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330 points wglb | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.206s | source
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geye1234 ◴[] No.41842047[source]
Quite a few people here report getting anxious even when taking their BP themselves:

https://www.innerhealthstudio.com/phobia-taking-blood-pressu...

I'm one of them. I bought a device with memory and covered the screen with a piece of card. Then I take BP for two weeks and ignore the first few days' readings. I seem to get used to it after a few days. This gets me readings that are very close to 120/80.

I've had anxiety about blood pressure ever since running for an appointment, while being on the first day of a new job when I was really amped up, and so (of course) had a dangerously high reading. I still remember the guy's eyes widening as he looked at the screen. Ever since then I've hated having BP taken and I can feel my BP and pulse increasing the moment I step into a doctor's office. Fortunately my doctor understands and doesn't try to push pills on me.

I wish there were some way of measuring BP without knowing it's being done. The act of measurement can greatly affect the result, which is counter-productive in several ways (not the least of which is un-needed anxiety).

York Cardiologist on Youtube is good on BP, and why apparently high BP should not automatically mean pills, although undoubtedly it sometimes should. (Usual disclaimer: this is not medical advice, ask your doctor about your specific situation.)

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1. geye1234 ◴[] No.41860246[source]
Replying to my own comment, but it looks like there's at least one device on the market that measures BP without the wearer knowing it's being done, the Aktiia Optical Blood Pressure Monitor.

Cost about $250-300. It's not available in the US right now officially, though it's cleared in several European countries. I don't know if it's legal to import. If it is, I may well do so.

Regrettably it has a cloud connection.