Blood pressure question

[NHAero]

I read the thread from last year, very helpful.

A month ago I had a check-up and the Dr. says high BP, want to start you on meds. Numbers were 134/88. This was the first time (I'm 70) I ever heard anything about hbp from a Dr. and usually when a reading was taken it would be 120/80 or lower.

We have a bp gizmo at home so I started using that. Way lower numbers, systolic very uncommon >120. Average over the last 3 days (I leave the cuff on when at the desk, take numbers every 5-10 minutes 2-5 times) has been 113/76.

I brought the bp machine in to compare with manual number with a nurse, but she insisted on waiting 5 minutes between the machine and her manual measurement, so I don't feel it was a good calibration. Bp was high again. I took a machine reading before and after her manual measurement, and both machine readings were higher than hers (hers 124/88, machine 137/85 before, 132/92 after). So I don't think my machine is reading unusually low.

Finally - the last two days I have taken bp as soon as possible after riding. Yesterday after pushing hard for the last 5 miles (>140 bpm) after 10 minutes it was 108/69. Today 5 minutes after an easier ride it was 116/73, then 107/72 5 minutes later. I am wondering, does exercise open the pipes for more blood flow, so right afterwards there's less pressure drop before they return to normal? I kinda expected bp to be higher after exercise!

Besides not wanting to be taking drugs, esp. unnecessary ones, I'm also thinking about bp getting too low! My sister when she was younger occasionally fainted from low bp.

I ordered a second bp machine from Amazon, a model recommended by Wirecutter and on the approved AHA list. When it shows up I'll see if it reads differently from the machine we have.

Thanks for any insights!