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Panic Attack/blood pressure phobia


7 years ago 0 2 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi, I know this thread is six or seven years old, but I just found it today and it is so relevant to my life. For example, today I did blood pressure reading and the systolic was high. However, I knew that I felt so much anxiety (apparently some people are calling it Blood Pressure Phobia). I saw that the number wasn't so crazy I'd have to rush to an ER, so I rested three minutes, took another reading and repeated. My next two readings were great.
 
Anyway, this is only one way my anxiety interferes with my daily life. I am so glad I found this forum and this thread.
 

12 years ago 0 4027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Miss C,
Are the higher readings only with one doctor?  I find many others, including nurses, will take readings, and you might find them lower with others.
 
Focusing on the positive things to get healthy has helped lower my meds dose, and I feel attractive...like that old commercial, "when you look good you feel good and when you feel good you look good"... a good cycle of behaviour
12 years ago 0 63 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Lindsey,
 
Funny to say, I'm the one that started this forum about high blood pressure. For what I have read you don't have high blood pressure. Those numbers you get when taken at home are perfect readings and those are the ones you need to show your Dr. I got obsessive with that too. I decided not to get myself worked up anymore with my blood pressure readings. I came to accept the fact that when I am going through any stress, anxiety or panic attacks my bp will be higher and that is to be expected. I also came to realize that I was obsessing about my bp and I have to admit at times I still do some times.
 
Try not to get obsessive with it and as long as your Dr knows your healthy and there is nothing wrong with your bp I would try to stop taking it so much. I feel it's all in the mind. I have done some reading in other forums and came to realize that this problem is very common. 
 
Keep us posted,
 
Maggie
 


12 years ago 0 6252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Lindsey

Hi, and welcome to the site. You obviously do not have hypertension. But you have a very common case of White Coat syndrome. I think everyone here has or had at one time. But you know that.

To get your BP down at the doctors you have to start by not caring what it is. You know what it is in a non anxious situation. Accept the higher number at the doctors and to make this easier you need to have a reference number. Do you have stairs in your house. Use them to get your BP up and check it with your machine. You need to do some thing stressful that will raise it.
Stress is stress, whether it is going to the Doctor or running around the block. This will condition you to accept that sometimes your numbers will be higher. It will also associate it with the stress not the doctor. And you need a ho hum attitude. You know you are healthy so what does it matter if you get some stress related higher readings.

You are not an unhealthy person with a BP of 240/110 or something dangerous like that. You need to accept that periodically BP goes quite high. This is how your body distributes oxygen and removes heat. And knowing these two things. Remember to breath when you go to the Doctors and dress cool.

You can Also count. Think low blood pressure breath deep and count how slow you would like it. Try to match the numbers.

Davit 

12 years ago 0 2 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi my name is Lindsey. I'm a new member. A little bit of a background on me, I'm a 26 year old healthy weight and active female, also married and mother of 2. I've struggled with anxiety since middle school, primarily health anxiety. As of 2 yrs ago I developed some white coat syndrome and for the past year I have been obsessively worrying "what if" I actually have high blood pressure, bought an accurate medical blood pressure montior/ cuff and have been taking bp readings several times a day at my house i get good readings such as 90's/60's. As soon as I get to the doctor's no matter how much i try to calm myself before I go in i get high readings there such as 140's/over 80's...my cuff is accurate b/c i took my cuff to a doc appt with me and got a high reading on my cuff as well. Iam starting to worry myself sick about this, I can indentify that this sounds very weird and is a little embarassing. I'm surprised to see there is a forum on this....i'm trying to figure out what I can do....ironically I am a licensed massage therapist and relax people for a living...i feel very calm in that environment, but as soon as i need to go to a doctor it's a whole different story. I have my yearly physical scheduled for next month and I wish I could just "snap out of this" any tips? i've tried breathing techniques, have seen an energy kinesiologist which has help with my generalized anxiety on a daily basis but i have a feeling as soon as i go to the docs it's not going to be so great...help please/suggestions??
 
thanks so much :)
13 years ago 0 1665 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Maggie:  Wonderful news!  You can relax about anything physically wrong.  Your body is doing great and now you are retraining your negative thoughts to positive.  The learning and understanding has begun.  Now it'll get exciting as the light bulb will go off several more times as you get to know yourself even better.  Yay!
Your friend, Sunny
13 years ago 0 12049 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Maggie,
 
Way to look at the positive!  Good for you for moving forward and using what works for you!
 
Keep positive and post if you need us!
 
Josie, Health Educator
13 years ago 0 63 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hello everyone, I went to the cardiologist this morning and I felt like a total idiot. The first thing they did was take my blood pressure which I told them it would be high since I do have it higher at the Dr office it was 140/90. Then they did a EKG which came out perfect! I already new it would..then he came in and told me how he felt that I really did not need a cardiologist which deep down inside I already new and he told me my heart is very good which I already knew as well. He told me that yes anxiety does raise your bp which I already knew and it does not hurt your heart. He told me that I need to take care of the anxiety which I told him I am working on and he said I will be fine. I decided to NOT take my blood pressure anymore. Those home monitors are not even accurate at times. I decided I will continue this program which I already feel has made a BIG difference and I am only in week 2 and be positive and have faith. This is a horrible thing to have but I will accept it and not fight it. It will not hurt me and I know that now with all the tools I have learned. Thank you all for all your support and for listening. Have a great day! :)
13 years ago 0 538 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hello  and welcome Maggie,
Have you read any of my past posts? Not to compare, because we are all so different,  but the dreaded BP thing is a big problem for me. I won't get into my issues, I've ranted so much on here about my fear of High BP, White Coat Syndrome, the works, everyone is probably sick of it! So now its your turn, please feel free to post as much as you like, we're a real great group here..no judgements at all.
Just last week I had a breakthrough, where it came to me that a negative core beleif was the root of my BP anxieties...I've been working this fabulous program for 5 months or so now.... I suggest you go throught it, slowly, and learn about the  negative thought processes, and core beliefs.  And read back through the older posts, you'll find you're not alone, and lots of great coping strategies.
Cleo
13 years ago 0 15 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Maggie,
 
I'm only a couple of weeks into this program, so I'm a bit new like you.  And like you I'm 40 having had panic attacks for ages (off and on).
 
In week 3 you'll learn about challenging negative thoughts.  That's where I am at the moment.  I've really only just started but the early results are great.  Challenging these negative thoughts as they pop up in my head seems to just stop them dead.  I can imagine this would be a big help for you and your blood pressure worries.
 
Cheers,
Matt

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