The Blood Pressure Police

[Scorpio6]

Would you believe when I was in the doctor's office last week I specifically requested they take a manual reading instead of with the machine and all they have is the machine?! I bet nobody in that office even knows how to take a manual BP.

The next time I go to that doctor (11/15) I'[m just going to tell the girl I refuse to have my BP taken because I'm in no mood to deal with that crap, and she can put that in her computer notes. Gee, how very Scorpio of me.

[bzar]

Originally Posted by bolieikl

I wish I could control my fear

that's just it, right? there's things we fear that we're not even aware of.

when i have my quiet time, i try to ask myself to reveal it to me. i ask nicely. i think i make some progress, but deep down inside it presents itself as stress. i manage to let go for brief moments. i sometimes think that wanting to control it adds to the stress. breathing and observing the breathing helps.

[bex]

Originally Posted by bolieikl

I am so afraid they will make me take medicine and that will cause it to be too low and cause me to feel horrible.

Linda, I mean this in the most supportive way I can possible express - they can't MAKE you take medicine. YOU and only YOU are in charge of your body and your health.

Sure, they went to med school, and have education and training that non-doctors don't. But each of us also has the experience of living in our body that they can't possibly have.

Ideally, it should be a partnership. But when they behave badly, I treat doctors as an expert tradesperson, no different from an electrician or a plumber.

[Jeanne Marie]

Originally Posted by bex

Linda, I mean this in the most supportive way I can possible express - they can't MAKE you take medicine. YOU and only YOU are in charge of your body and your health.

Sure, they went to med school, and have education and training that non-doctors don't. But each of us also has the experience of living in our body that they can't possibly have.

Ideally, it should be a partnership. But when they behave badly, I treat doctors as an expert tradesperson, no different from an electrician or a plumber.

I was just going to say the same thing. They can't make you take any medicine. We MUST be proactive with our own care. I'm not saying to ignore the knowledge and recommendations of your doctor, but do your research and be your own decision maker about what medications you take and do not take.

[bolieikl]

Bex and Jeanne Marie.....LOL, yes, I thought that very same thing after I had typed it. I know they can't "make" me take it, but it is an irrational fear that I have.

Bzar - I always ask myself that question. And yes, you are absolutely correct....wanting to control it adds to the stress

[Jennifer P.]

If this was mentioned before in this thread, I am sorry to repeat. I didn't have time to read the whole thread. When I take my mom to the dr & her blood pressure is high, the educated people who take her blood pressure will take it again after she's had a chance to sit & relax for awhile. If me or my mom was getting that much flack from the doctors I was going to, I'd switch to someone better, & I'd have "interviews" for the replacement candidates. Is that possible with your health care?

[bubbles76]

My blood pressure can also skew very high if I'm in a lot of pain. In fact, it's the only real time my blood pressure gets high. I had never heard of the phrase "white coat hypertension."

[rosepetals]

Hubby's good pressure always is higher taken at the office. Its called white coat syndrome. Its normal at home most of the time. Unless he eats badly.

They finally convinced him his blood pressure was too high. He gave in to the pills.

He complained he was dizzy. I monitored his bp. It was low. Too low.

One day I was sitting in the recliner. I heard a thump against the closet door, then the thud of a body hitting the ground. I turned my head in time to see him fall. He passed out cold. I got up started taking his vitals, his blood pressure was crazy low. He came around with some talking, shaking.

The meds are scary. He is still convinced that he needs them. It took me months to convince him to lower the dose.

When he followed Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn diet his cholesterol and blood pressure and even diabetes went away. Sadly he can't give up the milk or cheese and the issues came back.

When I worked at the hospital or nursing homes as a RN, it was not uncommon to have patients pass out from meds. The older you are the more your affected by them.

[fitmiller]

This thread makes me feel not so alone!! After I went through Breast Cancer 5 years ago I developed such a severe anxiety about going to any doctor visit, thinking they were always going to "find" something wrong with me. My blood pressure has always been fine my entire life (I'm 53) and just the thought of a blood pressure machine coming at me was enough to make me freak out. I still struggle with the anxiety but I know how important it is, especially now, to get my regular check ups. Not a fun time though for sure!!!

[jackie7]

My sister, who is 64, has a fasting blood sugar level of 100. Her doctor wants to put her on metformin, because she thinks she is pre diabetic. My sister refuses to go on meds cause her fasting blood sugar has been 100 for over 40 years. She even told her doctor that she has copies of every test and can show her that it has always been the same. The doctor doesnt want to hear it!