Friday, December 27, 2013

White Coat Syndrome

I am pretty sure I suffer from White Coat Syndrome, meaning that when I go to the doctors for something my Blood Pressure increases.  I also think this syndrome may be getting worse and I am worried it will effect my possibility of being a donor.

I've always had anxiety about going to the doctors.  I don't know why I just do.  When I was younger though this never seemed to effect my blood pressure but in the past 2 years or so my blood pressure has been unusually high when at the doctors, not high enough to cause concern but they told me I should keep an eye on.  Well over the past few times it has been pretty high.  I am almost Positive this is white Coat syndrome.  Just thinking about doctors appointments make my heart speed up.  While waiting to be called back I can feel my pulse and get a little shakie (its irrational I know, but my body still gets worked up no matter how hard I try to calm down).

Yesterday I had an eye doctor apt. (the first in my life, woo decent eyes) and they asked to take my blood pressure and it was high.  I mentioned I was anxious but she still had to record that my blood pressure was high, and schedule a time for me to come back and get it checked again (a process I did about a month ago).  I don't know how to get across to them that it is nerves, I'd never had an eye doctor apt. I didn't know what to expect and I didn't know what was wrong with me (I was seeing starbursts and things with lights turns out its an astigmatism and a bit of nearsightedness).  Thinking there is something wrong makes me more nervous and anxious which I'm sure makes my blood pressure higher.

This brings me to the attempt at being a kidney donor.  I know I am not at the step of physicals and have appointments with doctors, (still need to find time to do urine test) but what if when I do eventually and hopefully make it to that step my blood pressure is sky high due to being anxious.  Talking about an elective surgery and having people poke, prod, and determine all of my medical ailments is probably way more then enough to make me anxious.  I really don't want this to effect my possibility of being a donor. I am hoping the doctors are understanding.  I was reading on the living donors online message board (like on right) that this has happened to others and it has not ruled them out as a donor, which is promising.

In a backwards way though, I was thinking that maybe donating my kidney might be a way for me to get over this irrational reaction.  Being forced to do the whole medical work up then have surgery and be in the hospital might be what I need to convince my brain doctors are  nothing to get worked up over.

Okay, that is all, just concerned and was thinking about it last night so I thought I would post it here.  Hope everyone had a good Holiday!

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