BP Monitors

[pahlevan]

I have an Omron BP monitor. Its says my BP is 154/85 but the doctors showed me at129/79 today. Currently on test and primo. I'm assuming the doctor is more accurate. Anyone else have this issue? How do you know what's right.
Also, what meds you guys take for BP while on gear?

 

[Reload]

Cuff size is important. Omron is a good brand. Very accurate. Start a journal. Test (3x) day am, mid day and pm...average. BP = kidney health.
Amlodipine here, 10mg/day. Lisinopril is common 10mg am, 10mg pm.
Go see your doc once you have about 1 months worth of #'s. Show him your journal.

 

[liv2pb]

Cuff size is important. Omron is a good brand. Very accurate. Start a journal. Test (3x) day am, mid day and pm...average. BP = kidney health.
Amlodipine here, 10mg/day. Lisinopril is common 10mg am, 10mg pm.
Go see your doc once you have about 1 months worth of #'s. Show him your journal.

Pretty much this.
I use a life source and it's very accurate. I only use bp meds as needed on cycle. Usually start at lisinopril 5mg am and 5mg pm then usually need to bump up to 10mg am and 10mg pm as I gain weight/up my doses.

Edit- bring your bp monitor to the doc next time and compare readings.

 

[alfresco]

Go analog and get the right ‘tools’.

I still use the ‘gold standard,’ the classic Hewlett Packard stethoscope. (Now discontinued,
I think you can find them on EBay but they are gobbled up pretty fast I suspect and
probably go for thousands of dollars. Yes, they are - were that good.) And I use an analog
meter and the proper size cuff. No batteries or BS to fail at the wrong time.

My stethoscope works perfectly to this day, probably bought it 30 years ago when I
worked at HP. Used it more times than I can remember over the years when I volunteered
as an EMT for our local Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team.

The electronic ones I am not 100% sure about. They are just easier to use (which is probably
why they use them), am not sure they are as accurate. If you use one, it is all about consistency.
If you go to another device, your mileage may vary as a function of the tool . . . i.e., it may
not be you. Don’t panic. Just be aware. The ones they have in the pharm dept. are notoriously
inaccurate in my opinion.

The cuff, again, like many have said before, is size sensitive so please factor that in to your
equation. And you gotta be able to hear what is going on, hence a good stethoscope is
invaluable. Juggling them both when taking your own is a pain in rear but most will figure it
out with some practice.

FYI . . . I take my blood pressure like any reputable cardiologist does: lying down, seated,
(do not cross your legs when lying or seated) and standing. And if they really care about
accuracy, they will take it at the start of your appointment and at the end (white coat syndrome).

Also, write the numbers down. Unlike ink . . . your memory fades over time. I have
my notes from over 30 years ago. I also have records of all the medications I have ever
been on and off of and why. I bring all this when I visit my doctor(s) and they are blown
away by it. I keep better record than they do. This all seems pretty normal to me, after
all how else do you know what works or does not work?

It is well known and proven high blood pressure and be controlled quite nicely, but requites
dedication, through diet and exercise and weigh loss (unless you have some sort of congenital
‘issue’).

Failing that, get of the sauce(s) or lower the dosages. Untreated, high blood pressure over
time is a killer.

I know nothing about BP meds so I will not comment.

Hope you get this sorted out. It is worth the effort.

 

[NEMSZ]

Your blood pressure can vary throughout the day depending on many factors, did you just eat or did you just put it on and measure after walking around or lifting something in your house etc, even though by little numbers, those things can change it, even the cuff size or putting it on too tight... I made that mistake putting it on too tight and my readings were in the 140’s and then I adjusted the cuff (says to wrap it tight enough to let 1 finger slide in between the cuff and your arm) and my numbers were back in the 125-130/85 range...

 

[nothuman]

Omron 10 series seems to be pretty good but I do get slightly higher readings at the doctor, particularly on the diastolic side for whatever reason.

 

[maldorf]

Omron 10 series seems to be pretty good but I do get slightly higher readings at the doctor, particularly on the diastolic side for whatever reason.

That is the one I use and it is accurate.

If you are getting a higher reading then that would indicate the cuff is too small, but you don't know that it is too small for certain. Back when my arms were up around 19 inches plus flexed, a normal size cuff was too small. The one that comes with the Omron seems a bit bigger than normal and is fine for me now, but my arms are smaller now.

Most cuffs say what size arm they can accommodate, and that is the size you measure when your arm is extended out like when you take your bp, not what it measures when you are flexing and making a muscle.

I used to do mine manually with a stethoscope and that is the best way to do it. No error when you do that. You just have to make sure you get a decent stethoscope, especially if your BP is low like mine is now. The lower your bp is, the harder it is to hear.

 

[Ashop]

I have an Omron BP monitor. Its says my BP is 154/85 but the doctors showed me at129/79 today. Currently on test and primo. I'm assuming the doctor is more accurate. Anyone else have this issue? How do you know what's right.
Also, what meds you guys take for BP while on gear?

Take it with you to the doctor next time and compare your readings.

 

[Brickshthouse79]

I have an omron with a large cuff. It is a little tight and I think its giving me higher readings. I do check 2-3 times and it usually drops each time, the longer I stay seated.

I may get an xl cuff and see if my readings differ. My arms are around 17.75" and the large cuff is noted as being used for arms up to 17.25".

 

[Pheedno]

I have an older large cuff life source and a brand new wrist omoran. The omoran measures a few points lower than the arm cuff but both very consistent. I'm almost always a little higher at the doctor, later in the day.
For me, the wrist application has been good for relying on trends, even though it does show a little bit lower.

 

[johnjuanb1]

I have an Omron BP monitor. Its says my BP is 154/85 but the doctors showed me at129/79 today. Currently on test and primo. I'm assuming the doctor is more accurate. Anyone else have this issue? How do you know what's right.
Also, what meds you guys take for BP while on gear?

I have an Omron wrist monitor HEM-608.
My bp is 140/95 today.
The best thing to do is take it with you to your doctor appointment and have them test you on yours and theirs to see how much they differ.
My dad did that with mine and said there was a 10 point difference for him.
I don’t take meds any longer. I had non stop injuries when on bp meds. I was on clonidine and norvasc.

 

[Reload]

I have an Omron wrist monitor HEM-608.
My bp is 140/95 today.
The best thing to do is take it with you to your doctor appointment and have them test you on yours and theirs to see how much they differ.
My dad did that with mine and said there was a 10 point difference for him.
I don’t take meds any longer. I had non stop injuries when on bp meds. I was on clonidine and norvasc.

What kind of injuries JJ and you think it was because of the BP meds?

 

[johnjuanb1]

What kind of injuries JJ and you think it was because of the BP meds?

Constant ruptures of rotators cuffs, lat insert, hamstrings, triceps tendon, biceps attachment. No matter how perfect my form. Constant! My friend has the same issues from bp meds. His hips are where he gets hurt. I think the meds dehydrate connective tissue. There’s no doubt about it for me. The difference is night and day training without the bp meds.