Can i have a 2nd opinion

[tetley3]

Hi,
I'll start by saying i live in a somewhat stressful home,. (teens, elderly parents, pets, oh & a husband)  I think ive always had abit of a higher than norm b.p., its usually 130's-140s, and when i have any stressful stuff to deal with or that im about to have a migraine, well today, i went to my drs., and told her i think its abit high, she took my bp and it was 172,  then she said its very high, so she hooked me on the bp monitor to take 8 different readings, they averaged out to be 154/97, so she said she is putting me on bp meds, and i'll probably be on it for life. (unless i can loose up to 30 lbs.)  what im wondrering is, my bp is usually not too bad unless i see the dr., or having to deal with "stuff", so does anyone think its normal for your bp to go up and down due to situations of that day? i do go for moderate walks when ever i can,  so my stressess are not an all day thing, might be close to everyday, but not lasting the entire day.  Im 47,  and am hoping i can slowly incorporate longer walks, but is it necessary to start bp meds because of afew high readings?.   If anyone can share their opinion  with me id be very grateful.

[tetley3]

Thank u for responding, my Dr. put me on coversyl 2mg to start, i waited a wk to start them...i guess i didnt want to believe that my life has turned this way, ive been monitoring my bp at home during the wk i didnt take the meds, well, ive now taking them for 5 days as yes, my bp has been like a rollercoaster at home from 156/107 down to 119/78, heart rate goes as high as 116, down to 78. ?? why this is happening 2 me i dont know, but my Dr. did say yes i have a high chance of stroke/heartattack, so did the pharmacy, this is scaring me , i have been making an effort to walk when i can.  i feel like im a mess right now. im supposed to go back to see the Dr. in 3 wks so she can adjust the dosage. I was also told when ur put on bp meds, ur going to be on them permanently, is this true?

[erijon]

Welcome and thanks for your question. I understand your frustration, I too have "White Coat Syndrome" or higher than normal BP while at my doctors. It is fairly common but there is a problem. If you get an increase at your doctor's office, you are likely to have a more sensitive response to outside stimulus than most people. This would mean that although BP is dynamic and always changing, yours changes increases more easily than most people. In this situation it is normal to be on BP meds as you most likely spend a larger than normal part of your day with high BP. Even at your normal rate of 130 - 140, that in itself is hypertension and needs to be treated. Your doctor is most likely correct, you should consider a BP med.

From the Mayo Clinic;

>>>It was thought that white coat hypertension was caused by the stress that doctor's appointments can create. Once you'd left the doctor's office, if your blood pressure normalized, there wasn't a problem.

However, some doctors think that white coat hypertension might signal that you're at risk of developing high blood pressure as a long-term condition. The same may also be true for people who have masked hypertension, meaning their blood pressure is normal at the doctor's office, but spikes periodically when measured in other settings. It's thought that even temporary increases in your blood pressure could develop into a long-term problem. <<<

Here's a good read on the issue;

http://www.blood-pressure-monitoring.org/white-coat-hypertension.htm


Do you know which drug they want to put you on? If you can let me know I can give you a better idea of what to expect.

I Hope this helps,

Jon