Overzealous doctor

Well, you don't actually have to take the stuff your doctor prescribes, you know. Nearly 20 years ago, when my BP reached 150/90, my doctor prescribed a calcium channel blocker. I said nothing, but didn't get the prescription filled and put myself on magnesium instead. Six months later, when my BP was down to 120/80 I told her what I'd done. She was furious, said magnesium was very dangerous (which it isn't, but CCBs can be) but gave in gracefully. For the past couple of years I've been having a different problem. My systolic BP has risen very slightly, but the diastolic has fallen drastically, which is a sign of hardening of the arteries. But I'm still in no hurry to go on medication.

I realise that if you live in the UK you might not have the luxury of simply telling your doctor you don't want to take medication, as she could bump you off her list and you might have a problem finding another doctor. But why not pretend to accept it for the time being, then have a go at reducing your BP by lifestyle changes? Could you do with losing a bit of weight? Losing around 7lb probably helped get my BP down, as well as the magnesium. Could you cut down your salt intake? That can make a massive difference, especially if you're eating a lot of salt. Do you need to exercise more? This would also bring your pulse rate down a bit. Do you smoke? And magnesium works for a lot of people, though it can cause diarrhoea for some.

Sorry to ask what probably sounds like a stupid (or rude) question, but why do you feel you have to follow your doctor's orders if you're convinced she's mistaken? Doctors aren't gods. They often make mistakes. Also, some are more inclined to jump straight to medication than others. If you're happy that your BP and pulse are normally within acceptable limits, why bother about what your doctor says? By all means go and see the cardiologist if it will keep the peace - and if you are in the UK it won't cost you anything - but don't get too worried about the results. In any case, the cardiologist might disagree with your doctor and say there's nothing wrong!

Once again, sorry if this all seems a bit simplistic, but I'm a former nurse and my experience with doctors has taught me to plough my own furrow to some extent.

You should have taken the cuff of and asked for it to be redone with a bigger sized one. I omce had one that was so tight that it left me with a 'Chinese Burn' tht took days to fade.

A medication for white coat hypertension was it a tranquiliser?

Have you asked why you have been referred to a cardiologist?

I had similar problems with my GP.

My medication came with a warning that it could cause Congestive Heart Failure (CHF).

I saw a medical paper published by a doctor in the USA showing that high-resolution pulse oximetry could predict the early stages of CHF onset.

I bought a recording pulse oximeter capable of recording pulse and blood O2 saturation overnight. Following data transfer to computer, a printout after a particulary bad night showed a sudden tachycardic pulse rate together with an alarm state on blood sats. The printout mirrored the waveforms in the medical paper.

I showed it to my GP the next day. I've never seen a doctor in such a panic.

I knew I had to terminate medication but he had to disagree - withdrawal sysmptoms can be worse than taking a drug in the first place.