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[Dandelion]

Hi

In our surgery waiting room is one of those BP machines which prints off a little slip of paper with your reading on.
Patients can take their BP while they wait.
At that time, I took my own BP which was 160/90.
I know I don't have high blood pressure, but showed my doctor it, and said that the reading was 'not like me'.
She wanted me to make another appointment, which I did and it went back down to 120 over something, and the doctor was happy.

Anyway, I went to the doctors again today, and took my BP while I waited, just to make sure it was still like my usual blood pressure.
Even though i was not physically exerted when I took it today, I got a reading of 152/95.
I know that my heart is ok, and so is my BP, it is just my continuous state of anxiety that gives it this false reading.
(psychosomatic high BP rather than actually high BP)
I decided not to tell my doctor about this latest reading as I was worried she would take away my HRT.

The thing is, she is going to want to take it at some time, and if it gives a falsely high reading, due to my anxiety, it's going to look to her, like I have got actual high BP.
For instance, if I were to have told her todays BP reading, she may have wanted to take it again at a later date, and the very fact that I am eager for a lower BP reading, can in itself raise the blood pressure.

How to get round this? I don't want to lose my HRT cos the doctor thinks I have high BP, due to these anxiety-induced-falsely elevated readings.

Thanks

[Joyce]

I would not get too worried. I read higher on some machines than others. Quite possibly some machines are not calibrated as often as they should. I would go by reading by GP.  They possibly have the machine in the waiting area as some suffer with white coat syndrome. If you are worried, you could buy your own machine, they are not overly expensive.
I have been on HRT for a number of years & I have also been on BP meds, so it's possible to take both meds.

[CLKD]

I refuse to use the 1 in our Surgery, that's what I pay a Nurse/GP to do!  Also many people have 'white coat syndrome' so will always have a high reading ……...

[Dandelion]

Hi ladies, and thanks

[CLKD]

You're welcome!

[Dana]

I definitely have "white coat syndrome". My BP is always up when I see my doctor, even though she is very approachable and definitely not scary, but when I give blood it's always perfect. I've told my doctor this and she's happy to accept that it's normally okay. I'm considering buying my own BP monitor, just so I can be sure about it.

[CLKD]

It is more common than even GPs realise and because I take a BB mine is always 'OK' ………  however, on DH's home BP machine, I don't register at all even when I'm angry 

[gilaray]

OMG totally sympathise. Cannot go anywhere near a BP machine, heart thumps like crazy, anxiety rises. readings high.

[Rhubarb]

Dandelion, I've had high blood pressure every time it's been checked the past few years. My anxiety level has also been high since becoming perimenopausal so I can't help but wonder if it's just a falsely high BP because of the anxiety. Or if maybe my hormone levels can affect my blood pressure, and once I am in menopause my BP will be normal again.

My husband bought me a home BP monitor but I've been afraid to use it because I want to think I just have white coat syndrome and checking it at home might prove otherwise. I feel anxious so often during the day, sometimes first thing when I wake in the morning, that I am sure my BP must be high. And I've read that even if it is just temporary high BP, rather than actual high BP, it still cause damage to the cardiovascular system. I worry all the time about that, even though I'm otherwise healthy. My paternal grandmother had many strokes in her 50's (I'm 48) and died at 58, so that doesn't help.  I know I need to get the monitor out of the box and give it a try. And also to get into a more regular exercise pattern. I just haven't been brave enough to do it yet.

[zelda]

i had exactly the same issue, my doc gave me a 24 hour monitor and the reading ended up fine, if i go to the doc my bp can be up to 200/90.... but on the 24 hour monitor the average reading was 121/75.... i now am terrified of anyone taking my bp or even doing it myself at home, i know its just crazy but thats the way i am.

[honorsmum]

For me, it's not my BP, it's my heart rate.
I am getting tachycardia anyway, but when I was in a&e with it before Christmas, the doctor there even said that every time she came near me or looked my way, my heart rate went up!
I get really nervous going to the doctor's, so my heart is pounding before I even get in the room. I recently had an ECHO scan, and the technician commented on how tachycardic I was. It's worse in the mornings - kicks off with anxiety.

My blood pressure, however, is always normal to low.

[Rowan]

If you concentrate on lowering your blood pressure naturally then it eases the panic

http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/BloodPressureandyou/Thebasics/Yourlifestyle

http://christinestuart.hubpages.com/hub/Relieve-High-Blood-Pressure-Naturally

If you blood vessels are health and elastic its natural for blood pressure to rise and lower in accordance with what the body and mind is doing and feeling, its when it is raised and stays raised then is not healthy for the body.

[Hurdity]

Hi Dandelion

No doc should diagnose you with high blood pressure on the basis of a reading or two at the surgery. As zelda says - the surgery should lend you a home monitor - you certainly shouldn't have to buy one!

This happened to my husband - had high readings at the surgery but after the monitoring at home showed he was perfectly normal.

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

WHITE COAT SYNDROME! DH bought his own monitor a few years ago as a more calm person you will ever meet however, in the Surgery  - our GP suffers too   

[sammy]

So much relate to this problem!!!

I always had low BP but meno has brought changes.  It is the anxiety doing it!

In the office I had a BP read of 140/92.  I got so upset from that!  After that I was just so frightened of the machine and kept getting bad readings.  My doc threatened me with blood pressure meds and the fear of that made me even worse.

I did improve it though: I bought a home machine and was afraid of it and more so when I got a high reading.  THen I realized it was the machine itself.  The whole "idea" of the BP problem.

I cut the salt out of my diet.  I started walking 45-60 mins per day.  I forced myself to use the BP machine and my husband would sit near me and help me put it on.  I used deep breathing relaxation before doing it.

It improved!  I went to cardiology clinc and they measured 112/77.  I was overjoyed.  Asked the tech if she had done it right. 

I am still afraid of getting a bad reading (like performance anxiety) but much more confident now.  I have had good readings for the past two months.