high blood pressure and anxiety
Posted , 55 users are following.
Hi all. I posted a message some months ago regarding my BP, I went to the GP and ended up in hypertension crisis 200/110! My GP made me sit in the surgery for couple of hours and started me on amlodipine, this was fine until I had horrific side effects and ended up unable to walk, after few weeks was diagnosed with severe anxiety and stress so started on citalopram and propananol plus ramapril 5mg, it's been over a year now and I feel really good in myself and happy but have a phobia now of the BP machine, I had my own monitor but my family banned it as it made me worse, really want to visit GP and check it but very scared of Getting a high reading. I have worked so hard to change my life and don't get stressed and do yoga daily, anyone else feel the same? I am 38 yrs old
3 likes, 139 replies
tai2708 hails63112
Posted
Hi was really glad to read this, as I can relate and yes it's almost like you get paranoid. I bought my own monitor, however try not to use it that often, due to getting anxious.
I do worry about my blood pressure obviously doesn't help.
I've only been on medication for 3 months, Amlodipine 5mg and ramapril 10mg that just changed this week, so hopefully it will get better sooner rather than later.
Doing a degree, working full time and it's hereditary so it all adds to it unfortunately. I feel better I have a place to share my thoughts and listen to others..😊will try to do some yoga or something, was a keen gym attender but feel so tired all the time. Need to make that effort though..am 49 years young...
mike92384 tai2708
Posted
tai2708..you're right. If feeling anxious, it's not a good idea to take bp readings. Anxiety can/will spike bp readings. Also, don't take readings when you're ill or are in pain. If you don't feel completely relaxed, then don't take the readings. Believe me, you're 'singing to the choir' here.
Good luck.
vaneeta01501 hails63112
Posted
Yes I feel the same it's better to take is less a wk do it three times a week instead of daily and do a few readings when u are very calm
anto3232 vaneeta01501
Posted
I could be floating in a monks position and i'd my BP would still spike the second the cuff goes on :\
mike92384 anto3232
Posted
anto3232...I was at my Dr. on Thursday...we get along famously well..he's been my physician for nearly 30 years & we have a great rapport, I'm very comfortable with him, can speak about anything with him, & he's never ever cocky or a know-it-all. I had a bad experience in the last 3 years while I was a patient of another Dr. I had moved cities, & got another Dr. He was young (licensed only 4 years) but I'm not suggesting for a moment he wasn't capable..not at all. He came across as an 'ok'. guy I guess, but then he seemed to become cocky..knowing everything. I was nervous going to the office, while waiting, & in his presence. No wonder the readings were high., yet when taken at home, they were fine. I have gone back to the Dr. I was mentioning at the beginning of this note. He got out the bp cuff, & I said to him.."I only have to look at that thing, & I can feel a little anxious". He said.."because of me?"...& I said..."NO, bad experience in the past". I then went on to say that we have known each other some 30 years & never had I felt nervous in his presence. The reading was fine, but we both said that very likely it would have been lower had the slight anxiety not been there. He also explained to me that he has other patients who get very wound up waiting to see him, resulting in their readings being elevated, yet they're fine at home. "White Coat Syndrome" is very very common, & doctors know this. So when you say "my bp would spike the second the cuff goes on"..I'm not surprised.
alan_79492 hails63112
Edited
Same symptons and similar history spend all my time in my head can't turn off depressed tingling in fingers and face dizzy spells panic attacks from nowhere felt very unstable stopped taking them and things are looking up still edgy but not so much after 5 days off . I think they exasipate any anxiety and the tingling and dizzyness maybe from the anxiety or the drug is cutting off blood flow to head this is how it feels anyway. glad to hear you are improving. I think I will risk a stroke rather than go through all this again
Deb570 hails63112
Posted
mike92384 Deb570
Posted
Good luck.
Deb570 mike92384
Posted
Hi Mike
Thanks for taking the time to reply....it is reassuring to hear that's this is a common problem and more reassuring to hear you've overcome it, I hope that happens for me! I'll take your advice and take my BP less often and see how it goes. Thanks again.
Deb
Jill26620 hails63112
Posted
Hi, i am in exactly the same position. I had very high readings with the home monitor too and cannot use that as i was getting myself into a state. Nurses haven't helped - they make a face when they see the high readings which had just reinforced my reaction.I was put on Amalopadine and had bad double vision. Everytime they put the cuff on i can feel my heart beating fast - am at a total loss as to what to do. I have new medication Doxasomin but that doesn't hold it when I am under stress like going to the hospital. At the gp my doctor manages around 140/80. Am at a total loss as to how to manage this phobia.
mike92384 Jill26620
Posted
Hi Jill26620...When your at the GP, your reading is 140/80. If I've read your notes correctly, this seems to be the case at your GP, yet at other places, the reading is higher. This could be a key as well. You likely are much more relaxed with your GP although the phobia of the cuff is still present, it likely isn't as intense. If your GP is well aware that you have "White Coat" which he/she likely is aware, then if he/she isn't overly concerned about 140/80, then you shouldn't be.
A number of times, my reading was 140/80 in the presence of the Dr. I like most..the one I trust implicitly, etc...yet I had just drivern 1 1/2 hr to see him, then sit & wait my turn..with the thoughts going through my head what the reading might be. I try to distract myself from it. I was at his office just last Friday...my reading was 120/80.! I was COMPLETELY relaxed. So you see, you CAN lean to relax. Again, stressing over the cuff, etc. only elevates the numbers. Also, if the nurses aren't applying the cuff correctly, i.e. too tight or loose, they will not get an accurate reading. I've noticed that nurses have a bad habit at times of talking to the patient while taking the readings. Anything I've been taught tells the patient NOT to talk during a reading. Certainly a too tight cuff when it inflates can cause pain, & pain elevates bp. Too loose, & the reading will be off.
Try to relax...if you think of it..it's just a number & numbers can't hurt you.
fern52379 hails63112
Posted
Hi all,
I'm wondering if you're all still suffering with the anxiety induced hypertension as above.
I am a terribly anxious person, who was previous given beta-blockers to help and control my anxiety - they made me worse.
About a month ago I had pneumonia (completely randomly) and they performed an ECG, blood tests, X-rays etc and told me my blood pressure was super high and to keep an eye on it.
OBVIOUSLY as an anxiety sufferer I have since become fixated on my blood pressure. So I went back to the doctors for a check up, it was around 160/78 the first test, then dropped to near to 140/76 on the second. The doctor still advised I wear a monitor for a day to take an average.
So my first reading was 180/86, which fluctuated between that and 148/76 all day. I work in a sexual health clinic so I'm surrounded by BP machines and took my own reading after this, I got 123/80, 129/89 and 141/84, readings which were done a minute or so after the machine had done its interval readings.
Does anyone know if these portable machines are reliable? I mean I was on the phone, walking, talking and generally moving around all day - surely that can't be accurate?
I am really struggling to find anyone/anywhere to help with my obsessive behaviours with regards to my health, has anyone got any good tips?
In myself, I am not over weight, I am fairly healthy, I do drink on the weekends but I am 24. What do they expect. I don't experience any typical side effects of high blood pressure, so I am really starting to think it could all be anxiety related... please help with some advice/support
Tammyl15 hails63112
Posted
blag72 Tammyl15
Posted
I feel your pain! Went into the GP for a wellman check up, and came out with a reading of 184/110! I feel fine, no symptoms, but was prescribed amlodipine 5mg there and then. I need to lose 3st, but am active and generally eat well. To say I was shocked was an understatement. Took a reading today of 165/105, so it's gradually coming down. I'm 44.
Busladypam67 hails63112
Posted
I do have high blood pressure but also was tested for white coat syndrome...yes it's real..and I suffer from it also. So needless to say I get some very high readings. I started amlodipine about 5 weeks ago and side effects are the worst..headache,hand weakness, can't think straight,so stinking tired I could nap all the time...list goes on....
I have been on no less than 6 different bp meds and reacted to all of them. One so bad I have to carry an emergency card telling not to give me it...angio-edema..looked like a puffer fish! I'm so sick of trying different meds and yet what do you do? I've had high blood pressure my whole life...diagnosed when I was 16...now 66...still with me!
i did develop white coat syndrome....yes it's real...was tested for it and verified to have it. Just bites! Hope you are able to find something that works...and thanks to these types of forums you find you aren't alone or crazy!
mike92384 Busladypam67
Posted
Busladypam67...you are absolutely right!!!! White Coat Syndrome certainly does exist, & is a very common thing. Doctors are very well aware of it. I had the same thing about a year ago. I had a young cocky know-it-all doctor who made me nervous. I was nervous on the way to his office, nervous while awaiting my turn, & nervous in his presence. So, I decided to return to my previous Dr. I had been a patient for over 30 yrs. &trust him implicitly. I no longer have the white coat syndrome. I can talk with him at ease, & am very comfortable with him. It makes the world of difference.
As for your meds...I don't know what you've taken in the past. If you go into the forum about Amlodipine, you'll find all sorts of complaints. I don't know if it's because Amlodipine is the generic version of Norvasc.
A lot of insurance companies won't cover brand name medicines. Generics are a different matter. Some people may have a reaction of some of the fillers, while others don't have a problem at all. I know a few people who take the Amlodipine without difficulty, while others suffer the swelling which is common.
Have you tried Coversyl? If you get back to me, I can suggest some things.