fear of taking blood pressure

[cathycrumble]

Please someone help me I am obbsessed!!!! And so unhappy!!!

Will I ever be relaxed taking my Blood pressure? I just can't relax I have just tried to take it at home and the lowest i got was 138/97 yet at my gp on tuesday it was ok she didn't tell me what it was. But I just want to beat this phobia I have developed. My life is ruined by it. I just don't know how to get it out of my head it is constantly with me. I feel so sorry for my family to see me as an empty shell. I just dont know what to do now :weep: I started amitriptyline 25mg yesterday to help me. they do make all your nose and throat dry. Please can anyone help me I am begging for advice. It's xmas soon and I cant look forward to it. It is like I know if i relax it will be fine but my way of thinking is telling me different. And I keep frightening myself. Does anyone know why I am doing this to myself?

Cathy xx

[nomorepanic]

Cathy

Why are you taking it at home when you know it is fine?

I think this is the habit you need to break to be honest.

Stop taking it, put the machine away and forget about it. That is the best advice I can give.

[cathycrumble]

I am crying while am am typing this as I have pinched one of my son's largers to help me relax. And you are right. I have just been on the phone to my auntie and she has said the same as you get rid of the BP machine NOW!! So I have decided I will and I will get this out of my head.

My gp says it is what i have been through I am just focusing on BP but last year I spilt from my husband of 34 years I had a car crash I was in hospital for a few days I was weeing blood thats when the nurse kept saying your bp is high but i was so scared it was no wander it was high. I made it that high the way I was. then to top it all I was sacked from my job last november I had worked there for 8 years and they sacked me because I had been off with deppression. but I should have changed my sick note to say that I had been hospitalised I was so depressed and shocked at the time I just didnt appeal. And also my 2 daughters have got their own places now so just me and my son and hes just been made redundent.

But that I can handle I just can't handle my bp phobia I really cant! And I just cant make sense of the way I have ended up.

Cathy xx

---------- Post added at 18:51 ---------- Previous post was at 18:42 ----------


Cathy

Why are you taking it at home when you know it is fine?

I think this is the habit you need to break to be honest.

Stop taking it, put the machine away and forget about it. That is the best advice I can give.

I have got to say Nicola I really do appriciate your advice as it is so practical it makes me giggle as I know what you say is right "GET RID OF THE BP MONITOR!!!!" Which I am going to do. I thank you as you do make me think.

Cathy xx

[Jaco45er]

I was addicted to taking my BP, sometimes 20 times a day !!! But once you understand the numbers you realise that there is a lot of hype over high BP.

Yes, 120/80 is optimum, and 140/90 to 160/100 is considered high (well phase 1 mild high). But recent research suggests that even up to 160/100 has very little risk to most people, as long as other factors like kidney/heart problems are not apparant.

And high BP is easy controlled via medication, but a GP will only suggest meds if he/she feels you are at risk, otherwise they may suggest some lifestyle changes (man I hate that phrase, lifestyle changes).

So, if you have not been given meds, you are fine, if you are given meds, then it will be all under control.

And yes, Nicola is right, get rid of that machine ;)

TC

Jaco

[nomorepanic]

Sorry if I appear harsh Cathy but I think sometimes you need me to be and make you see what I see and it does work sometimes lol.

Please just put it away for now and not do any readings at home

[countrygirl]

Cathy I have been in same place as you recently. Everytime I got it taken at Drs it was borderline high so Dr ( new one who did not know my and my ha) said take it at home for a few weeks with your own machine.

Strangely I was fine with this and after first week of taking it about twice a day and three times each time my bp was totally fine for rest of the 4 weeks. I got over my racing heart and terror and thought great I have cracked this. Went back to my usual GP who said there was no need for you to do this as with your anxiety we know that your bordeline high at surgery means its normal when calm and if you have a very high pulse ( mine can get to 140 at sight of bp machine) then your bp will be up as well but he said great it proved that when I was calm mine was perfect but a few weeks later I thought I would do it again and as soon as I looked at machine my heart rate went through the roof and my bp was up- this made me more nervous and over a few days I got worse and worse. One day I got so mad with myself and took it three times in a row and by third reading it was normal and when I told Dr he said that proves your don't have high bp as if youdid it would not go down as you calm down and to throw machine away as nicola says.

If nothing else it proves that my mind set had a huge influence on my bp reading!

[cathycrumble]

I was addicted to taking my BP, sometimes 20 times a day !!! But once you understand the numbers you realise that there is a lot of hype over high BP.

Yes, 120/80 is optimum, and 140/90 to 160/100 is considered high (well phase 1 mild high). But recent research suggests that even up to 160/100 has very little risk to most people, as long as other factors like kidney/heart problems are not apparant.

And high BP is easy controlled via medication, but a GP will only suggest meds if he/she feels you are at risk, otherwise they may suggest some lifestyle changes (man I hate that phrase, lifestyle changes).

So, if you have not been given meds, you are fine, if you are given meds, then it will be all under control.

And yes, Nicola is right, get rid of that machine ;)

TC

Jaco

Thanks Jaco your reply has made me feel a little calmer I am on one 5mg tablet aday called amlodopine and the reason I am on that when I went to hospital for 3 days with a water infection I was that petrified my bp was up as I kept worryoing about it so I asked for a pill to help and that is what the nurse give me and she said just take the course then when finished u dont need to get a repeat but when I got out I ased my gp to leave me on it and he did. that is how scared I am but reading what you have written there is too much hhype about bp so therefore I need to put it on the backburner as my last reading a couple of months ago at the gp was 128/80 but I just cant get it low at home the lowest I got the other day was 126/86 and today was 138/97 I do know the high number of 97 is because of my panic while taking it. I have got to stop now and belive what the doctors say. You have give me a lot of words of comfort and I am going to get out of this awful scary habit.

Can I ask how did you stop obssesing what did you do to stop.

Cathy xx

---------- Post added at 22:38 ---------- Previous post was at 22:34 ----------


Cathy I have been in same place as you recently. Everytime I got it taken at Drs it was borderline high so Dr ( new one who did not know my and my ha) said take it at home for a few weeks with your own machine.

Strangely I was fine with this and after first week of taking it about twice a day and three times each time my bp was totally fine for rest of the 4 weeks. I got over my racing heart and terror and thought great I have cracked this. Went back to my usual GP who said there was no need for you to do this as with your anxiety we know that your bordeline high at surgery means its normal when calm and if you have a very high pulse ( mine can get to 140 at sight of bp machine) then your bp will be up as well but he said great it proved that when I was calm mine was perfect but a few weeks later I thought I would do it again and as soon as I looked at machine my heart rate went through the roof and my bp was up- this made me more nervous and over a few days I got worse and worse. One day I got so mad with myself and took it three times in a row and by third reading it was normal and when I told Dr he said that proves your don't have high bp as if youdid it would not go down as you calm down and to throw machine away as nicola says.

If nothing else it proves that my mind set had a huge influence on my bp reading!

I am glad you got a normal reading at home but that is my trouble I can't I just panic panic panic. and then I become sooooo depressed. I just hope these new anidepressents work for me to calm down I have started Amitriptyline.

I feel as if I am just obsessed with myself lately and I hate it.

Cathy xx

[Jaco45er]

Cathy

I have seen 189/110 (admittedly during a panic attack) and even now my Bp hovers from 135/84 to 157/97. This is not an issue. Yes, 120/80 is ideal but this is what we would expect to see in a younger person (I am no medic btw, only what I have read and what I have been told by health professionals).

Unless your BP is through the roof constantly, that is, constantly above 160/100 24/7, then there is no need to panic. High BP takes years to do damage, and the fact that you are tuned into it, means you can keep a CASUAL ;) eye on it, and pop along to your GP every 6 months or so just to monitor (again, talk to your Gp :)).

As for me getting over obsessing about BP, I struggled with anxiety, mainly health anxiety and mild depression for many years, usually worrying about my heart, cancer, high BP. But in recent years, after trying many treatments (talking, meds etc) I found that a copy of a Claire Weekes book and some regular exercise made the anxiety dwindle, to the point where I can count bad days in a year now on one hand (I only popped back to do the quiz and read some posts).

Honestly though, trust me, your BP numbers are no great shakes, keep in touch with your GP, but they won't be alarmed by those BP figures. The guidlines for Gp's are, when the Bp is constantly above 160/100, then meds are advised, below this, lifestyle changes (that damn phrase again grrr) are recommended.

TC

Jaco

[cathycrumble]

Thanks Jaco I am glad you popped back for the quiz lol. I feel really bad this morning as my habit is fear of BP so I have to try and see the right point of view and get it in my mind. I have claire weeks books and she has helped me when I was younger I had a social phobia and her book cured me. I was 22 then. lol. I am 58 now and the dreaded anxiety has come back. I doknow that when relaxed my BP is ok so I have to try my best to keep my positive thoughts I am getting rid of my BP machine today and just keep with my nurse or gp. and hope my nerves become less and less sensidised.

Thank you Jaco for your reasuring words I will keep reading them so that mind can not wander to the negetive.

Cathy xx

[Jaco45er]

Cathy remember, the issue is not high BP, you are fine, the issue is faulty thinking ;).

Concentrate on rectifying the faulty thinking, and you will overcome your fears.

Good luck,

Jaco

[ronski]

Cathy, just throw the machine in the dustbin, it's just not worth the hassle is it. Blood pressure machines allow people to take responsibility for their health and get medical advice if they are concerned.
In your case it is doing the opposite so think logically and chuck it out. Taking blood pressure during adrenaline release is not accurate anyway so your readings mean nothing.

[cathycrumble]

Cathy remember, the issue is not high BP, you are fine, the issue is faulty thinking ;).

Concentrate on rectifying the faulty thinking, and you will overcome your fears.

Good luck,

Jaco


Haha I know this but putting it in writing as you have done makes me realize how right you are and I must follow claire weeks advise do not be bluffed by a thought. I will start tomorrow and rectifiy my faulty thinking.

Thanks Jaco

Cathy xx

---------- Post added 02-12-11 at 00:05 ---------- Previous post was 01-12-11 at 23:56 ----------


Cathy, just throw the machine in the dustbin, it's just not worth the hassle is it. Blood pressure machines allow people to take responsibility for their health and get medical advice if they are concerned.
In your case it is doing the opposite so think logically and chuck it out. Taking blood pressure during adrenaline release is not accurate anyway so your readings mean nothing.

It is so strange but I know this but part of my brain wins and trys to make me believe it is not and I have a bp problem when I know I havn't and then I become obsessed. If you could have seen my 2 daughters tonight one was crying and neally having a panic attack over the way this has changed me from happy go lucky mum to this empty worring shell I curse the nurse who told me my bp was up I was happy until my car crash but you all have given me good advise and i have got rid of the bloody bp machine and i have got to change my thought patten and I know that if i am giving off adrealine which I do when taking it my god it is bound to go up. I must learn to calm down. Again you are a god send with your advice and i thank you

Cathy xx

[Jaco45er]

Haha I know this but putting it in writing as you have done makes me realize how right you are and I must follow claire weeks advise do not be bluffed by a thought. I will start tomorrow and rectifiy my faulty thinking.

Thanks Jaco

Cathy xx



I must spend too much time on Facebook, Cathy, I was looking for the "like" button :)

TC

Jaco

[cathycrumble]

Haha bit like me

Cathy xx

[cathycrumble]

Was wandering how I can pass through my negative thought. The thing that is keeping me ill/sensitised is my brain thinks of going to have my blood pressure taken and I cant stop the thought from coming and when it comes my whole body goes into panic and I cant get past the nasty scary thought. What do I do to pass through this?

Do you think these thoughts are good ie "Just leave it to the nurse and gps to worry if my BP goes up you don't get nervous as they are there to help you let them worry about it. Has anyone got any good thoughts I can use to stop me from giving off adrenilin while having it done? I need to change my thoughts. I don't have to go until next august yet I am worring now what the hell is wrong with me? I do know I have had a lot to deal with so I do feel I am anxious about most things at the moment.

Cathy xx

[ronski]

Cathy you cannot stop your negative thought patterns at this present time. Changing the way you think and how your body responds needs a change in neural pathways and that takes time, usually around 3 months.
The way forward is to recognise your negative thoughts, in other words face them head on. Then without reproach say stop, stop ,stop take a deep breath, say my blood pressure is fine and I must not give it a second thought.
You may have to do this 40 to 50 times a day or even more but after a extended period of time your neural pathways will change and you will not get the emotional response which at the moment is panic.
I feel you are being to strict on yourself. Be kind to yourself and immerse yourself in something interesting that you will really enjoy.

[cathycrumble]

Thanks ron for your reply and I will put that into practice.

Cathy xx