My hypertension was caused by an early life of debauchery - sex, drugs and rock’n’roll … 
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Wow, I bet it was worth it! 
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I thought so at the time … 
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And now, alas, you can only think about it😬
Out of interest, was it a single sex boarding school you went to? 
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Naughty! Reminds me of a line from one of my favourite songs….
“Non, je ne regrette rien!”
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It was a single-sex public school but not for boarders.
The single-sex girls grammar school was a couple of fields away - here are the girls:
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Another interesting thread trashed.
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I don’t check my blood pressure for health reasons so much as for practice for getting it down
I get white coat syndrome big time and it leads to them making a bit of a fuss in case it’s really that high
So at home, I take it and then practice ways to reduce it, with gentle breathing, relaxing and meditation and take it again
I can bring it down quite a lot like that so when the doctor etc take it and it’s high, I ask them to give me a few minutes, do the relaxation techniques I’ve practised and the second time they take it, it’s usually still high but down to acceptable
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I adopt a similar technique, similar to the advice given on this site:
which includes:
Before you measure your blood pressure
- Avoid things that can raise your blood pressure in the short term. Don’t measure your blood pressure within half an hour of eating, smoking, drinking caffeinated drinks such as coffee, or exercising. These can all raise your blood pressure temporarily. If you need to use the toilet, go before you measure your blood pressure.
- Wear loose-fitting clothes. Wear a short-sleeved t-shirt or something with sleeves you can push up easily, nothing tight. This is so that you can fit the cuff around your arm.
- Rest for five minutes before you take your reading. Sit down somewhere quiet, ideally at a desk or table. Have your back supported with your arm resting on a firm surface and your feet flat on the floor. Stay in this position while you take your blood pressure.
- Make sure your arm is supported and at the same level as your heart. Position yourself so that your arm is resting on a surface and is at the same height as your heart. Keep your arm and hand relaxed, not tensed.
- Make sure you are relaxed and comfortable. If you are anxious or uncomfortable, your blood pressure will rise temporarily.
Particularly relevant to me:
Keep still and quiet while you take your reading. Moving, chewing, talking and laughing can affect your reading. Make sure you don’t cross your legs, as this will raise your reading too.
“Chatting-up” an attractive nurse at the surgery/hospital sends my BP sky-high … 
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Don’t check mine myself, but have it regularly checked at the surgery, last week it was normal the nurse said. I am on BP pills though.
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Nope. No idea what my BP is nor what it should be.
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Many say there’s no such thing as high BP your body regulates your BP as needed. if you have a small clot your system will rise your BP to get the proper amount of blood flow to the area affected by the clot. Taking BP medication to lower your BP may be detrimental to your heath.
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No, provided I can’t feel it pumping in my temples, all is Ok!! 
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This is no joke, I once had a confrontal situation with a couple of smashed druggies, when walking away, I could feel a pounding pulse in my Kidney area, that was most disconcerting!!!
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Just showed this to my husband and he said “I wish.” His has recently been as high as 220.
Rose.
When I was an Alkie my one was always 170/185 before my meds, after my meds it came down to 155.
I stopped drinking 2 years ago and its was down to 135 before meds within 6 months .
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Well done!
My husband barely drinks. Tonight we are sharing a 330ml can of fruit cider. 1.3 units in the whole can! I shouldn’t think he drinks 2 units a week.
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My BP at the Doctors was 136 /86.
I was quite pleased with that .
Blood test results later in the week.
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I’m in the process of taking blood pressure for a week as part of an assessment and review of my regular prescription items, one of which is a daily blood pressure tablet. I suppose the average of all readings so far is about 170 over 83. A bit high maybe so I’ll see what the doctor or nurse says when I go in for a blood test.
One thing that can be bad for blood pressure is having strong opinions on a forum topic. I try to avoid that these days. 
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