Whitecoat BP help?

[Pong543]

I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal, but
everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?

[Larry Fransson]

On 2003-11-16 11:01:28 -0800, (Pong543) said:

> I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal, but
> everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?

Relax. That's it. It works for me.

[David Rind]

Pong543 wrote:
> I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal, but
> everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?

Since you are asking this in r.a.p., I'll guess that your question
means: "I don't really have high blood pressure, but my readings
at the doctor's office say I do and that means I may have trouble
with my medical." An alternative meaning, had this been asked in
sci.med, might be "My BP is high in the office but not at home;
do I have high blood pressure?"

People with elevated readings in the office but normal in other
settings, "white coat hypertension", typically have cardiovascular
risks somewhere between people who read normal in the office and
those who are always hypertensive.

If you are trying to convince an AME that your elevated readings
are not actual hypertension (and so not a problem for the FAA),
I would think that getting 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure
monitoring might be the answer. I have no idea what the FAA thinks
about this issue, but from a medical standpoint it's a good way
to distinguish real from white coat hypertension.

--
David Rind

[Craig]

(Pong543) wrote in message >...
> I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal, but
> everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?

Eat lightly that morning, lay off anything with caffine for a day or
so prior, take a good book with you and arrive early. I found that I
could run my BP up twenty or more points by just running late to the
appointment. Even with the nasty schedule that I have now, I just
arrange to arrive early enough to do any paperwork they need and to
have a 20-30 minute window to unwind and relax. Most of the time the
nurses have to come over and wake me up I'm so relaxed.

My cardiologist swears that caffine doesn't have a big effect on BP,
but I can point to that being the only change that I made in a 12 week
time period, and my BP dropped a little more than 25 points in that
same time. He claims it is my imagination or just that the meds were
catching up, but at that time I had been on the exact same dosage for
a little over 18 months, so I seriously doubt it had anything to do
with the meds.

Craig C.

[BTIZ]

great answer..

BT

"David Rind" > wrote in message
...
> Pong543 wrote:
> > I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal,
but
> > everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> > skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?
>
> Since you are asking this in r.a.p., I'll guess that your question
> means: "I don't really have high blood pressure, but my readings
> at the doctor's office say I do and that means I may have trouble
> with my medical." An alternative meaning, had this been asked in
> sci.med, might be "My BP is high in the office but not at home;
> do I have high blood pressure?"
>
> People with elevated readings in the office but normal in other
> settings, "white coat hypertension", typically have cardiovascular
> risks somewhere between people who read normal in the office and
> those who are always hypertensive.
>
> If you are trying to convince an AME that your elevated readings
> are not actual hypertension (and so not a problem for the FAA),
> I would think that getting 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure
> monitoring might be the answer. I have no idea what the FAA thinks
> about this issue, but from a medical standpoint it's a good way
> to distinguish real from white coat hypertension.
>
> --
> David Rind
>
>

[john]

On 16 Nov 2003 14:06:18 -0800, (Craig) wrote:

(Pong543) wrote in message >...
>> I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal, but
>> everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
>> skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?
assuming your bp is generally normal;
get one 0.1mg Clonidine, take 1/2 tab 2 hrs before trip to AME, take
bp before leaving-should be 110/60. At AME it will be normal.

just kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jon Kraus]

10 mg of Valium should do the trick.... ;-)

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL

Pong543 wrote:

>I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal, but
>everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
>skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?
>
>

[Morgans]

"Pong543" > wrote in message
...
> I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal,
but
> everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?

Do a search for bio-feedback.
--
Jim in NC

[Ron Natalie]

"Pong543" > wrote in message ...
> I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal, but
> everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?

How high is it when he checks it. Mine was a bit high, but still within FAA limits
and I pointed out that I had white coat syndrome.

The other real problem is most doctors have absolutely crappy blood pressure
procedure. And unfortunately like left turning tendency in aircraft, these all end
up piling up on the high side.

[Carl Ellis]

Make sure that your elbow is at least as high as your heart when your BP is
taken.

- Carl -


"Ron Natalie" > wrote in message
m...
>
> "Pong543" > wrote in message
...
> > I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal,
but
> > everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> > skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?
>
> How high is it when he checks it. Mine was a bit high, but still within
FAA limits
> and I pointed out that I had white coat syndrome.
>
> The other real problem is most doctors have absolutely crappy blood
pressure
> procedure. And unfortunately like left turning tendency in aircraft,
these all end
> up piling up on the high side.
>
>


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.538 / Virus Database: 333 - Release Date: 11/10/2003

[Ron Natalie]

"Carl Ellis" > wrote in message ...
> Make sure that your elbow is at least as high as your heart when your BP is
> taken.
>
Make sure your arm is supported.

[mbh]

Many people find that taking aged garlic extract will lower their blood
pressure, this might take up to two weeks for it to become effective. Also,
a first step for decreasing slight hypertension is I believe, to place the
patient on a diuretic.

Mike

The preceding advice is worth <2 cents. So take it for what it is worth.

"Pong543" > wrote in message
...
> I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal,
but
> everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?

[Pat Thronson]

And your recommended procedure would be?? Not trying to be a smart ass,
just curious.

Pat Thronson


"Ron Natalie" > wrote in message
m...
>
> "Pong543" > wrote in message
...
> > I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal,
but
> > everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> > skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?
>
> How high is it when he checks it. Mine was a bit high, but still within
FAA limits
> and I pointed out that I had white coat syndrome.
>
> The other real problem is most doctors have absolutely crappy blood
pressure
> procedure. And unfortunately like left turning tendency in aircraft,
these all end
> up piling up on the high side.
>
>

[Dylan Smith]

In article >, Ron Natalie wrote:
> The other real problem is most doctors have absolutely crappy blood pressure
> procedure. And unfortunately like left turning tendency in aircraft,
>these all end
> up piling up on the high side.

I measured with high blood pressure during my medical 3 years ago, which
was very surprising as I wasn't even 30. The AME re-did the measurement,
and it read absolutely normal. It's apparently very easy to get a false
high BP reading.

--
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net
"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"

[Ron Natalie]

"Pat Thronson" > wrote in message et...
> And your recommended procedure would be?? Not trying to be a smart ass,
> just curious.

The arm should be supported. The cuff should be properly centered with the
bladder over the palpated artery (the index marks on the cuffs are varied and
inaccurate even when used the way the manufacturer suggested). The cuff
should be inflated just above where it is needed to stop the palpated pulse (you
don't need to blast the thing up to Pat. Pend.) . If the reading is not attained
on the first attempt, don't just reinflate on the same arm immediately.

[David Hill]

Ron Natalie wrote:
> "Pong543" > wrote in message ...
>
>>I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal, but
>>everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
>>skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?
>
>
> How high is it when he checks it. Mine was a bit high, but still within FAA limits
> and I pointed out that I had white coat syndrome.
>
> The other real problem is most doctors have absolutely crappy blood pressure
> procedure. And unfortunately like left turning tendency in aircraft, these all end
> up piling up on the high side.
>

My biggest concern with the medical is that my BP is marginally within
limits.

Last time I had a medical, the doctor had me lie down, and checked it on
my right arm rather than my left. No problem. <grin>

I also scheduled the exam as early in the morning as possible, skipped
my coffee that morning, and sat quietly and meditated for a few moments
before the BP check.

I've also heard that if you can document that your BP at home is
consistently lower than in the doc's office, it will be taken into
consideration. At one point in time I took my BP daily, recorded it in
my PDA. At the exam my BP was bumping up against 140/90, and the doc
voiced concern, but my record of lower BP at home over the previous few
weeks convinced him I didn't have a problem.

--
David Hill
david at hillREMOVETHISfamily.org
Sautee-Nacoochee, GA, USA

filters, they're not just for coffee anymore

[Robert Perkins]

On Wed, 19 Nov 2003 15:27:57 GMT, David Hill
> wrote:

>At the exam my BP was bumping up against 140/90, and the doc
>voiced concern, but my record of lower BP at home over the previous few
>weeks convinced him I didn't have a problem.

I thought the FAA limits were 155/95?

Rob

--
[You] don't make your kids P.C.-proof by keeping them
ignorant, you do it by helping them learn how to
educate themselves.

-- Orson Scott Card

[Jay Somerset]

On 16 Nov 2003 14:06:18 -0800, (Craig) wrote:

> (Pong543) wrote in message >...
> > I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal, but
> > everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> > skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?
>
> Eat lightly that morning, lay off anything with caffine for a day or
> so prior, take a good book with you and arrive early. I found that I
> could run my BP up twenty or more points by just running late to the
> appointment. Even with the nasty schedule that I have now, I just
> arrange to arrive early enough to do any paperwork they need and to
> have a 20-30 minute window to unwind and relax. Most of the time the
> nurses have to come over and wake me up I'm so relaxed.
>
> My cardiologist swears that caffine doesn't have a big effect on BP,
> but I can point to that being the only change that I made in a 12 week
> time period, and my BP dropped a little more than 25 points in that
> same time. He claims it is my imagination or just that the meds were
> catching up, but at that time I had been on the exact same dosage for
> a little over 18 months, so I seriously doubt it had anything to do
> with the meds.

Perhaps you should get a new cardiologist. Caffeine certainly DOES raise
blood pressure -- systolic and diastolic can easily go up 10 poits after 2-3
cups of tea or coffee.

Your cardiologist may have meant to say that this should not be worrisome,
but to say there should be no effect is just straight nonsense.

>
> Craig C.
>

[Ludlow Johnson]

On Fri, 21 Nov 2003 21:54:19 -0500, "Jay Somerset"
> wrote:

>On 16 Nov 2003 14:06:18 -0800, (Craig) wrote:
>
>> (Pong543) wrote in message >...
>> > I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal, but
>> > everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
>> > skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?
>>

I have found many times, that if you also take you BP at the end of
the visit (assuming no bad news) you will find that it will closer to
your normal readings.

[Les Gawlik]

I had this too. My AME had me prepare a chart for a week or 10 days, with
BP taken my someone with medical training. He checked my retinae for
changes, and passed me.

A help for me is to cut out caffeine for the month before the test.

I heard that Whitecoat HTN may be indicative of real cardiovascular problems
if you have other indicia, such as constantly cold or clammy hands and feet.


"Pong543" > wrote in message
...
> I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal,
but
> everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?

[Jay Somerset]

On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 09:28:23 -0500, "Les Gawlik" >
wrote:

> I had this too. My AME had me prepare a chart for a week or 10 days, with
> BP taken my someone with medical training. He checked my retinae for
> changes, and passed me.
>
> A help for me is to cut out caffeine for the month before the test.

The body's reaction to caffeine is very rapid, and so is its decay. All you
need to do is lay off the caffeine for 6-12 hours before the exam. Bets to
take thre exam first thing in the morning, as BP tends to rise throughout
the day.

>
> I heard that Whitecoat HTN may be indicative of real cardiovascular problems
> if you have other indicia, such as constantly cold or clammy hands and feet.
>
>
> "Pong543" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I take my blood pressure at home (monitor is accurate) and it is normal,
> but
> > everytime I go to the doctor or AME I get nervous as hell and my BP goes
> > skyhigh. Anyone have any good tips to overcome this?
>