blood pressure

RR9501 if you take a couple extra strength asprin you can rest assured your pressure can only go down. It might not change at all, but its not going to go up. The thinning of your blood will decrease it or maybe do nothing at all if your blood wasn't that thick to begin with. So if you cannot afford a decent machine then just know it won't do anything but help before an exam.

 

i see 2 of them on ebay....neither with a buy it now price...what's a fair price to offer and win the BP without ripping myself off?...how much did you pay for yours?...

 

the exercise is an easier regiment to follow then the diet...u guys know what its like to eat out here...the crap they serve...lol

 

ok...well im going out today and im going to look into asprin for now...i keep "forgetting"...lol...but your right this is my health we're talking about now...its just i wont know if they asprin helps at all unless i get myself a BP machine...

 

this is one that i'm looking at...its used but cheap enough: http://cgi.ebay.com/Mabis-04-248-00...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c0c2fec22

 

I've been taking BP med for about 8 years. I've been on the same med for nearly the whole 8 years. The med I was started on initially caused more problems than it solved so, IMO, if you start on meds, monitor your BP like a hawk, i.e., several times a day. Keep a diary of readings to show your doc.

I had a 90% complete physical on Dec 1 and discussed BP with the doc - as I always do when I see him. He told me to continue using the BP cuff I have at home but to use the "in store" BP machines in WallyWorld, drug stores, etc., in addition to my own unit. He said that by using a variety of machines I'll get a variety of readings but if every time I check my BP I get a satisfactory reading, I'm probably OK. Word of caution: don't sit down and immediately take your BP - it'll probably be high. BP is dynamic to say the least, but best readings come after taking a few minutes to relax before punching the "go" button.

 

Man , talk about needing a second opinion ! Those WalMart machines are very unreliable . Every time I tried one it gave unreasonably high readings . Does it make sense to say to use a variety of machines to get a variety a variety of readings ? My wife was a respiratory therapist and regularly took my readings . I bought a machine for the road and both she and my doctor confirmed its accuracy and confirmed the inaccuracy of the WalMart machine .

 

I agree, I don't hear much good about the in-store BP machines at Walgreens or Wal Mart...etc. Never heard a doctor recommend using one.

 

I believe what my doc was saying is that I shouldn't rely on just one machine (i.e., my own). Lots of those gizmos are battery powered and unless a person is diligent about changing the batteries at the very first sign of weakness, the readings might not be accurate. Also, unless you compare your home kit reading with the machine at your doc's office, as you said you do, and do it at least at every yearly check-up, then you won't know if your machine is being faithful to you.

I wouldn't take readings at the same WalMart or drug store every time either. The point is to get a good sample of readings - from several different machines. (It's kinda like statistics - you need a good sample pool to get reliable results.) If, and only if, you get consistently satisfactory readings (within limits, not "dead on" same numbers) virtually every time you take your BP, then you're probably OK. I also think it's important to replicate the same preparatory routine before each reading.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, replaces the need for regular evaluation by your own doctor!!!!
Just my $0.075 cents worth. After all, I'm just a lowly wannabe!

 

The problem with in-store BP machines is that folk tend to rush in and get a reading quickly. In hospital its recommended that you sit or lie for 20 minutes prior to the reading in order to get it accurate. So running into Wallyworld is not the answer!

Oh, and taking aspirin without prescription can be dangerous. It might over-thin the blood, and often the cause of high BP is obstructed blood vessels, full of cholesterol-induced fat deposits. No amount of blood thinning is going to shift those kind of blockages, but instead creates higher risks if you need emergency surgery.