white coat syndrome

[ewood79]

Hi Folks,

I hope everyone is well and got through christmas ok..... i know in the UK you guys have been freezing cold etc and i hope your all ok!

Went to the doctor before for Laryngitis etc, run down and all that jazz......

Got my blood pressure checked when i was there on those fancy machines and it was 150/100.......... checked it again and it was the same.... by this time id gotten a rush of Anxiety and i was like OH NO!!!!!!!!

So they sent me into the nurses room and ond over 15 minutes i gave back 3 normal readings!!!! This was the old method of taking blood pressure etc..... i think ill get them to do it that way from now on.... 135 over 75 it was..... how weird!

Pheewwww thank the lord but im still now a little worried about it!!!!!

For anyone that likes warm weather.... here in Adelaide its going to be 43 new years eve!!!!!

[macc noodle]

I don't even get as far as the doctor's surgery without going into a tailspin.

I recently had an appointment at the hospital for a scan and I threw a complete wobbler and could not put the gown on prior to the exam - I ended up not having the scan because I was just so worked up, verging on hysterical.

I do realise that for a grown woman to behave in such a way would be viewed by people as downright silly and ridiculour but I have an abject fear of doctors and hospitals which was created when, at 6 years old, I was rushed directly into theatre for an emergency op. and that experience remains with me, crystal clear and very frightening, to this day (and I am 50).

White coat syndrome is no joke and I sympathise with you - hey at least you got normal readings and if you are really really worried you could always buy a decent home bp machine and keep readings done in the comfort of your own home as a record of how normal it is!

Take care:D

[ewood79]

Thanks for your reply.... i can understand how you must feel..... hang in there!!! Nah ill pass on the blood pressure machine.... id be checking it waaaayyyyy to much lol

[spiral]

My blood pressure is always high at the doctors, and when i joined the gym i had to get permission from the doctor as they take your bp when you request to join and mine was too high to be allowed to use the gym!

i have got a home monitor and i always get normal readings as home so it's just the stress of having someone else taking it. I had to get a home one as the doctor always said my reading was too high and made me more worried...

[pd]

Ha I know what you mean. Mine always comes out high when measured in a medical situation.

I lived with a med student last year, and he measured mine at home a couple of times, it came out normal.

I'm slightly envious of the 43 degrees, I'm getting sick of looking at snow!

[spiral]

Snow has all melted here now - everything is soggy now though :-(