anyone with white coat hypertension and/or chronic hypertension?

LittleDucky

I've been told forever that I have white coat hypertension - that my blood pressure goes up at the doctor's office but when I take it at home it is much lower and within normal ranges.  For example, at my first OB appointment last week, my BP was 140/100 but earlier that morning when I took it at home it was 115/82.  It was also around 140/100 when I went for a different doctor's appointment the week before.

I've been taking my BP at home every couple of days just to keep track, and I'm getting a little nervous because my BPs at home are sometimes high, but they go back down again if I sit quietly and breathe slowly for about 15 minutes.  So today my BP was 138/92, but then after sitting and breathing slowly for 15 minutes it was down to 113/82.

 I'm writing all of this down and planning on bringing it with me to my next OB appointment on June 23, but I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar.  It also makes me nervous because my mom had pre-eclampsia when she was pregnant with me and I was born at 33 weeks, so I am probably more conscious about my BP than most women.

Ugh - after writing this post, when obviously I am feeling nervous about my BP, I took it again and it was 133/89!  I know that if I relax for a bit it will go back down, but it makes me nervous that it goes up and down so much...

smbd

I had white coat hypertension. I tracked my bp, and brought my monitor into the drs office. She finally made me do a 24hr monitor that proved I was right and since then I haven't had any issues (meaning I no longer get worked up knowing that she's going to take my bp & it'll be high b/c of who's taking it)

Nikkicole007

Definitely take your numbers to the doc and see what he/she says. It could be that your just anxious taking it, but why are you anxious taking it at home?

I have chronic hypertension. It's controlled through meds now, so it's always low, but before I would have highs and lows as well. It was always high after I had been working, active, etc. It was low early in the morning or if I had ben sitting on the couch for a while. They had me monitor at home for a week to see that I was having highs at home as well, not just at the doctors office.

 GL! Hope you are able to get some answers.

AGmomof3

You need to take your checker with you to see if it is accurate.  My bp checker is 10 years old now - I bought it when I was preg. with #1.  I find that it isn't as accurate as it used to be.  Also, do you think you might have chronic hypertention - I had that, although I didn't realize it until after I delivered #1.  Anyway - I say that so as not to worry you about pre-e.  The first preg. I did get a few symptoms but not till the end and the last preg and this one they are doing a great job on controlling my bp - so you don't have to panic.  They can do a lot for you.  There are some great meds for bp that don't hurt the baby.  Biggest thing - don't stress yourself out.  Unfortunately I do that consistently to the point where my doctor's need to take me off of work between 5-6 months, then I calm down and everything gets better.  Take care of yourself!

LittleDucky

amiegamache:

You need to take your checker with you to see if it is accurate.  My bp checker is 10 years old now - I bought it when I was preg. with #1.  I find that it isn't as accurate as it used to be.  Also, do you think you might have chronic hypertention - I had that, although I didn't realize it until after I delivered #1.  Anyway - I say that so as not to worry you about pre-e.  The first preg. I did get a few symptoms but not till the end and the last preg and this one they are doing a great job on controlling my bp - so you don't have to panic.  They can do a lot for you.  There are some great meds for bp that don't hurt the baby.  Biggest thing - don't stress yourself out.  Unfortunately I do that consistently to the point where my doctor's need to take me off of work between 5-6 months, then I calm down and everything gets better.  Take care of yourself!

I was thinking that maybe I have chronic hypertension and that it was just never diagnosed and always written off as white coat hypertension.  It is hard to say though because it will go back down after it's been high, and it very, very rarely above 140/90 at home, and it's never been above 140/100 at the doctor's office.

I will definitely bring my notes with my BP measurements and my home BP monitor to my next appointment so we can see if it is accurate.

Even if it is white coat hypertension, I know that there are other things in the world that stress me out besides going to the doctor, and even if I can get my BP to go down by sitting and relaxing that doesn't mean that it is at a good level most of the day when I'm out and about doing things.  I guess these are all things for me to ask about at my next appointment!

LittleDucky

Nikkicole007:

Definitely take your numbers to the doc and see what he/she says. It could be that your just anxious taking it, but why are you anxious taking it at home?

I have chronic hypertension. It's controlled through meds now, so it's always low, but before I would have highs and lows as well. It was always high after I had been working, active, etc. It was low early in the morning or if I had ben sitting on the couch for a while. They had me monitor at home for a week to see that I was having highs at home as well, not just at the doctors office.

 GL! Hope you are able to get some answers.

Honestly, I think I just get nervous that it is going to be high!  I've been monitoring my BP at home on and off for years - even as a kid I had white coat hypertension.  But obviously I am more aware and paying more attention now that I am pregnant.  I wonder if I've had undiagnosed chronic hypertension all along and it was just never treated. : (