Blood Pressure Phobia

Posted by bradmm @bradmm, Nov 22, 2019

This actually started many years ago but I compartmentalized it until this past summer. I passed out at a sub shop counter in June and the employees called EMS while I was out. I knew they were concerned about liability so I stuck around but didn't allow them to take me to ER, drove myself home. Nevertheless, I went to a cardiologist. He ran all kind of tests and the calcium score was very high but the heart cath was pretty good. The anxiety of all of that caused my blood pressure (BP) to be very high (160/100 +/-). I was told to monitor it twice a week but I couldn't get good readings due to anxiety of anticipated high number so I didn't take any for months. I finally convinced myself to do it and I got a high reading last night but got a close to normal this morning. Now I'm freaking out because Dr. Google says that those high/low readings are a sign of other problems. I talked to my primary care about my anxiety with BP readings and, in the end, she just suggested that I keep taking readings. This sounds overly dramatic but I'm not scared of dying, I'm just freaked out about BP readings! Sounds like I need a shrink! 🙂

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

bradmm | @bradmm | Nov 28, 2019

Yesterday morning 107/72... go figure.

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Dec 4, 2019

Question for Moderator Ethan McConkey--I am a member of the Diverticulitis Mayo Connect grp and could access this page & "read" but can't find a place to post a question to this grp about orthostatic hypotension problem and unsettling visit with cardio yesterday. Is there a place for me to reg. to post on this group forum? Thank you. Fiesty76

candyland | @candyland | Mar 22, 2023

I have the same problem, I know exactly how you feel. I thought I needed to see a mental health

heartme | @heartme | Mar 23, 2023

I suffered from blood pressure phobia! But then I found out that I had both "white coat anxiety" and that my Omron cuff was over-squeezing which was giving very inflated readings.

Here is how I broke the cycle:

I realized that having high blood pressure isn't the end of the/my world, so if I truly had it, it's manageable. This helped me relax.

I made sure that I was seated and relaxed for five minutes before I did a reading. I also did a breathing exercise through an app on my smartwatch during this time.

I did three readings a few minutes apart. The first was usually elevated, the second lower, the third normal. Over time all three became normal.

I started using an Omron wrist monitor and properly calibrated it exactly by following the measurement guide of table height, etc. I had my husband, who has stable blood pressure, test the wrist monitor and then the cuff monitor and they were the same.

I now enjoy anxiety-free readings and sometimes they are high if I am very stressed so I know i need to chill out. However I no longer have anxiety or fear of readings. I'm even getting lower pressure readings in my doctor's office!

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