Hello, Marguerite,
This is good news. Can we see the study you refer to, please? I think just seeing proof of this will help a lot of us white coat sufferers!
Angel

Just found this thread and boy, can I relate. Commercial helicopter pilot and never had a problem until I started to worry about my "borderline" hypertension which only seemed to occur during physicals. Now I'm full blown white coat since my doc warned me that I was close to the line last time. Figured somebody else must have had this problem and nice to hear that Resperate seems to help. Just got mine and looking forward to a positive flight physical. Thanks!

In a couple of weeks I'm going to be wearing a blood pressure monitor for 24 hours. I sure hope it proves that it's just white coat hypertension. It should. Has anyone done this?

I'm asking for a detailed copy of the results because I want to see if my relaxation cd's and breathing techniques make any difference. I'm also curious to see how my bp is while exercising. It'll also be interesting to see when it goes up in the 23rd hour as I get ready to go the the doctor's office and when I'm there.

As a CDL truck driver I also feel the pain of white coat BP spikes, 52yrs old and have always done alot of physical work, a lot of walking and a fair amount of exercise working out,take vitamins on a regular daily bases,been in a hospital once to be born, and almost never get sick. Had a bad experince as a kid with a dentist and over the years developed a VERY strong dislike for doctors and dentist ( PSYCHOSOMATIC ) I also have used the BP machines in the pharmacy departments and have also had good readings in the range 135/70 or 141/86 for 10 plus yrs. Recently applied for a new job driving truck and received a 190/84 I explained that the reading was far from normal and received a 2nd reading 10minutes later that dropped to 172/70 . Had the conversation with M.E. about white coat and feeling threatened,when that cuff tightens on my arm ,its like someones hands on my throat and I catch myself holding my breath. ( Gotta stop that ) I think that it just an automatic brain reaction to respond to a outside force
( cuff tightening )attacking ones body, thus producing raised BP. and irregular breathing patterns. Therfore I think that all of us that fall victims to this,can, and MUST admit it is a PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTION that creates the spiked readings, and we each created it . Just for the record,since the 190 reading 1 week ago, I have taken my readings on 4 different machines, in 4 locations and take 5 to 10 readings per machine over a 30minute period each producing
readings around 130-140 / 73-87 . I have decided to add a few vitamins to sediate the minds nerve control,and
reprogram the mind in the thought process at the docs office. Normally I would receive a 2yr medical card, this time I have a 90 day card and have to drop to 140/90 on a retest, or I need a new line of work that pays . ANY HELP COMMENTS OR ??? WELCOMED

If I needed a good blood pressure result to keep my job, I would take a xanax or some other anti-anxiety med an hour before. I'd have someone else drive me to the doctor.

Today is my 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitor test. Surprise! Not really...it was 142/88 at the doctor. I took one .25 xanax an hour earlier. One hour later at home it was 129/some good number. The highest since then (that's 7 readings, one every hour) was 118/77. The lowest was under 100.

So after at least 6 years of arguing with my doctor about this and mostly just refusing to let anyone take my bp at the office, we can lay it to rest.

For those of you who need a low reading for employment, why not ask about 24 hour monitoring?

My lowest reading was when I was doing relaxation breathing.

For everyone with this white coat thing at home, I find that you can help it somewhat by simply closing your eyes while the BP monitor takes the measurement. Of course that requires a monitor that inflates the cuff automatically. You can mitigate some of the panic associated with the measurement by just closing your eyes, relaxing as best you can and letting the machine do its thing.

Good luck to all!

I got the information.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the info. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)



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convert ipod video

It's me, Jimbo, the one who started this whole white coat discussion. I haven't written in many months. What Marguerite wrote here is true. I still have white coat response, but the numbers are lower. It used to be 160-170/90-100 pretty consistently in a clinical setting (but <120/80 at home). Now, after using Resperate for many months, and taking lisinopril, my doctor's bp's are 150/80 range. I had the nurse today take it a second time (immediately after the first bp) on the other arm and it was 134/76. I felt the usual anxiety too. As a pilot, I can easily pass my flight physicals with numbers like this, so I'm trying not to worry about it. One change I'm happy about is that my diastolic pressure is always 80 or less, even during a white coat moment!

Marguerite...I have a question. I've noticed when I take several bp's (one right after the other) during acute anxiety (ie..at the doctor's office), the second reading is always significantly lower. If I do this at home when I'm relaxed and not having a white coat response, the numbers are the same. I've read on this forum and well as your literature we should take 3 bps in a row, throw out the first number, and average the last 2. I've had health care providers tell me this is not accurate. That you must wait 15 minutes before taking the pressure again due to vascular changes that occur when you squeeze the artery closed while taking the first bp. So I'm confused. Is it accurate to throw out the usually high first bp, and consider the second one (taken right away) as more accurate? What is the opinion of the Resperate medical staff? Thanks.
Jimbo

I sometimes have good luck with WCH by distracting myself and reading something while the doctor or nurse takes my bp. I'm going to get the 24-hour monitoring device also, and if that is normal, I will refuse to have my bp taken at the doctor's office.
Another thing, my doctor had me bring in my home monitoring kit. I put that on one arm, she manually took my pressure on the other arm. It was the same. That way I can have confidence in it. Good luck all. (Resparating for about three weeks now. Hopeful.)

Sandra,
We all wish you luck too! As simple or silly as it sounds, breathing is the key!
Breathe Easy!
Marguerite (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

White coat syndrome is good and bad. You see, doctors look at it as a propensity for your blood pressure to get high. Most people are slightly anxious at the doctors office, but it is a good idea to get other tests. Periodic spikes of blood pressure can be as dangerious as constant high blood pressure. You need to consult a doctor. If your blood pressure spikes to 160/100 or higher at the doctor, consistently, you might ask to run a few more tests. It could be adrenal tumor, or simply anxiety.

While I am not a doctor, both my father and brother are - and I went through many of those tests to rule things out. Just my 2 pennies to keep you safe and flying.

I have to be the poster child for White Coat Hypertension. It's been with me for 30 years, and does not get better with time. I am a retired 70 year old psychologist, active and in good health. it doesn't matter who takes my pressure, nurse or friend, it always is high, 160/90. When I take it at home, it always begins high and returns to normal(130/70) after repeted measurements. I do switch to the other arm for the final measurement. Over the years, my doctors have trusted my measurements and we have all given up on "relaxing" me in the doctor's office. In this regard, I am hopeless. Maybe Resperate will help, and I'm going to try. It can't hurt and could offer benefits beyond the White Coat syndrome.

I have reviewed a number of scientific "reviews" of this product and would like to raise a few questions. No doubt 15 minutes a day will lower BP 10-15% for the average user. Most studies and testimonials refer to lowered numbers in the doctor's office. How long does it actually last? An hour or a day? Does the patient actually become conditioned to maintain a lowered breating rate throughout the day or does it occur only an hour before, during and an hour after measurement? If all it does is get one through the agony of a doctor measuring one's BP, no big benefit. Various critiques say that you can purchase a CD for $10 that "teaches" you to breath slowly. Why not do that? Four nights ago, in Marin County, I heard Andrew Weil, MD lecture, and his tidbit for the evening was to teach us his "4-7-8" breathing technique for overall relaxation. Check out his website. Then there is Benson's "Relaxation Response" which started all this 30-35 years ago. Do really need to spend $300? I'm not sure.

The RESPeRATE is clinically tested and proven to lower your blood pressure. This is a sustained reduction that lasts all day, providing you continue doing this breathing exercise. For people with White Coat, who have a tendency to see a spike in their BP especially while at the doctor's office.
Breathe Easy!
Marguerite (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

Hullo everyone and greetings from London, UK. Like so many of you I thought I was the only person to suffer from W Coat HT. It started as a young woman when my BP was taken during a medical for a job (so of course was very stressed) and was dramatically pronounced 'dangerously high'. Since then it has spiked anywhere near a doc and made worse my horrible parent-child finger-wagging stuff from my then GP who probably over-treated me for years with a beta blocker. Felt very very stupid and child like; wanted to run away but of course couldn't. For some time I couldn't even hear the words 'blood pressure' without freaking. Bought a home monitor and used for a while but that freaked me too, even though readings were in the normal range so I had transferred the phobia to the home monitor. Now have new, pleasant GP who takes a collaborative approach. I am on a low dose of Losartan. Bought automatically inflating machine just like his and have amazed myself by taking BP twice or more a day. Find that Resperate can dramatically lower SBP - eg in minutes from 140 to 112. Worked professionally with a group of docs last week (totally different topic) and consulted them on this. Their advice was progressive desensitisation (tried the NLP so-called 'phobia cure' by the way and it was useless). So have already sent in my daily readings to the doc, also had my bloods done and will now make date to see him to discuss both. Will take in my own machine to use in his office and offer to use it myself but in his surgery. I think the key is to be in control so will also take in my Resperate and play in waiting room hoping that the learned response will help unlearn so many years of unhelpful conditioned response.

Hope this helps y'all and look forward to more helpful tips

Jenny1

Hi,

I'm new to the board. I've had White Coat Syndrome for years now but now my blood pressure can be high at home as well. I've had Resperate but haven't been using it. I'm back to using it once or twice a day. I'm hoping the numbers will stay within normal at the Drs. office. Last time I was measured by the nurse at an allergist it was 156/?. I was having such high anxiety I thought I may start to hyper-ventilate. My pulse was 96. It's just an allergist and he's is a super nice guy!

Yesterday afternoon it was normal and I hope this continues.

Best to all,
Lizzie