High Blood Pressure

[SallySmith]

Could really use a pep talk....I went to the dentist on Tuesday and my blood pressure was 137/97. I have never had high blood pressure in my life. I know it is due to my anxiety....I live a healthy lifestyle although I haven't been eating much lately. Today, I feel like I'm having neurological issues- like my fingers feel stiff and I'm having trouble focusing. It's literally always something, and nothing seems to help. I'm off balance- working too much and I miss my kids (because I am literally working all the time).

 

[Jones]

Sally - whenever I go to the doctor or dentist my blood pressure is always higher than it is normally. I believe they call this “white coat syndrome”. Which just means that you are very anxious when you are at the doctor or dentist office. Whenever I take it when I am at home, it’s always normal...and I spend a good portion of my time in an anxious state. If you take a look around this forum, you will see that you are not alone and that many of us experience the very same things you write about. Anxiety can cause many symptoms that feel very real and very scary, but 99% of the time it is absolutely nothing.

 

[Future PA with HA]

My blood pressure when I went to my GP and it was 154/95. After calming down he took it again and it was 117/74. I think you have a normal white coat number as Jones said anxiety can cause acute “jumps” in bp especially when it isn’t taking manually. I also see this happen to many patients when I take BP on a machine and notice they are anxious due to an increase heart rate

This happened to me at my lady doctor and I actually had to keep a log to prove my bp was normal. I would recommend taking it at home if you have the means to after you’ve been home and relaxing for awhile. If you aren’t able to I used the machines at Kroger/cvs to take mine.

 

[RobbyH]

I use to always run a higher BP when at the doctor and it was always due to anxiety. I test mine regularly at home and it is usually around 118/78 but at the doctor it could be as high as 130/95. I have now found that when I am at the doctor, if I will take several deep breaths before having my BP checked, it is almost always down to a normal range.

If you have had BP issues, I woudl say you are fine. You coudl always test it at a drug store machine and see how it is. Just take a couple of deep breaths first.

 

[ShayneG]

I too have white coat syndrome and my BP is always higher then usual when Im at the doctor's, but I know it's always been a little on the high side because of my constant anxiety, so what I did recently is failed to mention my anxiety to my new PCP so she thought it was naturally high, I got a prescription of metoporol, 25mg a day and OMG it's amazing, my new BP is around 110/70, with a BPM of 65. it was always around 140/90 before with a bpm of 120 when in a hospital or Dr office. Not only did I get the blood pressure medication I've been trying to get but I also got a referral to a cardiologist..(Dr didn't wanna send me to one at first but I begged)..I need to know my heart is ok and if it isn't it's time to face the music and get it treated...if it can be treated...but with modern medicine there's so much they can cure and treat these days, alot with non invasive surgery too..I fear the worst though, I keep thinking of the movie John Q and I think the cardiologist is gonna tell me transplant is my only option...

 

[ShayneG]

I feel like I've HAD to of caused damage to my heart with the years of constant stress from this hellish anxiety man...