Very high blood pressure.

[Loopylou6]

I've had to go have my blood pressure taken today because I'm 3 months into a combined pill. I have severe health anxiety, fear of blood pressure machine's, plus have a lot of stress at home
Ive been panicking all last night about it, and was a wreck this morning.
I went at 11 30 am and got a reading of 180/100 she told me it was very high, then left me for a few minutes, did it again and it was 180/112.
Could that be caused by the pill? Or fear?

white coat syndrome. It would be lower if read at home when relaxed. Why not buy an electronic BP monitor?

Yes, buy a monitor and take your blood pressure yourself at home. Mine always goes sky high in the surgery. I take mine after a nice bath when I'm relaxing and it's fine

It could be either. I can't take the pill for that reason and I had high BP in pregnancy. Some people react this way to hormones. Getting a monitor isn't a bad Idea.

This has unfortunately recently become my area of interest too. I find deep breathing can have an almost instant good affect. Find some breathing videos on YouTube.
I have had very similar readings recently too (in hospital). I've got my own monitor now and it's come down a lot (also taking medication). I can now tell when it's high before it gives me the reading.
Walking also has helped me. But the breathing has been a game changer.
(I have quite severe anxiety).

Oh @bridgetdrones sorry to hear you're in hospital, is that because of your BP? Are they giving you meds x
Hoping you a better new year x

It’ll be the pill, I suffered for about a year and even went on beta blockers but changed my pill, and boom back to normal

Sorry, just seen you are medicated, my head's everywhere, I've been given felodipine

Ohh as high as mine NH? Glad yours went back to normal x

Just a little bump to see if anyone else has any info to share?
I've managed to secure a DIY machine thingy for Tuesday

I had it go up a bit on the combined pill so had to stop taking it, I got high blood pressure in the last days of my pregnancy and I m gradually reducing the medicine for that a couple of months later. My GP takes my word for it as I ve been giving them readings done at home as I know that I ve probably got bad white coat syndrome again after my experience in hospital.

I second doing it at home. But your bottom.reading is too high and that one is less effected by say, exercise etc.

If it continues to stay high I wouldnt risk staying on that pill. Hopefully it's just white coat syndrome

The combined pill is contraindicated with hypertension.
Buy your own machine and do several readings at home different times of the day. You're roughly aiming for 140/90 or less.

Thank you, yes I've been taken straight off the combined pill and put back on the mini pill which just makes me bleed

@LegoAndLolDolls that was the first reading, the second went up to 180/112

I can share my experience - I too had similar reading when it was taken straight after a smear test. It would not come down and nurse dismissed it and said come back to surgery when calmer and take it again on the machine in reception. I did and it was borderline but I was still stressed. I avoided taking it for a long while until this year when I started to really want to know if it was white coat or genuine hypertension.

Long story short - I got a home BP machine and took it a few times a day for weeks. My GP suggested this - the theory being I would eventually relax. Well that was what happened. On average my BP was fine but it really does go up at the slightest hint of tension.

I stopped taking it and started again recently and the numbers are higher again - not in danger zone but the fear has come back. Now going to take it once a week regularly, with the hope the fear will stay at bay.

But I wouldn't recommend over checking - just to establish if it's white coat. I have had to take it 5 times sometimes before I know I am actually calm - the readings totally reflect the lowering of the anxiety. Breathing is the only way I calmed down. Good luck

I bought my own blood pressure monitor for home because I went through this too. I also have health anxiety.

I was reading in the high 140s over 75 in the surgery. The health assistant taking the readings just smiled and went 'white coat syndrome?' and I nodded. She did a few more and recorded the lowest one. I don't know what it was exactly but she said it was 'loads lower' and seemed satisfied.

But I became a bit fixated on it and found that I had to do a whole run of readings at home. Like you, I became anxious just at the sight of the machine and I felt like I had to normalise it. And lo and behold, once I'd calmed down it dropped back to about 121/75 consistently.

When you can take a step back from it, it's surprising what anxiety can do to/with our bodies.

Thank you @NastyBlouse and @Brighterlight.
Today I got a machine, been too scared to use it yet. Do you think my readings will likely be high the first few times I use it?

Yes. Please don't be alarmed. You could try using it and not looking at the numbers - get used to the sensation of the cuff tightening, the noises etc. That is what I had to do and eventually I stopped reacting with anxiety to it.

If you choose to look at the numbers just remember that BP fluctuates throughout the day and lots of things can raise it temporarily. Once you loose some fear, you will hopefully see the numbers change and then you will be able to know what is anxiety and what is a more accurate reading.

Remember - it is just a plastic box with an arm band and can't harm you :)

@Loopylou6 just reading back - has your GP given you medication after that high reading? If they have I would think they will be wanting to monitor the effects of that - are you in touch with them?

I'm surprised they didn't give you a 24 hour blood pressure machine to take away. It will monitor it every hour over the day even when you sleep. It likely shot up the second time due to fear. 24 hour will give you the best idea of what's normal for you.

Thanks @BrighterLight yes they gave me meds there and then, I'm supposed to be going back soon.
@Lililou they've put me on a waiting list for one but i think that'd make me even more anxious

Another one here with white coat hypertension!

Definitely get going with your home machine as it's the best thing once you get used to it. Don't be alarmed if it's high to begin with, as you will likely still be anxious at first.

Try to think of it as research - do it at different times of day to see how your readings change. And do it at least once every day (to start with) so you get used to the feeling of it and can see how it changes over time. After a while you will feel more in control of the situation and therefore more relaxed.

122/94 after really high readings