Anxiety Support Group

I have 'white coat syndrome' too. I just see them coming and it goes thru the roof, then they want to do ekg, blah blah blah.

I just take it at home (even a next door neighbor nurse can't do it) and I'm fine. Walk anywhere near a professional and forget it.

So, they give me new meds, I get reactions, don't take them and start over again. going to try some 'herbal' remedies to see if that helps.

sorry, didn't have anything constructive for you but you are not alone

Today is not going well. How the hell am I going to be able to go to the dr. tomorrow when I am totally panicked about it????

Please someone help me get through this!!!

First, you have three things happening.

Anticipation of having BP checked, the previous warnings, difficult experiences, white coat, and raised pressure from anxiety.

I have a monitor I use at home which is helpful to see if the pressure has increased.

The doctor has put the cuff on and left it on during the entire appointment, taking it at different moments, and then turned the numbers away and just kept doing it until I was comfortable with the pressure cuff on my arm.

It is not about the numbers, it is the pressure changes that I am recording.

It has taken time with all the doctors to help me past the one scary experience, and now I can have the pressure taken without extreme response.

Hope this helps. Best wishes for a good appointment tomorrow.

It was suggested to a friend that they ask for the 24 hour monitor. It takes it auto every 30 mins or so to give 'real' readings. Far as I know it has to come from docs office but it may be worth a try for you.

BTW, if you are a cancer survivor, then you can do anything!!! congrats on that.

I have this phobia too! Last year I went in for a routine medical apt at a new clinic just to get allergy meds refilled. My bp was high and they called the ambulance. I spent a HORRIBLE night in the hospital. We had just moved to a new area and knew no one to help with our 2 small children. I believe my bp was high due to a very stressful move. Ever since then my BP is very high every medical apt. I take it at home and it has been fine. I am exercising and eating better. I have an app on my phone to keep track.

I have my well woman check next month. I am freaking out about it now. What I am going to do is send the report from my BP app on my phone. I will also call the nurse prior to the apt to explain my phobia.

I was just going to post about this issue. Glad to hear I am not alone. Hang in there!

I have the white coat syndrome too.

I have told medical staff and doctor that my anxiety goes up and they do take that into consideration when reading BP results. If it is extremely high then that is a different story.

Have you communicated your fears with the medical staff. Do they know you have this Phobia.
I feel they will be understanding and accommodating IF they knew.

Maybe DESENSITIZE yourself to the BP machine at home.

Start off with baby steps.

Have the machine just sitting on the table, if you are ok with that then put the cuff on your arm and just sit there with it on but DO NOT take your BP. Perhaps do that for several days. Just put the cuff on but nothing else. maybe watch a comedy on tv. Practice breathing through it, Inhale deeply, hold for a couple seconds, exhale slowly to count of 8.
When you are comfortable with that then put cuff on, turn Machine on so it starts taking your BP. Then turn it OFF After 5 seconds or whatever you can tolerate before it completes the task.

Do that step for several times over several days.

Then increase the amount of time you can have the machine on taking your BP. Until you can reach the level where it can complete taking your. BP with you feeling comfortable. DO NOT read the results.
You take as many steps as you need to take for you to get use to it again. You ARE in control. You make the calls but push yourself a little bit each time.

You will gain the confidence back so you can take your BP at home again.

As for the doctor scaring you. I don't know what he/she said or did or what but doctors are not gods. Lol. They may think they are but they are JUST people.
I really understand about the medical fears. I have them myself but have gotten better over the years and consider that they are to HELP us and NOT harm. I try and remember that. And it is MY body and I do not have to do anything or take anything if I am not comfortable with it.
take back your control. Do not give it over to a doctor, a nurse, or a blood pressure taking device. Just see it as a silly little machine that makes a silly noise and often doesn't even read your BP right if you breath, move or talk the wrong way. Lol. And the nurse then has to take it again.

So you can work on overcoming the BP at home. I know you can do that.

And When you go to docs next let them know. If you can use humor then good. Believe it or not it is not new to them. They know that patients have anxiety and fears. My doctor told me this and understands.

You can always take something, medication prior to your appointments If your are extremely phobic.


I wish you the best and hope things improve for you.

Well when I got to the clinic, the nurse immediately rolled in the BP cart and I told her not to take my reading as I was very stressed out, waiting on results of my tests. She was completely okay with that. When the PA came in to go over results of my tests (which were great!) I told her of my fear and she said to continue working on it but that we need to take it, but that they wouldn't consider the reading in the office as an accurate one, since I was so tense.

I told the nurse NOT to tell me what it was and she laughed. When she was done, she didn't say it was ok, but she did say it was not high enough to worry about, so I was ok with that!

That is great about the test results and great you were able to communicate with nurse. Fantastic job. I am sure this visit is going to help with future ones. As this one went well you know other ones can go well too.
High five!

I have white coat syndrome too! What my doctors normally do is talk to me and then take another. LOL I'm with you.

So glad to hear that your appt went MUCH better than you had imagined it! Isn't that always the case though? I have the same issues. My BP is higher than normal when I go to the doctor. When I go to the dentist it goes even higher. I tell them up front I am having anxiety and that they will need to take my BP twice. It ALWAYS goes down at the end of my appt.