White Coat Hypertension - is it infectious?

prefabkid47

Having to likely face a THR soon thought I would monitor my blood pressure.
I don't want to have a pre-op and have my op delayed due to high blood pressure (BP).
Have been monitoring my BP over the last week or so with a home monitor (my OH suffers white coat hypertension,her GP has given up taking her BP which are perfectly normal when doing home readings).
Mine are slightly raised possibly borderline for an operation... :!:
Decided to make an appointment and have it taken,BP was very high!The nurse queried whether the BP monitor had been calibrated (it was several years old) so decided to buy a new one.
When the old and new monitors were compared side by side readings were very similar,so have confidence in my readings!
Have an appointment Monday with another GP to discuss the situation,not wanting to see my normal GP for the reasons given in an earlier post.The earliest appoinment happens to be with my GP's wife,should be interesting..................
Appoinment is 3.40 Monday afternoon,think of me please!
Ron

stickywicket

I don't think it's on the infectious diseases list, Ron but the bad news is it does get higher as we...dare I say it....get older. Plus, the meds we take aid and abet this process. Plus the difficulty in doing a decent amount of exercise.

I've always been told mine was 'on the high side of normal' and nothing ever done but, last Sept / Oct my GP decided that wasn't good enough and the fun began. The lowest dose of amlodopine did nothing so she doubled it. This still did nothing for my BP but made my ankles swell so much I couldn't get even my non-elasticated-top socks on. A change to the lowest dose of ramipril helped a little (and sorted the ankles) but not enough so that , too, was doubled. I'm still being monitored. What's annoying is that I don't eat salt or junk food and I do eat bananas and avocados, both supposedly good for lowering BP.

I reckon my BP has its own level and is determined to stay there come what may. It's not white coat syndrome as, if anything, I'm better with their 'proper' monitors than my home battery one. Just not good enough. (Just like my old school reports )

I hope your body proves more amenable to the meds than mine.

dreamdaisy

My rheumatologist ignores my BP readings which are done before I see her, because a) they involve a painful walk from the waiting room to the nurse's room and b) she reckons they're always inflated due to that and WCH (white coat etc.). Although they have the proper kit they insist on using one of those electronic automated ones - that sends my BP soaring due to the pain as it inflates, deflates a little, re-inflates more, deflates a little etc. etc. etc. :x

Humira caused my BP to rise so I am on tablets for it and they do a pretty good job of controlling it. I 'inherited' my Mum's BP monitor thing but don't use it and never will. I am not a doc and don't know what it all means!

Count me in on the support-front, Ron - fancy a pint after? I'll buy it and watch you drink it as I'm still not right. DD

barbara12

Hi Ron
When I went for my pre-op assessment, my blood pressure was through the roof, so be ready for it... they left me half hour to calm down.. anyhow it worked...

prefabkid47

barbara12 wrote:

Hi Ron
When I went for my pre-op assessment, my blood pressure was through the roof, so be ready for it... they left me half hour to calm down.. anyhow it worked...

Glad it worked for you barbara,hope it does for me if my blood pressure is also through the roof................ :!:

prefabkid47

So sorry DD that you are still not feeling right.What about a pint before my appointment will buy you a cuppa if beer is still a no no.
Alcohol is supposed to dilate blood vessels (reduce bp) and relax me as well,worth the sacrifice.............
Ron

prefabkid47

I now accept White Coat Hypertension isn't infectious...... :!:
However it is capable of producing 'flare ups'...........
Went to see my GP about my blood pressure,she took it and was very high,surprise surprise......... :!:
However she looked at my daily readings taken at home.She did say that although one or two were slightly on the high side,but generally were ok and perfectly acceptable for surgery to go ahead..........
She remarked that it was sensible to continue to take home readings and present them to my surgeon (will see him next week).
Ron

dreamdaisy

Well that sounds like a plan to me - I hope it comes to fruition. I recently heard on the radio that at home one should take three readings, five minutes apart, and take the lowest as being the closest to accuracy. DD

PS Re the pint - what time is your appointment? I think I'm improving but a 9am pint could spoil things, albeit pleasantly.

prefabkid47

dreamdaisy wrote:

Well that sounds like a plan to me - I hope it comes to fruition. I recently heard on the radio that at home one should take three readings, five minutes apart, and take the lowest as being the closest to accuracy. DD

PS Re the pint - what time is your appointment? I think I'm improving but a 9am pint could spoil things, albeit pleasantly.

Hi DD
I do tend to take 2 or 3 readings and take the most representative figure.
As to the pint,my appointment isn't until 2.20pm,so will have time for more than one especially if we start soon after 9am................
Ron

dreamdaisy

You're on! I'm feeling much better so will resume my meds this week - that'll put an end to that so I need the beer! See you in the back bar around 9.30 DD

PS Apologies for the unnecessary advice re the BP readings.