high blood pressure freaking out

[kelsleigh]

Okay, so I have GAD and panic disorder, OCD and it is pretty severe. I see a therapist weekly and waiting to see psychiatrist on Feb 2nd. I was originally prescribed Effexor in ER after a panic attack but was scared to take it cause it raises your BP and everytime in hopsital it has been high 160/90, 150/95 ish ...every doctor Ive seen in ER said it was anxiety causing high blood pressure, even my therapist agrees. Ive had several EKGs, 2 chest xrays, ultrasound of heart and lots of blood test. I didnt end up taking the Effexor so I went to a walk in clinic where he took my BP and it was crazy like 177/103 pulse like 123 he told me not to take Effexor and gave me xanax for 2 months to lower blood pressure and to monitor it. Well i ran out og xanax and i suffer crazy anxiety heart attack symtoms almost daily so my therapist told me to go back to a clinic. The time a different doc took my BP and said it was sky high (never told me what it was and said I needed to be on blood pressure meds) he said he didnt think anxiety would cause my blood presuure to go up that much, knowing I have anxiety, he says anxiety wont kill you but a heartv attack and stroke can...and sent me out the door with blood pressure meds, ativan and celexa! Now I am terrified. I went to the pharmacy next door to get scripts filled and the pharmacist saw how upset i was she rechecked my blood pressure for me it was 140/109 pulse 105 she said 140 was a bit high but the bottom was the concern. She also assureed me a panic attack can sky rocket your BP and if I sat a few more mins and rechecked it, it would have gone done. I am so terrified I feel like I am getting told so many different answers and with no family doc I have to rely on walk in clinics or ER

[Godlyman]

I've been to er over past twenty plus years. I have come to accept that I'm not going to dye from it however Xanax is a drug that helped lower my blood pressure plus keeped me from being so anchious. Just learn to take it as needed because it is an addictive drug. I've been on it so long I know can't be without it. Paul

[Jeff1943]

Kelsleigh, blood pressure can go up and down depending on all sorts of things. When you read that high bp increases your chance of a heart attack 3 times that sounds frightening. But your chances of having a heart attack may be one in 3000 so your chances become one in 1000 if they increase 3 times. Can you really get frightened by a one in 1000 chance of anything?

What you need to do is find out your real bp and doctors are useless at taking blood pressure. Here's what you have to do to get an accurate bp.

Buy a bp monitor that you use on your arm NOT your wrist. Get a good make like Omron which is certified as accurate by some Blood Pressure Association.

Sit quietly for at least 5 minutes NOT after a meal, drinking, smoking, using the toilet.

Make sure your feet are together on the floor and apply the monitor to your arm. Keep your arm level with your heart and make sure your arm is supported.

Take a bp reading, don't talk whilst doing this. Take three readings at least 2 minutes apart and divide them by three. (Some monitors do this for you).

That is your correct blood pressure.

[kelsleigh in reply to Jeff1943]

thank you so so much for the very informative reply!!!