Scared of going to the dr/blood pressure

[biggerthanmybody]

I just posted a kind of intro in the panic section of the forum. I need to go in to the dr for an appointment so I can get back on my Zoloft for my panic attacks (I've been off of it for a couple of years, but have decided I have to go back on it due to the panic attacks). However ... going to the dr is one of my biggest fears and always gives me anxiety attacks so I feel like I can't get up the strength to go to the dr and get the medicine that will take my panic attacks away. It's like a catch-22!

I didn't used to be afraid of the dr until I had pre-eclampsia with my last pregnancy 5 years ago. Ever since then, I've been obsessed with my blood pressure and have a panic attack every time they check my blood pressure at the dr. At home, my BP is always great and low (of course except when I'm in the midst of a panic attack). However, I get into the dr's office, start panicking when it's time to check it, and of course it's through the roof. Just thinking about going into the dr's office gets me all worked up. It's so crazy because at home I have nice, low BP so I don't know WHY I'm so anxious about getting it checked at the dr when the anxiety of course raises it. Does anyone else struggle with this and how can you get over it/deal with it??? I want to go to the dr and get on the meds to relieve my panic attacks but the thought of going to the dr just makes me panic. :(

[pinky260]

I have the exact same thing. Had very severe pre eclampsia 10 years ago with my eldest & spent 5 weeks in hospital since then if I have my bp taken at the Drs I have a panic & it's really high & they want to give me tablets to bring it down but it's normal at home.

[biggerthanmybody]

I have the exact same thing. Had very severe pre eclampsia 10 years ago with my eldest & spent 5 weeks in hospital since then if I have my bp taken at the Drs I have a panic & it's really high & they want to give me tablets to bring it down but it's normal at home.

Wow, I feel so much better that I'm not the only person that has had that happen. I went through the same exact thing - severe pre-e, hospital, then induction of labor because it got too bad. At home (unless I'm having a panic attack) my bp is usually like 110/75 or even lower if I'm really relaxed. At the dr as soon as they call me to do my vitals I start panicking and then it'll be like 140/95 when they check it or sometimes higher. I don't know why I do this to myself. If I just stayed calm and relaxed and didn't have a panic attack my BP check would be fine. :'(

Ever since that horrible anxiety hell of having pre-e it's like my body sees the dr's BP cuff and goes into fight or flight mode. :(

[pinky260]

I wish I could say just don't panic when you have it taken but I know myself that doesn't work at all. I went to a& e recently for something totally unrelated & my bp & heart rate were so high they rushed me to a room & did an ecg! That was embarrassing but I can't help it as soon as i see that machine I start panicking.

If ever you need a chat feel free to pm me x

[Hypo]

I am worried about this.

I got a letter saying I need my bp checked, even though mine has always been great.

I am too scared to go incase I panic and it is high and then I end up worrying about heart disease and trigger off my anxiety.

Usually it is checked at random appointment so I don't have time to work myself up, but making an appointment to get it checked is worrying me and as I said, mine has always been perfect in the past.

[biggerthanmybody]

I wish I could say just don't panic when you have it taken but I know myself that doesn't work at all. I went to a& e recently for something totally unrelated & my bp & heart rate were so high they rushed me to a room & did an ecg! That was embarrassing but I can't help it as soon as i see that machine I start panicking.

If ever you need a chat feel free to pm me x

I know exactly what you mean. Every time I'm forced to go to the dr I try to tell myself to stay calm and relaxed but as you know it just doesn't work like that. My body goes off into fight or flight mode even if in my brain I'm saying "I'm calm and relaxed, there's nothing wrong with me, I'm fine". I just don't know what to do. The funny thing is, even when it reads high at the dr. they've never been really alarmed by it or anything. Once a couple years ago I let the nurse know I was really anxious when it came back high (like 135/92) and he just laughed and said "I can see that!", then later on when they checked it again it was completely normal, after I'd relaxed. A different time the nurse checked it several times and then tried a different cuff and then it was in the normal range because by then my initial panic had subsided. But the last two times I went it was 130s/80s and they didn't even say anything about it. So I don't even know why I'm so worried - the "worst" thing they could do if it was high would be to run some tests (which I'm sure would all come back normal) or re-check it, or suggest BP meds, at which point I could tell them it's just white coat hypertension. We get ourselves so worked up over basically nothing, but just knowing that doesn't make it go away unfortunately! :( I really need to get back on my meds because I'm in agony with the panic attacks, so I just have to force myself to go to the dr somehow. It doesn't help that last time I went in to the dr (a year ago) they found a lump in my breast and until all the tests came back I was convinced I had terminal breast cancer, lol (it was normal, turned out nothing was wrong). Thank you so much. I may take you up on the PM!

---------- Post added at 15:55 ---------- Previous post was at 15:50 ----------


I am worried about this.

I got a letter saying I need my bp checked, even though mine has always been great.

I am too scared to go incase I panic and it is high and then I end up worrying about heart disease and trigger off my anxiety.

Usually it is checked at random appointment so I don't have time to work myself up, but making an appointment to get it checked is worrying me and as I said, mine has always been perfect in the past.
I completely understand. In normal times my BP is great, usually 110/75 or less. When I had the pre-eclampsia those years ago, it was running around 200/110 for weeks at a time until I gave birth (funny - I freak out about my BP so much now, but back then I managed to survive with no strokes or heart attacks and as far as I can tell completely unscathed physically, mentally another story lol!). But now as soon as it's time to check the BP my body immediately goes into panic attack mode and it shoots up. It's gotten to where I avoid going to the dr at all costs until absolutely necessary and knowing I have to go in puts me in a state of dread and anxiety, so by the time I get there I'm already completely worked up. Not sure how to fix it, but at least we can commiserate. I feel better knowing that I'm not the only one.

[Rob1977]

I get this as well. The nurse walks me into the examining riom and takes BP right away. Some of the nurses know me well and will take it and smile and say the doctor will see you soon. Some, however, will make comments like, "Wow, what is going on with your blood pressure?" To someone with health anxiety, that is not the right thing to say. Often they will then put me a blood pressure machine that takes every 30 seconds over a period of 8 minutes. Then it always shows it is back to normal. But I still fear that initial reaction from the nurse.

[biggerthanmybody]

I get this as well. The nurse walks me into the examining riom and takes BP right away. Some of the nurses know me well and will take it and smile and say the doctor will see you soon. Some, however, will make comments like, "Wow, what is going on with your blood pressure?" To someone with health anxiety, that is not the right thing to say. Often they will then put me a blood pressure machine that takes every 30 seconds over a period of 8 minutes. Then it always shows it is back to normal. But I still fear that initial reaction from the nurse.

Yes!!! It's the reaction from the nurse I fear most. They usually don't even say anything, but I've had a few kind of "freak out" over it and take it over and over until I get a better reading - which definitely doesn't help my nerves at all. People with health anxiety need reassurance and any comments like that just increase the anxiety.