Blood pressure monitor

[Deleted User]

I know it's time I started monitoring my health, and want to start by trying to get off BP tablets (or at least, not having to take any more than one a day).

Can anyone recommend a blood pressure monitor that's (a) effective, and (b) not too expensive?

A friend of mine bought one of those wrist monitors and she said it was useless (?) There are so many different ones to choose from and I don't want to waste money buying a dud.

Anyone use one they could recommend?

uk1

Omron.

Wrist ones are notoriously inaccurate.

Amazon have the Rolls Royce (M10-IT) on offer reduced by 63% from £98 to £34 at the moment if you are quick.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001DBQIJW/ref=nosim/?!!!!!hotukdeals-21

The M2 is also perfectly adequate:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Omron-Basic-Blood-Pressure-Monitor/dp/B003CYK6FA/ref=pd_cp_d_1

moonrakerz

Omron make a a good range of reputable equipment. However you will find that Boots offer several of the Omron range with their name on it at a much better price !
Don't get a wrist cuff model, they are not that accurate, get one with an upper arm cuff.

Lots of advice/info here........
http://www.bpassoc.org.uk/BloodPressureandyou/Homemonitoring/Choosingyourmonitor

Biggles

Corona wrote: »

I know it's time I started monitoring my health, and want to start by trying to get off BP tablets (or at least, not having to take any more than one a day).

My doctor's nurse has one. She asks me to come every six months (even though the reading's fine each time). That's quite enough 'monitoring' for me and I wouldn't dream of trying to 'get off' my tablets unless they suggested it. But then, I'm not a doctor, perhaps you are qualified to make such decisions.
;-)

societys_child

Hi
Doctors had me try all the different types of tablets and I didn't get on with any of 'em. They made little difference anyway.

So I made the decision for myself.
I was lucky to get an appointment with the "main man" at the local health centre (he's usually "away for two weeks" or "on holiday")

When I told him I'd stopped taking them, he said:
"I don't like taking tablets either, I eat a few walnuts a day and some omega 3". I took his advise.

Felt much better without the side effects . . . and my BP dropped. I'm not advising anyone, just my experience.

When I bought a £10 LLoyds pharmacy monitor (proper arm cuff type) got the doctor to check it against his, he was quite impressed. (it read a couple of points higher than his).

thelizzyfiles

go for a upper arm one, don't exercise before taking your blood pressure or drink coffee and as above Lloydspharmacy have good ones on sale or even will take it for you if you pop in and ask

Bunter_2

I bought a cuff monitor from Boots. It has been very good and the battery has lasted a long time. Ive just noticed that it will also work from a 6V DC mains supply.

Saw the doc a couple of weeks ago and he told me that blood pressure testing was a very inexact science. He much preferred me to bring my own readings in, as results could be distorted in the surgery by the "white coat syndrome"; which, of course, is people getting stressed out at the docs and recording higher readings. If that happens he may be obliged to ask you to come back and have further readings taken. So it can be advantageous in that way.

I think they are well worth having.

SallyG

Thanks uk1 for that information - I've ordered one.
I get my blood pressure checked fairly regularly at GP surgery - I'm on medication for it but it's always sky high when they check it - we've agreed it's probably white coat thingy - but they just keep asking me to go back again - maybe they think I'll grow out of it if I go often enough?
Could I ask about people's experiences of repeat prescriptions?
I'm also hypothyroid so need to take thyroxine until I snuff it - I'm a dispensing patient - ie the GP dispenses medicines at his surgery and I used to collect it ; I used to be given a 3 month prescription - then a year or so ago it went down to just one month's supply without explanation - I often feel exhausted and there's a local free prescription pick up and delivery service at the local chemist's - so I started to use that - to be sure of not running out if I didn't manage to get to the surgery. It was a really good service but after a few deliveries I got a phone call from the GP surgery more or less insisting they would deliver my prescription - the last time the GP brought it himself.
I'm wondering why on earth I couldn't just have 3 months' worth and get it delivered free by the local chemist - anyone else experienced long term medication being doled out in 1 month rations?

PS my daughter just told me about this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8441436/Health-authorities-doubling-effective-cost-of-prescriptions.html

Cash-strapped health authorities are doubling the effective cost of medicines for some patients with long-term conditions.

They are urging GPs to reduce the number of pills on a given prescription, which now cost £7.40 a time in England. In some cases the number of pills per prescription has halved.

While health authorities say the guidance is to help reduce the NHS bill for wasted medicines - estimated at up to £300 million a year - there is suspicion that health authorities are increasingly resorting to the measure for financial reasons.

One patient told how her regular prescription had been cut from 56 pills to 28 without warning. That came shortly after a 20p rise in the prescription fee in England, which took effect on April 1.

She told Money Box on BBC Radio 4: "This means that the prescription charge has gone up in excess of 100 per cent, which I think is outrageous."

Savvy_Sue

Sally, if your hypothyroidism doesn't entitle you to free prescriptions, have you checked whether you'd be better off with a prepayment certificate?

moonpenny

I use a blood pressure monitor (Omron)on my right upper arm.

When I bought it, I followed diagram that showed when used on left arm the tube runs down the inside of the arm. On right arm, the tube runs on outside arm. I have since watched a video that shows tube on inner arm on both right and left.

Can anyone tell me if this would make a difference to the reading?

moonrakerz

SallyG wrote: »

I used to be given a 3 month prescription - then a year or so ago it went down to just one month's supply without explanation .....................
One patient told how her regular prescription had been cut from 56 pills to 28 without warning. That came shortly after a 20p rise in the prescription fee in England, which took effect on April 1.

She told Money Box on BBC Radio 4: "This means that the prescription charge has gone up in excess of 100 per cent, which I think is outrageous."

Unless your GP thinks you are likely to take a MASSIVE overdose, he will change the prescription back to 56 days. All you have to do is ask - as I did !

The comment from the lady on the radio is just "stupid" ! Perhaps that is why it was cut to 28 days in the first place .............:rotfl: