Blood pressure fear

[saintdee]

Hi all,

I went to have a cosmetic procedure done yesterday and they had to take my blood pressure. I got very anxious when there is anything to do with any kind of medical check no matter what it is. Anyway my BP was 153/93 and they said they will come back in 5 minutes once I had settled. But the moment I heard it wasn’t right on the first attempt I started panicking thinking somthing wrong. So the next time they did it was 171/94 and then 198/102 and they then said they can’t do my procedure. I went back to my hotel room after buying my own bp monitor machine. During the day I went from 170/98 to 153/88 to 145/92 and also was at 127/77. Is fluctuation in BP normal?

[Mindprison]

Blood pressure varies on a minute by minute basis. There is a condition known as White Coat Hypertension where your blood pressure will rise upon any indication that it is about to be checked. Anxiety will cause blood pressure to spike.

I recently had a 24hr monitor for dizziness reasons and most of my readings were above 150/90. However, the cardiologist advised my doctor that my readings fluctuated to a large degree and that it was most likely a mix between my GAD and worrying about what the results would be as when I was asleep, it was within normal range.

[bin tenn]

I tend to agree with Mindprison here. White coat syndrome/hypertension is definitely real, from what I've dealt with recently. My BP at my primary doc's office, even if it's just a routine med refill visit, has run about 145/95. At home, however, it is usually low 120s/high 70s. Every single time. Even within an hour before and/or after it's high at the doc.

I have no real tips to help keep it down when you go to a doc or similar setting. I'll feel perfectly calm at the doc, but I can feel my BP rise when they grab the cuff.

[saintdee]

Thank you both for your replies

[saddoge]

I am going through something like you, just it has been going on for a long time. I have been panicking and worrying a lot about my blood pressure for years, so i monitor it (try not to measure it 6-7 times daily, becuase then anxiety will raise it), but at home rested its always 110-130/60-80 , but a month ago i had tonsillectomy, and they measured my bp before, and i was so nervous and panicked that i had 197/90, they freaked out like hell, got some medicine, measured it 30 min later they got 144/85, so they did it. Eversince i got home i measure it daily, again normal like before. Yet i am very worried, as they told me that i should do something with it...