View Full Version : Blood Pressure Monitoring
For anyone who's been diagnosed with high blood pressure - what times of day do you check it?
The Heart.org log that I found online says to check in the morning and late afternoon. But I find that my highest reading is at bedtime, so it makes sense to have that be my guideline for improvement. My dr. has not been helpful at all, just put me on meds without any guidance on goals or anything. With a low-carb diet I was able to get off of the meds, but now it's been creeping up since I stopped the meds and I'm trying to reduce it back down with exercise. Just trying to figure out how to gauge when I'm at a healthy number.
I have no advice on timing, but you might want to consider the role of electrolytes--especially if you've been drinking more fluids recently. Magnesium, particularly, is known to relax blood vessels and bring down blood pressure.
I've experimented with all different times of day, but in general I check in both the morning and evening. I also check in both arms, since sometimes the readings can be quite different.
I've been having some difficulties with my BP lately. It's been high for years, but for a long time the standard medication I was taking (Benecar) was working well. Then, a few months ago it spiked up and I was getting headaches and feeling fatigued. Probably mostly my own fault, since I'd gained back some weight I lost and had gotten very cavalier about my diet, especially when it came to salty foods.
I'm now on two medications--the Benicar and Cardizem--and the pressure's going down. But I've got religion. I've ramped up my exercise regimen and am adopting the DASH diet. The increased meds have produced some unpleasant side effects (swelling of the feet and lower legs), and I'm determined to do all I can to reduce the dosages, or, hopefully, eliminate at least one of the meds.
I had my magnesium level checked 10 days ago and it was fine - at the high end of the standard range. I guess I could take some supplements, I'll read up and see if too much causes any issues.
My morning numbers are almost always in the normal range, but in the afternoon they creep up to prehypertension (in the 120's), and at bedtime they have been in the high 130's and low 140's this past week. I've ramped up my exercise and last night I was at 124/80. From what I've read, diabetics begin to develop a high risk of complications at blood pressure over 120/70 and should take medication if it still exceeds 130/90 after 3 months of lifestyle changes. But I really wasn't given any advice on what targets I should be hitting throughout the day. Very odd. My diastolic pressure has always been pretty good, it's just my systolic that has been going up.
There are those who believe blood pressure naturally rises with age, and that isn't a problem (I think I read it in The Last Well Person). That makes sense to me, but I know that isn't the prevailing belief among the medical crowd.
I was thinking that a blood test wasn't the best test, for the reasons listed on page two of this article. Unless you're taking large amounts of supplemental Mg, or drugs that cause you to retain it, circulating Mg may suggest a deficiency.
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/magnesium-test#2
It just so happens that I was watching a YouTube video this very morning on this subject (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZYXBYAHhN8). I've seen a few vids from this guy before, and he seems to be serious, or at least not a quack.
He claims that blood tests aren't a particularly good way of measuring magnesium deficiency. I've decided to give supplemental Mg a try after seeing that my usual multivitamin (Centrum Silver) supplies a mere 10% of the RDA. I already take additional D, after finding via routine blood work that I was deficient in that, and it's helped (at least with the D deficiency).
My philosophy about supplements generally is that they usually don't cost much, are unlikely to do you harm, and may do some good, so I'm always willing to give them a try.
I take vitamin D too--as I'm a grotto dweller--and 400 mg of magnesium glycinate. Magnesium is one of the few supplements that I can rely on to act as advertised, and relax me.
For anyone who's been diagnosed with high blood pressure - what times of day do you check it?
The Heart.org log that I found online says to check in the morning and late afternoon. But I find that my highest reading is at bedtime, so it makes sense to have that be my guideline for improvement. My dr. has not been helpful at all, just put me on meds without any guidance on goals or anything. With a low-carb diet I was able to get off of the meds, but now it's been creeping up since I stopped the meds and I'm trying to reduce it back down with exercise. Just trying to figure out how to gauge when I'm at a healthy number.
The best times to check BP: in the morning before you get out of bed. Then in the evening after sitting down/relaxing for at least 30 minutes. If you're willing, add 2000mg of Omega 3 fish oil and 200 of CoQ10. (I did a ton of research years ago to arrive at this for him). With your exercise and diet, I bet you get it back down where you want it. (it worked for DH).
Thanks for the info on the magnesium, I'm going to try it out. I did start taking CoQ10 (300) and I tried fish oil but my stomach couldn't tolerate it even after trying two different brands. I'll try a bit of flaxseed oil in my coffee.
Turns out I wasn't taking my pressure properly, so after correcting for that and using the machine's 3 reading average function, my afternoon and nighttime readings have been in the 123-125 systolic range with diastolic under 80. If I can stay in that range I'll be very happy. My morning readings have been in the normal range.
I just picked up some magnesium and took the first pill last night. This morning I had my lowest BP reading so far: 112/71. I'm dubious of it taking effect that quickly - it's probably more likely that it's due to my daily exercise as I've been doing strength training every day. But it's still a good thing.
I read that it can cause stomach issues so I'm thinking of starting it off slowly, the bottle says to take 2 pills per day, I was thinking 1 pill for a few days and then increasing it.
For those of you taking the supplement - do you tolerate it well?
Wow - the magnesium really works! And it works fast. All of my numbers are now in the normal range, including the nighttime which was down to 117/68 last night. The lowest I'd gotten it with exercise was 123/73, and that only happened once. This morning I was at 109/70. My lowest morning reading before starting the magnesium was 117/72, and I had been in the 120's the 2 days before starting it, so this is a reduction of over 10 points for the morning number. And a drop of 8 points at night. I've been pretty shocked at the rapid improvement.
Thank you for the suggestion!!! :thankyou:
This is the one I'm taking because I already take calcium and vitamin D3, and it was readily available at Costco: https://www.costco.com/Nature-Made-Magnesium-Citrate-250-mg.,-180-Count.product.100416097.html
And it's much cheaper and safer than BP drugs! I usually take about 200mg every morning.
I don’t know why doctors don’t understand this but magnesium is something that is hard to test for because the levels in our blood can be normal but what’s important is what’s inside the cells and it could be low there. Sometimes it’s just not getting into the cell. If you get diarrhea from the magnesium you’re taking try another form and that may help. I had an irregular heartbeat once so bad that I went to the ER. Fortunately there was a very smart doc there who gave me magnesium IV and the irregular heartbeat went away for two weeks. Then later I told my regular doctor that and he said no magnesium doesn’t have anything to do with the heart. I don’t understand why doctors can’t appreciate The importance of minerals and vitamins. I’m glad it seems to be helping you! And definitely do have your vitamin D level checked if you can and even if it’s normal go ahead and take a supplement. What is considered a normal level turns out to be too low for some people.
Magnesium has everything to do with heart function.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-does-magnesium-do#role-in-heart-health
Keep taking your BP as it may continue to drop. If you sustain diastolic under 65, go back to dr. You may need to decrease or stop your prescription med. but please don't just stop it on your own.
I take vitamin D too--as I'm a grotto dweller--and 400 mg of magnesium glycinate. Magnesium is one of the few supplements that I can rely on to act as advertised, and relax me.
Hi Jane - I'm finishing my bottle of magnesium citrate and would like to try the glycinate. I haven't really noticed any relaxation effects from the citrate and I'd like to see how I do with something else. Can you share what brand you use?
I haven't really noticed any relaxation effects from the citrate and I'd like to see how I do with something else.
I don't have experience with other forms of magnesium as a supplement but I've been taking 400 mg of magnesium glycinate just before bedtime for months now and I can't say that I feel any more relaxed going to sleep or staying asleep. Perhaps it's different for different bodies, so I might try magnesium citrate next to see if that works any differently for me.
Thanks, Jane!
Steve - it could be true that different bodies respond to different forms of it. I just talked to a friend of mine who didn't get any results from the magnesium citrate but got immediate relaxation effects from the Nature Made magnesium oxide (both bought at Costco). The magnesium oxide pills are 400 mg. versus 250 mg. for the citrate, so that could have something to do with it too. He says the oxide gives him a big boost of energy too.
I'm going to experiment with both and see what works. I just wish I could find the glycinate locally, I hate buying from Amazon.
I just wish I could find the glycinate locally, I hate buying from Amazon.
I think I found mine at CVS. But a natural-foods store might have it, too, if you haven't tried one of those.
I think I found mine at CVS. But a natural-foods store might have it, too, if you haven't tried one of those.
Thanks Steve! I just assumed I wouldn't find it locally. :|( I will check out the local places.
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