Key 2 White Coat Syndrome

[Guest Tlicious1020]

Walk for 1 hour at least 2 hours before you go to the doctors’ office to have your blood pressure checked. Your pulse may be high but your blood pressure will be low. When I say walk, I mean walk. It's BEST to walk on a treadmill, if you are breaking a sweat that is good.

Can the flight MD back me up on this idea which has worked for me? It helps me to get that extra adrenaline out of my body. I wouldn't advise running before hand.

[ 04. January 2007, 09:30: Message edited by: Tlicious1020 ]

[Guest F16PilotMD]

I don't think that makes any sense. Medically, I can't explain it. If it works for you, great!

[Guest Tlicious1020]

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying if you have high blood pressure this will work. If you actually have white coat syndrome walking to let your "nerves" or "adrenaline" subside before you visit the doctor will help you to relax right?

They always tell you if you have a hyperactive dog you need to walk the dog more right. Doesn't the same thing apply to this situation a person who is nervous? By walking before hand it will take your mind off of your blood pressure so you aren't freaking out when you hit the doctors office.

[Guest Tlicious1020]

F16PilotMD, my BP was 124/82 when I went to see the flight doctor. He said terrific! I don't know if this helped but I walked for 1 hour before I went to bed. Then I walked again in the morning before hitting the doctors office. I wonder if that had anything to do with it.

[addict]

Dehydration helps lower blood pressure, right?

[Guest F16PilotMD]

Sounds like you should keep on walkin'...

[dontshavemyhead]

Originally posted by addict:

Dehydration helps lower blood pressure, right?

I would think so since overhydration causes high blood pressure and a higher pulse.

[Guest awfltdoc]

Significant dehydration will lower blood pressure but also cause a compensatory increase in heart rate to provide enough cardiac output to perfuse the nugget and kidneys with blood. Significant dehydration will also cause dizzines and make you feel bad. It is not good for anyone and will negatively impact mental concentration and G tolerance.

Significant overhydration (hard to due in a healthy person) will cause electrolyte disturbances, pulmonary congestion and other bad things...again negatively impacting an individuals mental concentration and ability to operate normally. I have usually only seen this in people with mental illness who drink excessive amounts of water or in the hospital when a patient has congestive heart/liver/kidney failure.

Many people usually live on the side of poor hydration by not drinking enough water in the day, taking meds, excessive caffiene, alcohol, etc. You can tell by looking at your urine (dark or concentrated) vs a well hydrated person with light yellow to clear urine.

Your blood pressure is very tightly controlled by feedback mechanisms in your body. Its function is somewhat complicated and in the majority of people is not affected by mild overhydration or mild dehydration. For your blood pressure to be affected you'd really have to by significantly over or under hydrated...bad for flying.