High blood pressure

[bashley]

Hi, I have suffered from health anxiety for years. Had lots of tests as I am worried about having heart problems, my gp says I have had every test possible over the years and its all anxiety. Been to the doctor twice in the last couple of months and one doctor said bp and pulse was fine and gave me diazapam for panic attacks and the other gp said i'm constantly anxious. I cried asking for her to listen to my heart and take my bp and she said no as its all anxiety and it will add to my anxiety. She did take my pulse and said its normal. But yesterday I went to see a nurse for a itchy rash on my leg and she wanted to take my bp, i felt really worried and tried to talk as that sometimes takes my mind of it but she told me to stop talking, as it tightend i could feel it pulsating and then she said your bp is a little high! Now i'm petrified that something is wrong with my heart, my husband said just put it out of your mind but i can't. I'm so scared that my doctors are putting all my symtoms down to anxiety but instead they are missing that something seriously is wrong. My gp showed me on her screen the results from my heart echo that i had done 2 years ago, and said this is the best test and shows that my heart is fine. But i am so scared after yesterday. I have always hated having my bp done 😢

[Beckybecks]

I've always hated having my BP taken. Just the fear of the result is enough to shoot it up sky high. So I can sympathise with you.

After 3 visits to the Dr where my anxiety pushed my BP up, I was routinely put on BP medication. Only to discover years later that I'd never needed it in the first place!

A Dr advised that I monitor my BP at home twice a day only, to see for myself. Turns out it was normal. Now I always ask for the Dr or nurse to take my BP three times. They understand because this happens to a lot of people.

Your BP changes all the time and with anxiety this happens often.

If you've had all the tests you really should trust that your health is fine and stop worrying about it. From past experience I know how anxiety can cause all sorts of symptoms.

What you really need to do is address your anxiety. If you could sort that problem out you would find that you feel so much better. The mind is strange and powerful. If you think you have a certain ailment, it can give you plenty of symptoms to make you believe you do have it.