Worries about blood pressure.

[Jsp]

We have a blood pressure monitor at home. Whenever I would test my blood pressure it would always be dangerously high, well above 130 diastolic and systolic at times I've had to have my mum hide it as I would always do it and get myself worked up about it. Everyone else's pressure was fine on the monitor too.

Whenever I go to the doctors, they always say that my blood pressure is fine and sometimes they even say it is "perfect".

This still worries me as I'm scared they've missed something out, or that if they done it later on in the day or something my blood pressure would be sky high :(.

Because of this, I now completely obsess over the amount of salt I eat in food. I have to check everything I eat and I've lost half a stone doing this. I was underweight as it is. I try to avoid medication that say that they could raise blood pressure, even stupid things like paracetamol.

I'm going to the doctor tomorrow as my anxiety is only getting worse, and I'm beginning to get panic attacks for no reason in particular. I'm hoping she will give me anti-depressants or something to help me :(

[saab]

Home blood pressure monitors are not always accurate, plus taking your blood pressure when you are in a state of anxiety or panic probably won't give a good reading anyway. It sounds like you are obsessing over it, when you don't really have anything to worry about.

If you had high blood pressure all the time it would surely have shown up at the doctors? Even if you do have it (which I really think you don't), high blood pressure responds well to diet changes and medication.

I think what you need to do is work on the anxiety. Get Claire Weekes 'Self Help for Your Nerves' book or 'The Worry Cure' by Dr Robert Leahy - both great books to help overcome anxiety and panic.

You are too young to be obsessing about health worries - work on your anxiety and enjoy your life. Let the health worries wait until you are older.

http://www.anxietynetwork.com/helpcope.html

[Jsp]

Yeah I know. It is reassuring that they didn't find it high at all, but I still worry myself over it a bit, making my anxiety and panic disorder worse.

I'm hoping the doctor will give me medication tomorrow as I feel like I can't go on like this while waiting for counselling. Just want to enjoy life like everyone else my age does. I keep meaning to buy that book but I keep forgetting! I've heard great things about it.

Thank you for your reply