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Pregnancy

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Original poster

31 weeks, blood pressure rising from white coat syndrome - how do I keep calm

18 replies

Girlsville · 04/07/2014 20:41

Hi all

After some tips please! I'm 31 weeks pregnant with dc3.

Pre dc1 my blood pressure was fine. At end of pregnancy with dc1 I had a high reading which made me panic ( all was fine) and ever since then I have developed a phobia of having my BP taken. Now it has got to the point that when it is take at midwife checks etc the first couple of readings are often v high. Once ive calmed down then my BP goes down to 120/70 or 80. I've seen the consultant numerous times, he is not concerned and thinks all white coat syndrome. I've had a 101 checks for roe eclampsia and all low risk. Everyone is agreed it is caused. Y anxiety but it doesn't help matters! Even now when I think about having my BP taken at my next appointment my heart starts racing! Has anyone else had this? If so, can you give me some advice on how to keep myself calm so that my BP doesn't spike?

Thank you!

OP posts:

StealthPolarBear · 04/07/2014 20:42

I knew a woman who had white coat syndrome. All her limbs dropped off and she died

StealthPolarBear · 04/07/2014 20:43

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 04/07/2014 20:44

Me too, I'm like this. I have a home monitor and take readings at home now. I only have to see a monitor in the surgery and mine goes up!

BadRoly · 04/07/2014 20:46

Would it work to have it taken twice - I used to get mine done at both the start and end of appointments with dc4 (he was diagnosed with heart problems while I was pg) as I was always nervous until after the scans/heart beat.

Original poster

Girlsville · 04/07/2014 20:46

Dame - it's a nightmare! I saw the nurse in my office this week, hoping it would be less dramatic than at hospital. Needless to say first reading was far too high! Second reading just about ok, feel anxious just thinking about it. Maybe home test is the key.

OP posts:

Icimoi · 04/07/2014 20:47

I know what you mean, I always tense up when someone comes at me with a blood pressure monitor. I do find it helps bring it down to try to imagine that I'm lying on a beach just listening to the waves.

Original poster

Girlsville · 04/07/2014 20:47

Badroly - thanks. I was thinking of asking them to do it at the end of appointment once they have done all the other checks and I know everything fine.

OP posts:

Nocturne123 · 04/07/2014 20:49

I could have written this ! I'm
Also 31 weeks and have exactly the same problem! I also take readings at home as they asked me to go twice weekly to the gp to get it taken .. I knew it would rocket as soon as I go near there !

Do they usually do a few readings on you? Usually by my third it starts to go down ( unless they tell me they're taking blood ) .

I guess the only good thing is that they will keep a close eye on you because of what they think is high bp !

Also if you figure out any miracle ways of calming down please let me know

Original poster

Girlsville · 04/07/2014 20:52

Yes they do a few readings....but last time I was sent to the maternity A and e , which as you can imagine did nothing to help! By the time they saw me it was sky high.....they did 5 readings and by the last it was back down to 120/80, but I was held captive in the hospital for about 4 hours to get to that point.

OP posts:

helensburgh · 04/07/2014 20:53

Don't worry ask for a bp machine to use at home, and phon results

seasavage · 04/07/2014 21:07

My surgery (and some chemists) have machines to take BP in public area to self test before appointments. Hospital machines take auto readings too. Any chane your midwife can arrange that?

TodaysAGoodDay · 04/07/2014 21:35

I used to be a nurse, and still work in a hospital. I have WCS, and have had it for about 20 years, no idea of the cause. It is a lot more common than you think, basically it's a vicious circle. You are worried because your blood pressure will be high. If it's high the medical staff will jump up and down about it, and demand further tests/medication/repeated visits to your GP/etc. This raises your blood pressure so it's high when they take it. This makes you extremely anxious for the next time it's done, and so on.
I have tried sitting for hours (well, every lunch hour) with the cuff on my arm, I have tried taking my own BP, I have a wrist BP monitor at home and have tried using it every 15 minutes to try and ''overload'' my mind with readings, but nothing has worked.
All you can do is try some relaxation before you go, meditation is good, but I do agree that by the time you're there it's likely to be as high as anything.
The medical staff do understand, and they will keep you longer to retest you, but it really is for your own safety, and that of your unborn baby, as a high BP can be fatal.
Just try and deal with it as best you can, and you will be fine.

kkllww · 04/07/2014 21:35

Wow, I am exactly the same OP! I get so stressed out at the thought of having it taken I can feel my heart racing and feel sick. I've got a home bp monitor (from last preg when it was borderline high) but now my phobia's got so bad i can't even take it out of the drawer. I'm 9 weeks so haven't had to have it taken yet this time but already freaking out about it.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 04/07/2014 21:44

If you have a smart phone there are lots if relaxation apps. Ultimately the doctors have said you're fine, they would soon let you know if they were worried about anything.

BalloonSlayer · 04/07/2014 21:47

A friend of mine had this 25+ years ago. Unbelievably fit and healthy, she went for the booking in appointment all excited as you are, midwife was rude to her, BP went through the roof and did at every subsequent encounter, she spent 8 months on bedrest feeling perfectly fine.

2nd pregnancy she dug her heels in, was given home BP monitor to check herself and was able to have a normal pregnancy actually living her life.

Original poster

Girlsville · 05/07/2014 22:32

Good to know it's more common than I thought....must try some relaxation techniques.it is such a vicious cycle tho!

OP posts:

Imnotsurehowtogetthisout · 05/07/2014 22:50

I could have written this post myself. It first happened to me about 10yrs ago and has plagued me ever since. It is hit and miss at my GPs but horrendous at hospital! I wore a monitor for 24hrs once it see if there was a medical cause but it was fine. I have a home monitor and have to take it 2 or 3 times before my heart stops racing and my reading us normal.

I made it to 30 weeks without a problem then had my first consultant appt and it all went downhill from there...had to go twice weekly to the hospital for BP monitoring - you can imagine how that went!

The things I found most helpful (am 12 weeks post partum now) were listening to my hypnobirthing cd in the waiting room and while they were taking my BP. I also had Accupuncture for anxiety at the hospital, I also saw a pregnancy psychologist referred by my midwife. These all really helped. I would talk to your midwife about this and see if you can get referred and also have a note put in your file so you don't have to explain it every time you see someone new.

MsBug · 05/07/2014 22:57

I had this; I was running late for one of my mw appointments and had a high reading, then got high readings every time afterwards. The mw tried a few times during each appointment and every time it eventually went just below the level where they have to do something about it.

I used to close my eyes and imagine I was stroking my cat, which seemed to bring it down.

My bp stayed low throughout my long and stressful labour, probably because I was too distracted to notice than taking it.

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