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It's ok to decline blood pressure check right?

I have an appointment tomorrow and I have severe anxiety with blood pressure checks. I did finally after many years, get a normal reading at home, only while I was falling asleep , I wasnt fully paying attention!

So I do have that to show them ..it's from August but I hope they'll accept it. My sister says it's fine to decline the BP check. Do you believe so? I'm getting nervous for tomorrow 😕
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GoFish ·
my neighbor lady had that like extra stress in having hers taken too
DunningKruger · 61-69, M
Yes. You don't have to do anything you don't want to.
Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@DunningKruger Thank you🍁
Jimbo7 · M
Can you not get one of your maids to stand in for you Lady Silverspoon
WormMan · 56-60, M
mine is usually higher in the office, but I always bring my machine from home to show the Dr I get normal readings at home
pdockal · 56-60, M
@Baybreeze

That's unusual in my experience
Glad it worked out for you
Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@pdockal yes many have white coat and have home monitoring to use that for their BP check
Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@pdockal but one nurse in past kept harassing me to do it, and I said I'm telling you it will not be correct...it's off the chart, I'm that panicked. And then they unnecessarily do an EKG ...I was grateful for this nurse the other day
Ben1000 · 46-50, M
Blood pressure’s an easy one, you should go, I get anxious and had a full health check last week including getting the prostate checked, not a pleasant experience.
Jimbo7 · M
@Ben1000 The old finger up the bum I presume
Ben1000 · 46-50, M
@Jimbo7 Yer that and a blood test
Massageman · 70-79, M
You can decline just about ANY medical treatment.
I have "lab coat syndrome" too. When I had to go for my draft board physical (decades ago), I was borderline 140/90. They had me "sit down and relax". (Each day, they were focusing on one "target group"- the day I went it happened to be BP). Of course, that just made me MORE apprehensive and that shot up my BP even higher and they bounced me on medical rejection.
The question is, wouldn't you rather know what is going on so that you can take steps to fix things?
If you DO get a BP, sit upright, feet flat on the floor, do NOT cross your ankles. You might ask to have them pull the reading from both arms. In some (rare) cases, one arm will have circulatory issues and it might be hard to pull a reading from that arm.
Confined · 56-60, M
I lose my eyes and picture myself on the beach while mine is being checked.
Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@Confined I've tried everything unfortunately. The only way I got it at home was I was Soo tired while taking it, I was dozing, and Bec I wasn't all worked up feeling the squeeze, it was normal. I'll just bring my monitor showing them that reading. I just can't do it in the office ughh.
Confined · 56-60, M
@Baybreeze I also have good thoughts about it being normal. It is always normal, only once a little high. A tad high does not mean high blood pressure.
Thinkerbell · 46-50, F
Have you tried 4x4 deep breathing to relax before a BP measurement at the office?

https://thejoywithin.org/breath-exercises/square-breathing

Get to the dr's parking lot about 10 minutes early, do the breathing there in your car, then continue the deep breathing in the waiting room and in the examining room right up until the measurement is taken.
pdockal · 56-60, M
Most places won't proceed without it
Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@pdockal I informed them of my chronic white coat syndrome and that I was giving and notifying my PCP of normal reading from home, and they said ok. Thank God I did get a normal reading at home, even that's tough.
Gibbon · 70-79, M
I'm just seeing this two days later. But my friend, this is something you really need to get over. Even with the white coat issue, the problem you have described before feeling the pressure on your arm, all of this is such benign stuff. You would have already had the appointment when you read this. Now I'm curious what happened.
Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@Gibbon yes it seems like a very casual thing.. however it's not just the squeezing why I panic, it's what the squeeze could possibly mean. With anxiety disorder you are thinking every possible negative outcome. Plus combined with Year and years of my "mom" criticizing any mistake I made, and health...ready to shame me daily or after an appointment.
I asked yesterday could I skip BP check Bec I have white coat syndrome, and that I was sending my normal reading to my PCP ..they said ok.
Gibbon · 70-79, M
@Baybreeze Well they accommodated you so that must have been some comfort. I often have bad oxygen levels and blood pressure when I first go in. But when they recheck a half hour later, I'm fine. I'm wondering if you could do something like that where you might possibly settle down a little bit spending time with a doctor. If the assistant could check you after you possibly calmed down, I don't know if that would make you shoot back up right away or not.
Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@Gibbon It was very helpful that they were fine with it. Actually my PCP used to recheck it at the end of an appointment, and not announce it. We were so engaged in conversation, I really didn't even pay attention what she was doing and she got a good reading! But nurses announce it and then my hearts racing🙁 I guess I could message any future appointment physician to take it at end without telling me. I forgot about that, thx.
PatientlyWaiting25 · 46-50, F
Its your choice but I personally wouldn't because what are you actually anxious about? You're in a safe place. Probably one of the safest places you can actually be and the test is in your best interests to make sure you're healthy. It doesn't hurt so really, there's nothing to stress over. You just make it worse when you tell yourself you're going to be anxious. ❤
Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@PatientlyWaiting25 I get nervous it'll be too high, yet when finally relaxed it's normal pressure. I have white coat syndrome. I'll bring in my home reading...ty
ninalanyon · 70-79, T
@Baybreeze The doctor knows that it will be higher than normal and takes that into account. At least every doctor I know has done and has told me so when reassuring me that the high reading was not a matter of great concern.
Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@ninalanyon I'm so nervous, heart racing, it's like 190/120....and they think that what it really is😔 And I explain it's severe white coat syndrome..they still do an EKG after ughh. So today went well, was so relieved. I told them I'd like to skip the BP check, that I'm watchong it on home monitor with PCP. They were like ok! God o was so grateful
496sbc · 41-45, M
if u decline this they may not treat u. at all. i know my doc would not
496sbc · 41-45, M
@Baybreeze

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Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@496sbc Thanks!!
496sbc · 41-45, M
@Baybreeze ur welcome
Do you have a home bp cuff you can check? You might have white coat syndrome
Baybreeze · 41-45, F
@MyMonstersAreReal I do have a home one and managed to get one normal reading finally. It's from Aug I hope the y accept it. I'm even anxious checking it at home so it was amazing I finally got a normal one. Oh I Def do have severe white coat syndrome
I was turned away from oral surgery about a month ago because my bp was too high. I was told to monitor it and get it cleared with my doc in order for the dentist to go through with it. My doctor was confused as to why he'd turn me away from one snapshot. 😅 I'm good as long as someone isn't about to slice my mouth open!
it's fine to decline everything, doesn't mean cost and risk disappears
Lilnonames · F
yes, you are calm down i b ok🫂
cherokeepatti · 70-79, F
It should be but probably not. I have an issue with nurses who use those free-standing blood pressure machines and slapping the cuff on my upper arm. They’ll wrap it too tight and then it hurts like hell and my blood pressure will go up to 180 or more. Then they’ll ask me if I have had other high blood pressure readings. It’s the way they are doing it. Using too small of a cuff then wrapping it too tight. Other nurses will do it right and it won’t hurt. I’ve had bruises on my arm a few times as a result. The last time at the chemo center I told the nurse she should use a larger cuff. It pissed her off apparently and she told her supervisor. The supervisor came to me and started gaslighting me telling me that “everyone who comes here is stressed out and has to go through traffic etc. and has a high blood pressure reading”. I told the other nurse the next time I went to the oncologist visit what happened. She took my blood pressure the right way and it was 121/60. And it didn’t hurt, just some pressure. They need to do with those free-standing machines and use a manual blood pressure monitor. I get good readings from those.
HikingMan · 56-60, M
Let them know about your anxiety.
Ask them if they can find a way to ease you into it.

Proper vital scores are imperative for accurate diagnosis and assessment.

Maybe bring your ear buds with your favorite music or an e book.

I’m just spitballing but you already know that I think you’re capable of overcoming some of the smaller things of fear that cause you anxiousness.

Whatever you decide, it’s the right call for you and nobody should coerce you to do anything that makes you too uncomfortable.

 
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