Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group

Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.

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tomorrowsdream 03/14/2012

I'm getting sick of going to the Dr. and they can't get any reading at all on my BP...not with the mechanical machine, not even with a stethoscope. They simply can't hear it. The last time they must have tried about 10 times. I can go to Walmart and use the machine there once and normally get the same reading of 110/60 the first time I take it.

It's really strange that I have to resort to Walmart simply because no Dr. or nurse can pick up my BP at all. They tell me it's because of the A-Fib, but I know others with A-fib whose BP registers.

Does anyone else have this problem. They check to make sure I have a pulse, and last time they did an echo and all is well. My heart is definitely beating:) and the results actually were great on the echo.

I'm just curious if anyone has trouble with doctors getting a reading.
Dee

deleted_user 03/14/2012

I've had that problem while in the hospital but no one has ever explained why. At my cardio office the staff will often get it wrong. When the doc comes in I tell him that the reading isn't correct. Then he takes it and proves me right.

deleted_user 03/14/2012

yep - I've had that problem for several years - just didn't know it until the AFib showed up! I don't understand it either, but you are not the only one with this problem......I can take my own and get a pretty accurate readying so I don't know why the docs can't.

deleted_user 03/14/2012

When I first a fibbed I went to the ER and they tried for a BP and I could see did not get one. Yet there I sat fine. They whisked me onto an EKG and got the proof that I was fibrillating. At least we got that. Eventually I believe they got a BP and then I converted.

Are you sure the Walmart machine is right? Stands to reason it may be defective.

Fibrillated beats do not make it strongly down to the extremities consistently and that is why no BP reading.

CLane 03/14/2012

I have had that happen to me at the doctors office a few times. Usually on the third try, they get a reading from me. It sometimes happens with my BP cuff at home. If my heartbeat is extremely irregular, it will not give me a reading.

deleted_user 03/14/2012

When in afib the digital BP monitors rarely are able to get a reading and if they do it is usually not accurate. Depending on the skill of the person they can usually get a manual one with the stethoscope. Sometimes I know they are way off and when the doctor does it himself it will be way different.

pacyetep 03/14/2012

I have an OMRON BP/HR Machine that always works. Once though, at the drugstore, before I knew I had afib (or before I was treated for rate control), I got a BP reading, but two dashes for heart rate, which I heard was common with afib.

I also have an OMRON portable ECG and you can see the heartbeats (of course) and it gives you a rate for each beat... 67,112,74,98,72,110, etc (88 average for 30 seconds). Funny. :-)

Never had the BP machine problem at home though.

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