Panicking over my high blood pressure!

[bin tenn]

I understand! I still get anxious even when I check it myself (it's an automatic cuff)! I usually have to put the cuff on my arm, then distract myself for a few minutes first. I'll read an article on my phone, browse the internet, etc, then I'll hit the start button and continue reading until it's done. If I watch the number increase, that also causes anxiety because it usually goes up to 170-200 before it begins the actual reading. And just seeing that number makes me anxious. Haha.

[Mindprison]

I recently had a 24 hour blood pressure monitor done and while there were a few points throughout the day where I spiked rather high, this is normal. When I went to sleep, my blood pressure was absolutely fine.

The measurement BEFORE I got the 24 hour monitor? 180/110

The one after? 210/110

White coat syndrome at it's finest! You've nothing to worry about!

[Moso13]

I am having the same issue right now. And having it this young is scaring me. I have my follow up appointment tomorrow and it was gone down a little bit, but not all the way back down to normal. I understand how you feel. Im probably going to have to go on BP medication :/

[MyNameIsTerry]

How many times do you see the panic caused by having tests and waiting for results on here? Is there a number in the world of mathematics large enough to calculate it?

Whether it's the setting or the test itself, approach it as an anxiety issue and see if the results change when you get a handle on the anxiety you are feeling. So, use exercises that bring it down (as well as habituate to the test i.e. work up to it with such as sitting with the cuff on for so long as anxiety will fade) which is what nurses tell anyone to do having BP tests when they get a high reading regardless of anxiety (and all the other stuff nurses do in the testing e.g. sit upright, arm loose & supported, no crossing of legs or feet, etc).

[Howanxious]

I recently had a 24 hour blood pressure monitor done and while there were a few points throughout the day where I spiked rather high, this is normal. When I went to sleep, my blood pressure was absolutely fine.

The measurement BEFORE I got the 24 hour monitor? 180/110

The one after? 210/110

White coat syndrome at it's finest! You've nothing to worry about!

I hope so! I'm strugling very hard with this! How the test was? It felt umcomfortable during these 24hr? Maybe I will ask for the test just to calm down my anxiety

I am having the same issue right now. And having it this young is scaring me. I have my follow up appointment tomorrow and it was gone down a little bit, but not all the way back down to normal. I understand how you feel. Im probably going to have to go on BP medication :/

Your doctor surely will put you on the 24hr test before prescribing any medication! I know that it's so hard, but we are young and hypertension should not be happening to us, so let's believe that we're okay and trust in our doctors.

How many times do you see the panic caused by having tests and waiting for results on here? Is there a number in the world of mathematics large enough to calculate it?

Whether it's the setting or the test itself, approach it as an anxiety issue and see if the results change when you get a handle on the anxiety you are feeling. So, use exercises that bring it down (as well as habituate to the test i.e. work up to it with such as sitting with the cuff on for so long as anxiety will fade) which is what nurses tell anyone to do having BP tests when they get a high reading regardless of anxiety (and all the other stuff nurses do in the testing e.g. sit upright, arm loose & supported, no crossing of legs or feet, etc).

Yes, i'm already working on stopping fearing the cuff. I think I'm progressing veeeery slowly, but the "almost normal" readings are there sometimes after a couple of checkings. In four days I have my next appointment with the doctor so I have to await patiently the whole week

[Moso13]

What is the 24 hour test? I dont know if they will have me do that, no one has mentioned it.

[MyNameIsTerry]

If you are getting normal readings then you don't have the elevated baselines of someone like me with Hypertension who need it forcing down with things like meds, lifestyle changes, etc. I could bring mine down for testing but they were always elevated regardless.

The 24hr monitor isn't exactly comfortable. If you are having issues with a normal BP check then I expect you will find that hard going but you can adjust to it and clearly you are already getting success so you can do so with this too if your doctor required that test (let them decide, these monitors can be in short supply, I had to wait weeks for mine). What I found with mine was when I was out walking/shopping it didn't half squeeze much harder than when resting! It's an every 30 minute reading and it will retake them if they seem invalid (most of mine when out walking were retaken) and at night (between certain hours) it changes to every hour.

They aren't exactly unpleasant but if you are fearing tests already then naturally having a test throughout the day is going to present you will some challenges to get over.

---------- Post added at 03:25 ---------- Previous post was at 03:21 ----------

What is the 24 hour test? I dont know if they will have me do that, no one has mentioned it.

It's called a 24hr ambulatory test. You wear a cuff attached to a monitor which they fit on day one and you return on day two to have it removed at the same time. It has to be worn on one arm and the monitor slung over your neck to go into a pocket on the other side (some have a belt clip). It takes readings every 30 minutes, and a check reading if it thinks the first is invalid, and then every 60 minutes between defined night time hours.

It's a test that rules out white coat syndrome because it's checking across the day and they can look for trends as well as anything that proves your readings do lower which can help prove white coat syndrome.

It's a standard test for Hypertension once they have determined the patient may have it.

It's a bit of a pain, nothing compared to anything invasive many on here have had, because it's a bit uncomfortable to wear/use. It's nothing to be afraid of but with anxiety that can be a challenge for many of us anyway!

[Moso13]

If you are getting normal readings then you don't have the elevated baselines of someone like me with Hypertension who need it forcing down with things like meds, lifestyle changes, etc. I could bring mine down for testing but they were always elevated regardless.

The 24hr monitor isn't exactly comfortable. If you are having issues with a normal BP check then I expect you will find that hard going but you can adjust to it and clearly you are already getting success so you can do so with this too if your doctor required that test (let them decide, these monitors can be in short supply, I had to wait weeks for mine). What I found with mine was when I was out walking/shopping it didn't half squeeze much harder than when resting! It's an every 30 minute reading and it will retake them if they seem invalid (most of mine when out walking were retaken) and at night (between certain hours) it changes to every hour.

They aren't exactly unpleasant but if you are fearing tests already then naturally having a test throughout the day is going to present you will some challenges to get over.

---------- Post added at 03:25 ---------- Previous post was at 03:21 ----------



It's called a 24hr ambulatory test. You wear a cuff attached to a monitor which they fit on day one and you return on day two to have it removed at the same time. It has to be worn on one arm and the monitor slung over your neck to go into a pocket on the other side (some have a belt clip). It takes readings every 30 minutes, and a check reading if it thinks the first is invalid, and then every 60 minutes between defined night time hours.

It's a test that rules out white coat syndrome because it's checking across the day and they can look for trends as well as anything that proves your readings do lower which can help prove white coat syndrome.

It's a standard test for Hypertension once they have determined the patient may have it.

It's a bit of a pain, nothing compared to anything invasive many on here have had, because it's a bit uncomfortable to wear/use. It's nothing to be afraid of but with anxiety that can be a challenge for many of us anyway!

My mom recently got diagnosed with hypertension and they didnt have her do that test. Maybe because she is older?

[Howanxious]

If you are getting normal readings then you don't have the elevated baselines of someone like me with Hypertension who need it forcing down with things like meds, lifestyle changes, etc. I could bring mine down for testing but they were always elevated regardless.

The 24hr monitor isn't exactly comfortable. If you are having issues with a normal BP check then I expect you will find that hard going but you can adjust to it and clearly you are already getting success so you can do so with this too if your doctor required that test (let them decide, these monitors can be in short supply, I had to wait weeks for mine). What I found with mine was when I was out walking/shopping it didn't half squeeze much harder than when resting! It's an every 30 minute reading and it will retake them if they seem invalid (most of mine when out walking were retaken) and at night (between certain hours) it changes to every hour.

They aren't exactly unpleasant but if you are fearing tests already then naturally having a test throughout the day is going to present you will some challenges to get over.

---------- Post added at 03:25 ---------- Previous post was at 03:21 ----------



It's called a 24hr ambulatory test. You wear a cuff attached to a monitor which they fit on day one and you return on day two to have it removed at the same time. It has to be worn on one arm and the monitor slung over your neck to go into a pocket on the other side (some have a belt clip). It takes readings every 30 minutes, and a check reading if it thinks the first is invalid, and then every 60 minutes between defined night time hours.

It's a test that rules out white coat syndrome because it's checking across the day and they can look for trends as well as anything that proves your readings do lower which can help prove white coat syndrome.

It's a standard test for Hypertension once they have determined the patient may have it.

It's a bit of a pain, nothing compared to anything invasive many on here have had, because it's a bit uncomfortable to wear/use. It's nothing to be afraid of but with anxiety that can be a challenge for many of us anyway!

My lower readings were just at 130/60 (wich isn't that bad and could be the normal for my body), but maybe my "really normal" systolic values are much close to 120 but I can't know it because I can't get totally relaxed by now. I hope that with the continuous checking I'm gonna learn to calm down and have a secure reading. By the way, if you don't care, what's your age?

[MyNameIsTerry]

My mom recently got diagnosed with hypertension and they didnt have her do that test. Maybe because she is older?

Could be. They diagnosed me before the 24hr monitor and started treatment because they thought they had enough readings and were satisfied the results were accurate. I've never heard back about the 24hr results which were obviously as expected.

With someone young they said they performed additional testing anyway.

---------- Post added at 04:56 ---------- Previous post was at 04:51 ----------

My lower readings were just at 130/60 (wich isn't that bad and could be the normal for my body), but maybe my "really normal" systolic values are much close to 120 but I can't know it because I can't get totally relaxed by now. I hope that with the continuous checking I'm gonna learn to calm down and have a secure reading. By the way, if you don't care, what's your age?

I'm 42 which is only about 2-3 years earlier than the norm for Hypertension. To be honest I found it more unusual that in the previous few years I had asthma clinic check ups where they do a routine BP check which were said to be fine which seemed odd since my anxiety was worse back then and I felt pretty amped up at the time

My anxiety is always worse for about 4-6 hours upon waking and since the BP checks fell inside that I did explain it could be a reason but they tested later several times to get around it. It's worth them knowing if readings can be influenced by anxiety.