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White Coat Hypertension

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frank71179
frank71179

Hello Group.  Anyone out there dealing with white coat hypertension (WCH)?  I'm a mid-40's male taking 10mg lexapro for my anxiety.  Started taking meds about 10 years ago after some pretty stressful life situations.  It all started when my PCP diagnosed me with hypertension and put me on meds, when in fact, my anxiety raised my BP.  No matter how much medicine he put me on, the BP was still high.  It wasnt until after my BP was taken by another doctor that it was confirmed that i DID NOT have hyertension...just high reading due to anxiety.

I take my BP at home and it is normal.  When I get my BP taken at the doctors office, Its sky high.  It goes down after the second reading, but still high.   Now I dread going to the doctor at all beause I know what the outcome is going to be with my BP.

My insurance is an HMO, so my doctor always records the readings in his office, not the normal readings I get at home.  Because the BP readings are out of normal range, my insurance benefits suffer...He is not putting me on meds, but I'm still very frustrated by it all.

Anyone dealing with anything similar?  How are you dealing with it.

Thanks all.

 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • lisalisa67
    lisalisa67 frank71179

    Posted

    Similiar thing happened to me two years ago ended up taking beta blocker for six days until i thought i was going to die on them. Finally doctor said to throw them out. My bp  went back to normal. I honestly learned this thing called mindfull breathing off the internet and use it in the drs office now. It works.  
    • frank71179
      frank71179 lisalisa67

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply lisalisa68. Believe me I've tried the breathing thing and it hasn't helped much. The feeling of my heart beating out of my chest as I wait in the waiting room is pretty intense

    • frank71179
      frank71179

      Posted

      What I really need is a PCP who will allow me to use my home readings as the reading of record. Not sure if such a PCP exists.
    • Swaggdalu
      Swaggdalu frank71179

      Posted

      When at the doctors my BP is high. 150/84. When taken at home it drops to 116/80. Sometimes even lower. Depends on how my day is going if I'm stressed or feeling good. I was on beta blockers and I still am in fact. I don't need them but I'm slowly getting of them. I don't worry about my BP anymore. I do have to learn how to calm down at the doctors though. I'm 22 so they don't worry as much since I'm young but I need to control it. Don't worry dude. It's stress and anxiety. Once you get those in control you will feel better. But it takes time and patience. Little by little. Remember that it took you a while to get to this level of stress. So it's gonna take a bit to get rid of it as well. Good luck frank. I'm pulling for you and I'll pray for you

  • harleybabe54
    harleybabe54 frank71179

    Posted

    Yes Frank!! I have white coat phobia!! My blood pressure was so high when I had to go get staples out of my head for head injury. My blood pressure was 190 over something. I thought the nurse was going to pass out! She did it again on the other arm and it was down to 150. But before I left the office that day they had a man come in to take it again and relax my arm on his shoulder it was still 150 something. But I had it as high as 190 before and I went and bought my own blood pressure cuff. It is never high at home it is under 120 /60 most of the time. 110/60 etc. My anxiety when I have it is thru the roof and lately because of an incident I had and I continue to overthink and look up stuff on the Internet and scare myself more! They told me to keep a record of my blood pressure readings so I have. So when I go to the Dr I can show them what my readings are...Maybe that is what you should do, keep a record and take it with you to the Dr!! That way no one gets freaked out!! Including you😱

  • GYDA
    GYDA frank71179

    Posted

    yes 100%!! i'm always nervous as hell going into the doctors, im bright red in the face and my hearts racing, my blood pressure is not going to be a correct reading but they still insist on taking it every time i go there. They're like oh its a little high, er well yes, im nervous as hell. They put me on a 24hr blood pressure monitor that took my blood pressure every 30 mins or so. The results come back that i didnt have high blood pressure.

    Strange thing though I was in the doctors nervous as hell again and he took my blood pressure again and it wasnt even high this time, excercise must be paying off! haha 

  • jennie08
    jennie08 frank71179

    Posted

    Hi there, are you still having the same problem? I've had this problem since 2001, on and off. It came back again. Looking for people that are dealing with the same issue.

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