Blood Pressure Monitors - Panic Disorders Message Board

Graciecat · 06-14-2003, 08:29 AM

I'm a real freak about taking my BP.
I don't have high Blood Pressure, but for some reason I just have to keep taking it...probably my OCD?
Anyway, my Doctor told me that if I HAD to have one to get the automatic or self inflating kind that go around your arm...he said the wrist ones tend to run a little off and the other ones were more accurate.

So here's my question, does anyone else who has one of these machines find that your pulse rate seems to be high when the machine reads it?
My BP is always right around normal for me...between 110/67 to 118/76 but my heart rate is always sky high.
I've taken my heart rate before I use the machine and it'll be right between 76 and 85...that's normal for me.
But when I get on that machine it's usually anywhere between 95 and 106.
I get off the machine and take my pulse again and it's normal.
I just wondered if anyone else had this happen to them when using a BP monitor.
For now I'm just ignoring the monitor heart rate reading and checking it the way they do in the Doctor's office...with my watch and my fingers on my wrist.

AMCKENZIE · 05-23-2004, 12:39 PM

Don't feel bad I take my blood pressure all the time. It's kinda stupid that I worry about it all the time. But to answer your question mine shows mine as normal but what kind of machine do you have?

Graciecat · 05-24-2004, 05:42 AM

I've now gotten out of the habit of taking it all the time .
I usually only take it about three times a week now....I was taking it four or five times a day at one point.
But anyway to answer your question the brand name of the one I have is Omron.

Madj · 05-24-2004, 11:33 PM

I have a problem worrying about my blood pressure too. I found that I am more scared when I take it, rather when I am not taking it. My problem is that they found it high a few times, because I get terrified and my heart beats really fast. My therapist proved it to me that I don’t have blood pressure, but sometimes I can’t help it to obsess about it. My advice is (because I know) is to stop taking it and try your best to forget about it. Work it out with your therapist and ask her/him to help you. Good luck!!

Madj

Graciecat · 05-25-2004, 04:27 AM

That was my problem too.
Everytime I'd go to the Doctor when I'd first go in the nurse would take it and it would be high, then he take it himself about 15 minutes later and it would be normal.
He told me what I had was called "White Coat Syndrome".
Then he told me if I wanted to prove to myself that I didn't have HBP to get a machine and take it at home.
I did and he was right, my BP was normal to low at home.