blues1986
05-14-2009, 11:49 PM
I am a 22 year old male who is in decent physical condition. I have been to my doctors a lot recently because of a small issue. It became clear however after a few trips that my blood pressure was high. I began to get stressed every time my doc took a reading and said "it's still too high for someone your age."
Well, school ended and I went back to my doctor for a post school checkup only to see my blood pressure was still way too high. My doc then said she wanted to do full blood work and do an EKG.... so what does my doctor do right after telling me this??? She took my blood pressure!!! It was 162/90!!! Highest reading I have ever seen for my self.
The kicker is, before this school year started I went for a routine checkup, and I was at my normal reading... and that's when I was 10lbs heavier. Only after my small medical problem did I become stressed and hated going to see my doc.
I have a blood pressure monitor at home which is always considerably less then what my doctor is telling me my BP is. A nurse at my school's clinic finally told me that it probably is white coat syndrome, which finally makes sense.
Anyone else suffer from this?
Well, school ended and I went back to my doctor for a post school checkup only to see my blood pressure was still way too high. My doc then said she wanted to do full blood work and do an EKG.... so what does my doctor do right after telling me this??? She took my blood pressure!!! It was 162/90!!! Highest reading I have ever seen for my self.
The kicker is, before this school year started I went for a routine checkup, and I was at my normal reading... and that's when I was 10lbs heavier. Only after my small medical problem did I become stressed and hated going to see my doc.
I have a blood pressure monitor at home which is always considerably less then what my doctor is telling me my BP is. A nurse at my school's clinic finally told me that it probably is white coat syndrome, which finally makes sense.
Anyone else suffer from this?
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KD86
05-15-2009, 09:22 AM
blues:
My mom has the same problem. She does normally have high blood pressure, but when she went to the doctor it was very high. She bought a blood pressure machine and used it at home. Her blood pressure is lower than when she was at the doctor.
I too have this kind of problem, but only when the doctor started talking about shots and needles. My pulse and blood pressure are usually pretty good when the nurse took it. My doctor went to take it and noticed that my pulse was racing and my blood pressure had gone up. She did this right after telling me that I needed to get a tetnus shot.
This is a normal thing. Some people just get freaked out at the doctor.
KD
My mom has the same problem. She does normally have high blood pressure, but when she went to the doctor it was very high. She bought a blood pressure machine and used it at home. Her blood pressure is lower than when she was at the doctor.
I too have this kind of problem, but only when the doctor started talking about shots and needles. My pulse and blood pressure are usually pretty good when the nurse took it. My doctor went to take it and noticed that my pulse was racing and my blood pressure had gone up. She did this right after telling me that I needed to get a tetnus shot.
This is a normal thing. Some people just get freaked out at the doctor.
KD
Titchou
05-15-2009, 10:40 AM
Try dropping by the fire station every so often and getting a BP check. And keep a list of it so you can show that to your doctor.
reg12
05-15-2009, 08:27 PM
Also be careful when going to the doctors. I have a problem similar to that. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and they ran all this blood work and EKG, just to find out they girl had used the wrong cuff on me. The doctors have the standard ones normally hanging on the machines and the ones for men that they have to go and get. My blood pressure changes from 140 to 116 when they use the right one. If you have your arm tense it will increase also. The doctor told me the correct way to do it was for him to hold my arm so it would not be tense. I have found the regular ones in the drug stores or the ones that measure your forearm do not work on me also. I have one for home sized for my arm and I take my own, so I know what it should be when I go in. I have had the nurses aids argue about that. I let them take their reading and then have them get the right cuff, so they can see the difference.
blues1986
05-15-2009, 08:50 PM
Well 24 hours later my blood pressure is steady at 122/75. Can there be this much difference from day to day? 160/90 to 122/75 in 24 hours?
My blood pressure monitor at home was just checked and was considered accurate.
My blood pressure monitor at home was just checked and was considered accurate.
reg12
05-15-2009, 10:20 PM
the doctor told me the best measurement was to do an average during the day. I always just read or watch TV 15 minutes before taking it. You may find differences during the day, but you will see patterns in it.
Stonepile
05-16-2009, 02:08 AM
I hope my story will help you in some way. I was being treated for PTSD and during that time had to go for a physical prior to my wedding date. I was so stressed about it that when they took my blood pressure before the exam it was 200/120. They wouldn't let me leave the office after the exam until my blood pressure returned to normal.
A few years later I went to my doctor with a head ache. When they took my BP it was 130/90. He put me on BP med. He had me come back to have my BP checked and it was high. This happened for a few times and he raised my BP med. Every time I went it was high. After I'd been so many times it eventually started to come down to normal.
For the last five years or so anytime I have been admitted to the hospital for surgery they won't let me take my BP med after surgery because my blood pressure is so low. They have even made me get up and walk around to make it rise. So, yes I believe that the White Coat Syndrome is very real.
A few years later I went to my doctor with a head ache. When they took my BP it was 130/90. He put me on BP med. He had me come back to have my BP checked and it was high. This happened for a few times and he raised my BP med. Every time I went it was high. After I'd been so many times it eventually started to come down to normal.
For the last five years or so anytime I have been admitted to the hospital for surgery they won't let me take my BP med after surgery because my blood pressure is so low. They have even made me get up and walk around to make it rise. So, yes I believe that the White Coat Syndrome is very real.
mod-anon
05-16-2009, 10:07 AM
Please note that this thread is moved to the High & Low Blood Pressure Board.
jamescott
05-20-2009, 11:15 PM
I have battled white coat syndrome. Yes, it is real. My readings are always significantly higher at the doctor office. The more I try to not "stress", the worse it becomes.
It sounds to me like you are doing the right thing. Take regular readings at home, and be sure to bring your own monitor with you to the doctor to make sure it's accurate.
It sounds to me like you are doing the right thing. Take regular readings at home, and be sure to bring your own monitor with you to the doctor to make sure it's accurate.
caberg
05-21-2009, 08:29 AM
A few months ago when I was at my doctor's, he took my BP near the end of the exam after we'd been talking about my concerns with possible BP issues, heart stuff, etc., and he wouldn't even tell me what it was. I'm guessing it spiked up towards 150-60/90. I'm young (30), normal weight, exercise a lot, eat healthy, etc... Recently, at home I am consistently around 110/70 in the evening and 124/82 in the morning.
As a word of warning, watch out because I think for those who are prone to the so-called white coat syndrome, it can morph into general BP anxiety which will affect you day to day and it's not fun. If you're young and otherwise don't have any risk factors for high BP, and your BP appears to level off at a normal level when you take it yourself, I would stop taking it and only check very infrequently. Otherwise, checking it can become an unhealthy obsession.
As a word of warning, watch out because I think for those who are prone to the so-called white coat syndrome, it can morph into general BP anxiety which will affect you day to day and it's not fun. If you're young and otherwise don't have any risk factors for high BP, and your BP appears to level off at a normal level when you take it yourself, I would stop taking it and only check very infrequently. Otherwise, checking it can become an unhealthy obsession.
erich45
05-27-2009, 07:41 PM
I am wondering about white coat syndrome too. I have to go in for a pre-op physical prior to a cornea transplant on June 9th. That's got me nervous. I took my BP on a co-workers machine and it was 144/94. I call the doctor office and ask if this will flunk me. They tell me to come in and get it taken care of before the pre-op. I do and its 158/96 in the doctors office on May 21st. He gives me Lisinopril 20mg. I take it at home and its usually 130/80. I go back to the doctor and they get 148/88. So he increases the Lisinopril to 40mg starting today even though I told him about the at home readings.