doctor's visit tomorrow - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

tamuprof45 · 02-28-2008, 04:48 PM

Time for a checkup, and a BP check. I confess I have not taken my readings since November. The last reading was 118/70 and that was with the doctor (the lowest I'd ever had with him).

Due to my cuff anxiety I was advised to simply stop taking my BP at home for awhile. Now that I will have it taken, the anxiety of course is creeping back. I have no reason to think it will be bad, since I've been keeping up my regimen as well as lost 8 lbs since last visit with the doctor. Still, I will be freaked out if the reading is bad, and he sighs and says to go back to checking BP every day. Ugh.

I pretty much have to take my own advice and tell myself, "Hey if your BP is high, no worries, there are meds and maybe you wont have any gross side effects!" Also hoping my BP, in theory can't go from 118/70 to something really high in 3 months.

tamuprof45

famnd · 02-28-2008, 07:10 PM

Hi Tam,

You are so right. Having an increase in your b/p since last Nov without other symptoms such as in thyroid disease is highly unlikely. Even if you do, I wouldn't go on meds without some evidence of target organ damage. At least that's what my latest medical book says to do for "cuff anxiety."

What usually works for me is to walk in the am about two hrs before the office visit & limit my fluid intake to 1 cup which reduces cardiac output (this is the greatest determinant of b/p.)

Get to the Dr's office at least 15 min ahead of time.

Try somehow to distract yourself during the b/p measurement. What works for me sometimes is to mentally go down my "to do list."

Losing 8 lbs certainly should decrease blood volume which would decrease b/p.

Let us know what happens. Fam

tamuprof45 · 02-28-2008, 07:33 PM

I'm real curious about this fluid thing. Doesn't dehydration cause rapid heart beat and increased BP? Or is it the reverse?

flowergirl2day · 02-29-2008, 12:04 AM

Good luck, tamuprof!

try not to be nervous.....and let us know how it goes.

sunshine123 · 03-01-2008, 12:07 AM

I'll be seeing my Dr. next week to have my bp taken too. It's always real high when the nurse takes it as soon as I get there. Then, he takes it a couple of times. The first time he takes it it is too high. Then it goes down quite a bit. I don't want to go on bp pills, but will if I have to. He's been hesitant about prescribing bp pills in the past b/c they can cause dizziness. Getting older really sucks. It seems like I always have Drs. appts. UGH. I wish I could relax when I'm at the Drs. office so my bp pressure would be normal. The worst thing is when I'm seeing a Dr. other than my Internist and that Drs. nurse takes my pressure and freaks out b/c it's so high. That just makes me even more nervous and my pressure higher. I've been worrying about how my pressure will be on Wed. I have to bring my bp machine with me so he can see if the readings are accurate. I can't wait til that appt. is overwith!!!