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This is exactly what happens to me. BP goes way down towards the end of the visit,when it is taken again.
I have always suspected it is because -- in my area - the girl calls you in, walk a good distance, they take your weight, you remove your clothing, walk some more and then they immediately take your BP after you have exercised.
Everything I see about taking BP Is that you are supposed to sit quietly in a chair for like 3 minutes before having it taken.
But that never happens at my doctor's office.
I am not saying it increases it a lot but, if my doctor is going to be hysterical about it even being slightly elevated... then why can't we do it right?
This is why I think it goes down at the end of the visit -- you have been sitting for a bit.
Surprised at some of the responses. My doctor's office always uses manual reading, no machines, and always after I've been in the room for 5-15 minutes waiting for the actual visit, never at the weigh in.
Surprised at some of the responses. My doctor's office always uses manual reading, no machines, and always after I've been in the room for 5-15 minutes waiting for the actual visit, never at the weigh in.
They get my blood pressure right after I get weighed, in the back wing where the exam rooms are. I always make them do it twice and remind them that they shouldn't ask me questions requiring an answer while I'm having it done.
Today I went to my new GP because various specialists who have been treating me think I should have a GP. Got taken straight into the exam room and the blood pressure cuff was put on immediately. 151/124
I calmly told the nurse that those numbers were totally bogus, I take my blood pressure frequently -- having had heart issues -- and those numbers are wildly wrong. I sit down and relax and, if the numbers are a little high, I wait and take my BP again. It is always less than 120/ less than 80. The results were always in this somewhat low range, sometimes as low as 108/72 when I had to spend time in a specialized nursing facility and was bed-ridden. She did not like hearing this but I was stating simple truth. I confronted the doctor about it and got the lame excuse of time restraints, but she did agree to have my BP taken again towards the end of the visit. 124/81 which is actually a little high for me but I was annoyed, had fasted for bloodwork and had consumed only black coffee that morning.
This has been my almost universal experience with how blood pressure readings are done at the doctor's office. One time a sleep dentist used a cuff on my wrist and came up with 165/I forget. They never could get a lower reading. I checked it at home, I checked it at the pharmacy of a supermarket and the numbers were perfectly healthy. I did hear a comment. "Yeah... it has been reading a little high."
Trying to stay fit in my old age I took four flights of stairs to a doctor's office the other day.and the blood pressure cuff was on within minutes. I don't think that reading was very accurate.
It would be much easier if they would ask, "Do you know what your typical blood pressure is?" Than we wouldn't have a figure that is egregiously wrong.
I don't think it is "white coat syndrome" because if I force them to give me a chance to wind down a little the numbers are always much better. This morning I was giving the office the benefit of the doubt that the reading might be a little high but not wildly so.
I don't think there is a valid excuse for this sloppiness and laziness. If the excuse is that the BP reading is not relevant to the visit -- but which it surely is for a general physical, as I went in for today -- then no reading should be taken.
Sad when the patient seems to know more than the "medical professional."
I agree. My bp reading @ dr office is usually about 124/78 or something. My REAL bp is usually about 105/62 or thereabouts. I take my bp at home several times a week, and at public places occasionally. For years.
A dr once told me that yeah, bp readings are generally a little higher at dr office. For one thing, people get a little nervous or irritated at being at dr. office. Second, it's later in the day, after moving around. Maybe it's also a reaction to something we ate that day that high sodium.
But yours was so off the mark that I wonder if their bp machine is working properly. I wouldn't want those numbers in my records since that is higher than normal, isn't it? Could warrant a note in your records of "high bp," which might affect your health insurance.
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