Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:15 pm
BINGO, I seem to have solved the mystery of the BP rocketing. The CUFF of the monitor, it is essential to use right size!!! First, about beta-blockers, Dita, I have heard something in a newspaper article, like your summary. I have never been put on beta blockers and should never be, because I take Thyroxine and the two should never meet!
But my initiation into ACE inhibitors made me uneasy, not just the feeling of 'Are these really needed?' The first side effect on low dose, the profuse sweats, were bad enough...but then when the BP diastole readings stayed high, my dose was doubled to 5 mg, and my lips broke out in Urticaria/angiodema. A sure allergy sign of the system rejecting something.
Seem to have solved it. Yesterday the GP was mystified as to the Diastole readings always being above 100, even on higher dosage Lisinopril. Surgery lent me a BP monitor, nothing was mentioned about cuff size. A small or medium size cuff incorrectly was with it, goes up to 30 centimetres. Large cuff is my size 40 cms (very fat arms ) He put me back on the 2.5 mgs dose, thank goodness.
This morning, OH brought home a new BP monitor (large size cuff with it) from Lloyds chemist. The GP enjoyed hearing of the special offer, Lloyds monitors reduced from £45 to £9.99, and said, regardless of Press warnings of monitor innaccuracy, he believed in them.
I have taken 'measurements' - both arms - with both monitors. The one borrowed from surgery showed a diastole (the lower one which worries the doctors) of 103. Systole is 131 which is fine. The new Lloyds monitor, with a correct LARGE cuff, shows 135/87!!!! This, I believe, is correct, and I question the procedure of the heavy prescribing on scary figures at the surgery, where maybe the wrong cuff (too small) has been wrongly used each time. On Monday I shall return their monitor and hopefully have a chat, to solve the (diastole) worries.
But my initiation into ACE inhibitors made me uneasy, not just the feeling of 'Are these really needed?' The first side effect on low dose, the profuse sweats, were bad enough...but then when the BP diastole readings stayed high, my dose was doubled to 5 mg, and my lips broke out in Urticaria/angiodema. A sure allergy sign of the system rejecting something.
Seem to have solved it. Yesterday the GP was mystified as to the Diastole readings always being above 100, even on higher dosage Lisinopril. Surgery lent me a BP monitor, nothing was mentioned about cuff size. A small or medium size cuff incorrectly was with it, goes up to 30 centimetres. Large cuff is my size 40 cms (very fat arms ) He put me back on the 2.5 mgs dose, thank goodness.
This morning, OH brought home a new BP monitor (large size cuff with it) from Lloyds chemist. The GP enjoyed hearing of the special offer, Lloyds monitors reduced from £45 to £9.99, and said, regardless of Press warnings of monitor innaccuracy, he believed in them.
I have taken 'measurements' - both arms - with both monitors. The one borrowed from surgery showed a diastole (the lower one which worries the doctors) of 103. Systole is 131 which is fine. The new Lloyds monitor, with a correct LARGE cuff, shows 135/87!!!! This, I believe, is correct, and I question the procedure of the heavy prescribing on scary figures at the surgery, where maybe the wrong cuff (too small) has been wrongly used each time. On Monday I shall return their monitor and hopefully have a chat, to solve the (diastole) worries.