White Coat syndrome - ugh!

[Bucky]

White Coat syndrome - if you happen to have it, you know it can show it's ugly head at the most inopportune times - which was my case yesterday.  Sigh!

I can practice all the deep breathing exercises there are and be fine sitting in the examining room all by myself - then the door opens, in walks the nurse or doctor and all that just flew out the window!!   

Not a good situation when you are in a new doctors office for the first time - a Cardiologist at that.  The nurse took my blood pressure twice - both in the 200's.  A bit later when the doctor comes in - we talk, etc. - he checks my BP - 218!! 

"But doc, when I'm not here, I'm fine!  It's that white coat you're wearing!"

On occasion, I take my BP at home and write it down to take with me to the doctors office - I just happened to have the index card with me and showed it to him.  He still wants it lower, so a new pill is added to my routine.  Yippy Zippy!

Now, next week I get to have a stress/echo.  I told them the bill alone can measure the stress level of my heart . . . come on, give me a break.  Ha - no such luck!  (I just had an echo two weeks ago!!)

You know how we're always saying . . write things down to take to your doctor to discuss?  Well, I DID write it down - just forgot to tell him!!  Duh!  Actually, I didn't EVEN think about it until late last night . . . "oh yeah, I should have told him my mom had a heart attack in '03!"   

Whenever they pump up that BP cuff, it feels like my arm is going to explode right then and there.  They pump it up too much!  Ouch!  (I still have red marks on my arm from it!) There's got to be a better way for BP to be taken - not sure what that is, but I know there's got to be a better way.  They need to have these "hunk" nurses take your BP  - walk in with a tray of chocolate, sit down, share a few jokes - that way we wouldn't be so stressed!!  LOL

One funny thing about the doctor visit - I had to keep from laughing out loud - the doctor's shoes were kinda pointy and looked almost like Elf shoes!     (Of course, I didn't tell him that . . but, I kept chuckling inside to myself every time I looked at them.) 

Life goes on . . . .

Bucky

[LizPetillo]

I hear ya.  All my husband has to do is say the words 'go to _____ doctor .. just try it out' and I tear up and want to cry. 

[Epson]

Yes, white coat syndrome, the only way to overcome it is to imagine that everyone with a white coat is naked, then all you have to do is keep from busting out with laughter.

[SLEEPY101]

I guess I have that too. I don't think I feel stressed out but my body says otherwise. Sometimes my pulse is out of control, the Dr's get concerned because it is way to high for my age.


I had a stress test. The cardiologist said that test showed that I was having a major heart attack. He confirmed by a heart ultrasound that everything was okay. He said that if a less experienced tech or Dr had done my test they would have called an Abulance and done alot of unecessary things to my body.

[bloodless]

new pill is added to my routine.  Yippy Zippy!

The coat doesn't bother me, but the handing me yet another bill to take does. They're so hard to keep track of and the expense is overwhelming!

[sunshine]

I have that too!  I always take my BP when ever I'm in the supermarket or drug store on their machines just to prove to myself it's only when I'm in the doctors office that my BP goes up.  Luckily he has taken it when it came out normal, so he kind of knows,  it's him not me! lol.  I have one doctor that said she has a lot of patients with W.C.S. and she and her staff no longer wear white coats.  It didn't help me though, my body knew where it was! lol

[SueAnn]

I have the oposite at my gyno's office.  Yesterday I went and my blood pressure was 84/67 .  It has always been low at her office, I guess because I am not stressed out by her.  Now at the other doctor's it is in the 120's  to 130's which is very high for me because I normally have to wait forever!

Sue Ann

[Nans]

Hi Bucky,

Yeah - I have that... it is part of my Social Anxiety Disorder.  It started sometime in my early 40's and now, in hindsight, I believe it has something to do with my Sjogren's.   I hate it.

I have an Rx for clonazepam which I take PRN.  It helps me to function in social situations but even with it I still have some level of anxiety.  

Like you, my BP is normal at home, but at the doctor's, it's sky high.

I feel your pain.  

[Pisces24]

Sorry folks but those BP machines around are just not that accurate!
This was from my own gp as my later mother used to use those too.

A sense of humor helps Bucky. Some drs you can find it with and some not. I got one dr who is very intelligent and well respected but looks like a skinny white nutty professor. ROFL.   He can smile too which is a BIG plus with me and drs.  If I can't get a smile out of em, I am pretty sure we won't connect.

Me - I got old time phrases I use. I guess because my folks used them that I do.  I get "odd" looks when I use them but after people figure them out I get a chuckle.  Least I can provide entertainment to the drs too.