Health anxiety and BP

[guynfl2chat]

Hello all! I have posted before but I need to discuss this topic. I have health anxiety regarding my blood pressure. I just had my labs done and for the most part they are pretty good. I have an appt with my Dr this week to go over them and take my dreaded blood pressure! I decided to take it at home this weekend and got some mixed readings. I am on bp medicine, but I just cant seem to control it when I get anxious. I think part of it is anxiety, stress and bp in general. I dislike going to the doctor and going through the exercise of taking the bp. She then talks to me a bit about diet/exercise and stress. She then hooks me up to a EKG machine and I usually leave with a sense of I have do something about this! I have been seeing the same doctor for over 20 years. This has only been in the past 3 years-- since I had a major panic attack in their office and my bp was lets just say... scary. I do get good readings periodically, but i feel like i just cant manage it and it definitely creates healthy anxiety. Any feedback or good suggestions?

[deborah27]

Your doc will have you on appropriate dose of meds. The anxiety spikes it up for a while and when you relax it comes down again. There is such a thing as 'white coat syndrome' it means that the very thought of docs and medical stuff, blood pressure shoots up! They factor all this stuff into their diagnosis. Please believe me, there is no way that your doc would allow you to be walking around with seriously high blood pressure and not act. You can be assured that probably calming down and doing relaxation techniques etc... Is going to be the very thing for you.

[guynfl2chat in reply to deborah27]

I agree the doctor does know me by now. I even get anxious taking at home at first. It drops after a few readings.

[Rob7]

I had the same issue and my doctor put me on a beta blocker. Now instead of 160/105 spikes the highest I will go is 135/95 when really anxious. I’m on 10mg if Bystolic - helped calmed that fear. Anxiety is a funny thing though as it will find another thing to be anxious about. Real relief i have found is thru therapy and medication. I wish you well and Gods grace in your struggle.

[Elisabete150]

Hi! Normally my BP is ok, but when I am more anxious or full of fears it goes put and I get my heart beat elevated and this is always like this. So I try to relax, breath slowly and I have been off anxiety medications for almost 6 years, but because I am having lots of stress I got back to my meds in SOS. Medication to lower my BP never worked with me because it lower to much.

[guynfl2chat]

Well I went to the doctor today and guess what my BP was high. I told her that it is situational, but also I need to manage it better (meds/lifestyle changes). She was completely unsympathetic and told me that everyone has anxiety and issues in life. I needed to make major lifestyle changes or not see her any more. Really? Who does she think she is? I am not dieing.. I have a weight issue (not gigantic) and I have some issues with BP (I take meds) and she is making me feel like crape. My blood work was great! She took my BP again after she yelled at me.. ironically it went down a bit, but not great. She put me on another BP medicine and insisted I see her in 3 months. I have decided that AFTER 20 years of going to this same office-- the lack of compassion and understanding by the this doctor has me looking for another doctor. The only good thing about this office is that provide me xanax as needed, but I need it BEFORE i see her! I think the lesson learned while we all need some guidance in life and our mental/physical health-- we deserved to NOT be yelled at as if we can control this part of our being and be talked to like we are adults. I am so angry and disappointed that I allowed myself to go through this with her for another year!! DOCTORS need better training in mental health and understanding!

[Celtic27]

I'm sorry to see your having such problems with healthy anxiety! Do you have medication for depression if not it maybe benifical to you really need to get your anxiety levels down as this can have a big effect on your health! I wish you well take care!