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Stress/Anxiety producing HBP

Hello.  Please be bear with me as I will try not to be too long.  I have suffered with anxiety for years and just late last year have started experiencing panic disorder.  I don't have a family history of high blood pressure but over the past several months my blood pressure has been abnormally high (for me). I went to the ER twice in a 30 day period because of a panic attack not realizing my bp was raised. The PA started asking me questions pertaining to having a stroke and it completely freaked me out!  Needless to say it fell on it's own and they sent me home but told me I needed to follow up with my doctor, which I did.   I have had all of the tests, i.e. stress test, echo, ekg  and they are all fine but my blood pressure still would not normalize.  Now I am highly stressed and trying SO hard to reduce my stress levels but because my pressure keeps fluctuating it is becoming almost impossible to not worry.   As soon as I SEE a bp machine I almost go into a panic!  My doctor put me back on Metroplol (was on it back in 2007) to reduce my heart rate which we hoped would reduce my blood pressure.  Well it did but I'm still 150/92, 140/94, 130/90.  When I initially test at the drug store my pressure is always higher and then I test like a minute later and it drops.  Two weeks ago it dropped to 128/88.  Went for a follow-up with my doctor last Friday and it was 130/90 and he felt it was time to start taking blood pressure medication.  I almost cried because I am 46 and I feel I am way too young for this!  He put me on Valsartan (generic), 40 mg twice a day.  I started them yesterday and my bp in the morning was 130/94 and in the early afternoon it was actually 126/86.  I was so excited.....then this morning it was 140/93, but that was my second reading.  How long does it usually take for the medication to really start taking effect? I am becoming very depressed and anxious as to why I can NOT get this under control.  I do have a stressful job but I have been eating better (barely have an appetite) and exercising more.  I do not want to be on blood pressure pills for the rest of my life; especially because we feel it's due to stress and anxiousness. I am on Xanax too-ugh.  Please help!
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