Blood Pressure Help

[mewart]

Can someone please give me a bit of reassurance or something. I have been reading mumsnet for well over a year now but i now need some help. I have been told by the doctor that my blood pressure is reallyhigh for some1 my age 160/100, i am 23 and that if i doesnt go down i will need to stop taking the pill. My blood pressure problems only started when 38 weeks pg with dd and had calmed down but now haver reoccured. Basically i would love to have another child but i am so scared that these blood pressure problems will stop everything! I am also on adp's so this is not helping, any advice or reassurance would be gratefully recieved thanks x

I've heard (from doctors and others) that the wrist ones aren't as accurate, so could give you false fears or false reassurance....personally, I agree you'd probably be best off saving your money and just having your BP checked from time to time. At my local surgery, the nurse will do it - much easier to get an appointment, and sometimes less 'white coat effect'!
I definitely believe in the 'white coat syndrome' that makes it go high at the doctor's - but having laughed mine off as that during pregnancy, I was proved wrong (thats just me, mind) as it did then get higher and higher postpartum. Apparently even the 'white coat' sort can be an indicator of future problems - so worth keeping an eye on.

elibean, i just hate someone else being in on my personal business. I know it's probably my paranoia but i always feel like the doctors are judging me. Esp male ones. And i have to explain every time about my phobia etc and why i haven't gotten around to a smear test etc etc. i just want some peace!! Plus, if i could bring a few of my own readings (hopefully lower ones!) to the doc next time i could prove it is white coat hypertension!
If i had a bp monitor I could keep an eye on it myself in a relaxed way and go to the doc if i really needed to.

U feel the same way mewarT?

Boureville - beware the monitors. Bought an Oregon Scientific one from John Lewis which showed that I had very low blood pressure. Went to my Doctor to check and it was normal. Tried again at home and got the same very low result! Bit worrying as DH has borderline high bp and the reading at home was almost the same as that he had a week previously at the doctor's. The nurse told me they are not reliable.

I dont really knoiw what to donow, i am worried that if it is the white coat thing then they r false readings really and i will just get more stressed out and taken off the pill unneccesarily really, i am back at the doctors in 2 weeks so might just see what happens then

Hi there, had raised bp with ds2, high bp runs in family. Go along with everything said about diet. Garlic tablets are great to take and really help. My doctor said I definitely have white coat syndrome it is recognised as an issue by the medical profession. What my surgery did for me was give me the load of an omron bp monitor for a week and I was to take the reading twice a day at the same time. This worked a treat and proved that bp was only ever high when at the clinic. Why don't you see if you can get one of these on loan. The nurse is normally more than happy to help. At your age I would think that anything they can do to stop having to give you bp medicine would be an advantage.

Thats a GREAT idea. If you can borrow an Omron, just to check out whether its different at home from the surgery...perfect. I've got one that you're welcome to borrow for a week, if you're in SW London, by the way! Otherwise, bit tricky...anyone else?

i am in cumbria so thank u for the offer but nogood i willask at the doctors though unless anyone near me hasone?

Yes, I've read that GP's should be able to lend you a bp monitor so you can do readings yourself. White coat syndrome is universally recognised. I also got really fed up about false readings caused by the doc just not being able to 'hear'; my bp was always lower when taken at my gym. Some chemists also do free testing.

I remember my female doc, or possibly midwife or health visitor i don't remember, saying after dd was born "it's a little high but probably because your baby has been taken away!" (the receptionists were looking after her nice understanding doc!

White coat syndrome is very real but my doctor says it is still to be watched/treated as it shows that your blood pressure can rise to unhealthy levels in a stressful situation and so it may be rising at other stressful times too Keep an eye on it and eat loads of fruit I have started having a smoothie every morning and my bp has come down quite a bit

Really? Yum! Nice remedy, Noddyholder, will try that..
ps also been told that about white coat bp and keeping an eye.

decided to get a bp monitor to check bp at home, also got some garlic tablets, and healthy eating from tommorow! not good as chocolate is my best friend!

mewart i'm a chocoholic too and have read that dark choc (I get 70% cocoa stuff) is actually good for you in moderation. It's cool cos i eat less when it's that dark cos the craving is sorted quicker!

not so good that i dont like dark choc then-typical!

In case anyone is interested, my monitor arrived yesterday, I tested it on me & my mum & we both had very normal readings, I was wondering if it was correct when my dad decided to have a go & his was much higher, so I think it is probably correct if that makes any sense.

He had just been running around with dd so I have scheduled him for weekly checks (they come over every week) & I have a major urge to try on dd's nurses uniform.