Blood pressure problem

[texaspilgrim]

I have a medical phobia and when I go to the doctor, my bp goes way up. At home it is usually fine. Before I see the doctor, I get a small jolt everytime I think about my appointment. It is either in my gut or chest area or both. I try to relax, but we all know how that goes. By the time I get in the examining room, I start to feel a little numb and when the nurse comes in to take my bp, I feel a tight feeling deep inside. I feel like I'm going to explode. Of course my bp is real high. I tell them I have white coat syndrome, but the doctor says its too high even with that. The doctor put me on a new bp medication and I have to go back in a month. The problem is that I will already be more anxious because of my last visit. I think this all came as a result of having many tests and surgery when I was a young child. Any advice?

[biceps72]

blood pressure is a common anxiety problem. We can take it at home unlike cholesterol ot other blood parameters that require a lab analysis.

I suggest you buy a good BP cuff and take your BP morning twice, afternoon/evening twice. record all data for a month and show them to your MD. Then take yoy BPuff to MDs office and check your cuff for accuracy.

You have nothing to lose. Fact is you might not have hypertension at all. If you do have high BP, there are a lot of good meds to control it. Keep recording data even after you begin meds to see if meds are helping.

Stay cool-- don't get excited about all of this, Get a cuff, get some data and see your MD! You will be fine after you "practice" taking your own BP a 100 times!!

[texaspilgrim]

Good suggestion. Thanks.