when taken at the surgery

She bought a home monitor and takes her own BP readings at regular intervals to present at every Drs or nurse appointment.

Her GP practice is quite happy and agrees that raised BP taken in the surgery is caused by white coat !

Thank you all so much for your help. I will go and check out Lloyds Pharmacy as they are not far from us. Also have a look at Amazon.

Hope you can keep the BP as normal as possible .

Phyll

Mine is a Lloyds own brand one that I bought on offer years ago. I had it checked against the surgery one as well and it was found to be accurate.

I have a BP monitor from Lloyds Pharmacy and my readings at home are always lower than the ones at the surgery.

GP

According to my GP almost everyone suffers from White Coat Syndrome, even if they don't think they do.

GP is the worst, Practice Nurse a bit better and a home reading is best of all. We have a Boots monitor, which works fine.

it really doesn't matter the type of monitor you use so long as you use it properly!

Read the instructions very carefully, and make sure your OH reads them AND follows them

Things I have been told by my GP over the years include ........

Sit comfortably, preferably on something like a dining chair so you can rest your elbow and lower arm on the table so the bp wrap is at about the same level as your heart. I usually take my bp sitting at the computer because my chair has arms, I can rest my elbow on the arm, rest my hand on the keyboard tray, have the machine by the side of the monitor, and play solitaire while taking the 3 readings. :-D

Take at least 2 readings 5-10 minutes apart, 3 might be preferable.

Do not take your BP if you need to urinate .............. it will be high. Go to the loo first!

Do not drink coffee for at least 1 hour before taking your bp

Do not cross your legs while taking it, have both feet planted firmly on the ground

Do not talk while the machine is working ....... my doctor doesn't even talk to me when he is taking it in the office.

Do not watch tv or read a book while taking it, at least not something that will get you excited or mad .......... your bp will rise!

Try to always take it at approximately the same time every day ............. there will be variations during the day.


I was told that my physicians think that home bp machines that work with a wrap round the upper arm are preferable to wrist or finger ones.

MIne is an Omron MX2 Basic - cost around £20 these days, you can buy on Amazon.

Our local surgery has several of the same type.

Whatever type you use, the thing is to get consistent results. It's when the reading vary from your norm that you need to get things checked out.

Andy

I have a Boots, own brand,46-61-494..........possibly a 2008 version.......


strange isn't it? the "rules" for taking a reading, yet in hospital,

it's anything goes......

Bob

Bob ..... that's certainly correct!!

The last time I was in hospital, my bp soared and was extremely high ...... over 200 ....... and the day nurse just left the arm wrap on for hours, so she could just slip in to the room and switch on the machine without any fuss.

The night nurse nearly blew her top when she found out how long I'd been wearing it!

Thye also kept asking questions while the machine was working.

reckon you were "constricted" slightly, Sylvia.........

yep, the talking, standing, arm in all sorts of postures.............????