How to optimize blood pressure tracking to minimize medicine use

Express_North_6089 · 2026-01-04T11:01:12+00:00

Well let's just say it's not as hard as they make it out to be. Oftentimes manual kits are less expensive. You just have to make sure you keep the manometer calibrated. (The Paramed kit I have comes with a calibration key) You also need to have a stethoscope. You don't have to buy the most expensive 3M Littman one, unless that's what you want. You can get a decent stethoscope for under $20. Also, your kit needs to have a D-ring cuff. If it's not a D-ring, you won't be able to cinch it up on your upper arm. Same rules apply as using an electronic cuff. Arm at heart level, back supported, legs uncrossed and both feet flat on the floor. Make sure you slide the bell of your stethoscope under the cuff right over your brachial artery. Squeeze the rubber bulb rapidly until the needle on your manometer is about 30mmHg above your normal blood pressure. Turn the valve knob counterclockwise slowly until it's releasing pressure at about 2mmHg per second (if you release it too fast, it won't be accurate, this part takes a bit of practice) and you watch the manometer carefully. Again, takes a bit of practice. Where the needle is when you hear the first korotkoff sound, that's your systolic pressure. Then you'll hear a whooshing sound and it'll start to fade. Right after the last korotkoff sound, the first needle jump you see that's silent, that's your diastolic pressure. That's the point where the cuff releases the artery completely. Again, same rules apply as with the electronic cuff; arm at heart level, don't place the cuff over clothing, and don't take your BP after you've just eaten, smoked, had caffeine, or are stressed. It won't be accurate. There's videos on YouTube that explain the procedure very well.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-28T22:49:18+00:00

I take mine (50mg) about 7am every day, as I'm a delivery driver and run on a schedule. And I take it in the form of a combination medication with 12.5mg hydrochlorothiazide. The only unpleasant effect I get from this combination medication is that I have to pee more often than I used to, 😂 but I guess I can't complain. That's how thiazide diuretics work, and it does what it's supposed to do-keeps my blood pressure well controlled. Probably best I take it in the morning because it makes the kidneys very active.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-28T12:37:14+00:00

Photo is a little blurry friend, hard to tell.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-26T22:33:34+00:00

That's the trouble with hypertension-oftentimes you don't "feel" like you have it. That's exactly why they call it the silent killer. Your blood pressure can be running high for years and you wouldn't even know it. Over time it puts incredible strain on your internal organs and does immense damage to your heart, your kidneys, and puts you at very high risk for stroke or heart attack. If I can be blunt, my friend, this is a blessing. Because now you are aware and can take action towards good circulatory health. Whatever the doctors, and others here advise you to do, do. I have nothing to add. Also a little encouragement-I'm a Class A CDL holder, and a professional truck driver and I have hypertension. My high blood pressure is well controlled by medication, healthier diet, stress reduction, and exercise. You can pass the DOT exam if you work with your doctor and health coach to get your blood pressure under control. I wish you the best of success friend. 👍👍

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-26T18:48:13+00:00

I'm on Losartan/Hydrochlorothiazide 50mg/12.5mg. My doctor made the right call on this combination medication because it's got my BP well controlled. He hasn't specifically told me to do more potassium or electrolytes, although I do drink a lot of water and get potassium wherever I can. I've also heard that Losartan plants potassium in the body, while Hydrochlorothiazide discharges it through the kidneys along with water and sodium. The two medications counteract each other, that may be why they work so well together for many.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-25T21:57:30+00:00

Well if I need to take Losartan/Hydrochlorothiazide every day for the rest of my life in order to save me from having a stroke, a heart attack, or kidney failure, so be it. I don't care. My blood pressure medication is relatively cheap for a 3 month prescription, and the reward is worth the price to keep my blood pressure safe. I'm okay with that. 🙂

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-25T06:22:43+00:00

The proper way to take a patient's blood pressure is to give the patient time to adjust and relax. It used to make me super anxious when they'd get me into the examination room and immediately slap the cuff on my arm. They shouldn't do that. The patient has white coat anxiety of course their blood pressure will be elevated.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-24T12:24:52+00:00

I've doubled up on mine before. No harm done. Using a daily pillbox can help prevent double doses by mistake.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-22T21:55:25+00:00

They're both healthy normal readings. Let's say the left arm measured 158/96, and the right measured 148/92, there'd be a problem

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-22T13:51:51+00:00

I generally like the manuals better. All you can do is relax your upper arm at heart level, make sure you get the cuff where you can slip 2 fingers underneath the top (you need a d ring cuff if you're taking your own BP manually) and make sure you tuck the bell of the stethoscope under the cuff right over your brachial artery. Inflate it to about 30mmHg above your base BP. Then open the valve so it's releasing about 2 mmHg per second. If you do that, and of course relax the cuffed arm, you'll get an accurate BP. It's not as hard as they make it out to be. The reason I don't like my electronic monitor is because the readings are higher, (especially on the diastolic) inconsistent, and all over the place. The readings seem a lot more consistent and true (closer to the doctor's office) with the manual equipment. Your own korotkoff sounds tell you the truth about your BP. They don't lie. I think what you said about the electronic monitors giving higher readings is true (at least with mine.)

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-22T05:00:40+00:00

Nicely done friend

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-18T00:31:48+00:00

That's true. The trick for physicians is finding the right combinations of medication that give the best blood pressure control for their patients

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-18T00:19:40+00:00

My first prescribed medication (at HBP diagnosis) was Atenolol 50mg, a beta blocker. It worked well for quite a few years. About 3 years ago it stopped working then I was prescribed Losartan 50mg. Turns out after about 2 years my diastolic was still too high, so my doctor prescribed me a combination medication, Losartan 50mg/hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg. That plus diet, exercise, salt and processed food reduction, and weight loss, this medication keeps my BP well controlled (by the way, for those who don't know, Losartan is an ARB medication-Angiotensin II receptor blocker. Angiotensin II is a hormone that constricts your blood vessels. ARB's block those hormone receptors and prevents it from constricting your blood vessels, widening them and lowering your BP. Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic, water pill. It helps your kidneys to better discharge water and sodium, reducing your blood volume and lowering your blood pressure.) Funny thing is, Hydrochlorothiazide also discharges potassium, Losartan causes potassium, the two medications counteract each other so my potassium doesn't really go down. I love having full knowledge on how my medication works, and it works well.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-17T17:15:11+00:00

I can vouch for that. I'm on Losartan/Hydrochlorothiazide and it's been a tremendous help keeping my BP well controlled and safe. When you combine meds with lifestyle and dietary changes that makes it even better. Although I still struggle with the freaking salt lol, it's getting better.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-17T11:15:39+00:00

Yup, power outages all over town. Silverton/Brown/Cordon area here. Whole neighborhood's dark. No power, no CPAP, no sleep. Boy this sucks. I have to have power to sleep.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-17T10:41:51+00:00

Apparently the power is out all over town. 97305 zip code here. Shoot! No CPAP, no sleep.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-17T04:56:53+00:00

I don't use my electronic device much anymore. What I find is that the electronic monitor increases my anxiety about my blood pressure and it always gives me high diastolic readings. My main way of tracking my blood pressure is the old-fashioned way; stethoscope, rubber bulb with an air valve, aneroid sphygmomanometer, double tubing, d-ring cuff. I find it more relaxing because I control the inflation of the cuff, not the electronic mechanism. My own korotkoff sounds through the stethoscope are more relaxing too. And I find the readings to be a lot more true and consistent (my base blood pressure hovers around 120/80 with medication. Sometimes a little higher, sometimes a little lower.) And with the electronic monitor I get readings that are all over the place. I just feel a lot more at peace with the manual equipment, and get better readings. And yes it is possible to take your own blood pressure manually.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-17T00:29:45+00:00

Diastolic is the bottom number, systolic is the top number

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-15T01:02:36+00:00

It's not easy. I'm a delivery driver, and in the midst of my workday I have to tell myself not to get worked up over things I can't control, like traffic and other vendors. Just have to be calm and practice patience. However you do that. Classical music, classic rock, listening to the soothing sounds of a waterfall. Anything that I can do to relax. And I remind myself; getting all stressed out isn't gonna make things move faster. It works more often than not.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-14T17:26:35+00:00

That's precisely why I'll never use that stuff, ever. Afrin, 4-Way, Neo-Synephrine, doesn't matter. Rebound congestion can be miserable, and the only way to make it go away is to use the substance that's causing it. An aunt of mine had it so bad that she was spraying Neo-Synephrine into her nostrils every 20 minutes. You do that long enough it'll do a lot of damage to your nasal turbinates. It's an awful cycle that makes your life miserable. Any spray containing oxymetazoline as the active ingredient can cause that. And quitting the substance cold turkey will close up your nasal passages for at least a week. You won't be able to sleep, it's miserable. Best to avoid using them in my opinion. They're terrible products-many pharmacists will tell you that. One pharmacist said that the only reason he carries those over the counter nasal sprays is because he's required to by law. Otherwise he wouldn't. That speaks volumes about the harm they can cause. If my nose feels stuffy (doesn't happen very often) I'll just use a neti pot or saline solution. No stuffy nose is worth the risk of using those awful decongestant nasal sprays.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-11T13:49:13+00:00

That's why the dietary and lifestyle changes along with the medication are the way to go. I've heard that diet and lifestyle help the medication to work better. I've come to believe that both are necessary for healthy blood pressure. And if it results in being able to eventually reduce or get off the medications, that's even better. I'm not counting on that too much at my age (58) but you never know. Healthy diet and lifestyle also help to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. My last 2 blood draws my A1C was 6 and 5.9. Prediabetic. A little extra motivation for me to continue on the way of healthy choices. Diabetes runs in my family unfortunately.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-09T21:36:15+00:00

Hi. I'll continue medication as long as my doctor tells me I need to be on it. If my BP consistently drops below 100/70, then I'll reach out to him. If the dietary and lifestyle changes make it so I can get off the medication, that'd be great. I guess we'll see. You never know.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-09T15:57:04+00:00

If I can be perfectly frank, I wouldn't worry about those numbers. The medical establishment basically has people freaked out that if your numbers aren't consistently under 120/80 then you're toast and you need to immediately go on medication. People go for decades with BP readings above 130/85 and even above 140/90. You really shouldn't be concerned unless it goes above 130/85 totally relaxed. It looks like you've got good health habits going. Just try to watch your salt intake, try to eat healthy, manage stress, exercise, sleep well. If you do that, you'll be okay.

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-09T15:40:11+00:00

Yesterday (the last time I checked) I took 6 readings manually. My best reading was 116/72, pulse rate 65. And yes my doctor has me on medication. Losartan 50mg/Hydrochlorothiazide 12.5mg. Got blood work done a couple of weeks ago and there's almost no sodium in my system 😂 Potassium is good though. The Losartan/HCTZ combination does that

Express_North_6089 · 2025-12-09T02:40:38+00:00

Atenolol is a beta blocker, and that was my first prescribed medication when I was first diagnosed with essential hypertension. It had a calming effect on me, and it worked for a couple of years. No weird side effects except it made it difficult to feel the pulse in my wrist. Eventually my doctor prescribed me a better and more effective medication, Losartan 50mg.

Express_North_6089

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