Blood Pressure anxiety

[Eltwins]

Hi
I have always suffered with "white coat syndrome" when having my BP read at doctors or hospital. A week ago, my doctor read it for the first time in about a year ( I had gone to docs about something else). It was high 145/101. He told me to read it at home and give them some readings to check. Trouble is I get REALLY anxious even at home now when taking BP and the readings are all high. Around 134/101 or 130/96. I really relaxed myself at the weekend and it went to 130/92 and i felt a bit better, although bottom number still high.
I am going for a brisk walk each day, taking Q10, Omega 3, magnesium and garlic each day. I have cut out sugar and processed food, have never added salt to any food.
It has been 5 days since docs visit and my blood pressure is still high this morning 130/99. I don't read it every day, but I get so anxious when i do take it. As soon as that cuff inflates, its all i can think about.
I am 50 year old female, also going through menopause and a very stressful self-employed job! Oh and a chequered history of anxiety and health anxiety!!
What do I do? Thanks for any advice.

[LF87]

Hi,
I had a panic about my BP recently too. Same as you, at the clinic it was sky high. The nurse wouldn't even give me my contraceptive pill it was so high! So I went to the docs about it and she did it for me. First reading was high, then for the second she told me to uncross my legs and relax. She said to breathe in deeply through my nose and slowly out through my mouth while she did the second reading. It worked and gave a normal BP. You're probably subconsciously shallow breathing when you're doing the readings. Hope that helps a bit x

[Eltwins]

Unfortunately, I did some deep breathing this morning after a high reading, took it again 10 minutes later and it was even higher!

[Sparky16]

Oh goodness, I am going through the same thing right now! We even have similar numbers. What my nurse practitioner did was have me come in a few days later just to have my blood pressure taken. Unfortunately it was after a very stressful day at work, so the reading was even higher. My doctor thinks it's stress, but my nurse practitioner said that even if this is temporary, it's still best if I take blood pressure medicine for now. Basically she said if that was how my blood pressure was reacting when I'm stressed, and I'm stressed often right now, they needed to treat it. I've started on a medication and my blood pressure has improved to almost normal levels. I have a follow up appointment this week to see what we do next.

So for me the bottom line was I had to take medication. I still have to work on relaxing when I take my blood pressure, though, since I still get anxious about it. I listen to relaxation videos on YouTube and that sort of thing. I'm less anxious about it now that I've been able to get some better readings.

[Fishmanpa]

From my post in your other thread...


I can tell you that the anxious state you're in due to self checking is contributing to your higher readings.. sort of a self inflicted "White Coat Syndrome".

I have to check mine (doctors orders) and it's important to sit and relax for at least ten minutes prior and then take three readings several minutes apart and average the three or in your case, take the lowest number. BP can change minute to minute so one high one followed by a lower one is perfectly normal. Also, try doing this in the evenings. Mornings are a time we're just getting going after lying in bed all night so your BP is bound to be a little higher after jumping out of bed and getting going.

Positive thoughts

[countrygirl]

Well I win the award for the worlds worst white coat syndrome:yesyes: Thankfully I had a Dr who told me to buy my own machine and take my bp 3 times a day for 6 weeks. He said the first two weeks the readings would be high then borderline and then I would lose my fear of the machine and I would get my true bp. Sure enough this is exactly what happened. Once I stopped being frightened of the machine my bp is actually on the low side! I took the readings to him and he recorded them and told me to do this 2 or 3 times a year but only for 3-4 weeks at a time.

When I first start doing the readings again after a break sure enough one look at the machine and my pulse races etc and my readings for the first day are bordeline but very quickly it goes back to on the low side.

IF I ever go to a medical setting I take my last lot of bp readings at home with me to show that relaxed I have lowish bp and although they might insist on taking my bp they can ignore what it says as I have proof that this is pure white coat syndrome.

I have been doing this for 5 years now and my bp is still very good once I lose the fear.

[roseanxiety]

I have the same problem right now.Countrygirl, it sounds like I should do what you're doing. I can feel myself get anxious when I get near the machine. But if I take my BP and then sit there a minute and take it again, it always goes down on the second take. Should I average the 2 readings to get my true BP or assume the second one is my true BP? I can't tell if I have high BP because I am so anxious about it!!!