Different cuff? Wrap lower or higher at gym/home? Sitting differently? Arm position?
So many factors. A story,
I wear contacts. Left eye felt bad, by the time I got the contact out, pain like an ice pick thru my iris. Didn't subside, drove myself to a local out-patient clinic. Waited and finally got to see a nurse. She could see my scarlet eye color and had the sympathy look as she read my blood pressure.
"Oh my!", she says and proceeds to ask me who my primary physician might be. I tell her I recently went on Medicare `cause I'm retired, don't have one having been on Kaiser for years. (Kaiser doesn't extend their coverage to my little 'burg.)
She wanted to ship me out as my blood pressure was through the roof. Was I on meds? Was I taking drugs? Do I have a history of...No, no, no are the answers.
They didn't want to send in someone with the little mirror slit until I said,
"I'm in pain, but I am an ex-athlete. At 9.5 out of 10, I function. At ten, I will start demanding some drops to ease this pain. I will be loud. So, since I feel like an ice pick is in my eye, these flickering florescent lights overhead usually affect me and you're cute, I think high blood pressure is expected, don't you think?"
Since I was calm, smiling and rational, they proceeded to investigate my evil eye. Nothing visible. Later negative follow-up with an ophthalmologist, led me to realize I have had migraines all my life. Kid has them. She knows her triggers. Since everyone always told me they felt like hurling and often did, I thought my head just was an ache. Except...I rarely throw up. Was a problem when I related symptoms before and after my appendix removal--at 52 years old. They kept telling me pre-and-post, "If something is wrong, we'll know because you will vomit." No, I didn't and it delayed treatment...twice.
Now I avoid reading detailed info on the laptop with a bright screen for 48 hours straight. Easy Rx.
70+ years on the planet and I am still figuring out this body. One of these days, I'll figure out what tree/plant causes an allergic reaction at what I'd term pre-spring. Still procrastinating on that one.
