Taking blood pressure question

[Guest guest]

I found the following post in another forum, and there were no

answers. I am having a similar problem with recording my BP

readings. Here is what the other person wrote:

Few weeks ago my doctor diagnosed me with high blood pressure.I now

monitor my blood pressure at home.

WHat I find interesting is when Im sitting at the dining room chair

and my arm is on the table at heart level my blood pressure is like

140/92 and if Im sitting on my sofa with my arm on the arm rest at

heart level it is like 130/74. I am a nervous person and I tense up

easily so sitting on my sofa is more relaxing than a hard chair.What

is perplexing that there is almost a 20 point difference in

diastolic. So,which place would be more accurate in taking my blood

pressure?

It's not as dramatic as the person above, but on the sofa, my

diastolic can be as much as 10-15 points lower. The arm height is

the same (I'm very careful about that). Perhaps I slouch more on

the sofa?... I don't know.... maybe that's it? Either way, I have

to know whether my sofa readings are no good because they are

artificially too low. Readings in a chair (even a comfy chair) are

generally significantly higher for me. After all, there is no sofa

in the doctor's office, and that's the standard, right?

How " comfortable " are you allowed to be. In other words, how much

do you have to " sit up straight " to get a real reading?

Any advice?

Thanks,

Mike