I am signed up for a newsletter from the Mayo Clinic and the recommended procedure for taking blood pressure is three times. The first reading is discarded as it always runs high. The next two are averaged together and that is your blood pressure reading. I had never heard of this before. Just wonder if anyone has a doctor that does this.

Yes thats the most commonly recommended procedure.
My first reading is usually much higher (15-20pts higher sometimes) but not always.
Its also recommended you sit still and not talk and elevate and rest your left arm to heart level with the cuff on for at least five minutes before starting blood pressure readings, also wait over 30min after eating or exercising. I usually rest about 10min first myself.
If the first reading is significantly higher than usual, I throw that reading out, if its not high than I include it in the daily average.
Then I take two or three more readings and average those together.

At the doctor's office I've noticed many times they observe the first reading was high so then they ask you to rest for a moment and they take it again to be sure. If I put my mind into a restful state and breath slowly during the measurement at the doctor's office that helps.

Thanks. Having high blood pressure is new to me. After a car accident it became an issue. I have never had my pressure checked more than once during an office visit.

They say that true blood pressure is between the 2nd & 3rd reading, which is why it is recommended to throw out that first number (which is usually real high) and average out your 2nd & 3rd readings.
Breathe Easy!
Marguerite (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)