Saltire,  dont drop  the meds like that, very dangerous. See your Dr. I was told not to stop mine by specialists in France, and even tho my readings were much better.

3 hours ago, Moonlover said:

This situation was alluded to very recently. A doctor recommended meds based on just one high B/P reading. And despite his own doubts, the patient accepted the treatment offered. See:

 

 

I'm still in two minds to be honest.  I can see his point.

 

Generally, systolic pressure does rise naturally in males as we age, and it is this number which correlates with probability of stroke, etc.  It makes sense to keep it as low as possible.  Perhaps in decades to come everyone will be on at least a low dose after the age of 50.  It is a tricky call though for obvious reasons.

 

Same goes for NSAIDS.

 

 

They also not let you rest and lie down for 5 minutes before taking it … time is money ...

Here's the reason why serious consideration should be given to the issue of meds:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/may/06/sprinter-michael-johnson-on-recovering-from-a-stroke-i-did-feel-like-why-did-this-happen-to-me

I think driving or walking in the heat will drive up your blood pressure regardless of where you are.  I recommend sitting stationary and relaxing in aircon a good 30 min or more before taking a reading. Take your portable machine along and see how it compares....

2 hours ago, geisha said:

Saltire,  dont drop  the meds like that, very dangerous. See your Dr. I was told not to stop mine by specialists in France, and even tho my readings were much better.

Hi and thanks for your input.

 

I have no immediate plan to stop BP meds while my readings are always in the normal range, mainly as it may actually be the drug doing a good job and there is no way to be sure. I took my doctor's advice on the other meds, the statins and the metformin after 2 years on a ketogenic diet, losing 20 Kg and stabilising my blood sugar to less than pre-diabetic level. I weaned myself of the stains gradually and once I was off them, did the same with my diabetic med (metformin) I recorded blood sugar during this process and it stayed steady so this was a year ago and I have not felt better in a long time. Having history of heart issues - I have 3 stents - I have more reasons to take them than blood pressure alone.

14 minutes ago, mommysboy said:

Here's the reason why serious consideration should be given to the issue of meds:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/may/06/sprinter-michael-johnson-on-recovering-from-a-stroke-i-did-feel-like-why-did-this-happen-to-me

A very sobering article. Thanks for posting the link.

4 hours ago, Moonlover said:

Omron recommend every 2 years.

And where in Thailand would you take/send it to be re-calibrated please?

4 hours ago, MrScratch said:

I wonder what would happen if I took my own battery operated portable Omron HEM- 7130 BP monitor with me the next time I have to go to a hospital , then after my BP is checked there by the staff  ( and told its high ) , I then use my own Omron HEM- 7130 monitor to take my BP just after , and see what the difference may be ????

I took my home machine with me last time visiting cardiologist as reading where as your but opposite way higher at home than at hospital. he had no problem checking the machine against theirs & yes the home was was reading slightly higher, He told me this is often the case with portable machines. At his suggestion when taking it at home take it 3 times & look at high vs low. range is about 10 to 15 difference on both readings sometimes.

9 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

And where in Thailand would you take/send it to be re-calibrated please?

They do have a website and contact info. Try asking them if you need to know. Mine is fairly new so I haven't had to approach this issue yet.

 

https://th.omron.asia/contact-us/

4 hours ago, MrScratch said:

I wonder what would happen if I took my own battery operated portable Omron HEM- 7130 BP monitor with me the next time I have to go to a hospital , then after my BP is checked there by the staff  ( and told its high ) , I then use my own Omron HEM- 7130 monitor to take my BP just after , and see what the difference may be ????

I did exactly that at the office of a GP (good one) who is highly recommended on TV.

Their similar machine always showed very high BP so I took mine immediately after and it was much, much, lower.

 

I then got her nurse to take it the manual way and it matched my device exactly. Months later they were still using the faulty device. 

 

BTW, the ones in most hospitals where you stick your arm through a cuff mounted on the machine are mostly useless. Not WCS.

14 minutes ago, amexpat said:

 

 

BTW, the ones in most hospitals where you stick your arm through a cuff mounted on the machine are mostly useless. Not WCS.

With me i always seem to be leaning forward and am never comfortable using those. 

4 hours ago, mommysboy said:

5 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

7 hours ago, donim said:

 Normal.
At the doctor you just did walking. Jumped from the chair moving to the BP device.
And people around you and the fact you are at the doctor a place many people sweat about like as they are going to the dentist known of his medival tools.
Pressure is high.
 
Once at home, you are in peace in YOUR enviroinment. Your pressure drops.

I guess that sitting at home in a chair with no stress isn't normal though, most people go out do things and life has stress in it

I think this is an important point, particularly for people who lead stressful, busy lives.  It may not be essential hypertension, but it could go that way.  It's difficult to know what to do for the best. 

I totally agree.

 

I said 'Normal' and that was meant it in the context of 'why the difference in the reading'.

Not that the values at home is more normal then at the clinic.

 

Person should use the value measured at the moment they are in their usual behavior.

For one that is sitting behind the desk all day while for another it is paving the streets, your body normally get used to what you spend your time with.

 

 

I have the same issue. My BP is always higher in a clinical setting. So after some discussion about this I took my BP monitor to the doctor. The did BP with their machine. Then my machines. The results were very similar. Since my Omron has a history function I walked back about 20 reading where she could see at home I was in the normal range.

 

We've been good since then.

Since becoming aware of White Coast Syndrome I now print my weight and BP stats from home on a sheet of A4 and present it when I'm booking in. On the other side I print the salient points from an XL spreadsheet showing my weekly exercise which I produce when I see the doctor.

Doing both has proved very useful and has never been knocked back. The latter has even resulted in reduced meds from the Dr & hopefully will eventually see me off them altogether if my weight loss continues as planned.

HTH  

It is the way the pressure is taken.

 

Your machine only gives an indication it is not to be taken as correct.

 

Example every time I have a full checkup at a respected hospital they use a machine it always reads high. The doctor always comments on this then takes my blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer this is always considerably lower than the machine. 

Suggest  you use  your   home  device  immediately  after  arriving  home as an equivalent  to a   clinic/hospital  arrival. Or  after  any  reasonable  exertion.

I have  no  current issues   with  BP but  my  pulse  rate  is always  high on  monitor  readouts.

I put it  down  to  the  cute nurses who plug  me  in . lol

2 hours ago, david555 said:

They also not let you rest and lie down for 5 minutes before taking it … time is money ...

How can they stop you? Simply refuse to have your BP taken until YOU are ready.

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

How can they stop you? Simply refuse to have your BP taken until YOU are ready.

because most people even don't know that is the correct procedure , they just follows doctor or nurse orders. That is why..