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How to "cheat" on a blood pressure test:
-An hour or so before the test (not right before the test), go for a brisk walk.
-Time your arrival at the doctor's office to allow you to sit in the waiting room for several minutes.
-Bring a book or magazine to read, so you aren't fussing about the wait.
-Exchange pleasantries with the nurse or technician as they escort you to the room.
-Sit quietly with both feet on the floor.
-Close your eyes and imagine a favorite relaxing scenario. Maybe that's margaritas in a hammock in a shady spot, or watching your grandkids sing in the choir. I picture myself as a mermaid, swimming off my favorite beach. You do you.
I used to get high readings at the doctor's office, but not since I've been doing this relaxation technique. I've shared it with friends who also got good results.
Of course the reading when taken correctly is going to be lower than what it is much of the day. This is obvious and normal. There has to be a standard situation and that is relaxed. There is no standard degree of activity and adrenaline etc. so the standard has to be chilled out. What is my blood pressure with my trainer? How about going up a steep hill on my bicycle? How about when I am racing a stock car on a 1/4 mile dirt track? No medical authority is going to tell you to be inactive because your pulse rate and BP increase in response to activity except possibly to some degree if you have a serious heart condition.
Yes, but for most people, sitting in the waiting room for ten minutes, taking a short walk back to the office, sitting for another ten minutes and then getting the test is a very close approximation of "chilled out" blood pressure. If someone needs more than that, their "chilled out" blood pressure is a less accurate indicator of their normal daily blood pressure than it is for most.
White coat syndrome is another thing, but as I mentioned above, it comes with its own issues as well. I have white coat syndrome myself, and can go from 135/80 to 118/78 as the effect wears off. At my house in the mornings, I'm typically around the latter number. But I'm probably spending more of my day at elevated levels than someone without white coat syndrome.
Yes, but for most people, sitting in the waiting room for ten minutes, taking a short walk back to the office, sitting for another ten minutes and then getting the test is a very close approximation of "chilled out" blood pressure. If someone needs more than that, their "chilled out" blood pressure is a less accurate indicator of their normal daily blood pressure than it is for most.
White coat syndrome is another thing, but as I mentioned above, it comes with its own issues as well. I have white coat syndrome myself, and can go from 135/80 to 118/78 as the effect wears off. At my house in the mornings, I'm typically around the latter number. But I'm probably spending more of my day at elevated levels than someone without white coat syndrome.
Some people have really heightened anxiety about doctors though, which puts them under far more stress at medical appointments than just normal movement, traffic jams, family arguments, work tensions. My husband is like this. He has so rarely even seen doctors in his life that for him a normal routine check up is just the prologue to being told he's about to die... right now. Otherwise he's a very mellow fellow. It's kind of funny actually. (Well, not funny to him!) Anyway, he's being treated for high blood pressure now and I'm glad he's actually doing it. When he takes his BP at home it's occasionally high, most of the time "moderately" high, in any case just trying to chill out at the doc's office to end up with something lower doesn't seem like the best goal. Better to get that higher reading as a measure of how his blood pressure behaves under stress. (Now that he's being treated it's not perfect, but much better!)
My brother has significant BP issues and has been treated for it for a long time, one medication after another, lots of failures. He goes to his appointments, takes his meds, eats lean and clean, hikes and lifts, is and has always been a very fit guy, and his life is pretty low stress, but his BP stays so stubbornly high that he has stopped taking it at home. It only stresses him out and since he already sees a doc regularly about it, what else can he do. That's his philosophy anyway. He certainly doesn't neglect it, he's just not going to keep stressing out about it every normal day at home.
you arent the only one. Mine can vary all over the place depending on where I am and whats going on. If my primary and I are just sitting quietly talking then its 120/80. If Im at the dentist it can be 150/100. then they get upset but I dont pay any attention. There is no base number for me.
I think they expect their patients' blood pressure to be high at the dentist's office. It'd be in anticipation of what's about to take place there. I asked one time how high the blood pressure had to be before they cancelled/postponed the filling, extraction or whatever. They didn't have a set number but said with a systolic over 200 and diastolic over 110 or so. Depends on the patient.
How to "cheat" on a blood pressure test:
-An hour or so before the test (not right before the test), go for a brisk walk.
-Time your arrival at the doctor's office to allow you to sit in the waiting room for several minutes.
-Bring a book or magazine to read, so you aren't fussing about the wait.
-Exchange pleasantries with the nurse or technician as they escort you to the room.
-Sit quietly with both feet on the floor.
-Close your eyes and imagine a favorite relaxing scenario. Maybe that's margaritas in a hammock in a shady spot, or watching your grandkids sing in the choir. I picture myself as a mermaid, swimming off my favorite beach. You do you.
I used to get high readings at the doctor's office, but not since I've been doing this relaxation technique. I've shared it with friends who also got good results.
Seems silly to take it knowing full well in advance the result will be higher than if proper protocol is followed.
Medical assistants and nurses know this, but they are more interested in hurrying things along in the name of being "efficient" -- which indicates they don't really care about an accurate BP reading for the patient's chart and history
That's why I was pleasantly surprised when my pulmonologist's staff at UAB got into a conversation with me about proper protocol. Too bad not every office is like that.
How to "cheat" on a blood pressure test:
-An hour or so before the test (not right before the test), go for a brisk walk.
-Time your arrival at the doctor's office to allow you to sit in the waiting room for several minutes.
-Bring a book or magazine to read, so you aren't fussing about the wait.
-Exchange pleasantries with the nurse or technician as they escort you to the room.
-Sit quietly with both feet on the floor.
-Close your eyes and imagine a favorite relaxing scenario. Maybe that's margaritas in a hammock in a shady spot, or watching your grandkids sing in the choir. I picture myself as a mermaid, swimming off my favorite beach. You do you.
I used to get high readings at the doctor's office, but not since I've been doing this relaxation technique. I've shared it with friends who also got good results.
That's a great idea, and I will try it. I wonder if it would still work after walking down a long hallway. Even a short interval like that can influence a reading.
you arent the only one. Mine can vary all over the place depending on where I am and whats going on. If my primary and I are just sitting quietly talking then its 120/80. If Im at the dentist it can be 150/100. then they get upset but I dont pay any attention. There is no base number for me.
I take my blood pressure too often. They all tell me that. But, like you, my blood pressure can be all over the place. And, maybe I'm just odd, but not knowing my blood pressure stresses me out more than knowing it, so I do what I do. And if they don't like it...tough you know what. But I always go in with my little chart to show them when their blood pressure reading is due to white coat hypertension.
I just ask the assistant to take my BP last, after all her other questions, etc. Or I tell her to let the doctor take it when she comes in.
My pet peeve is when they ask you a question while they're taking it. You're supposed to sit quietly and not talk. I just ignore the question until finished with the BP.
That's a great idea, and I will try it. I wonder if it would still work after walking down a long hallway. Even a short interval like that can influence a reading.
That's basically how I take it every time. I also do a little slow yoga breathing for a minute or two while waiting for the doctor. Slowly in through the nose for a 4 count and then out through the mouth for a slow 8 count, repeat a couple times while imagining rolling waves crashing on the beach. It calms my thoughts, and down comes the BP, just like that!
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