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White Coat Syndrome
SheenaMax posted:
My BP readings have always been high at any doctor's visit, and at home, my monitor would read at the high end of normal. But, this has all changed as of a month ago. I went for my annual eye exam, and yes, they wanted to take my BP. Told them it would be high because I have a fear of going to the doctor's but they took it anyway. The eye dr.is very young, and when he saw how high it was, he wanted me to go to the ER! I had to explain the white coat fear I have, and he admitted that he too, had suffered from this when he was in college and his readings were higher than mine was!
Anyway, I now have developed a full blown phobia about having my BP taken, even at home! I suffer from panic disorder and even started having panic attacks again and had to go see my pdoc for a refill of Xanax!
I am under a doctor's care for BP management and take my meds every day. I also take Prozac for major depressive episodes.
My question is, how will any doctor ever get a true reading when I totally freak out about having my BP taken? Please don't suggest a 24 hr. monitor, I would feel as though TNT was strapped to my foot!
I have a major plane trip to take in 2 weeks and am developing a fear of flying again...all the what if's are coming back to me.....if only I didn't get my BP taken at that damned eye doctor's office!
Anyway, I now have developed a full blown phobia about having my BP taken, even at home! I suffer from panic disorder and even started having panic attacks again and had to go see my pdoc for a refill of Xanax!
I am under a doctor's care for BP management and take my meds every day. I also take Prozac for major depressive episodes.
My question is, how will any doctor ever get a true reading when I totally freak out about having my BP taken? Please don't suggest a 24 hr. monitor, I would feel as though TNT was strapped to my foot!
I have a major plane trip to take in 2 weeks and am developing a fear of flying again...all the what if's are coming back to me.....if only I didn't get my BP taken at that damned eye doctor's office!
4 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:White Coat SyndromeMy BP readings have always been high at any doctor's visit, and at home, my monitor would read at the high end of normal. But, this has all changed as of a month ago. I went for my annual eye exam, and yes, they wanted to take my BP. Told them it would be high because I have a fear of going to the doctor's but they took it anyway. The eye dr.is very young, and when he saw how high it was, he wanted me to go to the ER! I had to explain the white coat fear I have, and he admitted that he too, had suffered from this when he was in college and his readings were higher than mine was!<br /> <br />Anyway, I now have developed a full blown phobia about having my BP taken, even at home! I suffer from panic disorder and even started having panic attacks again and had to go see my pdoc for a refill of Xanax!<br /> <br />I am under a doctor's care for BP management and take my meds every day. I also take Prozac for major depressive episodes.<br /> <br />My question is, how will any doctor ever get a true reading when I totally freak out about having my BP taken? Please don't suggest a 24 hr. monitor, I would feel as though TNT was strapped to my foot!<br /> <br />I have a major plane trip to take in 2 weeks and am developing a fear of flying again...all the what if's are coming back to me.....if only I didn't get my BP taken at that damned eye doctor's office!
Patricia Farrell, PhD responded:
I am not an MD, but isn't it a bit unusual to have your blood pressure taken at an eye doctor's office? Is this an ophthalmologist? Is it being done because they are concerned you may have excessive pressure in your eye?
Considering that you are taking medication for your blood pressure and you are also taking an SSRI for depression, some self-help techniques that could help calm you down would seem to be useful right now. Believe me, you are not alone in the "white coat syndrome" because I know a number of people who have elevated readings when they go to their doctors' offices. Sometimes it has to do with the staff and the environment and how you are made to feel.
Take a look at our Tips column, watch the relaxation breathing video tutorial and begin to use this technique every day, several times a day to maintaine your calm.
Since you plan to go on a trip in 2 weeks, this exercise is something that you should begin to do right away and you will do it at the airport, while you're waiting in line, when you're walking into the plane, and even after you are seated on the plane. The thing that you want to do is to maintain that sense of calm. It is a very good technique, you can learn it in a few minutes and it only takes a few minutes to do it. So it is perfect because you can do it anywhere you happen to be. If someone asks what you are doing, just say that you have a tendency to sigh a lot.
Have a good trip.
Considering that you are taking medication for your blood pressure and you are also taking an SSRI for depression, some self-help techniques that could help calm you down would seem to be useful right now. Believe me, you are not alone in the "white coat syndrome" because I know a number of people who have elevated readings when they go to their doctors' offices. Sometimes it has to do with the staff and the environment and how you are made to feel.
Take a look at our Tips column, watch the relaxation breathing video tutorial and begin to use this technique every day, several times a day to maintaine your calm.
Since you plan to go on a trip in 2 weeks, this exercise is something that you should begin to do right away and you will do it at the airport, while you're waiting in line, when you're walking into the plane, and even after you are seated on the plane. The thing that you want to do is to maintain that sense of calm. It is a very good technique, you can learn it in a few minutes and it only takes a few minutes to do it. So it is perfect because you can do it anywhere you happen to be. If someone asks what you are doing, just say that you have a tendency to sigh a lot.
Have a good trip.
Report This| Share this:White Coat SyndromeI am not an MD, but isn't it a bit unusual to have your blood pressure taken at an eye doctor's office? Is this an ophthalmologist? Is it being done because they are concerned you may have excessive pressure in your eye?<br /><br /><br />Considering that you are taking medication for your blood pressure and you are also taking an SSRI for depression, some self-help techniques that could help calm you down would seem to be useful right now. Believe me, you are not alone in the "white coat syndrome" because I know a number of people who have elevated readings when they go to their doctors' offices. Sometimes it has to do with the staff and the environment and how you are made to feel.<br /><br /><br />Take a look at our Tips column, watch the relaxation breathing video tutorial and begin to use this technique every day, several times a day to maintaine your calm. <br /><br /><br />Since you plan to go on a trip in 2 weeks, this exercise is something that you should begin to do right away and you will do it at the airport, while you're waiting in line, when you're walking into the plane, and even after you are seated on the plane. The thing that you want to do is to maintain that sense of calm. It is a very good technique, you can learn it in a few minutes and it only takes a few minutes to do it. So it is perfect because you can do it anywhere you happen to be. If someone asks what you are doing, just say that you have a tendency to sigh a lot.<br /><br /><br />Have a good trip.
SheenaMax replied to Patricia Farrell, PhD's response:
Yes, it is very unusual to want to take a BP reading.....no, he's not an ophthalmologist! They even take it at the dentist's office. My pdoc agreed with me that only the dr. that manages my BP should be the only one to monitor me. She laughed and also agreed that it would be a good idea to make a statement that I have white coat syndrome and that I do not want to have my BP taken and I will not hold anyone responsible should something medically go wrong during the visit, procedure, whatever.
My dentist didn't even want to fill a tooth because my readings were so high. Told him I could sit here all day but he was wasting his time if he wanted me to relax to get my readings to go down.
Would be just my luck for a dentist AND an eye doctor to want to check my BP!!
My dentist didn't even want to fill a tooth because my readings were so high. Told him I could sit here all day but he was wasting his time if he wanted me to relax to get my readings to go down.
Would be just my luck for a dentist AND an eye doctor to want to check my BP!!
Report This| Share this:White Coat SyndromeYes, it is very unusual to want to take a BP reading.....no, he's not an ophthalmologist! They even take it at the dentist's office. My pdoc agreed with me that only the dr. that manages my BP should be the only one to monitor me. She laughed and also agreed that it would be a good idea to make a statement that I have white coat syndrome and that I do not want to have my BP taken and I will not hold anyone responsible should something medically go wrong during the visit, procedure, whatever.<br /> <br />My dentist didn't even want to fill a tooth because my readings were so high. Told him I could sit here all day but he was wasting his time if he wanted me to relax to get my readings to go down. <br /> <br />Would be just my luck for a dentist AND an eye doctor to want to check my BP!!
I'm with your doc here; tell them your regular PCP is monitoring your BP and that you do have white coat syndrome.
Report This| Share this:White Coat SyndromeI'm with your doc here; tell them your regular PCP is monitoring your BP and that you do have white coat syndrome.
SheenaMax replied to Patricia Farrell, PhD's response:
Live and learn! I still regret letting them take it at the eye doctor! It set off a big trigger and now I've got all this anxiety.....sigh.......
Report This| Share this:White Coat SyndromeLive and learn! I still regret letting them take it at the eye doctor! It set off a big trigger and now I've got all this anxiety.....sigh.......
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