Question About Mixed Blood Pressure Readings

Mine is often higher at the cancer center too but all agree that it’s likely due to the traffic getting there and my hurried walk through the large building, not anxiety. Perhaps, that’s a factor?

Mine is also always high at the cancer hospital, but Ive noticed that since the newer nurse took over she doesn't pull the cuff nearly as tight and its read as more normal in my usual ranges the last few appointments. When I had raging uncontrolled cancer my bp was completely normal and healthy and that was read at multiple doctor offices in the UK and US the few weeks before diagnosis. There were a few times last winter where I thought the cuff was going to explode off my arm in the tiny blood draw room, they had it on so tight. Of course it read like I was about to stroke out and they had to do it again.

I DO have travel hassle to get to hospital and its always about two hours after my one cup of coffee for the day, so I chalk the (now slight) increase up to the coffee and sometimes on the amount and time of waiting room annoyances!

Some machines are not properly calibrated and also, the cuff has to be the proper size. If it's too large, or just too old, it will often inflate way too tight to try to get the reading. ALSO, the machines often assume they're reading the same patient and they start at 20 over the last reading. So if the pt ahead of you had high bp, it will assume you're that pt and start the reading way high. There is a way to clear them and reset but often the assistants using those machines are not nurses and don't know how to do it.

Also in cardiologist offices their machines take 3 readings and average them - that's supposed to be the method used if you have issues with BP. Make sure your feet touch the ground, don't cross your legs and keep your arm relaxed but supported either by the arm rest or have your hand resting on your lap, not the arm dangling down.

I have a manual cuff at home so I can do it the old fashioned way lol. If you're concerned about the readings, I'd suggest going to your local drugstore at the same time of day once a week for a few weeks and recording that reading so you can show the drs what it is at other times.

I do have hypertension, under control with meds. When the cuff is super tight, I do get higher readings.

The nurse who usually does my vitals at the cancer center never inflates the cuff so much that it hurts. One time I got a male nurse who did, and sure enough, my pressure was higher. Same machine, same environment etc.

But that's not the only time I've noticed that tight cuff = higher reading.

All the suggestions in these replies are good ones. Feet flat on floor, no talking, also make sure you dont have a full bladder.

Getting a monitor and taking readings at home can give you either peace of mind OR some hard evidence to discuss with your doctor. Hopefully, the former.

My MO and chemo are either on the same floor or down a level. They each have to weigh me and take my bp.

If the cuff is too tight I’ll have a high reading. The cuff was so tight it was painful and I was panting. However they had to mark it in their chart.

Normally my weight and bp are very close, both from office to office and week to week.