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[menomope]

Hi everyone. Hoping someone can offer advice
So I need a HRT review apparently. I have been told by GP surgery that I need to ring the surgery on a morning with my height and weight and blood pressure and then 'Lorraine' ( practice nurse and  obviously the HRT 'gatekeeper') will ring me back for the review. I have never had one of these reviews before and usually see GP but assume this is a covid thing. Also I am new to this surgery so know no one there and dont know their systems. I am 58 and been on HRT for two years for variety of symptoms and bones. Im on Evorel Conti and want to stay on as long as I posssibly can. i dont want to be tripped up by Lorraine!
So need advice on following-
Can anyone recommend which blood pressure monitor I should buy as I dont have one?
What kind of questions will Lorraine ask me?
Is this a tick boxy thing?
thanks in advance xxx

[Taz2]

I have a review once a year for all medications. It's usually just a weight and blood pressure check and just to check how you are and whether you are happy with your current prescription. Your GP may suggest that you begin to consider coming off HRT due to the dreaded age of 60 coming up but this is outdated advice and as long as you are otherwise healthy there is no reason to come off.

If you go onto the blood pressure UK site they list the approved monitors.

Good luck.   

Taz x

[Taz2]

I've just checked my monitor. It's an Omron M3. It's the same one used by my GP in the consulting room so was recommended by her. I've just realised I need to get it recalibrated!

Taz x

[menomope]

thanks Taz- yes you are right I am have an annual review for asthma meds just not had one for hrt and in non covid times it was never over the phone.
Now bought my own monitor- never needed one before but if I get to stay on HRT then worth it.
side effect from covid now you have to buy your own!! Big assumption there that everyone can afford to
 still 2 years to go till 60 so not going to entertain that discussion yet lol.
Right I think I am almost ready for Lorraine- let battle commence!

[PeriWhat?!]

I'm at a different stage to you but had my first HRT review with a practice nurse over the phone.

Maybe I got lucky, but the nurse seemed a lot more knowledgeable about HRT and peri/menopause than any of the GPs I've seen so far.

She took her time, asked loads of careful questions about the full range of symptoms. She didn't just ask about symptoms I'd mentioned before, she asked about everything, which I thought was really good. The only thing with phone call appointments like this is you don't always have privacy when they call you - or even any control over when they call you! - and some of the questions are very personal, eg info about bleeds, vaginal dryness, sex life etc!

I had to go sit in the car to be able to talk uninterrupted by my kids.

Anyway, then she recommended my next steps and basically just needed the GP to sign off my new prescription. On balance, I was happier with her assessment than the GP's previously.

I wouldn't have been able to provide weight or blood pressure info if I'd been asked, but I know some pharmacies will now do this for you without an appointment, so it might be worth trying that before you spend money on a blood pressure monitor. Especially if it's only a one-off?

[PeriWhat?!]

Sorry, just seen that you've bought your monitor, so ignore my bit about the pharmacy! Unless you need to go there to get weighed.

[Emma]

For anyone who doesn't have a blood pressure monitor - you may also get one on loan from your GP for a week or ten days. They should also provide a printout to record your daily results.

[menomope]

Thanks everyone for your replies.
My GP surgery said that they dont have one currently I can borrow due to covid and having to quarantine it etc.
I just bought one as apparently Nurse lorraine wont speak to me without numbers!! Knowing that if I am on HRT patches my BP is not so much of an issue it makes me think Lorraine might not be up to date with latest advice and guidance but we will see. PeriWhat?! - yea I think you got lucky!

[Taz2]

Our surgery has now re-opened the blood pressure and weighing machines in the waiting area. I wish that it was the same everywhere!

Why is blood pressure not an issue on patch HRT? I didn't know this. I know there is less risk of blood clots.

Taz x

[menomope]

Hi Taz
Yes I think they have one in our surgery but I dont fancy using it after I have raced in there and I dont think they would appreciate me sitting still  in their waiting room for 15 mins doing deep breathing exercises before I used it lol. I suffer from white coat syndrome so need to be calm before a BP reading. I dont actually have high blood pressure.

Here is the info I saw re BP and HRT patches- this is from bloodpressureuk

''There has been a lot of confusion around HRT and heart health and some women are needlessly advised to stop taking HRT if they have high blood pressure. In fact, estrogen prescribed as a patch, gel or spray allows your blood vessels to widen, so it does not raise your blood pressure and can actually work to lower it''

[Taz2]

That's encouraging! It's a small study but hopeful for high blood pressure sufferers. I wonder if they'll change the advice on the patient information leaflets?

Taz x

[Grheliz1]

I much prefer taking my blood pressure at home when I’m more relaxed. I always insist on giving them my home readings. When I went to have my mirena fitted they wanted to take it just before the procedure. I said no and showed them my home reading.

I can imagine how high it would have been taken just before I had the coil fitted and that reading would have been on my records causing issues.

A home BP is really useful. I don’t think ours was very expensive, though of course that’s all relative.

[sheila99]

When I had my review they just checked my blood pressure. I'm surprised they expected you to buy your own monitor though. Haven't seen the gp since covid but I've seen the OOH nurse who took it herself (they seem to think nurses are more expendable than gps).

[menomope]

Thanks all.
I have now bought a BP monitor and will from now on provide readings after I have taken it at home. With covid it is phone call only appointments at our surgery. Although they do smear tests and presumably other things too but I have not needed these. I have never met any GP or nurse since covid as we moved here just before the first lockdown.

Grheliz1- You are right about BP readings being taken just before a procedure being wrongly high.
 I will try your approach from now on and provide my own readings. Thank you.

sheila99- I was surprised too. Firstly about the assumption that I had one already ( do most people really have their own? I did not know this) and secondly that I could just pop out and get one. She even told me to go to a certain pharmacy to get one.
We are happy to buy one and it may help me in future to provide my own readings but I do wonder about the many families who cant afford the extra cost.

Taz- yes it is good news and hopefully more studies might follow and have similar findings. I do find GP's dont have the most up to date info re the menopause. This is often commented on by us.If they changed the patient info leaflet that would be very helpful indeed

[Tinkerbell]

Interesting about Estrogen and high BP, i had to submitt BP readings recently for HRT/hypertensive review and they have gone down, i thought it was because i have lost a few pounds and was doing more exercise.

Our surgery asked me to purchase a BP monitor, although i have had an Omron one for several years and replace it every 3 years.

I have HRT review by phone tomorrow, i am 58 and as it is a different GP to the one i normally speak to i am worried in case he says i need to think of stopping it.