white coat hypertension at the OBs

[obeyacts2]

Hi, I am posting this to see if anybody else has this problem. I am getting ready to get PG via donor IUI and I have been having problems with my BP shooting sky high (for me) at the OBs. At home and work it is nice and low (say 128/88) and it is also pretty good at my PCPs (Ive been there recently a couple times for unrelated issues), Anyway I went to the OB today to have her sign some papers related to the IUI, and talk about our plans. True to from my BP was waay up. She of course was all over me about this...I told her that it has been nice and low eveywhere BUT her office.....I have no hypertension hx, btw... Now she insists I make a return trip to the PCP that I saw 2 weeks ago and "see what she thinks about your BP" and furthermore tells me if you come in here PG with that BP you are going on BP meds and I dont care what your BP is at home. I was dumbfounded, especially at the last statement. So, should I just do as I am told and waste my PCP time and my $$$ or what. I am just so frustrated.

Laura

[fourbirds4me]

How high is high? Also I think a diastolic of 88 can't be considered "nice and low".

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

"White coat" HTN is often the first sign that true hypertension is developing. Your OB is right, you need to deal w/ it before you become pregnant, as you're at higher risk of getting pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia and so on.

I tell you this because I developed essential HTN at age 22, after being on birth-control pills for a year. It went up & down for years, so I refused to be treated for it, not wanting "to be on pills for the rest of my life". Sure enough, I developed pre-eclampsia during my first pregnancy and was put to bed for a few days, until things returned to normal......but I was lucky. I didn't have any troubles with my BP during subsequent pregnancies, in fact, I tended to run a little low....but after my last one 12 years ago, the HTN came back to stay, and I've struggled with it ever since. At one point I was on HCTZ and Vasotec, and running around with a BP of 250/120!! Now I'm on three meds, including Lasix, and my BP runs about 140/80..........still far from ideal, but it's probably the best I can expect since I've had HTN for so long and my arteries are probably in the condition of the average 70-year-old.

Please, don't stick your head in the sand and ignore these warning signs like I did. Your diastolic pressure is too high even at home, and if you want to have a healthy pregnancy, you need to deal with your blood pressure elevation while it's still in the early stage.

Good luck to you.

[obeyacts2]

Well, thanks for thhe reply. I reread my post and maybe I should have titled it "whine" as a disclaimer.:) I just was a little taken aback by her attitude this visit.....she also wants me to get a translady partsl ultrasound because my period that is usually normal as clockwork changed after I switched from days to night shift. I guess I am worried she is a little test happy. I am taking my BP and keeping a log just in case....will see my PCP as soon as I can get an opening. I guess I am also annoyed that when I last saw her for a minor procedure a year ago we went thru the same thing.....told PCP and she told me to ...keep a log.....document. I faxed her a months worth of logs and she didnt see a problem. Thanks for listening.

Laura