Hello everyone! So does anyone out there have this white coat syndrome aka anxiety big time when its time to go to the doctor? I've made 2 appointments that are much needed, with a brand new GP.. One for myself and one for my husband.. The one for my husband is today, and I need to go explain the last 2 years of his medical history from hospital stays to all the testing he's had done to the referrals to specialists he needs, of coarse he can't do it, it wouldn't get done right! Mine isn't even until tomorrow morning, and well I'm having a really bad anxiety episode on verg of panic , chest tight belching trapped gas feels like I can't breathe just can't calm down, and I hate this.. I haven't been like this since last year, my anxiety really has been in check.. But no not today its reared its ugly head big time.. Its early morning and I'm going to get busy doing some house chores to get my worried about everything mind off of all the insane crap.. I was in the grocery store yesterday with my 2 year old grandson pushing him around in the shopping cart and picking out pumpkins which we brought home and decorated, I felt fantastic yesterday! And that's huge for me and a grocery store, all the ladies were coming up and saying how cute he was with all his pumpkins, and I got to talking to one older woman about menopause, and I was telling her what an awful time I'm having, and she said yes not a nice ride at all, she said she couldn't stand herself for like 2 years, but assured me it does calm down and gets better... Well will see!!! Just wondering does anyone else have the worry anxiety big time when its time for something? I just want to run hide and bury my head in the sand today...
Hi Gypsy! Oh yes! I had a doozy back in July in my drs exam room. Right after my BP got taken. I got dizzy, dry mouth, sweaty, if the windows opened I would have climbed out there like spiderman! My husband was with me thank god! My primary dr is very nice and isn’t confrontational , so I wasn’t nervous about him! I notice I get this way as I am waiting ... HOWEVER, I went to 2 appointments alone last week and did fine. I had just stopped Lexapro too. But, definitely felt anxious while waiting... gives the brain too much time to think. write everything down so you don’t get sidetrack, no chit chat...in/out! You could also just record yourself and play it for the dr! In case you feel overwhelmed... I get that way explaining stuff now! Good god what the hell is wrong with all of us!
Yes times a million gypsy!!!! I get nervous just making the appointment !!!! It’s soooo annoying and frustrating !!!!
Yes I do as well. I have found that I am starting to avoid going. I keep my regular ones (annuals, etc.) but I am learning to live with aches/pains, etc. because I am so uncomfortable at the doctor's office now. I used to go for any odd not so normal issue which was more often than I had ever gone once perimenopause began. I tamed that down because my anxiety was so high at each appointment. My mom was quite sick over the last 4-5 years and I had to accompany her to her visits and it was anxiety ridden for me as her health was declining so quickly. I think that it tainted all visits in general now. I can feel my heart beating fast, dry mouth, woozy, as soon as I know I have an appt on a given day.
Oh yes!!! Everytime they check my vitals before I get to see my doctor, my blood pressure goes up really high so does my pulse rate. I worry so much that I start thinking the doctor might find something wrong with me. My mind goes crazy thinking of all these illnesses that I might have. I was never like this before. And not only for myself but also when it comes to my husband’s and kid’s health. I just worry too much. I’m so done with this. I can’t wait for that day that all these ugly symptoms go away. Take care everyone.
I struggle too.
Makes it worse as they see I am anxious and then blame everything on anxiety. Can’t believe how easy anti depressants are prescribed.
Good luck xxxx
AMEN! The more I try, the worse I look!
Me too. Making an appt. is agony, let alone going!
Hi Gypsy , omg yes I have it every time I see my GP. My blood pressure goes to 178/105 and then a few minutes later it’s 115/78 . Anxiety for sure it is !
He’s the nicest doctor but because I have had such a rough year and a half my blood pressure and heart rate go so high every appointment that I have with him . Weird though because it never was like that until I started to get medical issues and also messed up hormones due to this peri so I had had to go see him on a regular basis . I think fear plays a lot of it because we don’t want anymore bad news because we’ve already been dealing with enough . I went to have a scan done at my vascular doctors office and guess what ? My BP was normal there of 120/80 the other day and he said it’s for sure the” White Coat Syndrome when I go to my family GP , and said try not to worry about it so much , So I do think it’s just mostly in my head when I go to my GPS office. Lord help us all . At least we’re not alone, so thank you for posting this as it’s a good reminder to know we can make it through and there are many of us dealing with different issues to help support us . We’re all in this together and hugs to ya from Canada . XX
I know Sabrina! And when I’m in the waiting room my heart pounds so hard I feel like I’m going to have a heart attack !😪😪.
Tessa! I could have written what you just wrote!!! I am the EXACT same way😞. I went to the ear doctor and had a panic attack in the waiting room.. I thought about leaving.... then they called me back... bp was 160/90... heart rate 130.... the nurse asked me if I had WCS and I said YES!!!!!!!!
YES!!! I have it so bad I now see online doctors unless i'm so bad my daughter comes and takes me to ER! I been like this for the last 4 years!
Thank you everyone ! To read all the others on here feeling the same , I suddenly have calmed down .. I still have to make it through my own appointment tomorrow uggh !! But after going to my husbands appointment today and actually meeting the new GP she was thorough, but has a terrible bedside manor.. She actually shushed me and said ok am I going to speak for my husband the entire time! I said well yeah if you want to know his very important medical history I do because he will be leaving important info out... Well I'm keeping my appointment tomorrow and going for me, and will ask her for my referrals to the specialists that I want to see and just take it from there! She definitely did NOT help my anxiety at all and how the hell does she expect to keep patients with such a bad attitude, I feel like leaving her a bad online review! I had another doctor simular to her before which I also wasn't comfortable with.. No wonder why we can't go and speak our situations and symptoms to these doctors and get a proper diagnosis with doctors out there like this only make anxiety worse, I feel like never seeing another doctor again, it seems they make our visits all about them and their practice and not us as the patient..
Oh and also I had to sit under them awful fluorescent lighting for hours which triggered my migraines, in not there with it yet but after going tomorrow my migraine will be in full force! I can feel it coming, and this upsets me to no end...😢
Oh yes! I'm so irrational when it comes to going to the Dr! My bp and pulse skyrocket! I haven't had a normal bp reading at the dr's in over a year! I have to convince them I have WCS every single time I go. Normally, my bp is around 105/65 at home. It can go as high as 180/110 in the Dr office! Agh!!! I hate even making appointments. It's time for my annual Gyn appointment and yearly GP physical and I'm past due for my annual mammogram. I don't even mind getting mammograms.. but I can't make myself make the call! I just don't want to think about another freaking Dr appointment and the irrational fear of them finding something really wrong with me. So crazy on my part, I know.
Wow! She sounds awful! I've had one of my daughters dr's reprimand me for speaking for her at her appointment! She was 17 for heavens sake! It took me by such surprise! I let her get away with it but it really upset me! We had to go back to that dr and I was prepared for her the next time we went in! Turns out she was sweet as pie to me and like a different person! Hopefully your dr will behave differently tomorrow when you see her. I know it's hard to pile on a Dr with a bad attitude and anxiety from just being there! Just get your referrals and hopefully you won't have to see her again! Good luck!
Thanks audra ... Yeah a real piece of work she was!! And I've had a couple of doctors before kind of behave the same with my kid too he was under 18 as well so naturally as a wife a mother we speak on behalf of our family.. Well I'm just not comfortable with that type of attitude at all its not necessary.. I will just get my referrals for now, and go see the specialists, it is a good doctors office with several more doctors to choose from, so its not a problem to just pick a different one, but its not something I'm feeling like doing at this point, I have no energy for any of it.. And the whole reason for picking her is because she's a woman and in her 50s thought she'd understand, maybe meno hasn't hit her yet! Will see thanks for your reply
Oh yes! I'm always afraid the Dr. might find something terrible.
Also just called on sick two days in a row because I felt so low. Just could not deal with people. Hang in there.😊🤗🤗🤗
I get that same way also, just can't be around anyone.. So I just stay by myself
Oh yes, Gypsy! I get that dreaded anxiety when I have to go to the doctor too. My blood pressure goes up when I'm at the doctors. But when I'm home it's normal. A doctor told me once that I actually have "white coat syndrome" I had never heard of it before. But I do know that it didn't start until peri began. I never had anxiety problems of any kind before. I sit there in the waiting room and try to deep breathe but sometimes I'm just so anxious that I can't calm myself down. I fear that they are going to find something wrong with me. I never even had blood pressure issues until peri began. I will be so glad when peri and menopause is finished with my body so I can have it back.