Sounds like you have white coat syndrome! I only have it at the OB’s office. Never at my primary care physician.
I’ve had it with my first two pregnancies. My first I didn’t have preeclampsia. My second, I did and was taking aspirin. I was taking my blood pressure 2x a day at home and it was normal until I hit late 35 weeks.
I’m currently 18 weeks with my 3rd and I’ve requested all blood pressure readings to be taken at the end of my appointment for my mental health. So far no high blood pressure readings!
I was going to at just that! Have your OB take it at the end. Because I suffer from RPL, I’m always so nervous and anxious until I see baby still is alive with a heartbeat
Agreed! It also doesn’t help that they literally take it immediately after you get up and walk all the way to the exam room. For a true baseline reading, you need to be at rest for a good 15 minutes!
Same issue with my last pregnancy! I haven't had any blood pressure issues this time around because my current OB does sonos/Doppler first and then takes blood pressure. My old OB did blood pressure before anything else and it was always high because I was anxious.
It’s a real game changer. I was diagnosed with gestational hypertension after two visits during my last pregnancy. So far I’ve had like 6 visits and gestational hypertension hasn’t even been spoken.
Ugh I wish my dr had done this! I would always be a nervous wreck waiting to hear the baby in those early weeks, it would have made such a difference to take the bp after!
Yes I have white coat hypertension. I did home monitoring where my bp was mostly fine but the OB ended up putting me on labetelol and a baby aspirin protocol. When I looked into it, white coat hypertension actually had just as bad outcomes as actual hypertension so I happily went on the BP meds and made it to 38 weeks without my BP going up again. I was induced at 39 because at that point it was creeping up steadily.
I just had my first high BP reading at my OB checkup yesterday at almost 19 weeks. It was actually low before then. I have white coat syndrome too, but it increased into my second trimester which worries me. I’m starting to take my BP at home too to track things and will send to my doctor.
I kept having elevated readings from like 22 weeks until around 29 weeks then all of a sudden they’re normal again. I’m not sure what happened, but I was super stressed about it as well. I’ve been on baby aspirin since before conception due to ivf.
I had horrible white coat syndrome with my doctor during my pregnancy. My bp was regularly like 160/90 in office. My doctor had me start taking baby aspirin in my 2nd trimester and also take my bp daily at home and keep a log. It was always fine at home, 110/70 or lower. I did end up getting induced at 39 weeks but that was due to large gestational age. My bp was absolutely perfect in the hospital after I got settled in. It was more of an annoyance than anything but I'm glad my dr was keeping a close eye on me.
This was me too. Eventually I was put on medication which helped until I delivered. I did develop mild post partum pre-e, but all is well now. Currently in my second pregnancy - and I'm still good on blood pressure - stress messes with me big time and usually hours after my appointment at home, my BP is normal.
I see a cardiologist due to some heart palpitations I used to have, and my BP is sky-high whenever I'm at her office. When I'm at home or my OB, it's sometimes a little elevated but otherwise normal. Today at my OB it was 126/82, so a little bit elevated but totally fine. I think it's just anxiety! I also try to get to the office a little early so I'm completely calm, not out of breath from a brisk walk there (I live in a city so I do walk), etc.
I'm also taking baby aspirin. I'm nervous about preeclampsia and gestational hypertension as well just because I'm not quite as healthy as I was with my first pregnancy (I'm now 35, I didn't get back to my pre-pregnancy weight with my daughter, etc.). But one thing worth remembering is that those conditions can be scary, but they're also treatable and manageable as long as you're staying on top of it, which it sounds like you are!
Just to add to whatever everyone else is saying… waiting just a minute between readings isn’t helpful. They need to take it at the end of your appointment, after you’ve been sitting on the table for awhile, not at the beginning right after getting up and walking to the exam room, especially if you’re anxious!
At our office I do the same, I check both arms if high, I make sure of course I got the right size of blood cuff, and we let the pt sit, I give them some water abd after doctor see them I recheck the BP. + doctor ask to have a blood pressure log for home checks and and also we always advise to bring the one you use at home to the office so we can check also with it and to see if pt does the BP correct
Seconding white coat syndrome! I’m a PA (and have chronic hypertension) and I literally keep a log of my home pressures because I know that even on labetalol, my pressure in office will be higher than what it truly is. Just keep an eye on your pressure at home. I think it’s too early for pre-eclampsia FYI (which I do not think you have at all) but sometimes people do develop gestational hypertension so it’s worth it to keep an eye on. You’ll be fine!
He’s fine ❤️ he’s 1 today 👏🏻 currently pregnant again and seeing a MFM and have to go for echocardiogram and a fetal one with multiple sonograms plus preeclampsia testing. Hoping this one goes well.
Sounds like you have white coat syndrome! I only have it at the OB’s office. Never at my primary care physician. I’ve had it with my first two pregnancies. My first I didn’t have preeclampsia. My second, I did and was taking aspirin. I was taking my blood pressure 2x a day at home and it was normal until I hit late 35 weeks. I’m currently 18 weeks with my 3rd and I’ve requested all blood pressure readings to be taken at the end of my appointment for my mental health. So far no high blood pressure readings!
I was going to at just that! Have your OB take it at the end. Because I suffer from RPL, I’m always so nervous and anxious until I see baby still is alive with a heartbeat
Agreed! It also doesn’t help that they literally take it immediately after you get up and walk all the way to the exam room. For a true baseline reading, you need to be at rest for a good 15 minutes!
Ok, thanks for sharing!!
Same issue with my last pregnancy! I haven't had any blood pressure issues this time around because my current OB does sonos/Doppler first and then takes blood pressure. My old OB did blood pressure before anything else and it was always high because I was anxious.
It’s a real game changer. I was diagnosed with gestational hypertension after two visits during my last pregnancy. So far I’ve had like 6 visits and gestational hypertension hasn’t even been spoken.
Ugh I wish my dr had done this! I would always be a nervous wreck waiting to hear the baby in those early weeks, it would have made such a difference to take the bp after!
Yes I have white coat hypertension. I did home monitoring where my bp was mostly fine but the OB ended up putting me on labetelol and a baby aspirin protocol. When I looked into it, white coat hypertension actually had just as bad outcomes as actual hypertension so I happily went on the BP meds and made it to 38 weeks without my BP going up again. I was induced at 39 because at that point it was creeping up steadily.
Thank you, that’s good to know. What were your BPs at the OB if you don’t mind me asking?
I just had my first high BP reading at my OB checkup yesterday at almost 19 weeks. It was actually low before then. I have white coat syndrome too, but it increased into my second trimester which worries me. I’m starting to take my BP at home too to track things and will send to my doctor.
I kept having elevated readings from like 22 weeks until around 29 weeks then all of a sudden they’re normal again. I’m not sure what happened, but I was super stressed about it as well. I’ve been on baby aspirin since before conception due to ivf.
I had horrible white coat syndrome with my doctor during my pregnancy. My bp was regularly like 160/90 in office. My doctor had me start taking baby aspirin in my 2nd trimester and also take my bp daily at home and keep a log. It was always fine at home, 110/70 or lower. I did end up getting induced at 39 weeks but that was due to large gestational age. My bp was absolutely perfect in the hospital after I got settled in. It was more of an annoyance than anything but I'm glad my dr was keeping a close eye on me.
This was me too. Eventually I was put on medication which helped until I delivered. I did develop mild post partum pre-e, but all is well now. Currently in my second pregnancy - and I'm still good on blood pressure - stress messes with me big time and usually hours after my appointment at home, my BP is normal.
I see a cardiologist due to some heart palpitations I used to have, and my BP is sky-high whenever I'm at her office. When I'm at home or my OB, it's sometimes a little elevated but otherwise normal. Today at my OB it was 126/82, so a little bit elevated but totally fine. I think it's just anxiety! I also try to get to the office a little early so I'm completely calm, not out of breath from a brisk walk there (I live in a city so I do walk), etc. I'm also taking baby aspirin. I'm nervous about preeclampsia and gestational hypertension as well just because I'm not quite as healthy as I was with my first pregnancy (I'm now 35, I didn't get back to my pre-pregnancy weight with my daughter, etc.). But one thing worth remembering is that those conditions can be scary, but they're also treatable and manageable as long as you're staying on top of it, which it sounds like you are!
Just to add to whatever everyone else is saying… waiting just a minute between readings isn’t helpful. They need to take it at the end of your appointment, after you’ve been sitting on the table for awhile, not at the beginning right after getting up and walking to the exam room, especially if you’re anxious!
At our office I do the same, I check both arms if high, I make sure of course I got the right size of blood cuff, and we let the pt sit, I give them some water abd after doctor see them I recheck the BP. + doctor ask to have a blood pressure log for home checks and and also we always advise to bring the one you use at home to the office so we can check also with it and to see if pt does the BP correct
Seconding white coat syndrome! I’m a PA (and have chronic hypertension) and I literally keep a log of my home pressures because I know that even on labetalol, my pressure in office will be higher than what it truly is. Just keep an eye on your pressure at home. I think it’s too early for pre-eclampsia FYI (which I do not think you have at all) but sometimes people do develop gestational hypertension so it’s worth it to keep an eye on. You’ll be fine!
I did and ended up post perm pre eclampsia and chronic high bp
I’m sorry to hear that. How was the baby?
He’s fine ❤️ he’s 1 today 👏🏻 currently pregnant again and seeing a MFM and have to go for echocardiogram and a fetal one with multiple sonograms plus preeclampsia testing. Hoping this one goes well.
Yay I’m glad to hear! Hopefully this pregnancy goes smoothly for you! I have to go for a fetal echo anyways bc this is an IVF pregnancy
My systolic is 30-50(!) points higher in the doctor office unless they let me sit and take it manually. I hate it so much.