Blood pressure - sure mine is raised due to pain of testing

[Mandy2003]

Out of I suppose 6 check ups in the last 4 years my blood pressure has been high (150 something?). But I'm sure it's a variation of the white coat effect. I suffer from fibromyalgia and ligamentitis in my elbows and shoulders and so the pain caused by the inflating BP cuff is horrendous. I'm sure that the shock of this is causing the high readings.

At the moment I'm having 24 hour monitoring today/tonight to try to get a more accurate picture but as the pain is just the same I'm certain the result will be false too.

Any medics or people with experience of this have any suggestions as to where to go with this next?

well, yes - pain absolutely will ramp your BP right up (adrenaline, primarily, will bind to B1 receptors in your heart.. and binds in other places too .. with overall effects of sympathetic stimulation increasing cardiac output and, heart rate, stroke volume and resistance. ergo yes your blood pressure will shoot up in pain.

But maybe you need to review any medication you are on - every drug has a side effect - perhaps you do have raised BP. If you have any noradrenaline agonist medication it will cause a rise in BP usually also, for example

^incoherent sentences, very tired sorry!

Thanks cafecito. I am a longstanding Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetic and was taking Tramadol for the fibro and other pain. Just started Palexia instead this week. No other meds.

I am wondering how to avoid having to take BP tablets if my BP is only raised due to the pain of being tested?

You might get more 'normal' readings at night - there's a chance you might sleep through it! The monitor might not wake you up each time it takes a reading so you'd possibly be less conscious of the pain? Hope it all goes okay

Nah, it did wake me up each time because it chirps an alarm before it starts inflating the cuff. I'd had enough by 2.00am so took it off and slung it under the stairs to await taking back to the docs this morning.

Thanks for your good wishes! Anyone with ideas for alternative testing methods without pain please come this way

I'll come back to this later as have to go now- but I'd suggest with your hx of diabetes you have your renal function properly investigated. It could be that your BP is raised because of that. hope not, but it needs to be ruled out as it's a likely culprit

and of course if renal function is okay, it's more likely some of the rise is attributable to pain etc. I doubt it all is though, as diabetic nephropathy etc commonly causes hypertension. tramadol could raise BP also *any drug could do anything really as so many side effects in some patients

Do you have the same problems with your legs? BP can be checked by putting a cuff around your thigh instead of your arm.

I don't know if they're as accurate, but have you seen the little machines that you put around your wrist to measure blood pressure instead? I don't find those painful at all, and they would at least give you an indication of how realistic the high blood pressure is.

I would say though, I think the likelyhood is that it is high - I have pretty normal BP, and whilst it's gone up a little bit if I'm stressed or in pain, it's never been by very much.