I'm heading to my endo tomorrow morning for my six month checkup. I hate going to see him. I am in control and my A1Cs have always been lower than 7, but I still get very anxious and nervous about going. Having diabetes for 18 years, I'm always dreading getting the lab results that shows something terrible. I always think, is this the time I find out my kidneys are starting to stop working? Will this be the time when I learn I have nerve problems or eye problems? I was just recently diagnosed with gastroparesis, another lovely complication of this disease, so now I get even MORE worried. I already have white coat syndrome. Everytime I go to a doc, whehter it's my endo or my family (who I played softball with for three years), I get so nervous, my blood pressure is usually high. THen I have to explain to the nurses that I have a doctor phobia and that I check my BP at home and it is fine there. I absolutely DREAD going to the endo? Does anybody else out there have these worries? Does anyone have any suggestions to ease this stress?
My blood pressure at my last lab test outing, provided by my employer (much appreciated) was 140 over 92 because I was so freaked out about how many people were there, feeling like cattle, afraid of seeing someone I knew and didn't want them to find out I have diabetes, and just general fear and loathing of doctors. When I check my blood pressure at home or work I am often 110 over 70 with a pulse between 47 and 57 beats a minute(I am and avid cyclist, mountain biker). I understand where you are coming from and wish someone would share some helpful tips on relaxing at the docs office, I am only newly diagnosed at hate to see from your perspective that after 18 years it is still a phenomanon that your blood pressure sky rockets, I was hoping that It would get better/easier with time. The one time that I had good results I laid my head in my hands in the waiting room and just tried to drift off to sleep, ignoring as much as I could around me, this helped but I have not been able to repeat this, my wife was not with me on this visit(wow I just had an epiphany perhaps I can ask her to give me a break in the waiting room to clear my head). I hope that all goes well with you.